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HomeMy WebLinkAboutREP PC 079 2022/10/05 (2020-2022) REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING DATE: October 5, 2022 Re: Comm. No. 973/Bill No. 207 PLACE: Council Chambers Hilo, Hawaii TIME: 10:30 a.m. Council Chair and Members Hawaii County Council Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Your Committee on Planning, to which was referred Bill No. 207, reports as follows: Bill No. 207, submitted by Mayor Mitchell D. Roth, via Communication No. 973, dated August 24, 2022, amends Section 25-8-15 (Hamakua District Zone Map), Article 8, Chapter 25 (Zoning) of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2016 Edition, as Amended), by changing the district classification from Single-Family Residential— 10,000 square feet(RS-10)to Single-Family Residential— 15,000 square feet(RS-15) at Honoka`a, Hamakua, Hawaii, covered by Tax Map Keys 4-5-010:136 and 4-5-024:010. The applicant is Lehua Village Partners, LLC, and the subject parcel is 14.32 acres. Bill No. 207 was introduced by Chair Ashley Kierkiewicz, by request. The Windward Planning Commission forwards its favorable recommendation for this change of zone request, which would allow the applicant to downzone the property and proceed with creating Lehua Villages, a Planned Unit Development(PUD)totaling 40 lots. Lehua Village 1 would consist of 20 lots to be sold at rates pursuant to affordable housing guidelines, and Lehua Village 2 would consist of 20 lots to be sold at market rate. The properties straddle the east and west sides of Lehua Street, north(makai) of the Hawaii Belt Road and south(mauka) of the Honoka`a Park complex, portion of Papa`anui and Haina in Hamakua. The applicants, Roger and Teri Meeker, and their partner, Jack Larsen, were present before Your Committee in the Hilo Chambers. Mrs. Meeker expressed that she was fortunate enough to have purchased a home in Waimea through the Affordable Housing Program. She explained that she wants to help local residents attain affordable housing similarly to how she was able to. Mr. Meeker explained that he has lived on the island for more than three decades and is well aware of the housing shortage, especially in Honoka'a, where there has been a water moratorium in place for the last several decades. He described the project as in-fill development near a school, hospital, and local businesses. He donated one acre to the Department of Water Supply to build a reservoir to supply more water to Honoka`a. He elaborated that they are downzoning to create fewer lots, due to the unusual topography and geography of the parcel. PC Report No.: 79 PC-79 Page 2 October 5,2022 Planning consultants Sidney Fuke and Daryn Arai, present before Your Committee in the Hilo Chambers, provided historical context for the area and present-day information regarding the proposed project. Mr. Fuke explained that when Kohala Sugar Company closed in 1971, it was the beginning of the end of the sugar plantation economy and lifestyle. Many of the plantations along Hamakua began shutting down, including Hamakua Sugar Company The single-owner operation wanted to preserve the economies-of-scale of the former plantation lands, and began selling off parcels to plantation workers to take care of and sustain their families. In 1978, the zoning classification was applied to this parcel along with another 100-acre parcel. This subject parcel was the last to be subdivided, and many of the previous zoning criteria no longer apply. Mr. Arai addressed concerns regarding the adequacy of Lehua Street to be able to serve the proposed project's traffic impacts. He explained that it is a County Road which is well maintained, and no safety concerns were brought up by the County Police Department or Public Works Department. He noted that they believed the one-lane bridge is safe as-is, and widening or straightening the road would not be necessary; the $124,000 Fair Share contributions can be used to maintain and upkeep Lehua St. He noted that there is no FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) designated floodway and that the project will not cause adverse flooding impacts or erosion. He further explained that Condition E within the Planned Unit Development mandates the consideration of view planes. Mr. Arai elaborated that issuance of the PUD is tied to the change of zone request, and it provides limited exceptions for roadway design, setbacks, lot sizes and shapes, and other aspects of the subdivision design. Mr. Arai explained that the PUD application was approved by the Windward Planning Commission and would go into effect upon approval of this ordinance. Committee Member Heather Kimball spoke in full support of the project. She highlighted that the applicants were open to meeting with the community and accommodating their concerns and that the downzone meant it would not be a high-density project. She also noted that the topography makes this a tricky development and concerns to mitigate drainage and erosion will be on the eventual homeowners. Committee Member Sue Lee Loy voiced her support for the project and reflected on Mrs. Meeker's testimony on purchasing her first home. She noted the need for local residents to create generational wealth, which could be achieved through home ownership. She voiced her appreciation of the walkable path within the subdivision and suggested co-locating Mass Transit Hubs within a walkable distance of the subdivision to alleviate Lehua St. concerns. Committee Members Aaron Chung and Maile David voiced their support for the project and their appreciation of the historical context of plantation lands. Committee Member Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder asked about details regarding the PUD, to which Mr. Arai repeated that the PUD outlines specific design elements and standards for the development. Mr. Fuke explained that not all parcels of the subdivision will meet the subdivision code criteria, so the PUD addresses each parcel's exceptions and tailored designs. PC Report No.: 79 PC-79 Page 3 October 5,2022 Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder then asked if the exceptions within the PUD are tied to the ordinance, to which Mr. Fuke responded, "Yes."Mr. Arai described all exceptions they sought pertained to road width, lot setback,property minimum width, sidewalk grades and curbs, and minimum yard standards. Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder emphasized the pedestrian-access trail as an important aspect of the project. Committee Member Holeka Inaba clarified that the Affordable Housing requirements have already been met, and he asked what the target area median income will be. Mr. Fuke explained that 20 of the 40 lots are set aside for the affordable housing requirements, and will be sold as "finished lots"with the infrastructure already in place. The lots will be sold at 80 percent of AMI (Area Median Income) and less. Committee Chair Ashley Kierkiewicz voiced her appreciation of Committee Member Kimball's facilitation of community engagement, noting that the applicant's work sets a great example for future developments. She praised the applicant's ability and willingness to work with the community, and expressed admiration for Mrs. Meeker's sentiment about purchasing her first home and wanting to bring that to other local families. Chair Kierkiewicz also emphasized that the requested exceptions within the PUD as an important aspect in shaping the communities we want to see and that it was a necessary tool because zoning and subdivision codes may not be appropriate in every community across-the-board. She expressed her support for the project and thanked the applicants for their time and efforts. The vote was then taken on the motion to move this measure to Council with a favorable recommendation and passed with seven"ayes." Committee Members Holeka Inaba and Tim Richards were absent. Your Committee on Planning is in accord with the purpose and intent of Bill No. 207, and recommends its passage on first reading. js AYES NOES ABS EX Respectfully submitted, CHUNG X DAVID x COMMITTEE ON PLANNING INABA X KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER X / i f KIERKIEWICZ X t KIMBALL X I LEE LOY x ASHLEY L. KIERKIEWICZ, CHAIR RICHARDS X PC REPORT NO.: 79 VILLEGAS X ADOPTED: OCT 1 9 2022