2015-08-06 Hearing Transcript - Glory Nani Mau REZ 792

Home

FUKE: Oh, I’m sorry. MIYASATO: Good morning. Could you please raise your right hand? FUKE: Good morning. MIYASATO: Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth on this matter now before the Hawaiʽi County Planning Commission? FUKE: Yes, I do. MIYASATO: Could you please state your name and residence? FUKE: Sure. Good morning, Mr. Chairman and members of the Commission. My name is Sidney Fuke. I’m here assisting the Applicant, Glory Nani Mau, LLC. With me today is the owner/representative, Ms. Helen Koo. She’s sitting in the back. I’d like to just, well first of all, just to indicate that as far as the staff’s recommendation and the proposed amended condition, you know, the Applicant has reviewed the Background Report and the Recommendation and understandably is very appreciative of the staff’s favorable recommendation. I’d like to share with the Commission some general background as far as the history of the project which kind of like dates me, because well, it kind of dates me. I kind of remember that the original developer was this person by the name of Makoto Nitahara, and then his vision was to kind of create this tropical gardens way back in the early 1970’s. He was issued a Special Permit. The project never really got off the ground, and then subsequently was purchased by a Japanese group. The person’s name was Mr. Sorimachi. And, coincidently, he also owned the building across the street where my office is situated. So, it was Sorimachi’s vision that eventually kind of evolved to where it is today. They developed the garden fully, and what they also wanted to do was to have a—at that point in time, you know golf courses was kind of like a rage among the Japanese investors, and so he was issued a Use Permit to, for the construction of a 9-hole pitch and putt golf course in that area. Subsequently, Mr. Sorimachi passed away and so, it was sold to another party. That party then abandoned the notion of the pitch and putt golf course and then came in for the one-acre rezoning of which, you know, we’re talking about today. That previous developer/landowner had a proposed subdivision. They had construction plans prepared, but was never fully developed. And then along came the current owner, Miss Helen Koo. So, she bought out the whole property and her--in May of 2012, at that point in time, the focus, you know her focus understandably was not the real estate portion but as much as restoring Nani Mau to what it was, like how we, you know, how we used to remember and what it is today. So, she devoted a lot of attention and provided a lot of funds to restoring the gardens and the operation. Now, that that’s kind of like in the back of her, her focus now is just now trying to do the remaining subdivision, and so this is kind of like where we are right now. Unfortunately, 4 EXHIBIT A