2012-06-07 Windward Transcript HI Island Bd. of Realtors

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ARAI: Hi. Good morning, Commissioners. Thank you for allowing me to speak. With the receipt of the letter from the adjoining property owner expressing their concerns about the potential commercial use of this property, I felt it best to not simply, and I don't believe those owners are present here today. So not that I’m advocating for their position, I simply want to make sure that you understand the Department’s concerns regarding the concerns that they’ve expressed. The applicant’s proposal is to renovate the existing structure for use as their offices. However, what you are approving today is a change of zone. Attached to your background report that was transmitted to you earlier is a section of the Zoning Code that identifies all of the range of uses that will be permitted should this change of zone request be approved. Now we believe, if you'll note in the conditions that we have not included any specific or additional conditions to address the specific concerns of the neighbor. We simply make reference to Planning Department Rule Number 17, which is our standard landscaping requirements, and it's those landscaping requirements that are applied to all commercial properties throughout the island when they develop their property. The reason we have not included any additional requirements is simply because we feel that should this zoning be approved the standards that apply to all commercial properties when they adjoin a residential zoned property should be applied. It’s a standard. It’s a standard that's already in place and that we should treat this property no different. So we do not want to see specific additional landscaping or mitigating type of measures implemented in an ordinance. So in essence we do not wish to legislate landscaping or additional landscaping. We feel the existing standards already in place is adequate to address the concerns. Now obviously it is probably not going to be adequate for the neighbor, you know, they probably don't want to see anything or be able to see anything there. But I believe that if you feel this is an appropriate zoning designation for this particular area then the existing standards should prevail. So I hope I’ve expressed myself clearly enough. KERN: Makes sense. Any questions for Daryn, on that? Seeing none, any other questions for Jeff? Seeing none, you pau, Jeff? DARROW: Yes. KERN: Thank you very much. Okay, can I get the applicant or their representative to please come forward? And will you both be speaking today? TESTIFIERS: Yes KERN: Can I get people to raise your right hand? Do you swear to tell the truth today before the Windward Planning Commission? TESTIFIERS: Yes KERN: Very good. And just before you begin name and address and you can make any comments that you'd like. Just, before that though, you folks received the background report and recommendations? 3 EXHIBIT A