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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0442.004 1998-2000 - ~ois~ln c. rc7l~Tpg; \ _ ,.,K„ i ~ 3~le~gb ARnFr QUEEN LILIUOKALAM VII.LAGE Palani Road, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii C'T 1B TMK No. 7-4-11, 12 and 13 y~C, 6 ' _ S~ /U. - 1 / Purpose of Resort This Report is to appraise the members of the County Council on the status of the Queen Liliuokaiani Village experimental and demonstration housing project. It also contains conclusions on the project thus far and recommendations for the Council to consider. Background Queen Liliuokalani Village (QLV), an affordable single family housing project consisting of 182 homes in Phases I and II, was developed under Act 108, SLH 1970, the State's experimental and demonstration housing project and the Federal FHA CHOICE Program. In October 1970 Mayor Shunichi Kimura received a proposal from Palani Development Company to utilize Act 108 in developing a project in North Kona. About the same time Kimura's Administration was in active discussion with Mr. Bill Cook, Special Assistant to the Governor, and Mr. Alvin Pang, FHA regarding the possibility of utilizing FHA's CHOICE program. Discussions with Palani Development indicated a willingness to participate in a partnership with government in a CHOICE type project under Act 108. In November 1970 Mayor Kimura presented a proposal to County Council to approve 65.05 acres of Queen Liliuokalani Trust land in Keahuolu, North Kona as an area for the Act 108 Comm. No. ~ 1 F51e No.~ SU p Ref. Tote ~ / WPC. ~ lg 19 Ref. Date \ experimental and demonstration housing project and approve Mr. Megumi Kon, Deputy Managing Director, as the administrator (PEDLC Report No. 43, HSG 1105). County Council approved the preliminary rendition of the plans and the concept of 60 units and a community center (Phase I) of the Kona CHOICE Program under Act 108 on May 5, 1971. On August 16, 1971, Mr. Kon submitted a status report on the Project (PEDLC Report No. 60, HSG 1105.2) County Council approved the plans for Phase I on August 25,1971. Phase II's 122 units were approved the following year. Oueen Liliuokalani Trust The Trust (QLT) has over the years sold the fee simple land to the residents of QLV to where there is only 25 remaining leasehold parcels. In 1992, QLT turned over the common area (21.17 acres) to the QLV Association in fee simple. Current Report The small lot sizes, with 59 under 4200 square feet and 100 under 6000 square feet has restricted the residents over the past 25 years. The rural Big Island lifestyle encourages larger lots for single family residences with the County minimum lot size being 7500 square feet. Many of the residents over the years have encroached into the common area in their need for greater space. While the original intent of the open space was to provide a buffer between the housing and a drainage infiltration area, it in reality has turned into a weeded and trash accumulation area between the residential lots. The QLV Association has, over the years, not been able to maintain the very large common area, and the community center 2 j and pool. Because of the affordable nature of the Project, many of the residents did not have the available income to support the assessments of the QLV Association. As a result, the Association stopped collecting assessments. The community center is closed and the pool was drained many years ago. ro osal In 1992 the Board of Directors of the Association, after receiving the fee title to the common area from QLT, polled its members and found that almost alt of the 182 owners would like to increase their !ot size and would take the responsibility of maintaining it. The Board had determined that the only way to improve the value of their neighborhood, obtain more space, and reduce the common area Liability was to turn over a significant portion of the 21.17 acres of common area to the lot owners. In order to pursue their goal, the Board approached their County and State legislators and officials. Since the Project was experimental and demonstration under Act 108, and is still considered to be experimental and demonstration, they were advised that they should approach the original approving agency about amending the Project. In August 1994, the Board, with the approval of the Association membership, solicited proposals for the consolida[ion/resubdivision of the Project to convert a significant portion of the common area into the existing 182 residential lots and creative ways of 5nancing the Project (since the Association did not have any money). Reid & Associates was selected 3 based on a proposal that included conversion of most of the common area into the existing ie 182 lots, creation of an additional ~6 - 10,000+ square foot lots, and common area for Palani Road widening, landscaping the two entrances off Palani.Road, a 49,809 square foot ballfieid and the existing 76,009 square foot area consisting of the community center and pool. Of the 16 new lots, 7 were Reid & Associates fee, and 7 were for the Association to set up an endowment fund to maintain the community center and pool and remaining common area. The sixteen new lots would not have a significant effect on the density of the subdivision. The common area added to the existing 182 lots would increase the average lot size to 7500 square feet, with 173 lots falling beteen 6000 and 10,000+ squaze feet. The density of the i8 subdivision (with or without the~ew lots) would be over 7,500 square fee[ per lot (or an RS-7S equivalent). The remaining common area would account for the residential lots falling under 700 square feet. Under standard subdivision rules this would be called clustering. Fifteen of the lots are between 4750 and 6000 square feet. Their areas could not be expanded further. Consolidati on/Resubdivision A preliminary subdivision map has been prepared by 'd & Associates which shows the azeas added to each of the 182 residential lots and the ZB w lots. The requirements for approving this subdivision would be as follows: 1. Roadway and Drainage -The private roads serving two or more lots will have ~o F d No W r/ a~ r'S 4 FLgG Lots v~~i7h' P to be paved according to subdivision standards. No drainage improvements are required. 2. Sewer System -Many homes are served by 4 inch PVC sewerlines emptying into a series of cesspools. These were dedicated by easement to the County for operation and maintenance. Additional easements are being drafted for ultimate sewering of the Project to the Kealakehe WWTF. These sewer easements will remain in effect. No building construction will be allowed over these easements unless the sewerlines or cesspools are moved and new easements granted. NG-W Lo TS o.v S~~T/G 3. Water System - No changes are required in the water system. 16 new meters and laterals will be needed for the new lots. 4. Electric, Telehone and CATV - No changes are required. 16 new services will be needed for the new lots. /8 5. The 16 new lots will be required to be a member of the QLV Association. Conclusions and Recommendations While the QLV Project provided affordable housing, over time the lots have proved to be too small for the Big Island rural lifestyle. The common area, community center and pool have proved to be too much of an expense for this affordable Project. It is recommended that: 1. The residential lots sizes be increased as shown on the preliminary subdivision map, 5 iB 2. An additional ~ lots be created to pay for the surveying, subdivision, legal descriptions, escrows and private road improvements, as welt as set up an Association endowment fund to pay for common area, community center and pool expenses. 3. 'That the County retain the existing sewer easements and easements for future sewering to the Kealakehe WWTF. 6