2014-09-18 Leeward Exh A (SMA 14-057)

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As the staff noted, like, you know, the applicant purchased the property in 2011, and over the last two or three years have made some significant improvements on the property. They made some drainage improvements on the west end, or the Kona end, of the property, and so much so that now the CLOMR, or the FEMA map was amended, you know, from a Zone AO to basically expanded the area for Zone X. And as a result of all of these improvements that it made more possible the property to be developed, you know, rather than just having three existing lots, but to use the three existing lots that you see right there, you know, to just kind of like draw straight lines down, right down the road. And so with that, the proposal right now would be to have like a seven-lot subdivision, and the kind of improvements that are anticipated associated with this current application would be essentially with installation of the necessary water meters to service each of the proposed lots, as well as having maybe some minor mauka-makai type of improvements like fencing, you know, to clearly demarcate the properties, you know, from one another. The water has always been an issue in the Puakō area, and fortunately, the applicant has made some tentative arrangements with Mauka Kea Properties; Mauna Kea Properties own considerable amount of unused water in that area and which, the system also services the Puakō area. So we are just kind of waiting for confirmation from the Water Commission in terms of having the water system, the water allocation, transferred from the Mauna Kea System to this particular property. We’ve had several meetings with the staff, the Water Department, and I think it’s noted in the staff’s background report, as well as the memo from the Water Department; I think it clearly indicates that subject to getting, you know, the necessary paperwork done, the transfer will be effectuated. As far as the wastewater system, what, you know, we understand what the State’s concerns were, you know, so the applicant of its own volition, and also as indicated by the staff’s proposed condition, that rather than a standard septic system, they are going to go in with a higher system that’s called an anaerobic system where the solids are separated. And I do have some handouts later that I’ll pass out, if the Commissioners are interested, which discuss a little bit more in detail this whole concept of an anaerobic system. In conjunction with the original eight-lot SMA application, there were like extensive studies done, and one of the studies done, you know, related to the impact for an eight-lot subdivision relative to wastewater system and irrigation onto the nearshore coastal water, and it was studies done by Dr. Steven Dollar who is a marine biologist, and also Dr. Tom Nance. And so they evaluated it, and their basic conclusion was that, you know, the impact should be minimal. But in spite of that, the applicant, in recognition that he doesn’t want to pollute the bay any more than necessary because it compromises the value of his property in being developed for residential uses, and so they have elected on their own, you know, to go with an anaerobic system. There was a coastal access plan that was approved in the initial SMA permit, although the initial SMA permit is no longer valid; nevertheless, the applicant did conduct, or implemented the, had an approved public access plan prepared and went ahead and already implemented it. And so as the staff’s presentation showed, you know, you can see a lot of the improvements made, and if you recall, there was a small little like a retaining wall, and that point is really essentially where the 40-foot setback line is. And beyond that point would be essentially creating a wide area for the public to use, you know, to get lateral movements along and across the property. The proposed conditions, I think, was explained quite well by the staff both in terms of the added restrictions, added revisions that we have proposed. And so with that, if there are any questions that the Commissioners may have, you know, we would be more than willing to respond. 5 EXHIBIT A