2007-12-12 TKONAVISTAS - Laserfiche WebLink

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DOMINGO: Now the previous owner -. Is this your first application for a time extension? KOYAMA: I’m not sure how many, but there’s been a number of time extensions -. DOMINGO: Well, according to staff, they said that there have been seven time extensions. KOYAMA: Uh huh. DOMINGO: You know, I have some great concerns about this because, on the other hand, as I look at the project, and if you will be taking care of the drainage problems, certainly that would be good for the surrounding areas. But it’s not only the drainage problems that I’m concern; it’s just the whole, the whole idea of granting zoning for development. And then nothing has been done, and I don’t know for what reason. But I understand now that, you know, the present owners are negotiating for the sale of the land, you know. That further puts a great, big question mark in my mind, you know, because are we just, has the delay taken place to wait for a more favorable condition, economic condition, where they can obtain the highest return of the investment? And I don’t fault developers for doing that because that’s what they are looking at: to build and to invest and to make a profit. And the profit, it depends, you know. I just, somebody told me greed comes in different degrees. You get settled for so much and take it okay; but then some would just stand and wait and see how much more they can acquire by waiting. You know, I have some concerns about this issue with regard to just getting the zoning, waiting, picking it up and then run away with it, and make a sizable amount of profit. KOYAMA: Okay. It’s too bad you don’t have the background report on this project. But the owners of this property have gone through a lot to even reach this stage. There are numbers of things that have to be done, which all involve time consuming efforts. One was to go for a CLOMR approval. We had to do a number of studies: obtaining topographic information, doing drainage studies, going through the CLOMR process with the FEMA. And we also had to get an SMA permit for the lower portion of the drainage improvement, below our project site, below the Highway -. DOMINGO: Okay. KOYAMA: We had to go through a subdivision/reconsolidation process for the area below the Highway, which is part of this project. That’s a 12-acre site, which the owner was involved in donating this particular site to the County for affordable housing. Until that site was cleared, having a specific parcel identified, as well as having a drainage easement established, we couldn’t move forward. So until that was done, which was completed – I believe we got the permit in 2003 – we were then able to move forward with the rest of the drainage channel improvements. And by that time, all of a sudden we realized that it was 2006, 2007. So there was definitely a lot of effort placed into this -. DOMINGO: Isn’t -. GRAHAM: Thank you, Mr. Koyama. Is it all you’re asking for today that we continue this hearing until our next -? Could I hear from the public at this point now, since we’re going to EXHIBIT B 5