HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN PC 2022/02/22 2020-2022 Committee on Planning
20th Session
West Hawaii Civic Center
74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway, Building A
Kailua-Kona, Hawai i
February 22, 2022
CALL TO The regular meeting of the Committee on Planning was called to order at 3:00 p.m.,
ORDER: in the Council Chambers, Kailua-Kona, by Ms. Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, Chair.
ROLL CALL:
Present: Ms. Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, Chair (via videoconference from Hilo)
Ms. Rebecca Villegas, Vice Chair
Mr. Aaron S. Y. Chung, Member
Ms. Maile Medeiros David, Member
Mr. Holeka Goro Inaba, Member
Mr. Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Member (via videoconference from Hilo)
(came in later)
Ms. Heather L. Kimball, Member
Ms. Susan L. K. Lee Loy, Member
Mr. Herbert M. "Tim" Richards, III, Member
STATEMENTS The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business,
FROM THE Statements from the Public on Agenda Items.
PUBLIC ON
AGENDA ITEMS: The following individuals registered to speak and came forward when
called by the Chair:
Nathaniel Kinney: Bill 112 (Comm. 595); and
Bill 115 (Comm. 601); comment.
Christopher Delaunay: Bill 112 (Comm. 595); and
Bill 115 (Comm. 601); comment.
Michael Konowicz: Bill 112 (Comm. 595); and
Bill 115 (Comm. 601); comment.
Maki Morinoue: Bill 112 (Comm. 595); and
Bill 115 (Comm. 601); comment.
Kristi Van Pernis: Bill 112 (Comm. 595); and
Bill 115 (Comm. 601); comment.
Mark Van Pernis: Bill 112 (Comm. 595); and
Bill 115 (Comm. 601); comment.
PC-20 February 22,2022
Michaela Ikeuchi: Bill 112 (Comm. 595); and
Bill 115 (Comm. 601); comment.
Dwight Vicente: Bill 112 (Comm. 595); and
Bill 115 (Comm. 601); comment.
Debbie Hecht: Bill 112 (Comm. 595); and
Bill 115 (Comm. 601); comment.
Heather Aiona: Bill 112 (Comm. 595); and
Bill 115 (Comm. 601); comment.
Chuck Flaherty: Bill 112 (Comm. 595); and
(representing the Sierra Bill 115 (Comm. 601); comment.
Club-Hawaii Group)
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you. Seeing that there are no testifiers, I am
closing public testimony and moving on to business of the day. Mr. Clerk, if you
could please start with Communication 617.
Change Order As directed by the Chair and with no objection from the Council Members, the
of Business: following item was taken out of order:
COMMUNI- The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business,
CATIONS: Communications.
Comm. 617: NOMINATION OF LAUREN BALOG TO THE WINDWARD PLANNING
COMMISSION
From Mayor Mitchell D. Roth, dated February 1, 2022, requesting the Council's
review and confirmation.
Requires Council
Confirmation by: March 18, 2022 (Section 13-4(k),
Hawaii County Charter)
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Vote on Comm. 617: Ms. Lee Loy moved to recommend confirmation of the
(Approved) appointment of Ms. Lauren Balog to the Windward
Planning Commission. Seconded by Mr. Richards and
carried by the following roll call vote:
Ayes: Committee Members Chung, David, Inaba,
Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kimball, Lee Loy,
Richards, Villegas, and Chair Kierkiewicz—9.
Noes: None.
Absent: None.
Excused: None.
Executive Assistant to the Mayor Pomaika`i Bartolome came forward
and provided a brief narrative of the nominee's background and
experience. Committee Members spoke in favor of the appointment.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Mr. Clerk, if you could move on to Communication 607.
Comm. 607: REQUESTS A PRESENTATION ON THE COUNTY'S COMPREHENSIVE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY BY JACQUI HOOVER,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HAWAII ISLAND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
BOARD
From Council Member Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, dated January 26, 2022.
Motion to Approve: Mr. Inaba moved to close file on Comm. 607.
Seconded by Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: This is one of my favorite documents. The General Plan
is for land use. The Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy is our
economic blueprint. This is something that our County and State, and actually
regions across the country go through every five years with financial support
from the Economic Development Administration, EDA.
And this work is led by our Economic Development Board, which is led by
Jacqui Hoover, who has been in this arena for a number of years and is no
stranger to leading this work.
Joining us also in the Hilo Chambers is our Research and Development Director
Doug Adams, who I know his team is working very closely with Jacqui and her
team on the development of this. And why is this significant? Because it equals
Federal dollars. Typically, our regional allocation is $3 million. When we had
the Kilauea eruption in 2018 and the flooding in Kaua`i and the wildfires in
California, our regional allocation increased to $587 million. That was a lot of
money on the table, and in order to qualify and access those funds, your project
needed to be in the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, the CEDS.
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And so we're at a moment where funds have been released from Federal and
State partners and are now in the hands, I believe, of our County's Economic
Development Boards. So, wanted to invite Jacqui to do a quick presentation to
the Council to let us know where we are; how we might be able to contribute
mana`o, and where community members also might be able to participate and
weigh in.
I think the COVID pandemic has really illuminated for us ways in which we can
be moving the needle a bit faster on diversifying our economy. And the CEDS is
a really foundational document for directing what those industries look like. So
with that being said, Jacqui, I'm going to turn it over to you. Thank you so much
for taking the time to be with us today.
(Note: At this time, Executive Director of Hawaii Island Economic
Development Board Jacqui Hoover came forward to address the members
of the Committee.)
MS. HOOVER: Thank you, Madam Chair. The Comprehensive Economic
Development Strategy typically would have updated in 2021 because we did the
last one in 2016. But it should have been done in 2015. Due to Federal
furloughs and so forth, it was held off till 2016.
So we're now doing our 2022 to 2026 update. I find it very timely because the
members of this Committee just heard, and the participants in the Zoom just
heard all of the subjects, including our shared values, our environment, our
affordable housing, infrastructure, importance of residents and our `ohana, all of
that fits into our economic development as we move forward.
(Note: At this time, Ms. Hoover provided a slide presentation to the
members of the Committee. For viewing of subject presentation, see the
DVD copy of the meeting proceedings on file in the Clerk's Office or
online by navigating to the Council's video archives from the County's
homepage at www.hawaiicounty.gov. A copy of the slide presentation is
made a part of the record, see Comm. 607.1.)
MS. HOOVER: And with that, I want to thank you very much. I apologize for
racing through this. However, I know that you all are very busy and have a very
tight agenda. I've provided my contact information. I look forward to working
with all of you, and I'm happy to answer any questions you may have. Mahalo.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Mahalo nui, Ms. Hoover, Jacqui, for taking the time to
provide that really excellent overview of what's ahead with the update of our
CEDS. Director Adams, if I could just call you forward, and if you could just
indulge us for a few minutes, before I open it up to questions and comments from
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my colleagues, of the work that R&D (Research and Development) is going to be
doing in partnership with Ms. Hoover, HIEDB (Hawai`i Island Economic
Development Board), and community partners to update this document. Thank
you.
(Note: At this time, Research and Development Director Doug Adams
came forward to address the members of the Committee.)
MR. ADAMS: Thank you, Chair. Great job Jacqui, as always. Just have a
couple of comments, if I may. The infrastructure needs clearlyI know you and
your colleagues were at the National County Organization's meeting. And you
heard from all kinds of folks about the infrastructure funding that is coming
down and all those kinds of things. And we know what the needs are here. And
as was stated, this document is a key foundational document associated with our
ability to access particularly the Federal funds that are associated with that.
Plus, the strategy itself is important for us as we try and understand what the
priorities need to be as we look at the infrastructure here. Broadband, of course
is one of things that are near and dear to me. And was talked about. I'll talk
about that a little bit later.
We, of course, are in the latter stages of our phase two submission of the
application for the Build Back Better Regional Challenge in agriculture, one of
the clusters that Jacqui talked about. And throughout that application process,
and in the notice of funding opportunity, it talks about our ability to connect with
the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. In this case, it will be the
one that's currently in existence, as opposed to the one that we're going to be
putting together. But the idea is that it is as important a document as can be
whenever you are working with the Economic Development Administration,
which is the lead organization for the Build Back Better programs. And so that
work that we do as we try and make it a coherent vision for agriculture and it's
that agriculture ecosystems connection with our entire economy. That is part
we need to make sure that we see how that is also connected to the Economic
Development Strategy.
I should note, and I'm glad that Jacqui actually went into a little bit of detail on
the example of Vibrant Hawaii and the work that organization has done. I think
frankly that it is an indication of efforts that Jacqui has been making over the
decades to try and have our County and our Island recognize the importance of
this document and the importance of Economic Development Strategy work.
That there are others that are beginning to say, "Hey, we recognize this. We
want to contribute." It will only add to the strength of the product that we're
able to come up with as we move forward.
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And finally, equity is a huge element of the Economic Development
Administration's priorities moving forward. Identified as the Number One
priority. It's something that will be a major consideration as we take a look at
the development of this Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy.
And in some way, when we look at the examples that Jacqui provided once she
was talking about infrastructure, I think social infrastructure is another piece of
that that we'll have to take into account as we take a look at what goes into the
strategy, both at the County and then at the State level.
So those are just a couple of comments associated with the work that we know
that we're going to be engaged in. It is a short runway, but we're a vertical
takeoff kind of organization so
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: That we are. Thank you, Director, for your insights.
Council Members, any questions or comments for Ms. Hoover or Director
Adams? Ms. Lee Loy, you have the floor.
MS. LEE LOY: Well, actually it's not a question,just a comment. You know,
as my two other colleagues know when we were over at NACo (National
Association of Counties), these were some of the things that we kept hovering
around how we go get ready. And so, I really do appreciate you, Chair
Kierkiewicz, for advancing this so that we can go get ready.
Supply chain issues, asking the right questions, building up that workforce. And
as Jacqui said, a very short runway. And so I do really appreciate having this
conversation right now, because we know that funding from the Federal
Government might have a longer horizon. But three and five years ago, real
quick. And I am genuinely concerned about our workforce. That we will need
to realize some of the projects in the ARPA bill and that entire package.
And I am a little nervous because, you know, we need to get them ready in a
very short window. And so identifying that immediately, and then back filling
with childcare so that they can get to the jobs, tapping into the resources that are
available. And I'm really looking forward to this roadmap. And so, again, I'm
just really glad that somebody is taking a look at this for us to provide that
roadmap. Chair, I yield.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you. Anyone else in Kona? Okay, here in Hilo,
Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Thank you, Chair. I'm thinking about our
kids. We're talking about making our kids ready. And I'm worried that the
focus is still a very tourism-built economy. And if we're pushing tourism, I
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mean we've got a project in front of us for about 1,000 timeshare units. Then
how do we step away from tourism-driven economy? Residents being the
backbone of that economy to where we're industry leaders or where we have real
specific sectors that we're going to focus on. And is that part of what we talked
abouttoday?
MR. ADAMS: Yeah, Jacqui, I'll take a stab. So, our economy is, as you know,
as a businessman, composed of a variety of things. Tourism is going to be a part
of our economy. What we want to make sure we do is expand it, right? That we
expand the economy so that we are providing opportunities across a spectrum of
areas. We think that we have potential, as I have stated before, to be an energy
provider. Renewable, green, reliable; reducing the cost of living.
You haven't been my office lately, but I actually have on my whiteboard, Cost of
Living, right, because it is a major element of the things we thing about as we are
moving forward. How do we reduce that? Energy has got to be one of the major
ways that we take a look at doing that.
We know that the creative arts and all the things associated with that are part
of—need to be, and should be, and must be a part of our economic revitalization
moving forward. We just have too many folks that are too good at doing creative
things for us not to figure out how to create an economy where they can earn a
livelihood for themselves and for their families. It happens in other places, why
can't it happen here? As a matter of fact, it especially should be able to happen
here.
And so, those are just a couple of examples that I think about. And then we're
working beyond diligently. We're working crazily on this agricultural regional
coalition, trying to bring in a lot of money to leverage our agricultural economy,
right, so that we can move both towards food security and then also towards the
ability for those kinds of products that we can export in a premium way, to be
successful in doing that. It's a complex system, and yet there are a variety of
things that we can do that are going to help that system just be a stronger system.
These are three clusters that we're talking about. We haven't even talked about
education; we haven't even talked about healthcare. These are just there is a
whole host of things that will provide opportunities for our keiki to reach their
potential. And that doesn't mean that tourism has to go down. As a percent of
our economy, yes, I hope it does, right, because I hope the rest of our economy is
that much stronger as we move forward.
MS. HOOVER: Thank you, and if I could add, one of the reasons I added cyber
in my presentation is because it was an example of how we are concurrently
working with our education system and our workforce development groups as
we prepare for diversification and so forth.
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As all of you aware, ransomware and other cyber-attacks have happened here in
Hawaii, on island, and throughout the State. And right now, we're working to
prepare our students to respond to cyber-attacks and secure some very
high-paying living wage positions in the arena of cyber readiness. So
cyber-ready camps similar to our robotic camps are something that we've
already started offering. We'll be offering more soon.
And we really look forward to having more Hawaii Island students from grade
school into our University level secure these opportunities. And we also
recognize that when we talk about education it's not just all four-year degrees.
We are working very robustly with Chancellor Solemsaas, for example, to look
at what other certification programs can be advanced as we work on our
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. So I hope that helps answer
the question.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: It does a little. I'm just—I've been a lot of
things in my lifetime. I've been an artist, that's hard here. It's expensive. The
electricity is expensive; gas is expensive. A lot of different art forms focus
around the use of two utilities. And Doug touched on cost of living. So we can
get our community away from just trying to survive paycheck to paycheck. Then
you're just looking for another job and you're looking for work.
You're not thinking about being a leader in any sector. You're just trying to
survive and put food on the table. And so I like what was said today. I loved the
presentation. And I want to ensure that, you know, we're getting to the heart of
the matter, which is we've got to make sure that our kids are leaders and not just
service industry. And that's, I hate saying it, but that's how I feel sometimes.
So, thank you for the presentation. I'd love to share my thoughts if you ever
want to touch bases.
I'm glad that you wrote on a white board, Cost of Living, because we talk about
everything else, but it really boils down to that. If you can't afford to live here, it
doesn't make any sense, because we live in the most beautiful place in the world,
but we can't even afford to live here. And we talk about people leaving,
sustainability. But, it's hard when a gallon of milk is eight bucks ($8). Cost of a
gallon of gas is four-something. And we're just scrambling to make ends meet.
So I'm glad to see us on the board. Let me know if I can help. Thank you for
the presentation today. Interesting presentation. Mahalo.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder. And I'm
assuming there are no other questions or comments from Kona, so I'm just going
to wrap this up. Oh, Mr. Richards, you have the floor.
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MR. RICHARDS: Yeah, thank you. Doug, you touched on some stuff that's near
and dear to me, is, we talk about the economy of agriculture. And this does play
in substantially into the cost of living. And when you're talking about bringing in
the resources for the economy of agriculture, I think I'd like to visit with you
more. Because we have to talk about the value adding. And if we're going to
make that paradigm shift, we got to do that local processing here. And you and I
have already discussed some of this. And Jacqui you and I have already kind of
swirled this around. But that would be the big things. Big Island, big ideas.
Making a difference by doing the value adding here, which creates that economy,
which again theoretically will lower our cost of living over time.
But we as a Council, we as government, has to support that. Because it's going to
take some big shifting. And so, support the development of that coming forward.
So, Doug, I like what you guys have done at Research and Development. And
Jacqui, appreciate the efforts you're putting in here to get this done. But let's visit
some more on this because I think we're at a rare opportunity. We've talked a lot
about infrastructure money, and I think there's a way to get that agriculture
infrastructure built. So then that will trigger the economy going forward. So
Chair, thanks so much. I yield.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you. Anyone else in Kona? Okay,just going to
wrap this up. We have an opportunity. We keep talking about diversifying, but
we truly do now to reimagine the economy we want for ourselves here on
Hawaii Island and across the State. And I think the CEDS helps to break down
silos across the various sectors and get everybody on the same page in terms of
how we're going to be marching forward.
And again, we're going to just emphasize again, all of the Federal money that is
available that we haven't seen ever in our lifetime, and we won't. Where we can
just—instead of just talking about how we want to diversify, we can put it into
action. We can demonstrate these ideas and truly build a resilient and innovative
economy.
So just really appreciate recognizing that we have a lot of problems, but at the
same time, Ms. Hoover, Director Adams, you and your teams are actually doing
something about it. So thank you for the solutions and thank you for the hard
work. Again, nothing is going to happen overnight, but we are putting in the
blood, sweat, and tears to make it happen so that our kids, whatever they want to
do, they have the option to do it here. And pull a living, meaning full wage. Just
really excited about all the opportunities that we have ahead of ourselves.
Jacqui, thank you for being so accessible. Everyone, her email is
.`hoover c)hiedb.or: if you would like to set up a meeting. Thank you again for
recognizing the work of Vibrant Hawaii. Council Member Kimball and I did
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contribute to that document. I co-led the design of it with Vice Chancellor
Farrah-Marie Gomes. And it was just an opportunity again to build off of the
work that you have done, Jacqui, and just connect with our community during
the pandemic about ways in which we can diversify our economy.
So thank you for recognizing the work and lifting that up into the official
document. Thank you again for your time and the presentation today. We have
a motion on the floor. All in favor of closing file please say "aye."
Vote on Comm. 607: The motion to close file on Comm. 607 was carried by the
(Approved) following voice vote.
Ayes: Committee Members Chung, David, Inaba,
Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kimball, Lee Loy,
Richards, Villegas, and Chair Kierkiewicz—9.
Noes: None.
Absent: None.
Excused: None.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Mr. Clerk, if we could do a five-minute recess? And
then we will move on to Bills 112 and 115, thank you.
Recess: At 4:37 p.m., the Chair called for a recess.
Reconvene: The meeting reconvened at 4:43 p.m.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Mr. Clerk, if we could go to Bills for Ordinances,
please.
Return to Order The Chair directed the Committee to return to the order of business.
of Business:
BILLS FOR The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business,
ORDINANCES: Bills for Ordinances.
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Bill 112: AMENDS SECTION 25-8-13 (PUAKO-`ANAEHO`OMALU ZONE MAP),
ARTICLE 8, CHAPTER 25 (ZONING) OF THE HAWAII COUNTY CODE
1983 (2016 EDITION, AS AMENDED), BY CHANGING THE DISTRICT
CLASSIFICATION FROM OPEN (0) AND MULTIPLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL—
8,000 SQUARE FEET (RM-8) TO MULTIPLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL—6,000
SQUARE FEET (RM-6) AND SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL— 10,000 SQUARE
FEET (RS-10) AT WAIKOLOA, SOUTH KOHALA, HAWAII, COVERED BY
TAX MAP KEY: 6-9-008:021, POR. 027, POR. 028, AND POR. 031
(Applicant: Waikoloa Land Company) (Area: 45.932 acres)
The Leeward Planning Commission forwards its favorable recommendation for this
change of zone, which would allow the applicant to develop "Area A" of the proposed
Kumu Hou project, to consist of up to 264 multi-family residential units, up to 25 single.
family residential lots, and associated infrastructure. The properties are located
between the 75- and 76-mile markers on Queen Ka`ahumanu Highway and west
(makai) of the highway to the King's Highway Foot Trail, `Anaeho`omalu and
Waikoloa.
Reference: Comm. 595
Intr. by: Ms. Kierkiewicz (B/R)
(Note: There is a motion by Ms. Lee Loy, seconded by Mr. Richards, to recommend
passage of Bill 112 on first reading.)
; and
Comm. 595.1: From Planning Director Zendo Kern, dated January 20, 2022, transmitting the
testimony and hearing transcripts from the Leeward Planning Commission's
November 18, 2021, meeting and the draft testimony and draft hearing transcripts
from the December 16, 2021, meeting.
; and
Comm. 595.2: From Council Member Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, dated January 28, 2022,
transmitting supplemental materials for Bills 112 and 115.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you very much, Mr. Clerk. Noting for the
applicants in Kona, we have Mr. Sid Fuke, John Plunkett, Scott Head, Cary
Boeddeker, and Ann Bouslag. On Zoom, we have Mr. Tom Nance, Stanford
Carr, Dr. Alan Haun, Jason Tateishi, and Steve Dollar. Planning Director Zendo
Kern is also joining us via Zoom. Sid, if you could come forward,please?
There were a number of items that Council Members had at the last Committee
meeting. Just to summarize, workforce housing, density, and open space, the
need in market demand for timeshares, and the project's impact on the aquifer.
If you and your team could please provide us a high level overview of the
information you have submitted? If folks are tuning in, please reference 601.2
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Communication, via Laserfiche, to get the full suite of materials that Council
Members are reviewing. Sid, turning it over to you to provide a snapshot
overview of responses from the project team. Thank you.
(Note: At this time, Planning Consultant Sidney Fuke came forward to
address the members of the Committee.)
MR. FUKE: Good evening all. Madam Chair and members of this Committee,
as you are aware, when the Planning Commission had reviewed this item, they
spent quite a bit of time. And we really appreciated their time and effort; their
due diligence going into it.
And as a result, they had four questions, the commission did. And one of them
dealt with the connector road, another one dealt with the workforce or the
affordable housing issue, they had asked questions about the need for an updated
public access plan, and finally, the impacts on the police and fire service.
After considerable deliberation, what the Planning Commission did was they had
recommended to this body, the approval of a workforce housing condition,
which was very specific. They also added a connector road condition to the zone
change. And on the SMA (Special Management Area) approvals, which you
don't have, but on the SMA portion they specifically tagged on an updated
requirement for a public access plan as well as the coastal monitoring program.
And thankfully, you know, the approval was granted by the commission. And
we believed at that time the project became a considerably better one as a result
of all of that dialogue and the attention given by the Planning Commission.
Likewise, I think, with this body at the last Committee meeting, you spent
considerable time asking us questions, and specifically in the area of workforce
housing again,just wanting a little bit more specific; you asked a question about
potable water; the need and demand of timeshare; the concern of the open space
and what's going to happen to the balance of the 27 holes of golf, and finally, the
defibrillator question.
We sent a communication to the Chair and members of this Committee,
specifically addressing and proposing specific conditions relating to the
workforce affordable housing one, noting that there was going to be an AMI
(Area Median Income) as noted in the proposed change, and which included also
the electric charging stations.
We had proposed a separate amendment dealing with the defibrillators. And we
would hope that after today's discussion that perhaps there may be a need for
additional conditions which this body would want us to consider. And we'll be
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more than happy to structure those conditions and have them addressed
subsequently by this body.
We believe that at the end of the day, you know, with your constructive input,
Kumu Hou will be a much, much better project than when we first started the
deliberation process.
So I'd like to now turn it over to Mr. John Plunkett and his team basically,
Dr. Ann Bouslag and Tom Nance. Dr. Bouslag will discuss specifically the
timeshare need and the demand. Tom Nance will specifically discuss the issue
of the aquifer and the project's demand. And if there are residual questions
relating to the Waikoloa Foundation, we have Ms. Cary Boeddeker as well as
Kanani Aton, who's a member of that foundation to discuss that. So my role at
this point in time is pau, temporarily. So go ahead John.
(Note: At this time, Waikoloa Land Company Vice President John
Plunkett came forward to address the members of the Committee.)
MR. PLUNKETT: I would like to thank the Council for having us back. And
we do take very seriously all the questions and concerns that are raised by the
community, by the Planning Commission, and by you. And hopefully, through
this dialogue, we can make it a better project that works for everybody.
Specifically I wanted to deal with, first of all, Council Member Lee Loy had
raised the issue regarding the defibrillators. What I can tell you is since that
time, we have acquired three more. Scott Head can give you some background
as to where they are. There's 13 in the resort, and we've advanced a condition to
require these in all commercial and public spaces that will be developed as a part
of Kumu Hou.
Regarding the affordable housing, Mr. Stanford Carr is available for a few
minutes if we need him, I believe. But long story short, we are willing to
advance a condition where 60 percent of the units will be 30 to 60 percent AMI;
40 percent of the units will be 60 to 120 percent AMI. So that condition is being
advanced and is front of you now.
One question was raised by Council Member Inaba, was there—were we willing
to do more? The simple answer is, yes. This site iswe do recognize the severe
need for affordable housing on this island. The 142 units was not an arbitrary
number. That was capped by the zoning that's currently in place on that 25-acre
site that we're donating for this purpose.
Stanford Carr, originally submitted a site plan for 228 units. And I understand
that there's a process with the 201 H exemption that would permit additional
units on that site, and we would be willing if we can get that exemption, to
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increase the number of units on that particular site to approximately 200, perhaps
more.
The other constraint, which I'm not in a position to answer the question now, is
we still need to do an archeological inventory survey on the site, which we
would do as we promised before, immediately upon completion of these
proceedings, which would identify any cultural sites that would require
preservation. And so, then we have to walk the fine line of fulfilling affordable
housing need and then preserving important sites. And I can't answer that
question today, but that's something that we hope to be able to answer shortly.
Council Member Kimball, raised a concern, if I understood it correctly, that what
was to stop us from taking our remaining golf holes, taking any excess units we
may have and trying to put those on the remaining 27 holes of golf. As I alluded
to in our last meeting, we started out by coming to an agreement with Hilton
Grand Vacations to preserve their customers' views and access to the golf
courses and to do certain land swaps that would consolidate our holdings and
make it work better for them and then for us.
And as a part of that deal, we agreed that for 15 years, it would continue to
operate as a golf course. We are willing to go further than that and are willing to
discuss and advance a condition that would leave the golf courses in permanent
open space. The only other significant open space that we control are the
setbacks south of Queen's Highway, and we have no ability, no intent, no
anything, to do anything other than open space uses on this setback area. So
that's not even an option.
Council Member Inaba, in a private meeting and in the last meeting, and I
probably didn't understand the question correctly, to provide data and analysis
regarding the need for timeshare, not just the demand. Ann Bouslag, who is our
principal planner with PBR Hawaii is uniquely qualified to answer that
question, was able to go through the many documents that we have prepared and
obtained in connection with this project to come up with an analysis to attempt to
answer this question more succinctly for you, both as to need for timeshare and
the demand. And I'll be turning it over to her shortly.
And then, finally, we heard the concerns regarding the draws on the Waimea
Aquifer. It was no intent of ours or any desire of ours to get in between any
arguments between engineers as to what the sustainable yield of the Waimea
Aquifer is. So in that regard, we consulted with our hydrologist, and as a team,
said, "How can we remediate this?" And we're in the fortunate position of
having enough control over other elements of the resort in certain open space
areas and so forth.
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And I would like to point out that when we planned Kumu Hou initially, we
designated an Area C, which was for the development of brackish water well
system. We can expand this system to allow us to go to a net-zero draw on the
Waimea aquifer for the development of Kumu Hou as it develops. We have the
ability to do that, and we also worked with our attorneys to ensure that we had
the legal ability to do that. So, we are also willing to discuss the advancement of
a condition for that purpose. And Tom Nance will be here and can discuss that
with more detail, should the questions arise.
So unless you have any specific questions for me at this point, I'd like to turn it
over to Dr. Ann Bouslag to address the timeshare need analysis that she prepared
in an attempt to answer the questions regarding that matter. So thank you very
much.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Ann, please make your presentation on the timeshare
report. Thank you.
(Note: At this time, PBR Hawaii Project Director and Planner
Ann Bouslag came forward to address the members of the Committee.)
MS. BOUSLAG: Thank you. Good afternoon, Chair Kierkiewicz and members
of the Planning Committee. At our last hearing, Council Members Inaba and
Villegas very appropriately asked, "Why do we need more timeshare units?" As
a market analyst and the Planner for Waikoloa Land Company, I'd like to
respond to this.
This committee has my February 14'h memo, but just in case you haven't had a
chance to read it or for those who haven't had it, I'll offer a summary of that and
a little bit more update on that now.
There are three reasons why I think the community as a whole needs timeshare
and why Kumu Hou is needed to support the community contributions that
Waikoloa Land Company really does want to make. The first, is timeshare is a
tool to better manage unplanned tourism sprawl into our residential
neighborhoods. The second is that timeshare at Kumu Hou in particular is
critical to support the golf course open spaces at the Waikoloa Beach Resort.
Thirdly, the timeshare at Kumu Hou is critical to the legacies that Waikoloa
wants to leave behind including the island-wide goals of the Waikoloa
Foundation and the not less than 140 affordable housing units we've talked
about.
I could give a little bit more detail on those, but first let me tell you that, like
most of you, I was born and raised in these islands, and I share the concerns and
the great interest in diversifying our economy. I have children here as well.
Love to see them have many, many choices here. But as we just heard in the
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testimony from Mr. Adams, I think tourism is going to be here to stay. It'll be
part of our mix going forward. And it's been storied in good industry for us. I
think we need to find ways to live more productively with tourism.
And timeshare can be a very important part of that. Timeshare can allow us to
make tourism better managed in the ways that we want to live. Like many, I'm
really bothered by what appears to be a race into very rapid intrusion of
unplanned and unsupported visitor impacts into our primary residential
communities.
As someone who studies the industry, I can tell you this is the result of changing
demographics and really strong national, even international forces. Not a whole
lot we're going to do about those with policy. On the demand side, there's a new
generation of travelers who have different habits and tastes. Many more travel in
family or friend groups and they value being able to create their own experiences.
This means that there's a larger demand than before for bigger units. Units with
kitchens, units with bedrooms. Things that are really difficult are very, very
expensive to find in a hotel setting. So demand is shifting from hotels and curated
experienced facilities to places that support more independent residence-like
living, like timeshare. This is a nationwide trend as I said.
With respect to supply, the State data shows that Hawaii Island's visitor
accommodation supply largely stagnated over the past 15 years, even as the
number of visitors increased rapidly. But this masked effect that hotel units
actually declined over this period, while short-term vacation units or VRU's
(Vacation Rental Units) increased fivefold over those 15 years on this island
alone.
In the meantime, timeshare units increased very modestly, and in large part, that
was due to the conversion of hotel units to timeshare units. Not necessarily a
whole lot of new inventory for the island. When developed in a master plan
community with infrastructure such as roads and utilities that are financed
privately and developed and maintained without any burden on public funds,
timeshare can be an effective pressure reliever to the proliferation of VRU's in
inappropriate areas. And that is a trend that I think otherwise appears set to
continue despite any regulatory efforts.
Keep in mind that some sources suggest the surge in VRU's is far greater than
these official statistics suggest. And every single room or home that's converted
to a visitor unit is one that's lost to our residential inventory. To those of you
here, who are working hard on that in developing affordable and solutions for
our residents, as I am and my firm is very involved in, this is really truly
distressing.
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Also, a large share of the island's current timeshare inventory on this island is
located in standalone facilities in the Kailua-Kona to Keauhou area. As such,
they do not have the types of recreational activities and amenities that tend to
keep people onsite. So those people, although they may be in a timeshare
facility, they go all over the island. Unlike those who are able to stay in a resort
area and can spend more time within that area.
As the only resort on the Kohala coast that allows timeshare, Waikoloa Beach
Resort offers a really rare opportunity to diffuse some of these strong market
forces that I think have caused trouble for many of us and perhaps your
constituents also.
The second reason timeshare is needed is for the sustainability of the 27-hole
golf complex that Waikoloa Land has pledged to maintain. Not all people golf.
I don't golf, but some of our family members, our neighbors and our friends do.
And during these hearings, we've heard real community interest in preserving
this recreational resource, not just as open space. And I would note that even
with the record high tourism that we saw on this island and throughout the State
in 2019, of all the rounds played at Waikoloa Beach Resort that year, 15 percent
were kama`aina rounds. So there's a great interest of kama`aina to play golf at
Waikoloa Beach Resort.
Also lots of golfers and non-golfers enjoy the open space that golf courses
provide and the beauty of the fairways against the natural lava. And Waikoloa's
timeshare visitors are four to five times more likely to golf at its courses than our
hotel or condominium residents. So the timeshare units are really critical to the
survivability and sustainability, if they will, beyond those 15 years, the ability to
sustain them during those 15 years are very important to the golf courses.
The third point is Kumu Hou timeshare units are needed to support the very key
island-wide initiatives. As Ms. Boeddeker testified, sales of Kumu Hou's
timeshare units are the specific vehicle that when they enable Waikoloa Land to
generate the approximately $45 or $50 million legacy that it wants to leave this
community, this huge endowment to the Waikoloa Foundation will enable it to
far more robustly address important cultural and environmental initiatives that
it's already working on in considering with its Hawaii Island-based Board of
Directors.
And finally, let's never talk about affordable housing. As you probably heard by
current resort employees, when family, even of some of our Kumu Hou planning
team, and by Mr. Plunkett just now,the acute need for more affordable housing
solutions near to where residents work, is a really big concern for Waikoloa
Land. And it's in their own interest to serve that need besides being their desire
to do so,just as it is for the whole community.
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I've touched on why timeshare is a product that's in demand. This demand also
means that it can be a very successful real estate investment. And it's the
economics of an expected successful development that underlie Waikoloa Land's
ability to pledge one of its last remaining zoned multi-family sites to affordable
housing rather than to more visitor-unit development.
These economics also give Waikoloa Land the confidence to pledge the offsite
infrastructure necessary to support that affordable housing. As you've seen and
may even heard in testimony today, despite having 300 acres of land up in
Waikoloa Village that my clients donated many years ago, free land doesn't
mean that it's easy to develop affordable housing. Infrastructure makes a huge
difference. In this case, Waikoloa Land is offering the site and the infrastructure
at no cost to the developer to facilitate the rapid development of affordable
housing within the resort.
In conclusion, I'd like to say the appropriately located timeshare units can fill an
important need for the whole island as a tourism management tool that offers a
pressure reliever for our residential communities. And Kumu Hou's timeshare
units in particular, are needed to support the golf course and the two important
legacies that Waikoloa Land hopes to leave behind on the island: the 140 or more
units of on-resort affordable housing and the major endowment to the workforce
housing.
Today, Mr. Plunkett offered a few other legacies that I think are just as
important, which also depend on the economics of timeshare at Kumu Hou. It
does include committing the Resort's golf fairway to perpetual open space, not
just the 15 years that are already committed by internal agreements. And taking
actions to ensure that Kumu Hou has a net-zero impact on the resort's potable
water draws from the Waimea Aquifer over the development of Kumu Hou.
Thank you very much for letting me share these thoughts on the need for
timeshare at Kumu Hou.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you. Anyone else? Go ahead Mr. Plunkett, I was
just going to see if there were any further comments from the project team before
I open it up to comments and questions from my colleagues, but seems you have
a bit more. Go ahead.
MR. PLUNKETT: Just briefly, Chair. We do have Tom Nance available via
Zoom to talk about the draws on the Waimea aquifer and how we plan to
mitigate that. And so, I'd like to turn it over to him.
(Note: At this time, Hydrologist and Water Resource Engineer
Tom Nance came forward to address the members of the Committee.)
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MR. NANCE: The project potable supply will come from a private Hawaii
Water Service company system. It has eight active wells at the present time, all
of which are in the Waimea aquifer. The projects potable supply at full buildout
is estimated to be about 540,000 gallons a day. At the present time, the Waimea
aquifer has a sustainable yield of 16 mgd (million gallons per day) and a current
pumpage that's about 13.5 mgd. So the 540,000 of the project would still be less
than 16, but it would make it closer to the 16.
I'd be remiss if I didn't indicate that the sustainable yield at the Waimea aquifer
up until 2019 was set at 24 mgd. And in an update of the Water Commission's
Water Resource Protection Plan, it was reduced from 24 to 16 with the caveat
that the boundaries of the aquifer were going to be reexamined and adjusted, and
that the sustainable yield would be adjusted in accordance with those boundary
changes.
The physical reality is, there's more than 20 million gallons a day of brown
water recharge into the Waimea aquifer that is not currently included in coming
up with the sustainable yield of 16 mgd. So when aquifer boundaries are
readjusted, the 16 mgd is likely to be increased by as much as 10 million gallons
a day.
But in any event, we're working with the 16 mgd, and there is a way to make the
draw of 540,000 gallons a day by the wells of the Hawaii Water Service system
in the Waimea aquifer to be reduced to zero. The way you do that is to convert
landscape irrigation, which is now being done by those potable wells to either
changing the plant materials that are more drought resistant, renaturalizing some
of the areas from landscape to hardscape. But most importantly to convert these
areas to be irrigated by brackish brown water from the `Anaeho`omalu aquifer in
the same amount proportioned over time in the same amount that the draw from
the project would be 540,000. So basically, 540,000 would go for the potable
use in the project. But by this conversion of the irrigation of common areas, it
would reduce the pumpage of those wells by an equivalent 540,000 gallons a
day, resulting in a net draft from the Waimea aquifer of zero. And that could be
done proportionally over time as the project is developed over a number of years.
The irrigation water that would come to make this conversion would be from
wells, all of which are located in the `Anaeho`omalu aquifer. Its current
sustainable yield is at 30 million gallons a day. Its current pumpage is around
five or so million gallons a day, far less than the 30 mgd.
And the realities of the Kumu Hou project's irrigation coming from these wells,
is that their irrigation use would be less than the irrigation use currently being
used for the nine holes of the golf course that would be removed. And in
addition, the project will provide about a quarter-million gallons a day of
wastewater which would also be reused for golf course irrigation. So it's
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possible that the future net draft of the brackish wells would also be virtually
zeroed out as a result of this change.
Well, that sort of concludes my discussion of that. I'd be certainly be willing to
answer any questions you may have.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Mr. Nance. Going to open it up to questions
or comments from my colleagues. Mr. Richards, you have the floor.
MR. RICHARDS: Yeah, thank you. Mr. Nance,just to verify a number that
you're talking about, sustainable yield of the Waimea aquifer, 16 million gallons
a day. And I think you made the comment, an additional ten million once it gets
through the review process is possible. Is that what I heard?
MR. NANCE: Yeah, that's of course, my opinion. The realities are, in adopting
the 16 mgd with this caveat of adjusting the boundaries, that actually came as a
result of information I provided to the Water Commission staff, and also that
Dr. Don Thomas of U.H. Hilo also provided.
The 20 mgd of additional recharge, which might increase the sustainable yield on
the eight or ten million gallons a day just for that alone, is primarily a
combination of surface runoff off the Kohala mountain into the Waimea plain,
which doesn't make its way to the shoreline, but instead sinks in and becomes
groundwater recharge. And also, about 20 square miles of the Kohala Mountain
provides subsurface recharge into the Waimea aquifer. And in fact, a lot of the
wells that are in the Waimea aquifer because they penetrate through the Mauna
Kea lavas are actually drawing from the Kohala Mountain lavas at and below sea
level. So there's a substantial additional recharge if the boundaries can be
adjusted to reflect these two surface and subsurface recharge realities.
MR. RICHARDS: Okay, thank you, I appreciate that. Chair, I yield.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you. Anyone else? Ms. Lee Loy.
MS. LEE LOY: Thank you. So, I'm going to start with Mr. Plunkett and my
concern about the AED (Automated External Defibrillator). And you know, the
testifier that was the event. And so, I wanted you to help me walk through the
number of AED's that are kind of contained in this larger Waikoloa Land area.
Because what I also heard from our testifier today, is there seems to be a
disconnect. Like, dispatch didn't know where it was and how we hope to resolve
that issue so that in the event of an emergency, dispatch can alert, you know, an
individual in need to where the nearest AED is.
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MR. PLUNKETT: After this came up at the last hearing, we asked Scott Head,
who's here, our Vice President of Operations to look at this and he's better off to
answer this than me.
(Note: At this time, Waikoloa Land Company Vice President of Resort
Operations Scott Head came forward to address the members of the
Committee.)
MR. HEAD: Council Member Lee Loy, thanks for raising this matter during the
last hearing. It's not the first time I've heard this story. And it was quite
touching to hear Ms. Aiona's testimony straight from her lips. It's very
concerning.
I first learned of this situation, it was shared by our Mayor. Mayor Mitch Roth to
Stephanie Donoho, who is the Executive Director for the Kohala Coast Resort
Association, sharing that story that had occurred within the confines of our resort
property. We don't have the direct control of the commercial entity where the
event happened, but we do have the ability to communicate and bring forth
change.
Henceforth, we've, Waikoloa Land, have acquired and working with Lisa at the
Hilo Medical Center, have purchased three AED's, one of which is at our golf
course, which is a central location; one of which is in our 24/7 roving security
truck, that's the key; and then the third is—we're waiting for a cabinet so we can
install it at the beach comfort station.
But in addition to that, we also did a survey of our resort partners and have put a
map together. We know of ten other properties that have them. The key here for
communication, which I'm learning and I have—wish my key staff members
were here to share more information with you, our Resort Administrator and our
Resort Manager—is having the software. I think it's called PulsePoint, which
you could actually—it ties into an app, so that, if there is an emergency, the
emergency dispatch is on the line, and we know that the EMS (Emergency
Medical Services) officer can't get there quick enough. They can identify where
the defibrillator is located.
And that I think has kind of been the missing key. I'm learning a lot about this.
But our goal ultimately is to have all the properties involved. Certainly, the
properties that we control, but we do have communication with all of the other
resort projects. So I'm very hopeful and very thankful. First, for Mayor Mitch
Roth reaching out. And hearing your testimony, we were already on the way.
And certainly, you know, Ms. Aiona bringing it to life today.
So since you brought it up, I'll take the personal responsibility in keeping you
informed as this evolves and progresses. But the key there is the software and
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registering your units and tying it to that specific app. So I hope that answered
your question.
MS. LEE LOY: Absolutely, and I think that is the critical link, right, is that
software to let dispatch or our first responders know.
MR. HEAD: That's the key.
MS. LEE LOY: And Security, right? So thank you so much for that and
advancing some language around that and leaving in your capable hands to
continue that communication with our first responders. So thank you for that.
And now I wanted to walk over to Ann. You know, the report you provided
related to timeshares. And you know, we talked about it all day today. Four
Council Members went to NACo today and we heard a lot of issues. And we are
not the only community struggling with timeshares and visitors in these resort
nodes, which we know to be built and have all of the curb, gutter, sidewalks, and
the roads. But they're spilling over into our neighborhoods.
And one valuable takeaway that I learned at NACo today, and Council Member
Kimball was in one of those sessions with me, is that this actually is the trend,
that they want to control their timeshares while providing affordable workforce
housing in the spaces so that they can manage their resources better.
I know you've heard a lot of questions around water, cultural sustainability,
those types of things. But we have other communities in our larger 48 who are
struggling with the exact same thing. Wildlife issues, habitat issues. And so I
really do appreciate your time and energy about walking through this data on
why it makes sense to guide growth and development where it should go rather
than bowl-out our resources with urban sprawl and/or timeshare VRBO's
(Vacation Rentals by Owner) in residential areas that could actually bowl-out
waste, roads and water in our neighborhoods long before resort areas because
they're not managed. They're just kind of unleashed in these communities.
And I'm not sure if it's you, Ann, or if it's Stanford Carr, but you also mentioned
about like the 30 to 60 percent AMI. And I wanted to just put a dollar figure on
what 30 percent to 60 percent AMI looked like; and what 80 to 120 percent
looked like.
MS. BOUSLAG: I don't have those figures at my fingertip. Is Stanford online?
Would you have that Stanford?
(Note: At this time, Developer Stanford Carr came forward to address the
members of the Committee.)
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MR. CARR: I'm online, can you hear me? I can't the host has got me
blocked, so you can't see me, but to translate. Say a single person working at a
hotel making $18,000 a year income would pay $481 towards their rent
including utilities. And then put that in perspective of a family of four, you
know, a couple with two children making $25,608 per year. That translate to
rent and utilities at $576 a month.
So the range at 60 percent AMI for a single person making $3,000 a month or
$36,000 a year would pay $963 a month towards their household rent and
utilities. At 80 percent for a single person making $4,000 a month and $48,000 a
year, they would be paying $1,285 a month for the rent and utilities.
So by HUD's (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) definition,
30 percent of your adjusted gross income is calculated towards your rent and
utilities. I hope that satisfies your question.
MS. LEE LOY: Yeah is does, Stanford, so 80 percent AMI is about an
individual making about$48,000 annually?
MR. CARR: Correct. And just for clarity, compare that for a family of four,
because the larger the household, the income increases. The ceiling, the brackets
increase. So a family of four at 80 percent of the Area Median Income for the
County of Hawai`i would be $68,480 per year. And that translates to rent and
utilities at approximately $1,542 a month.
MS. LEE LOY: Great, Stanford. And just maybe venturing, I guess, on what
kind of employment $48,000 would be? Is that your typical server in a
restaurant; a worker at Target? Like, what kind of individuals are we looking at
as far as within this annual income?
MR. CARR: That would probably be a better suited question for Scott Head
with respect to the resort. We have collaborated with them to survey the
demographics of the household size and income distribution for the resort. But
at $48,000 a year, you're looking at a higher executive position, not necessarily a
service waitress or groundskeeper and so forth.
So that's why we're tailoring the income brackets utilizing this internal revenue
code, Section 42, to enable us to reach the deep affordability for the service
industry professionals that work in the resorts. So they could actually live there
and actually see themselves moving up the housing ladder, because they would
no longer need to drive. You know, two hours, some of them, as you heard in
testimony, each way everyday taking about as much as four hours per day from
their lifestyle to spend time with their family in an improved quality of life. Let
alone, the wear and tear and expense of a car.
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MS. LEE LOY: Great, Stanford. And you know, walking back to our
conference that we were at. You know, the mainland described their 80 percent
AMI at$160,000. I mean this is basically one-fourth of what kind of housing
can be developed at that 80 percent AMI somewhere else. Which is why I really
appreciate you. And I know my time is up. I did have one more question, if
that's okay, Chair? And it's related to the water.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Yes, go ahead, Ms. Lee Loy.
MS. LEE LOY: Thank you. Mr. Nance, I'm trusting you're still on?
MR. NANCE: Yes, I am. Go ahead.
MS. LEE LOY: Thanks for joining us. Did I hear you correctly that this golf
course is being watered by potable water?
MR. NANCE: No. The golf course is irrigated by a combination of treated
wastewater and brackish irrigation water. The landscaping that is actually
irrigated by potable water is the common areas along roadways and so forth. But
the golf course itself does not have any potable water irrigation.
MS. LEE LOY: So it's our landscape that's being watered with potable water.
Basically, drinking water to water the landscape.
MR. NANCE: Yeah, common area landscaping. That's correct.
MS. LEE LOY: And the goal is to offset that by putting in different types of
plants. Like drought resistant plants and renaturalizing.
MR. NANCE: That would be one of the ways. And the other would be to
simply convert the source of irrigation water from potable to brackish.
MS. LEE LOY: Sorry, last question I promise, Chair. What water quality are
we at with the irrigation water? Are we getting to R1, R2, or RP
MR. NANCE: Well the treated wastewater from the treatment plant is R1. The
brackish irrigation water, and if it's the chloride level, it's going to be something
you can respond to. But it's only slightly brackish, so the chlorides are on the
order of 500 mg/l (milligrams per liter). Not drinkable, obviously, but just
slightly brackish.
MS. LEE LOY: Thank you, Mr. Nance. Thank you everyone. Chair, I yield.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you. Anyone else in Kona?
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MS. VILLEGAS: Yes, please, Chair?
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Vice Chair Villegas, you have the floor.
MS. VILLEGAS: Thank you. Thank you for being here again everyone. And
my apologies. We weren't able to connect in the in-between. But, thank you for
providing this other information and taking all of the concerns that we spoke
about initially to heart. I still have a number of questions.
In this letter that came through Tom Nance, I believe, and thank you for
clarifying Mr. Nance. I suppose I'm tremendously surprised to hear that any
potable water is being used in any capacity for watering there. And I'd like to
recommend that regardless of what happens today, approval or disapproval of
this project, that that be changed immediately. Because I feel that it's an
inappropriate use of some of our natural resources when we have other options.
I wanted to know, also, when there is an Appendix 13 included here that
includes the proposed sustainability actions and guidelines for the project, and I
guess they're all proposed. And so my question here from my own personal
history in dealing with large developments and developers, is any of this legally
binding? Because it's really interesting to say all these great things that could
happen, but if none of it is legally binding that a you know, I will eventually
term out from this seat and other people will end up here. And long-term fruition
of this development isn't, you know, for another 20 some-odd years. So what
part of this is legally binding, if any?
MR. PLUNKETT: I'm going to defer to some members of our team. But many
of these are guided by various laws and so forth, and requirements that currently
exist. And we could take them one by one.
MS. VILLEGAS: That's okay. I think that just helps right there. Your answer
is my answer. So thank you,
MS. BOUSLAG: I can also add to that, you know, because this was published in
a public document, it was carefully reviewed. My office prepared it, it was
carefully reviewed by Waikoloa Land as well as by Hilton Grand Vacations. So
these were all measures that both these two key landowners agreed they could
support.
MS. VILLEGAS: Fantastic. Thank you for confirming that. But it is not legally
binding necessarily unless there are other State laws or whatnot that require these
compliances. Just because I have minimal time here, one of the other things that
was brought up by the Sierra Club was the use of injection wells, and the current
use of injection wells in this project; and the continuation of the use of injection
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wells, which have been deemed at the Supreme Court as illegal and needing to
change. So I wondered if that's been taken into consideration, as your
commitments are being made based on water management.
MR. NANCE: I'm probably the person best suited to try and answer that. There
is one disposal well. It's used very sparingly because the primary use of the
treated wastewater is for golf course irrigation. And since the conversion to R1
quality, the well hasn't been used very much at all.
The realities are this well is probably among possibly even 100 or more similar
wells that dispose of wastewater affluent. This is regulated by an underground
injection program of the Department of Health. And they haven't yet come
around to enact that decision that happened on the Mau`i case.
MS. VILLEGAS: Yeah. Thank you for saying those things. Unfortunately, this
is the project we're talking about today. Hang on one second, Sid. According to
the Sierra Club, they spoke to the Department of Health and found out that there
are four injection wells associated with the Waikoloa Beach Resort. The largest
is at the water reclamation plant's injection well. The underground injection
control permit is UH2294. And that there are three smaller injection wells at
King's Shopping Center. The maintenance building and the golf pro-shop. So
just things I want to bring to mind because these are red flags in my sphere of
looking at things.
Another question I would have is, why not condos, as opposed to timeshare? I
understand that the profit margins are drastically larger when it comes to a
timeshare versus condos. However, 1,100 timeshares? I mean, these are just my
concerns. We've got a time constraint, so I'm just trying to get them out here.
As amazing as the workforce housing is, you know, I heard you say that they still
have to do some of the cultural site inspections. And I've been told that there's
an organization related to that area that has concerns and says that, it's rich.
Na Ala Hele says that the site is rich with archeological sites. I'm concerned that
we would end up in a circumstance where we have culture versus affordable
housing. Because if I remember correctly in our prior conversation, affordable
housing has to be built first. And nothing can happen on the timeshare or the
other high-end homes until affordable housing or workforce housing is built.
But I have concerns about there then ending up being a conflict between those
two things. And the history of Hawaii, culture loses. And we can't do that
anymore.
MR. FUKE: Madam Chair, I can probably respond to two of those questions.
The other one, timeshare versus the standalone condo. I'll defer to Dr. Bouslag.
But on the first question on the, I guess, the injection well. If Department of
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Health certifies that those wells need to be extinguished, then they will be
extinguished. You know, by whomever has control over that.
You know, there's a private wastewater company that operates all of that area.
So if they are responsible for that injection well, then that burden would fall on
that company, relative to the golf course since they own the golf course. Then
it's their responsibility.
I would also kind of point out that because this was one of the areas of concern
by the Planning Commission, the commission did specifically require, an
updated water quality management plan, not only for the ground water but for
the ocean area as well. So this will have to be done, you know, periodically. So
you know, notwithstanding the removal or the upgrade of any injection well
system, that's going to have to be done.
With respect to the workforce or the affordable housing, that's the reason why
Mr. Plunkett had indicated earlier that we cannot, at this point in time, fully
make the commitment that we'll construct more than 140. When Stanford was
given the instruction to look at the property, Mr. Carr said, like you know,
220-230, easy you know,just looking at it. However, what he didn't take in to
account was all of the detailed studies that are required before you can do an
accurate site planning.
Sure there was an archeological inventory study done way back when, when the
resort was first entitled. But we all know that the cultural and archeological
protocols have substantially morphed to the point where it's much more stringent
today. So that's the reason why we're saying, as Mr. Plunkett had indicated, you
know, if there is approval of this project and they're willing and ready to proceed,
that's one of the first items that they're going to have to do. Do an updated
archeological inventory survey based on today's protocol. And then from there
kind of work your way backwards in terms of what areas can or cannot be
developed. Both he and Mr. Head are totally aware of the archeological
significance potentially of different areas of that site. That site is 25-26 acres in
size. So there is obviously an opportunity for development. But yet, precaution's
got to be taken and will be taken.
MS. VILLEGAS: Why not do that first?
MR. FUKE: Well at this point in time, if this project goes down, then there's
really no additional incentive for the workforce housing. That property is
already zoned for multiple-family. They may as well kind of(inaudible) going
to develop their property based on the existing multiple-family zoning up to
142 units. Give that responsibility to whomever is going to be that the owner.
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MS. VILLEGAS: Okay, so it feels a littleas good as it is, it feels a little quid
pro quo, for lack of a better term. You've got to give us this bigger thing and
then we get a 12 percent workforce housing.
MR. FUKE: If that property was part of this zoning approval, then that study
would have had to be done.
MS. VILLEGAS: Right.
MR. FUKE: But that property is totally not part of this zoning approval.
MS. VILLEGAS: Okay, got ya. So it's kind of the icing on a different cupcake.
MR. FUKE: So, do you want Ann to answer the question about the timeshare
versus condo?
MS. VILLEGAS: Sure.
MS. BOUSLAG: So Waikoloa Land did consider, you know, all the other types
of uses that could be made of this land before settling on timeshare. But
timeshare is preferred for a number of reasons. First of all, for all the reasons I
said timeshare is needed, it's a better tool for that, than is a condo. It could be
far more effective at reducing visitor sprawl. It provides more visitor
accommodations than a condominium unit would.
So that unbridled demand as I described, for people to go out;to be able to stay
in a unit with a home and rooms and so on. It's much more available to them if
it's a timeshare unit that is available as a resort use for short-term use.
MS. VILLEGAS: Only if you own the timeshare.
MS. BOUSLAG: Yes. But for a condominium user, some of those get put into
short-term visitor use. Some not. Many sit vacant. The other reason to prefer
timeshare is, in today's market it produces a higher return than a condominium.
So it's more effective at being able to support affordable housing, to support the
Waikoloa Foundation, to support the other gifts that we are looking for.
And on top of all of that, it produces more in fiscal benefits to the County than
with condominiums, which are mostly going to have some real property taxes.
But with a timeshare unit you get a substantial amount of TAT (Transient
Accommodation Tax) and GET (General Excise Tax) ongoing throughout the
process.
MS. VILLEGAS: Yeah. Thank you for those responses. I also have a couple of
questions about the—and perhaps Cary, if you could answer some of these
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questions for me? So,just give me one second, Chair, I just have one more
question.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Go ahead, Ms. Villegas.
MS. VILLEGAS: Okay, thank you. Once again, about legal enforceability. Is
the Waikoloa Land Company's plan to place an encumbrance on the timeshare
titles that requires a percentage of sales to be distributed to the Waikoloa
Foundation legally enforceable? I'm asking because a similar plan to fund the
Hokuli`a Foundation was successfully challenged in court by a lot owner which
resulted in the Hokuli`a Foundation losing its primary funding sources and being
subsequently dissolved with millions in projected community benefits in
healthcare education, drug rehabilitation, etcetera,being lost.
(Note: At this time, Waikoloa Foundation President Cary Boeddeker
came forward to address the members of the Committee.)
MS. BOEDDEKER: I don't know specifically which loss that you're talking
about, but I could answer it this way. From what you said to me, it sounds like
that is a deeded piece of property that was opposed by a single owner.
Timeshare units are not owned by the actual real estate itself it not owned by
the owner. It's owned by the developer. So the developer would be one suing.
MS. VILLEGAS: Okay. And you, in essence being the developer is what
insures that this encumbrance of money then goes directly to
MS. BOEDDEKER: Absolutely. I think that makes even more sense on the
timeshare argument versus condominiums from the foundation perspective, from
my perspective. It protects that money.
MR. PLUNKETT: Let me elaborate on that. Our intent is to actually put a
covenant on the site so that it will run with the land for the developer and any
subsequent developers. So that—it is different than a lot. It will actually be a
part of a real estate transaction with an entity that buys a piece of land. This
covenant will be part of it. And if need be, we can document that for you.
MS. VILLEGAS: Definitely, we need documentation. Yeah, but thank you for
clarifying, I really appreciate that.
MR. PLUNKETT: It is definitely our goal. We've discussed this with our
attorneys. They're aware of the Hokuli`a case. And while you can never predict
what a lawsuit or what a court might hold in the future. It's our intent to invest
to do the best job we possibly can to insure that that covenant does run with the
land and that is binding going forward.
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MS. VILLEGAS: Thank you. I'm going to yield my time at this time. And just
say honestly, that I still have some reservations. This is a huge project. There
were things that I didn't take into consideration, but after some very strong and
numerous and educated voices of constituents in my district, which it's my
responsibility to represent their voices here, that's why I'm bringing forth these
questions, to make sure that all of the nuances get explored and resolved prior to
anything moving forward. Thank you.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Vice Chair. Anyone else in Kona? Chair
David, you have the floor.
MS. DAVID: Thank you, Chair Kierkiewicz. And I will be very short. Just
listening to this discussion, all fronts of this development, I understand totally,
your responsibility and you have an excellent consultant that's helping you with
this process. So I have no issues with that.
My issue is strictly the impact that these timeshares will have on this island as a
whole. My district is way outside of Ms. Villegas' and also Mr. Inaba's districts.
But because of that, the increase in tourism over the lastI mean I know you
have stats say it's been not that bad. However, on the ground in my district
where parks have been overly used, they feel the impacts of developments such
as this.
And for me, I know you're following all the rules, but I'm coming from these
many emails that we're getting, basically saying the same thing. I thought we
were getting to a point where we're going to assess and either determine whether
how much more influx of tourists can this island handle. I know that it's a big
island, but we don't have the proper infrastructure accommodate even
timeshares, right?
You're saying that they will stay onsite. I don't think so. Because when you
have a timeshare, I don't believe you'll stay in your room even if you like to golf
because this island has a lot to offer as far as sightseeing. Natural and cultural
sites that you won't find on any other island. And so that's where I'm coming
from. I'm having real difficulty in trying to have a sense of how this will benefit
our community.
MS. BOEDDEKER: Can I respond a little bit to that just again from the cultural
perspective and what my mission is here and intent with the foundation?
MS. DAVID: Sure.
MS. BOEDDEKER: Is that, I think that this is exactly how we keep the tourists
within the resorts is the job of someone like the foundation, in enhancing our
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cultural sites within the Waikoloa Beach Resort, in doing the virtual field trips,
and making sure that their needs are met there within the resort.
And we have actually assessed our visitor, the timeshare visitor. And 60 percent
of them say that they do not leave the resort. I mean Waikoloa Beach Resort
really does have kind of everything the tourist needs. Of course, they want to go
visit the beaches and everything. But what we found was that they were only
leaving in a five-day stay, maybe one day to come out. Versus the VRBO-type
guest that is out in the community. That's all that they do. We're keeping them
confined.
So I do understand what you're saying; very much so. And I think and I hope
that you sincerely understand the importance of the foundation to me, and what I
want to do with this community, and what the foundation wants to do to preserve
the cultural resources within not only Waikoloa Beach Resort, but the entire
island through this endowment. It is incredibly critical that we think of a way
from a developer's perspective, to work together.
The only example I can use is that my mother was a democrat, and my father
was a republican. She was an artist, and he was a developer. They had a 50-year
marriage before he passed away, and they made it work beautifully. Because
you know what happened? One was able to give the beauty of their images to
the other. And that's what we can do here responsibly. As a development
community, as a cultural community, we can work together responsibly.
Absolutely. And I'm here to tell you that the Waikoloa Foundation will do that.
Whether or not this endowment happens through this approval, I will be here.
And I promise that I will continue this fight for the cultural preservation of this
island.
MS. DAVID: Thank you. I appreciate that very much and I appreciate your
sincerity. And as you described your family history, my family history comes
generations from this island. And I have seen as a child what has happened to
this island. And I'm very, very committed to trying to protect what we have, but
also be fair and equitable in making decisions at the same time.
MS. BOEDDEKER: I understand. Thank you.
MS. DAVID: So appreciate your sincerity. Go ahead.
MR. PLUNKETT: No, I didn't want to interrupt you, nor Cary.
MS. DAVID: No, no problem.
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MR. PLUNKETT: I just wanted to be able to add to what Cary said. I would
like to point out that Waikoloa very much—we have from the beginning tried to
develop it as a place into itself. A place where the tourist can go. The tourist can
stay, can be entertained. And I think that's the way that responsible growth is
handled.
And frankly, Waikoloa is the only major resort that is truly open to kama`aina
and has public access to our beaches and all of those things which we consider so
important. That's a very important part of our model. And I do think that to the
extent that growth happens, sometimes it happens whether you want it or not.
It's best to control it and put it where it needs to go.
And that's what Waikoloa is trying to do, in addition to very importantly dealing
with these community issues that we sought to discuss and solve right from the
onset. Understanding that, and Kanani can say to this, that we understood the
need for affordable housing. We understood the need to preserve the culture
here. And we understood the need to try to do things that keep tourists within
the resort to the extent possible but yet open the borders for kama`aina for their
own enjoyment. So I that—I think that Waikoloa is reallyI keep hoping that
we're setting a model for other development that may occur in the islands by
dealing with these things up front and not saying, "You need to do something
else." So we hear you and understand your point.
MS. DAVID: And I respect that. I respect that you folks are actually really
trying to do the right thing, and I as well. And so, I appreciate you being here
and your explanation. Yeah, Chair, I yield. Oh, I'm sorry, Ms. Aton, you
wanted to say something?
(Note: At this time, Waikoloa Foundation Senior Project Manager
Kanani Aton came forward to address the members of the Committee.)
MS. ATON: I did. I wanted to address that concern from the heart. That it's
true, we have affected this project. We're calling in new solutions to what we
understood over time. You know, my own husband, salt of the earth from Ka`u,
stood at the road at South Point, you know, decades ago with the rest of the
activists and the advocates, the kia`i. And even he said, "You know Kanani, for
all that we tried, it all is still turning on and changing, and what do you think we
should do here?" And I said that, we need to scaffold, we need to partner; we
need to collaborate to teach and educate.
What does it mean when we say, we're protecting our home? What does it mean
when we're afraid that we cannot—my own children, they feel like they're not
going to be able to stay. And so these are some real solutions. That is only the
beginning of the conversation. Yes, it seems to be out of control from the traffic
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perspective. When we look at all the license plates that are on the roadways,
they're all from very faraway places. Understanding too,that many family
members have moved away because they can't afford it anymore, even our
beloved kupuna.
And yet, we need to stabilize, think about this, and listen to the many voices of
experts that tell us what kind of visitor do we really want. And not that only they
get to define the parameters, but we get to voice our priorities through, like
sitting with this advisory board and saying, "This is how the priorities should be
laid out for workforce housing, for the foundation, for access, for protection, for
water resource management. And these are the voices that need to continue to
come to the table." That you need to actually learn about this place and keep it
educational, keep it collaborative, and keep it partnering. I completely agree
with you. It's not an easy place to be, but here we are.
MS. DAVID: Exactly. And I have just one more question before my time's
going to ring. So the things you're talking about, the guaranteeing. How does
that work in the foundation when you sell these timeshares? Is that going to be a
restrictive covenant or is that going to be some sort of a condition in your
timeshare documents that will address the vision that Kanani just expressed?
MR. FUKE: You know, to answer maybe like that specific question, then the
idea as Mr. Plunkett had indicated, like he had already had some discussions
with, you know, his in-house attorney in terms of how to structure a condition
that would avoid the issue that was raised by the Sierra Club, you know an
individual, Mr. Flaherty.
You know, so there is a way that that can be codified and a part of the ordinance.
Such that it would kind of like run with the land and assure the continued support
of that foundation.
MS. DAVID: But what I'm asking is on the foundation aspect of it. What
Kanani is talking about that, when you reach out to sell these timeshare units to
potential buyers, will you have something in that document that basically is your
vision for staying on the property, respecting the culture and that sort of thing?
That was my question.
MS. BOEDDEKER: Got it. Yes, absolutely. I think that that's why the cultural
center is the number one priority for me and the foundation, because in order to
also preserve our cultural resources there, it's also about education. And the
educational part starts right there. But it also starts through, you know,
technology and the things that we're doing right now that you had to learn
through COVID was how to do things a new way. And technology was a great
way to teach our visitors about where to be and where not to be. So I think it's
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all about communication and education. And definitely the development of the
cultural center is number one.
MS. DAVID: I see. Okay.
MR. FUKE: Just to add to the whole idea of timeshare. I think there might be a
little bit of misunderstanding of what exactly is timeshare, because you know,
timeshare is a reference to how many people own that one property. It's almost
like a hui as opposed to one family, right? And the structure is the same,
whether you call it a condo, an apartment, it's a multiple-family structure. So if
you go down to Waikoloa Shores or the Colony, those buildings could probably
be—well they're all individually owned. I don't know if they're timeshares. But
if you have it converted to timeshares, then you have like a potential of about 40
or 50 multiple interests. So, that's all it is. It's a hui owning that same plan.
So, it's a vacation experience. Depending on like what kind of visitors you're
trying to cater. You know, because if you look at all the visitor plan, you know,
you have your standard hotel, whether it's the Mauna Kea, the Mauna Lani, or
you have those apartment units; or you have those high-end homes like at Kuki`o
and Ka`upulehu and all that stuff, but they're all vacation units. Then again, you
have the B&B's (Bed and Breakfasts). And then you have the STVR's. So these
are all your vacation types of units because they're not permanent types of
residents. They're not voters. They're here transient.
So whether this particular area is developed for timeshare or like a conventional
apartment building, you know, condo, they're still—it's visitor-oriented. What
Dr. Bouslag was pointing out is that, this development because it's kind of like in
a resort area,this is an opportunity to manage that growth. It's just like saying,
we're all growing. And say like for us, you know, if you're losing hair as you
get older, you have the option, you're either going to comb over or buzz it.
I mean, you know, the facts still remain that there is growth. As you grow, I
mean the point being is that, there is this growth, so like, how do you best
manage it? So if that growth is, for example, denied in a confined resort area,
then you're going to have this defacto, I think. The pressure is still there. You
know, we cannot say, "You're from Poughkeepsie, New York. You're not
allowed to come to Hawai`i." Like how they did in Japan, they said, "No more
than 5,000 visitors a day."
But you know, we don't have that luxury or the legal ability to restrict those kind
of movements. So a person comes here looking for a place, they're going to find
a place if you don't provide that accommodation. And what Dr. Bouslag, you
know, accurately pointed out, if you don't provide these accommodations, then
you're going to have more and more—maybe these illegal STVR's. And what
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does that do? It removes the critical housing inventory. So what do you want to
do? The objective is to put them all in one area.
MS. DAVID: And I understand all that, Sidney. And as far as the housing, you
know, the balance of that, too. The number of housing units, where the
workforce housing as compared to what's the influx of the potential. That's
something that I have to work out in my mind. And honestly, you know, for
right now, I'm still not sure how I'm viewing this application at this point in
time. But I understand everything that you folks are saying. It's just something I
need to sort out as a decision-maker in the best and fair way that I can. So for
now, I'm just going to yield my time, Chair Kierkiewicz. And thank you for the
opportunity and for the explanations. Mahalo, I yield.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Chair David. Anyone else in Kona? At
some point, I do want to make sure that we're able to address Comm. No. 601.3,
which are amendments related to this particular bill. But before that, any
comments?
MR. RICHARDS: Yeah, Chair. I do have comments.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Mr. Richards, hang on one second. I was going to say,
you had your turn. And so I want to make sure that I'm hearing from our other
colleagues first before I go back to you. Anyone else in Kona?
MS. KIMBALL: Yeah Chair, this is Council Member Kimball.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Ms. Kimball, you have the floor.
MS. KIMBALL: Thank you, Chair. And I'll be brief. I just had a few
questions. Do we have Planning Department folks on the line? I did give them
some homework. If they were able to do it, I'm not sure. Identifying how many
areas we still have out there that are open or zoned for this type of development
and how many entitlements, if we had an approximate number? Kind of
speaking to what Mr. Fuke was talking about, what kind of growth we control in
the sector. We have that info?
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Council Member Kimball, hang on one second. I just
need to make sure our streaming is still happening. It seems at the 6:00 o'clock
hour, things begin to reset. And so if we could just take a quick recess. And I'll
reconvene once I confirm that the streaming is still happening. Thanks everyone.
We're in recess.
Recess: At 6:04 p.m., the Chair called for a recess.
Reconvene: The meeting reconvened at 6:08 p.m.
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CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Calling this Committee back into session at 6:08 p.m.
Council Member Kimball, you asked a question of Director Kern. Not sure if he
needs you to restate that? Director Kern, if you got it, please answer. Thank
you.
(Note: At this time, Planning Director Zendo Kern came forward to
address the members of the Committee.)
MR. KERN: Good evening everyone. Zendo Kern, Planning Director. Yes, so I
did get the question. I do remember the question. I don't have the answer you're
probably hoping for, Council Member Kimball. It's a bit of a challenging task
with our bandwidth and the information.
So we did some digging and so for example, it's hard to define exactly the intent
for timeshare. So, Hualalai, for example, is a Project District similar to some of
the zonings in Waikoloa where they could do timeshares, yet they haven't. So
it's really subjective on what their intention is. And in this case, the request is
specifically for timeshares under the Project District zoning which would allow
for various uses. So I don't have the ability to give you that comprehensive
breakdown that you're hoping for related to timeshares because it's extremely
ambiguous as far as how not your question, but how a project would use those
units. Does that make sense?
MS. KIMBALL: Yes, I think so. Let me tell you what I'm hearing and you can
tell me if I'm right or wrong. So we have Project Districts out there that have
entitlements that could potentially be used for timeshares. But since we don't
know what the intention of the developer ultimately is, we don't know for sure if
those will be developed as timeshares.
MR. KERN: That's correct.
MS. KIMBALL: Would we be able to,just for the sake of argument, that every
entitlement out that could be used as a timeshare, could we just get that number?
MR. KERN: I can work on that. Like I said, you probably think that we can
click a couple buttons and everything is there, but it's actually a bit more in
depth of a process. So yes, I can continue to work on that with the staff and with
what I have.
MS. KIMBALL: Okay, thank you. And I appreciate that you guys have limited
time. These are the kinds of questions I think we should be able to ask easily,
though in the future. We'll talk more about data management at some point. So
that's all for planning, Director.
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For the affordable housing, I don't know if Mr. Carr is still on, but I just got
thinking when we got talking about the archeological studies, and you have that
clause there. You know the first phase of the affordables have to be built before
you get the final occupancy permit for the timeshares. And I don't recall, did we
talk about in our previous meeting, about the phasing of the workforce. What is
the first phase? How many units does that entail? And the reason I got kind of
thinking about this, is since this is in here in the ordinance, if we do run into
problems with the archeological study, where you would not able to do the first
phase, is that going to be problematic?
MR. FUKE: Council Member Kimball, the way the draft condition is written
right now, it requires at least the first phase to be completed before any
occupancy can be issued, you know, for the timeshare portion. The specific
phasing still needs to be kind of worked out by like, if Stanford is ultimately the
developer between Stanford and the Office of Housing, because they're going to
have to look at the financing, they're going to have to look at the market, and
then kind of like work it out.
So if we say, like the entire 140 units, which is being proposed, has to be
completed, and we don't know when that's going to be completed. And it's not
really going to be fair for the area that's being, you know, subject to this
restriction. So that's the reason why we just said, at least the first phase.
We can't make the commitment over and beyond 140. Well, first of all, that was
the zoning restriction. To represent more right now, you know, would be
assuming that the Council would approve a change of zone or a 201H. Secondly,
and maybe more critically is that we don't really have a full understanding at this
point in time, what the archeological cultural situation is on that property. Until
we do all those studies, then we're going to be able to kind of massage it. But
the objective, nonetheless, is to build as many units as that property can
reasonably sustain.
MS. KIMBALL: Thank you and appreciate all of that. My question is—maybe
this is a Corp. Counsel question. Is that, because we put 140 units into the
ordinance, and I typically hate to deal with hypotheticals, but say hypothetically,
the archeological study comes back and say's you can only develop in this teeny
tiny portion, and you can only do like 20 units, or whatever the scenario may be.
Because this is in here in the ordinance, is it going to be problematic if you can't
actually develop that number of units based on the archeological study?
MR. PLUNKETT: May I comment on that, Council Member?
MS. KIMBALL: Sure.
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MR. PLUNKETT: There was an old study, and I don't know if Dr. Haun is on,
but it wasn't done to today's standards. We do believe that we are safe. It's a
25-acre site, and we do believe that we are safe, that 142 can be developed on
that. And that was done way back when. We need to bring all that current. And
if can, if the site will sustain more. Understand there's no Kumu Hou unless
there is this 142-unit project underway.
MS. KIMBALL: Right, okay. That answers my questions. Sounds like you've
got this. You know, the older studies willI was just worried about that
particular—again, that's why I don't like to deal with hypotheticals because
usually it's stupid questions.
MR. PLUNKETT: But we are comfortable in the 142 commitment.
MS. KIMBALL: Yeah, okay, great. The golf courses, the remaining holes. So
this statement was made in the letter, and then here earlier, you guys are willing
to keep that as open space in perpetuity.
MR FUKE: Correct. Yes. So like not to leave the workforce or the affordable
housing. So we are, you know, ready to propose a condition—not right now, but
you know, if the developer is in a position to secure additional density as a result
of the cultural and environmental considerations, and securing the appropriate
land use entitlement, vis-a-vie the 201H, then that's the commitment.
So we are prepared to offer up that as a condition to this body at a subsequent
time, next meeting or whatever. And likewise with the retention in perpetuity of
the remaining 27 holes of golf, we are also prepared to offer that up as a
condition.
MS. KIMBALL: Okay so, when you talk about the density being permitted
under environmental assessment, are you talking about the density for the
affordable housing area or you're talking about the density for the area that you
intend to develop as the timeshares and the residential?
MR. FUKE: Wait, wait, can you repeat that question? I'm sorry.
MS. KIMBALL: Yeah, you were saying that there was a conditional approach
to maybe allowing these golf courses to be open space in perpetuity based on the
density allowance that you were provided for the other areas. Are you referring
to ?
MR. FUKE: The whole idea is to stay within the SMA entitled density cap,
correct.
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MS. KIMBALL: Right, okay. And that was my main concern. This is going to
be a long project. We're going to probably come back in 20 years, and I just
want to make sure the next generation of Council Members has all of this
information well documented.
Another thing, and just maybe a thinking cap thing for next time, interesting
analysis with regard to STVR's and timeshares and that relationship and the
(inaudible) mix. I certainly do agree that the short-term vacation rentals, they do
impact the housing market in a different way. And I'm wondering if we can
actually—thinking-cap time, make a more over relationship between timeshares
and addressing the STVR issue.
And it just kind of occurred to me, so I don't have it well thought out, but I'm
just thinking about like the fair share contributions. Is there maybe something
there that actually links those two things in an appropriate way? It's not
necessary for me to pass this bill, you know, but it's just something I was
thinking about as we were talking about it, is maybe there's something
meaningful and novel we could do here to solidify that relationship between
those two things. So think about it. I'm happy to discuss as we go through.
Chair, I yield. That's all I have for questions.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Ms. Kimball. Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Thank you, Chair. You know, I really want
to commend this group for your attentiveness to the questions that were asked by
the Council last time and this time. I do appreciate that. I do have some
follow-up questions as well, and it may be more centered onI'm really going
to nail down on water use. You know, I have a concern that we continue to build
and we continue to grow, and other municipalities in our State continue to have
water problems and we don't have them yet because we haven't had density like
they have. And when we do we look at it. But our job is to look farther ahead,
and that's why I'm really nailing down on water.
So questions. I'm just going to go down a list here. Currently, timeshare-wise,
how often are you guys full capacity for your timeshare units and your existing
development? You can give me a rough estimate, if you don't know off hand.
MR. PLUNKETT: Rough estimate, timeshare runs generally between 85 and 90
percent occupancy.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay, what does that equate to in people?
MR. PLUNKETT: What it equates to, for example, the north tower of the
Marriot has 118 timeshare units. And so 85 to 90 percent of those would be
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occupied from anywhere two to four people. I could do the quick math, but
that's one example. On a global basis, I'm not prepared to answer that question
but would try to.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay, I'd like to know that, because we
heard the presentation on timeshare units' impact. That was very nice, but I
didn't hear any numbers in that presentation as far as actual amount of people
that we're talking about. We're talking about timeshare units close to—well,
more than 1,000 timeshare units, but specifically, I was hoping to hear how many
people does that equate to when you're 85 to 90 percent capacity?
MS. BOUSLAG: It'll take me a minute. We did do an economic and fiscal
impact assessment that estimated that.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Awesome. Yeah, I was hoping to hear that
in your presentation, but I didn't hear that. And while you're looking at that,
couple questions. Hawaii Water Service Company, do they supply all of
Waikoloa?
MS. BOUSLAG: Yes.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: And that's the entire Waikoloa Resort
Complex is fed by the Hawaii Water Service Company?
MR. PLUNKETT: That's correct. They're our service provider.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Did you find an answer?
MS. BOUSLAG: Yeah, for the visitor population for—you're talking about the
units at Waikoloa in Kumu Hou?
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Yes.
MS. BOUSLAG: That's what we assessed. That there could be about 2,300
persons resident in them on any given day. Then again, I would say, that's 2,300
people that don't have to be in the community somewhere else.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Understanding where you're going with
that, thank you. And that's with the proposed development or just what's
existing?
MS. BOUSLAG: That's the new developments at Kumu Hou.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: What about the existing developments?
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MS. BOUSLAG: I don't have an estimate of the number of timeshare units off
hand. I might be able to find that for you.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay, if you can. If you can look for that
that'll be interesting.
MS. BOUSLAG: I don't have that number. I could provide to you later.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay. And then, what's your current water
usage within the facility? And I'm a little bitI want to make sure I'm saying
the right thing. We're talking about your area. We're talking about the Hilton;
we're talking about Waikoloa King's Shops, Queen Shops. The whole complex.
Is that everything, or is it just specifically, the Kumu Hou project?
MS. BOUSLAG: What Mr. Nance was talking about was the projected need of
the Kumu Hou project and the ability to offset that water need with water use
outside of Kumu Hou in the resort's common areas.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay, so that number of 540,000 gallons
per day was specific to the existing Kumu Hou project?
MS. BOUSLAG: No,the projected Kumu Hou. It does not exist yet. So that's
the projected need for potable water for the developments at Kumu Hou.
MR. NANCE: That's projected potable water needed at full build-out.
MS. BOUSLAG: So sometime after 2042, 2045.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay. And I do commend you for your
reclamation of your non-potable water. And using that for your landscaping and
other activities. I really do commend you for your, you know, your movement
towards that. Thank you.
So current water usage across the board for all of your projects and everything
going on, what is that number?
MR. NANCE: Is the question, the total potable water use in the resort?
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Yeah, and when I say the resort, I mean,
it's big. You know, you have Waikoloa; you have the Hilton, you have Kings
Land. I mean there's a lot of projects there. So, when I'm saying all of it, I want
to know all of it, the whole area.
MR. NANCE: It's approximately 3.5 million gallons a day.
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MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: It's 3.5 million gallons per day. Okay,
thank you. And Tom, you know, I was looking back through some documents. I
found a resume of yours. You've been working in this area, I mean, probably
from the 1980's.
MR. NANCE: No, 1972.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Oh, sorry. So, 1972. I mean, you've got
your brain wrapped around this area as far as water?
MR. NANCE: Pretty much.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay, and I like that. I like to have you on
here and I appreciate you. I'd love to have a conversation with you one day,
because you're very knowledgeable. So, 3.5 million gallons per day. That's just
the resort area?
MR. NANCE: Yeah. The Waikoloa Village also served by this same system,
would bring the total up to 5.4 million gallons a day.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay. And I've looked across the 2010
Hawaii County Water Use Development Plan. They actually listed the West
Mauna Kea aquifer, which encompasses the Waikoloa area for the aquifer
section as one of the, and correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm looking at the map
right now. That's what they call it. It may have changed, but this is 2010,
August. They actually quoted that the West Mauna Kea aquifer section was one
of their concerned areas, as far as sustainable yield goes. And I would caution,
sustainable use, sustainable yield, is a pretty questionable ratio. And I've heard
that from a number of different areas as well as from this report in front of me.
So what are your thoughts given your length of time in this area? And what
we're looking at increasing our draw. And even with the reclamation of water, I
mean, there's a concern here. We all know it's dry. Okay, it's a dry area.
MR. NANCE: Well, I'm going to be a little contrary to that. The realities are, as
I described previously, the Waimea aquifer's total source of recharge to come up
with the 16 million gallons a day ignores major inputs of recharge to the aquifer.
So the realities are, this tentatively picked 16 million gallons a day for the
Waimea aquifer with appropriate boundary adjustments, is likely to be on the
order of 10 million gallons a day higher than 16.
The other thing is that the aquifer immediately south, adjacent to Waimea aquifer
is the `Anaeho`omalu aquifer. And the Waikoloa Resort is entirely within the
`Anaeho`omalu aquifer. No part of the resort is in the Waimea aquifer.
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MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Does the resort draw their water from there,
or it is coming from the Waimea aquifer?
MR. NANCE: The potable water comes from the Waimea aquifer. All of the
brackish irrigation water comes from the `Anaeho`omalu aquifer.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Does sustainable yield take into account
brackish and potable?
MR. NANCE: Yeah, any draft of brown water, other than basically salt water.
Salt water wells don't count against it, but brackish and potable the
combination of both do count against the sustainable yield.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Council Member Kleinfelder,just quickly wrap up.
Your five minutes is up. Thank you.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay, thank you. And then, there's a
number of wells in the area. That number has been increasing, and you were
involved with some of the well projects on that side, correct?
MR. NANCE: Most of them.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay. Do wells, are they required to report
pumpage for the amount of water they're pumping out of the ground to any State
agency that would be included in this report?
MR. NANCE: They are required. Every well owner is required on a monthly
basis to report the total amount of pumpage, the chlorides of the pumped water,
the temperature of the pumped water, and the water level in the well.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Has that changed since 2010, because in
here it says they don't have to.
MR. NANCE: That requirement is 30-years old, something like that, but a lot of
well owners don't report, unfortunately.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay, that's kind of what I was drawing
from this report as well. That not every well owner is going to report, and the
number of wells is growing. And I'm going back to this because I'm just
worried about what we have to provide as far as our finite resources on this
island to our children. So, I'm going to yield for now. Thank you, Mr. Nance.
Thank you for answering my questions. Appreciate everyone's time. Thank
you.
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CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you. Anyone else in Kona, questions or
comments for the applicant?
MR. INABA: Chair, I'll have questions after if you want to take care of the
amendment.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: I'm actually going to go to the amendments for Bill 115,
because that's what they are for, even though we are talking about both bills
globally. So if you'd like to offer comments now?
MR. INABA: Sure. Okay, so in terms of uses or entitlements to water beyond
this Kumu Hou project, were we able to get information as to other projects in
the area that would be pulling from the Waimea aquifer?
MR. FUKE: I wouldn't be able to provide that answer. I don't know whether
Mr. Nance would be able to do it. Because you're going to have to look at all of
the properties that are zoned, and almost like all properties, with the exception of
Conservation District area. They're zoned, they would be at least entitled to one
unit of water. And you have to comb essentially almost all of North Kohala and
a good portion of South Kohala, you know in the properties.
MR. PLUNKETT: And just to add to that, because of those questions is why we
thought it was important in dealing with this depletable resource that we bring it
to a net-zero as far as Kumu Hou goes.
MR. INABA: Yeah, so right now we know, half-a-million gallons is the
anticipated use. There are intentions to bring that down to zero through
landscaping. Those were things that were shared today. But right now, we're
seeing half-a-million gallons per day draw, we're at 16 million gallons
sustainable yield regardless of boundary movements on these aquifers, right?
MR. FUKE: It's like the projected water engaged for Kumu Hou would be like
about 4,500. So what Mr. Nance said about half-a-million gallons, you know,
this is the projected water requirement for Kumu Hou. So you know, based on
our earlier conversations and you generated that, I think, at the last meeting, they
had to go back again, and really, you know, ask the serious question of like,
"Can you really arrive at net-zero, you know, with your irrigation system?" And
the short answer to that question is, yes. And so we are prepared to offer up a
condition along these lines.
MR. PLUNKETT: Yeah, and I wanted to emphasize that. It isn't just an
intention, we're prepared to offer to codify that.
MR. INABA: Okay. And is there language that you folks have prepared to head
in that direction?
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MR. PLUNKETT: We will submit that to you. We needed to have this
discussion with you and we will submit that to you. We actually would be
prepared to submit that by
MR. FUKE: Yeah, I think that at the last meeting, there were like about four or
five big issues. And today, there are like equal, about four or five different kind
of issues. So, to enable the committee to fully grasp like what is on the table, I
think in fairness to the committee, we need to provide you with all of the
proposed conditions, and not provide them to you in dribbles.
And I think from what we identified today and what we represented is like, first
of all, it's that to assure that there is a mechanism that's made in the part of the
ordinance that allows to this continuous funding in the foundation so you don't
have that Hokuli`a situation. The other one is to
MR. INABA: Okay, before we go to summaries, I'm going to ask my questions.
So, you know, I have to first of all say straight up that based on what Chair
David was saying in terms of development and how we're seeing things happen
in West Hawaii, I have concerns. I was everywhere from Kalaemano down to
Ho`okena this weekend and taking some of our good friends to these special
places. And they were so touched that Ho`okena looking down toward Miloli`i,
the furthest view you can see. And at the same time, we were touched at
Ahu`ena Heiau right here in Kailua-Kona.
And I said, and you know what, not too long ago it looked the same. And we're
looking at West Hawaii today, District 7 especially, Council Member Villegas'
district. We need to be very conscious about how we're going about this. And
especially, you know, the timeshare is a hard thing to swallow. If it was condos,
you know, there are other projects like Ali`iolani on Alii Drive here. Look
who's lived there.
And we can talk about, we don't want visitors in the neighborhoods or in the
community. They're there, okay. So we can maybe agree to disagree on that.
But they're all here, and they will continue to be out here regardless of how
much we try. The intention can be to keep them in the resort bubble. That's not
real life, okay.
So, at least for myself, my community elected me to be the voice. Whether it
was in testimony in this email—in the emails that we received, I'm sorry—or
even a post I posted from my office page in different community forums, there is
significant concern about 900 timeshare units. The general feedback, it should
be 900 affordable units and 140 timeshares. So that's the community. They
don't have time to come here and testify. They elect us. And I wish they were
here to watch this meeting and listen to what is being shared.
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I don't really see how this is sustainable. You know, we talk about a legacy for
Waikoloa. This is a continued pattern of what's been done over the last 40 years.
The only difference now is that we're going to get 140 up to, or a minimum I
should say, of 140 workforce units. And this promise of, you know,the
contribution to the community is yet to materialize for sure without any legal
challenge.
So that's where I'm standing on this right now. VeryI'm advocating exactly
as my community has shared their mana`o with me. And that's just where I
guess I have to be. That's why, I'd like to see these amendments go forward. I
did want to see about that water use.
If that means you take into account, you know, we need to take into account, the
other uses and pulling from that aquifer. If we're only saying 16 million is the
cap from the whole aquifer, but we're only going to take half-a-million,
(inaudible) and responsible of you on this matter.
So the community is watching. Kupuna are watching. The kupuna are not
herewith us anymore. So I'm hoping we're going to make the responsible
decision on this. Chair, I guess that's all I have for now, and we can continue
this conversation after you get a chance. Thanks.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you. Anyone else would like to speak? Okay.
It's pretty late in the evening. There are clearly some additional issues that we
need to solve for. I want to give the project team a fair chance, especially
because you guys are exactly the kind of folks we want to be doing business
with. There is a willingness to listen, to collaborate, to hear what the issues are
and to come up with solutions.
And so, Mr. Fuke, you mentioned you and Mr. Plunkett and others had
mentioned, hearing what Council Members are elevating and having proposed
language. Additional conditions to strengthen these draft ordinances. And I do
agree with the approach and was going to suggest that, rather than entertaining
any amendments today, would like to hear everything in totality at a future
Planning Committee meeting.
And so with that said, I will entertain a motion to postpone Bill 112 to the
March 81h meeting where we have a little bit more time to deliberate and hear
back from the developer on additional conditions to the ordinance. Do I have a
motion?
Motion to Postpone: Ms. Lee Loy moved to postpone Bill 112 to March 8, 2022.
Seconded by Ms. Villegas.
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MS. VILLEGAS: My apologies. Are we then done with that? I just had one
statement.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: I'm accepting statements on the postponement. We
still have Bill 115 where you can provide mana`o.
MS. VILLEGAS: Just a quick statement and suggestion. In the last term,
Council Members Kierkiewicz and Lee Loy brought forth the `Rina Aloha
Economic Future's Initiatives. And within it is a template for how
Point of Order: MR. RICHARDS: Chair, we have a motion on the floor we have to act on
first.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Okay, Ms. Villegas, I really appreciate where you're
going.
MS. VILLEGAS: Okay, I'll make my statement in a few minutes.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: That would be perfect. Thank you. We have a
motion on the floor to postpone. All in favor please say "aye."
Vote on Motion The motion to postpone Bill 112 to March 8, 2022,
to Postpone: was carried by the following voice vote.
(Approved)
Ayes: Committee Members Chung, David, Inaba,
Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kimball, Lee Loy,
Richards, Villegas, and Chair Kierkiewicz—9.
Noes: None.
Absent: None.
Excused: None.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Motion carries. Bill 112 is postponed to the March 81h
Planning Committee meeting. Mr. Clerk, if you could please read in Bill 115.
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Bill 115: AMENDS SECTION 25-8-13 (PUAKO-`ANAEHO`OMALU ZONE MAP),
ARTICLE 8, CHAPTER 25 (ZONING) OF THE HAWAII COUNTY CODE
1983 (2016 EDITION, AS AMENDED), BY CHANGING THE DISTRICT
CLASSIFICATION FROM OPEN (0), MULTIPLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL—
4,000 SQUARE FEET (RM-4), MULTIPLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL—6,000
SQUARE FEET (RM-6), MULTIPLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL—8,000
SQUARE FEET (RM-8) AND VILLAGE COMMERCIAL— 10,000 SQUARE
FEET (CV-10) TO PROJECT DISTRICT (PD) AT WAIKOLOA, SOUTH
KOHALA, HAWAII, COVERED BY TAX MAP KEYS: 6-9-008: POR. 013,
022, 025, POR. 029 AND 033
(Applicant: Waikoloa Land Company) (Area: 133.822 acres)
The Leeward Planning Commission forwards its favorable recommendation for
this change of zone, which would allow the applicant to develop "Area B" of the
proposed Kumu Hou project, to consist of 900 multi-family residential timeshare
units, private community centers, a convenience retail center, golf support
facilities, an operations facility, public parks and recreational amenities, and
associated infrastructure. The properties are located between the 75- and 76-mile
markers on Queen Ka`ahumanu Highway and west(makai) of the highway to the
King's Highway Foot Trail, `Anaeho`omalu and Waikoloa.
Reference: Comm. 601
Intr. by: Ms. Kierkiewicz (B/R)
Postponed: February 8, 2022
(Note: There is a motion by Ms. Lee Loy, seconded by Mr. Richards, to
recommend passage of Bill 115 on first reading.)
; and
Comm. 601.1: From Planning Director Zendo Kern, dated January 20, 2022, transmitting the
testimony and hearing transcripts from the Leeward Planning Commission's
November 18, 2021, meeting and the draft testimony and draft hearing transcripts
from the December 16, 2021, meeting.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Vice Chair Villegas, you have the
floor.
MS. VILLEGAS: Just to quickly pick up where I left off and keep it brief, you
know, in the last couple of weeks, this has been weighing heavy on my heart and
mind for what your guys' legal rights are as far as the property. I mean there are
faces here that I have known for years. And in trying to navigate a way to
something that is palatable to the community in an era where a number of people
I've spoken to are in great support and wish that we as a County would put forth a
moratorium on any more resort development until we can find the solutions to our
housing crisis and shortage.
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NPR (National Public Radio)just had a really interesting article about property
investment being a really direct impact on increasing housing crisis and
eliminating the opportunity for anyone to get a first home. And in doing do so,
Council Members Lee Loy and Kierkiewicz, during the last term brought forth the
Aina Aloha Economic Futures Initiatives. And within it, there is an assessment
tool for projects, programs, and policies. And I was looking through it and I felt
that perhaps there may be some stepping stones and pathways how to get us to
where we need to get to in order for, I know for myself, to be able to with clear
conscience and feel that I'm representing the community that I've been elected to
do to so.
So I just kind of wanted to put that on the table. I don't know how familiar you
all are with it. But also some of the authors I've spoken to, and they may be
willing to help walk through this with us. They are also cultural practitioners and
those with historic legacy to this land. And I saw that as a potential kind of up
`umeke or gathering for navigating these challenges in order to get us to
something that would feel more equitable and be more palatable by our
community.
MR. PLUNKETT: Could you give me the name of that document you're
referring to again?
MS. VILLEGAS: Sure. `Aina Aloha Economic Futures. And if you just Google
`Aina Aloha Economic Futures, it will bring up a vast array of information. And
you can actually find the assessment tool. And there's a guideline checklist for
decision-makers. And their agenda items and a lot of really interesting
information that I feel for me personally reflects and communicates a value
system that we need. We must return to for any potential regenerative return to
economy here. And we are still recovering from everything that's happened with
COVID. And it will not be the last time.
So any projects that move us in a direction towards more intensified reliance on
external resources are going to be hot buttons right now. So, thank you for taking
those things into consideration and maybe taking a look at some of this. And
hopefully, there'll be some potential there. I yield.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Vice Chair. Mr. Fuke, I will provide you
with a copy with the resolution that Vice Chair Villegas is referring to. And I'll
also note that one of our Leeward Planning Commissioners, Mahina
Paishon-Duarte is also one of the founding members of Aina Aloha Economic
Futures. And so she's familiar with the materials related to your project, and
might be able to provide additional insight on how you folks might be able to
leverage the AAEF tool. Thank you. Mr. Inaba, you mentioned that you wanted
to speak. You have the floor.
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MR. INABA: Yes, thank you. Real quick. Just to clarify my request regarding
the water. Not every single, you know, little piece of land, but any major
development that would be pulling from the same aquifer, would be helpful for us
to know.
And then the second one would be for Planning, if we could get that information
regarding what exists there now and the existing zoning, and what could be done
without this rezoning? So, that's it.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Director Kern, I just want to confirm that you heard that
request from my colleague.
MR. KERN: Confirmed. Thank you.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Perfect. Thank you. Any other comments before I ask
for a motion to postpone this measure until March 8h. Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Thank you, Chair. You know, Mr. Kern,
since you're on, I have a question for you.
MR. KERN: Yes, Sir.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Thank you. Okay. The Hawaii County
Water Use and Development Plan is driven by land use and density, correct?
MR. KERN: That's my understanding.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: That is my understanding too, I'm reading
it. And so, the overall, all the County zonings; the State Land Use, the way we've
classified the land within the aquifer lines designates what our sustainable yield is
then, given our eventual land use or our density of all the properties in that area.
That was a very rough summary of what I've been reading. Does that sound right
to you?
MR. KERN: You know, I like to answer in the most accurate manner possible
and I'd have to do a little bit of research to answer that in the accurate manner.
So I can look into that and confirm that at the next meeting, if you'd like? All my
staff is gone—it's the hour of the day that might have that info.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Yeah, no problem, I was wanting your input.
And I guess I'm also asking you too, you know, this is 2010. Things have
changed since then. And I don't have an updated Hawaii County Water Use and
Development Plan. But I'm sure that our—as we're looking at this, this is about
zoning. And we're changing from Open, in some instances, to Multi-Family.
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MR. KERN: Well, if you say it's about zoning, sure. But I would say that this is
about a re-shifting of the already existing entitlements within a project resort area.
The State Land Use Commission set that. That's the guiding document that
maxed out the cap density. And this is a shift of that density, to be accurate. It's
a movement of that, but it doesn't increase it.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay, but I think things have changed since
2010. That's my main point.
MR. KERN: I think things have changed since then.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Thank you. And so given that change, I'm
sure density has changed as well. Tim touched on agriculture. I mean some of
the things I saw in this plan, the concern is while there's enough water used for
other areas outside of Ag, in the end, Ag suffers. And so I want to make sure
we're taking care of our entire community, especially in low-water areas like this,
and really getting a good clear picture of what we're looking at. So we're taking
care of our keiki and our future generations. Like Holeka said, "Our kupuna are
watching." And I want to make sure we're doing good by them.
So, would appreciate you coming back to us with something that kind of lays it
out for us. You know, there's a lot of good information in this Hawaii County
Water Use Development Plan that you could draw from, but I'm hoping you have
something more updated. Not so antique.
MR. KERN: I'll see what I can do for you.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Thank you very much, Sir. Thank you,
Chair, I yield.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you. Anyone else?
MR. RICHARDS: Yeah, Chair? Richards.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Mr. Richards.
MR. RICHARDS: Just a couple of comments. Maile, I listened very carefully of
what you said, and actually listened to all the Council Members. We are faced
with making a decision about our future, and everybody on this Council fully
supports development. And the reason I know that is because we all live in
houses that were built.
What we're talking about is responsible development. And Maile, when you and
I were born, a long time ago, we had about one-third the population we do today.
Earlier today, we had Research and Development Director, Doug Adams
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talking about seeking a new way forward. Historically, our economy is about
$8.5 billion. Pre-pandemic forty percent of that came out of tourism. We talk
about wanting to manage tourism. And we have a unique opportunity now to
actually do that.
I understand the concerns about water, but I think the question's been asked and
answered, and I really like that. I am supportive of that because this is a different
way going forward, and I think borrowing your words, this is maybe a new
standard of how we can go forward.
Many years ago, a good friend of mine, Keikilani Kainoa, who used to work in
the Waikoloa Resort area said, "If we keep the culture authentic, we'll do a lot for
the community going forward." And that's what I see in this cultural center.
Keiki was a real good friend of mine; we talked a lot about this. Because again,
going to wrong direction. We have an opportunity to do something real good.
And I understand the numbers and 1,000 is a big number, but my own personal
traffic study counting cars. On a busy day, going by the Keauhou exchange
Friday afternoon, we'll have 1,800 cars an hour go by. So 1,000 realistically, is
not so big a number in our total numbers.
So I'm very curious about the questions coming forward, because I think some of
these do need to be answered. But I really like the direction of what's trying to
happen here.
And we talk about affordable housing. We've got to get all housing going
without question, but I think this is going to be a start. I'm very curious about
what's going to be coming forward. Chair, I just want to make those comments
before we postpone. I yield.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Mr. Richards. Do I have a motion to
postpone Bill 115 to the March 81h Committee Meeting?
Motion to Postpone: Mr. Inaba moved to postpone Bill 115 to March 8, 2022.
Seconded by Mr. Richards.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Any discussion on the motion to postpone? Hearing
none, all in favor please say "aye."
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Vote on Motion The motion to postpone Bill 115 to March 8, 2022,
to Postpone: was carried by the following voice vote.
(Approved)
Ayes: Committee Members David, Inaba,
Kanealii-Kleinfelder, Kimball, Lee Loy,
Richards, Villegas, and Chair Kierkiewicz— 8.
Noes: None.
Absent: Committee Member Chung— 1.
Excused: None.
CHR. KIERKIEWICZ: Motion carries. May I have a motion to adjourn?
ADJOURN- There being no further business, at 6:53 p.m., Ms. Lee Loy moved to adjourn the
MENT: meeting. Seconded by Mr. Inaba and carried by the following voice vote:
Ayes: Committee Members David, Inaba,
Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kimball, Lee Loy,
Richards, Villegas, and Chair Kierkiewicz—8.
Noes: None.
Absent: Committee Member Chung— 1.
Excused: None.
CHR. KIERKIEWICZ: We are adjourned. Thank you everyone, goodnight.
MR. PLUNKETT: Thank you very much for your time tonight.
Approved: 4
CVi 0.I----'---------- Li-IA--tio- ___
Ms. Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, Chair (Date)
Planning Committee
AK/dt
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