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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0896.149 2022-2024Mitchell D. Roth Mayor Deanna S. Sako Managing Director West Hawaii Office 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740 Phone(808) 323-4770 Fax (808)327-3563 August 05, 2024 County of Hawaii PLANNING DEPARTMENT Heather Kimball, Council Chair and Members of the County Council County of Hawaii 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, HI 96720 Dear Chairperson Kimball and Members: Zendo Kern. Director - Jeffrey W. Darrow Deputy Director East Hawaii Office 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3 Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Phone (808) 961-8288 Fax (808) 961-8742 SUBJECT: Amendment to Change of Zone Ordinance No. 02-131 (Council Bill 169) Applicant: Kona Three, LLC Request: Ten -Year Time Extension to Condition I (Complete Construction of Phase 1) & Amendment to Condition N (Roadway Dedication) TMKs: 7-6-021:016 &: 017, H61ualoa, North Kona, Hawaii Attached for your information are comments from the Kona Soil and Water Conservation District received by this office on July 25, 2024, regarding the above -referenced amendment request, which you are considering on August 21, 2024, as County Council Bill 169. Should there be any questions, please feel free to contact me. Sincerely, ,7e4e� w Dau-ow Jeffre�Darr.`v (Aug 5, 202413.04 HST) JEFFREY W. DARROW Deputy Planning Director V:\PL\PL\planning\public\wpwin60\CKay\Planning Comm ission\Letters\PDtranscouncilREZ470amendmentadditionalinfo.doc Enclosure Ref. nate www.plann ny hawaircguxi 'ov Hawaii County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer ltlartnilagiirhawai aunty. ov �;� Kona Sort and Water `Conservation' District 81-948 Mena`Oihana Loop #101 $ Kealakekua, HI 96760 July 2, 2024 Mr. Zendo Kern Planning Director Mr. Jeffrey Darrow Planning Deputy Director Mr. Steve Pause, P.E. Director of Public Works Maxine Cutler Property Management Technician County of Hawai'i Planning Department Aupuni Center, 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3, Hilo, HI 96720 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy., Bldg. E, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 Property Management Division 25 Aupuni Street Suite #1101 TMK: (3) 7-6-021:016 & 017 Aloha Mr. Kern, Mr. Darrow, Mr. Pause, and Ms. Cutler: (808) 339-9042 RCVD COH PLANNING DEPT JUL 25124 PH2:19 The Kona Soil and Water Conservation District have reviewed TMK (3) 7-6-021:016 & 017, and it is our continued recommendation that these parcels are acquired for public acquisition and designed to protect our community watersheds, coastal water, and reef habitats. These parcels are traversed by flood corridors across both the northern and southern portions of the property and currently function to infiltrate stormwater, thus recharging aquifers, reducing sedimentation of reefs and pollution of coastal water. These are just some of the ecological benefits this land can offer, benefits that will disappear forever if the land is developed. BOARD OF DIRECTORS JEFF KNOWLES $ GREG HENDRICKSON $ KELI`IKANOE MAHI $ STEVE FOELBER $ MARK PETERSEN F IND PROVIDED BY COUNTY OF HAWAI'J DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOP Kona Soil and Water Conservation Distr" ct 81-948 Waena`Oihana Loop #101 $ Kealakekua, HI 96750 $ (808) 339-9042 Implementation of riparian buffers and engineered infiltration basins, along with designing and integrating a native food forest could amplify these benefits. The KSWCD continues its recommendation that these lands be purchased by the county with PONC funds. A tour of the referenced site would allow one to see the value in designating a "Kona Floodway Park" that would benefit the community, as well as creating a safer watercourse. We strongly encourage you to call us to discuss this matter in person, along with scheduling a tour of the referenced site. We look forward to working with you. Kind regards, 41 mov,3� Jeff Know es, Chairman of Kona Soil and Water Conservation District BOARD OF DIRECTORS JEFF KNOWLES $ GREG HENDRICKSON $ KEU`IKANOE MAHI $ STEVE FOELBER MARK PETERSEN N 'FVAIP1NG PROVIDED BY COUNTY OF HAWAO DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOP�T 9rp`'�' q'"'�,mRr a a'k_ � k u %.......onservauc i1d1A-a�4�`�k �Ikk-AVi Vcl%,iV1Y 81-948 Mena`Olhana Loop #101 $ Kealakekua, HI 96750 $ (808) 339-9042 July 9, 2024 Mr. Zendo Kern Planning Director Mr. Jeffrey Darrow Planning Deputy Director Mr. Steve Pause, P.E. Director of Public Works Maxine Cutler Property Management Technician County of Hawaii Planning Department Aupuni Center, 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3, Hilo, HI 96720 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy., Bldg. E, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 Property Management Division 25 Aupuni Street Suite #1101 TMKs: (3) 7-6-021:016 & 017 Aloha Mr. Kern, Mr. Darrow, Mr. Pause, and Ms. Cutler: RCUD COH PLANNING DEPT JUL 25'24 Pm2,19 I would like to add further input for the need to create a "Kona Floodway Park". Over the years, Kona Soil and Water Conservation District has seen firsthand how the effects of climate change are growing, not only in frequency but as well as intensity. We must prepare for the inevitable deluge we will receive — even if it is just from our 100-year flood events. • The November 2000 flash flood event on the Island of Hawaii, the Big Island, produced the largest single -day rainfall total ever recorded on the island and the second largest 24-hour total in the state's history. • In March 2006, a rare continuous 40 days of rainfall occurred in the Hawaiian Islands causing massive coastal flooding. • In 2018, a home on Plumeria Rd. in Kailua Kona was flooded out twice in one week as a result from Kona floodplain water courses. As climate WnJjrRL*�,7tbjV3Nil1 happen to more homes, and more properties. JEFF KNOWLES GREG HENDRICKSON t KEU`IKANOE MAHI I STEVE FOELBER f MARK PETERSEN F '',° PING PROVIDED BY COUNTY OF HAwm`1 DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOP T V Kona Soil and Water Conservation District � � Ple se9r��a �ii i%s�r��sa Loop #101 $ Kealakekua, HI 96750 $ (808) 339-9042 https://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2015/09/18/video-kona-home-flooded- twice-in-two-weeks/ One way to prepare for flooding events is to minimize the creation of hardscapes. Once hardscapes have been created, they never go back to being landscapes. This is just a plain and simple fact of urban living. When it comes to green spaces available for public use in the local Kona area, they're far and few in between. Creating this park will provide residents with a place where they can take part in nature, help plant native trees and plants, have learning adventures, participate in healthy lifestyle activities, etc. Opportunities for the Hawaii County to provide spaces for well-being and outdoor activities to our community are rare now and will become even more rare as time moves forward. Converting the two parcels referenced above into a "Kona Floodway Park" that has been created with riparian buffer areas is likely to increase the amount of water absorption - even more so when compared to the vegetation that is there now. As suggested in a letter from our chairman "Implementation of riparian buffers and engineered infiltration basins, along with designing and integrating a native food forest could amplify these benefits even further. These parcels are traversed by flood corridors across both the northern and southern portions of the property and currently function to infiltrate stormwater, thus recharging aquifers, reducing sedimentation of reefs and pollution of coastal water. These are just some of the ecological benefits this land can offer, benefits that will disappear forever if the land is developed." When we consider climate change, and the atmosphere's ability to hold greater and greater volumes of water, we can see from world events what happens when the atmosphere decides to release that water. Hawai'i island is not immune from the devastating events we have seen around the world, and creating riparian forest areas will help address this increase in rainfall. Thank you for your time, and hearing our voice of concern. Very indest regards, BOARD OF DIRECTORS 4- -GR9d HENDRICKSON $ KEU`IKANOE MAHI t STEVE FOELBER $ MARK PETERSEN onservationist Assistant �p gy Kona Soil an(f�1 8WPC7 vdtF6H1%ffi&1vA1,I DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPNWT