2025-08-29 PL-REZ-2025-000083 Applicant's Response to Testimonies

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LAND"' * z.. 194 Wiwoole St. Hilo, HI 96720 PLANNING (808) 333-3393 info@landplanninghawaii.com HAWAII LLC August 29, 2025 Louis Daniele III, Chair County of Hawaii Windward Planning Commission 101 Pauahi St, Suite 3 Hilo, HI 96720 Dear Chair Daniele: Subject: Response to Testimony Regarding PL-REZ-2025-000083 Requesting a Change of Zone from RS-20 to CV-20 Applicant: William Morris Ola'a, Volcano, Puna, Hawaii, TMK: (3) 1-9-005:006 (por.) We wish to submit a response to testimony we've received opposing the subject application. The applicant is requesting to change the zoning designation of a 25,111-square foot portion of the subject 3-acre parcel from Residential—20,000 square feet(RS-20) to Village Commercial — 20,000 square foot(CV-20). The parcel is located at 19-4046 Old Volcano Road, approximately 0.4 miles northeast of the intersection of Hawaii Belt Road and Old Volcano Road in Volcano, Hawaii. The testimony we've received expresses concerns over maintaining the residential nature of the area, maintaining the natural forest and consistency of the proposed zoning change with the General Plan and Community Development Plans. We appreciate this input and hope to address these concerns here. The applicant was born and raised and is a lifelong resident of the State of Hawaii and a graduate of the University of Hawaii, College of Tropical Agriculture. Mr. Morris is the Executive Director of Manu Iwa O Ka Malanai (Manuwai.org)who's mission is to restore Kailua's shallow water ecosystems ofreefs,fish and sea life with practices that incorporate Hawaiian ancestral practices with modern science, honoring the once abundant fishing grounds ofKailua. They envision a future with thriving lands, waters, reefs, and marine life through healthy stewardship practices and a deepened relationship between people and place. Mr. Morris cares deeply about preserving the character and native forest of Volcano. If approved, the landowner intends to proceed with a four(4)-lot subdivision which will separate out the CV-20 zoned portion of the property as its own TMK parcel and utilize that parcel to develop a small cafe/deli. The remainder of the 3-acre parcel will remain in its current RS-20 zoning. As a point of clarity, the landowner already applied to subdivide the property into four (4)lots in 2023 and has received Tentative Approval for that subdivision. Given that this parcel is currently zoned RS-20 and contains 3 acres, the landowner is able to subdivide this parcel into up to six (6) lots under its current zoning. However, like the testifiers, the subject landowner is also sensitive to the importance of preserving forest habitat and avoiding over-development of