PD RECOMMENDATION REPORT (PL-SPP-2024-000063)

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his church services when the former property lease expired, and rent was raised. The applicant has been hosting church services and other activities in his home on an adjacent parcel for the last few years but would like to construct a permanent facility under the requested Special Permit. The applicant proposes to hold regular worship services on Sundays between 9 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. and on Wednesdays between 6:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. Additionally, the applicant proposes to offer free food distribution events on the 3rd Saturday of the month between 10:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Finally, the applicant proposes to host guest speaker events 2 times per year for 2-3 nights between the hours of 6:15 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Regular worship services are anticipated to attract an average of 30 attendees, while the food distribution and guest speaker events are expected to draw a maximum of 50 attendees. The applicant plans to begin the building Permit process immediately after issuance of the Special Permit. Construction is anticipated to take approximately 12 months and cost roughly $100,000. The criteria for approving a Special Permit are based on Rule 6-7 in the Planning Commission Rules. It states that the Planning Commission shall not approve a Special Permit unless it is found that the proposed use (a)is an unusual and reasonable use of land situated within the Agricultural or Rural District, whichever the case may be, and (b) the proposed use would promote the effectiveness and objectives of Chapter 205, Hawaii Revised Statutes, as amended. The proposed use is an unusual and reasonable use of land situated within the Agricultural District that would not be contrary to the effectiveness and objectives of Chapter 205, Hawaii Revised Statutes, as amended. In recognizing that lands within agricultural districts might not be best suited for agricultural activities and yet classified as such, and in recognition that certain types of uses might not be strictly agricultural in nature, yet reasonable in such districts, the legislature has provided for the Special Permit process to allow certain unusual and reasonable uses within the Agricultural district. In addition, the State Land Use Law and Regulations are intended to preserve, protect, and encourage the development of lands in the State for those uses to which they -2-