PD RECOMMENDATION REPORT (PL-SMA-2022-000018)

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RAhuPohakuHoomaluhia AmendSMA.-12/20/22 COUNTY OF HAWAII PLANNING DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION AHU POHAKU HO`OMALUHIA LLC (FORMERLY ROBERT WATKINS AND JEAN SUNDERLAND) AMENDMENT TO SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREA USE PERMIT NO. 417 (PL-SMA- 2022-000018 Upon review of the request against the guidelines for granting a Special Management Area (SMA) Use Permit, the Planning Director recommends that the request to increase the number of guest rooms from sixteen to thirty-six by constructing twenty additional guest rooms at Hawaii Island Retreat, on an approximately 5.0-acre portion of a 14.5-acre parcel of land situated in the Special Management Area be approved by the Planning Commission. Since this recommendation is made without the benefit of public testimony, the Director reserves the right to modify and/or alter this recommendation based upon additional information presented at the public hearing. This approval recommendation is based on the following findings: The applicant is requesting to amend the existing Special Management Area (SMA)Use Permit (SMA 417), originally approved by the Planning Commission on August 2, 2001, to allow a 16-room permaculture and wellness retreat on an approximately 5.0-acre portion of a 14.5-acre parcel of land situated in the Special Management Area. The applicant wishes to increase the number of guest rooms from 16 to 36 by building 20, 400-square foot hales with the goal of offering guests the option of single-occupancy rooms. The new hale structures will be sited in a manner that does not disrupt or impact the existing garden and orchards. According to the applicant, there will be up to 5 new full and/or part-time employees and the projected cost of the additional 20 units is $1.8 million. Building plans will be prepared upon approval of the requested amendments, with construction of 10 of the 20 units commencing no later than 18 months after approval, and construction of the remaining 10 units commencing approximately 5 —6 years after approval. As the applicant is proposing to amend the scope of the use, the request has been analyzed as if it were a new SMA Use Permit. The grounds for approving development