2014-03-20 Leeward Exh D (Amend GP Comprehensive Review Timeframe)

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challenge that we faced is that when the Community Development Plans Action Committees were created, we did not get additional staff, and so our Planning Department staff serve those Action Committees, and that takes a significant amount of time. Also, there were furloughs and vacancies within our department. So without additional staff and funding, the Planning Department has not had the resources to initiate the comprehensive review. And finally, the third challenge would be the budget; the comprehensive review is expensive, requires extensive analysis and research, and due to budget constraints no funds have been appropriated for the review process. Okay, the proposed amendment, once again, is just changing the timeframe for when we would initiate the comprehensive update to initiate “not more than ten years after the date of adoption of the previous amendments resulting from a comprehensive review.” Implications of this amendment: The comprehensive process would have to be initiated by February 2015; that means in early this year the Planning Department will have to start planning community engagement, project and knowledge management, review of related documentation, stakeholder analysis, and engagement strategies – and we have already started this process. Also, the Fiscal Year 2014-2015 operating budget will need to include funds for the General Plan update – and we have included a line item for those funds in our draft budget to the County Council. So the current amendment process that we are in right now to make this change to the time line, I’ll go over that real quick just so that we understand where the process is. Step 1 is Notice, Workshop, and Input. The Planning Director initiated an amendment. Notice was provided to the Commissions, the Council, and the general public. We held two workshops, one in Hilo and one in Kona; no public attended those workshops. And also, input was to be received but also we did not receive any comments or input from the public. Step 2 is to go before the both Planning Commissions for independent review and separate recommendations. We went before the Windward Planning Commission on March 6, and they recommended a positive recommendation with a vote of six to zero. And so now here we are today. And then the third step will be Planning Committee, again, at the County Council, and two full readings at the full Council. And we are available, if you have any questions. GIFFIN: Commissioners, any questions of Bethany? Hearing none, I do, Bethany. Could you please go back to your Step 4? Yeah. My question is in regards to the second bullet point, the hearings within 60 days of receipt. Do you think that the amount of time that you’ve allocated for this process, this whole Step 4, is sufficient? MORRISON: These deadlines are specifically set up in either the Charter or the General Plan as far as when the timings are required. And so in particular, this particular step is very timely; there is no wiggle room in there. The only deference is that in the Recommendations the Planning Commissions within 150 days of receipt may hear, so there is a little bit of time in there. But the hearing dates are already set forth. GIFFIN: But under the Recommendation there is some wiggle room. Only because I understand you had no public input regarding, you know, this whole initiative. But I just wanted to make sure that in the event you went beyond, that there was some time. 3 EXHIBIT D