HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0333.009 2024-2026C. Kimo Alameda, Ph.D.
Mayor
John Pelletier
Raymond Kirchner
Heather Korotie
Vacant
Charles Young, Chair
Nancy Pisicchio, Vice Chair
Chada Thompson
David Huerta
Roselyn Molina
County of Hawaii
KONA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN ACTION COMMITTEE
Aupuni Center • 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3 • Hilo, Hawai'i 96720
(808) 961-8288 • Fax (808) 961-8742
October 17, 2025
Planning Department
County of Hawai'i
101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Subject: Kona Community Development Plan (CDP) Action Committee —Comments
Aloha Director Darrow:
At the meeting of the Kona Community Development Plan (CDP) Action Committee held on Tuesday,
October 14, 2025, at the West Hawai'i Civic Center, the Committee voted unanimously to transmit the
attached correspondence to you and to the Hawai'i County Council as testimony on Bill 63.
Sincerely,
dd- IM
CharlenNng lOct 20,202512:25:10 HST)
Charles Young, Chair
Kona Community Development Plan Action Committee
PLlplanning\public\wpwin601CDP\CDP - KonaWction CommitteelMeetingst2025t2025 Communications
Enclosure: Communication No. 2025-26
cc via email: Dr. Holeka Goro Inaba, Hawai'i County Council Chair (District 8)
Heather Kimball, Hawaii County Council Member (District 1)
Jennifer Kagiwada, Hawai'i County Council Member (District 2)
Dennis Onishi, Hawai'i County Council Member (District 3)
Ashley Kierkiewicz, Hawai'i County Council Member (District 4)
Matt Kaneali'i-Kleinfelder, Hawai'i County Council Member (District 5)
Michelle Galimba, Hawai'i County Council Member (District 6)
Rebecca Villeg2S, Hawai'i County Council Member (District 7)
James Hustace, Hawaii County Council Member (District 9) Comm. r
Ref. To:
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Communication No. 2025-26
October 15, 2025
Jeff Darrow, Planning Director
County of Hawai'i Planning Department
Aupuni Center
101 Pauahi Street,
Suite 3, Hilo, HI 96720
Subject: Bill 63
Dear Director Darrow:
The Kona Community Development Plan (CDP) recognizes the need to "build more units that
offer a variety of housing types, tenures, and affordability" (Objective HSG-4). The Kona CDP
also emphasizes the importance of mixed -use communities that balance housing, employment,
and services, consistent with Guiding Principle 5: "Growth is directed to mixed -use compact
villages."
While the intent of this Bill 63 aligns with these goals, the Members of the Kona Community
Development Plan Action Committee urge caution about the possible health and safety impacts
for potential residents living in MCX District, and emphasize the need for further conditions in
this bill to ensure the full realization of its intended benefits.
We respectfully submit the following comments for consideration and request deferral of the
bill until these points are further considered:
• Chapter 25 allows "Neighborhood parks, playgrounds, tennis courts, swimming pools, and
similar neighborhood recreational areas and uses" as Permitted Uses within the RM, CN, CG,
and CV Districts. Under Section 25-5-13. MCX districts, they are not permitted uses. Therefore,
if Bill 63 amends the MCX Districts to allow for the addition of residential uses, "neighborhood
parks, playgrounds, etc", should be added in the MCX Districts as Permitted Uses.
• Bill 63 should be viewed as an opportunity to increase urban density; therefore, single-family
residential should not be included as an allowable use.
• There should be conditions addressing mitigation of noise and air pollution affecting residents
in this district.
• There should be a condition that would not allow multi -family development within MCX
Districts to be used as short-term vacation rentals.
• There should be conditions that would result in the development of affordable or workforce
housing, since the stated goal of this legislation is to provide workforce housing in close
proximity to places of employment.
• To support the increased density resulting from dwellings in MCX-zoned areas, Bill 63 should
include provisions to develop necessary multi -modal infrastructure, enabling residents to walk
or use transit for commuting and helping mitigate traffic and parking challenges.
• Bill 63 should require MCX districts to be connected to County sewage to avoid overloading
on -site wastewater systems by residential use.
• The County Council should consult with the Department of Water Supply as to whether new
residential developments seeking approval in the MCX Districts located in West Hawai'i would
be granted water for the development.
Respectively,
QV Charle ng Oct20,202512:25:10 HST)
Charles Young, Chair
Kona Community Development Plan Action Committee
cc via email: Dr. Holeka Goro Inaba, Hawai'i County Council Chair, and Members of the Hawai'i
County Council