PD Background Report (PL-USE-2023-000008)

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ATTACHMENT 1—Project Narrative AT&T's Application—HIL03306 Volcano Village East Page 3 of 17 build their entitled site with Use Permit No. 15-000059, with no success. AT&T has also attempted several times to contact Verizon Wireless over that last year regarding the plan on building the site but have received no commitments or assurances. Due to the urgent need to get coverage and capacity to this area, AT&T has identified the subject parcel, 11-3049 Volcano Road, Volcano, HI 96785, as critical to its expansion of the FirstNet system on the Island of Hawaii. The urgent need for increased service in the area was also made clear over the course of AT&T's RF engineering study, targeting this specific coverage area. Expansion of FirstNet to include the subject Facility and monopine will significantly improve the ability of first responders to coordinate their efforts in addition to providing the diverse users of the area improved cellular service and access to 9-1-1 emergency services. As shown in AT&T's Application, this proposed project meets all applicable requirements of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2016 Edition, as Amended) for siting new wireless communications facilities and complies with all other applicable state and federal laws and regulations and applicable under Hawaii Revised Statutes § 27-45 — State shot-clock for broadband related permits. AT&T's proposal is also the least intrusive means of meeting its coverage objectives for this site. Accordingly, AT&T respectfully requests the County of Hawaii Planning Director and Commission to approve this project as proposed, subject only to the County of Hawaii standard conditions of approval. 2. PROPOSED PROJECT DETAILS 2.1. Site Description Detailed information regarding the subject property and proposed lease area is included in Attachment 8—Zoning Drawings, to AT&T's application. 2.1.1. Subject property. The subject 7.383-acre property ("Akatsuka Orchid Gardens") is owned by Hawaii Akatsuka Farm Inc. and is located on 11-3049 Volcano Road, Volcano, HI on Hawaii island, TMK: (3) 1-1-020:159 (the "Property"). Akatsuka Orchid Gardens is a family-owned and operated orchid nursery since 1974. They are a wholesaler and retailer of orchids, home to the $20,000.00 Lady Slipper Orchid and is one of the oldest orchid farms on Hawaii island. The property on which the Facility is proposed is improved with a plant nursery with its associated buildings, parking lot, and maintained/landscaped areas. The area of the property on which the installation is proposed currently consists of a regularly maintained (mowed) grass lawn and existing asphalt paved driveway. Land immediately surrounding the Facility consists of undeveloped land to the south, facilities associated with the plant nursery in all other directions, and zoned Agriculture to the north, east, and south with Conservation District land to the west. The Property is within the State "Agriculture" Land Use district and zoned by the County of Hawaii as A-3a. The area is designated as "Extensive Agriculture" in the Land Use Pattern Allocation Guide Map of the Hawaii County General Plan. The subject property is