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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0019.005 2002-2004 Itl n~...__ - Testimony of Jillian Marohnic for County Council Public Hearing 17 December 2002 RE: Change of Zone Application (REZ 02-011), Maurice Thomas, RS-20 to CV-20 Statement of Protest. I am a Volcano resident. Both my home and my business are within the notification area for Mr. Thomas' zoning change request. I am opposed to the zoning change because of the stated intent of the applicant to build large warehouses on the rezoned site, which is situated in the heart of Volcano Village. The applicant has stated his intention to build two warehouses, side by side, totaling the length of a football field (300ft), each the height of a 3-story building (30tt). The warehouses are being proposed for the storage of lumber, roofing material, and rental equipment, in conjunction with the True Value Hardware store operation. Warehousing Not A Permitted Usage in CV District. In the Hawaii County Code, the usage category "warehousing" is not listed as a permitted usage under CV zoning (see Hawaii County Code. Chapter 25, Division 12. CV, Village Commercial Districts, Section 25-5-122 Permitted Uses). "Warehousing' only appears in the industrial zoning designations MCX (Industrial-Commercial Mixed Use), ML (Limited Industrial), and MG (General Industrial). Normally if a use category is not listed, then it is prohibited. But in the CV section, there is a clause at the bottom of the listed categories that reads: "Buildings and uses similar to the permitted uses listed above shall be permitted in the CV district, as approved by the director." At the 18 Oct 2002 Planning Commission hearing on this issue, the Deputy Planning Director stated that the warehouses are being allowed by virtue of this clause, because a warehouse is similar to a "convenience store" or to a "retail establishment". Wielding this clause and its loose interpretation, the Planning Commission has opened up the CV district to the usages of the Industrial districts (MCX, ML, MG). In this manner, the precedent is being established that "anything goes" in the CV district, and indeed the Deputy Planning Director called the clause a "catch all". I would contend that instead of opening up the CV district to all possible usages, the intent of the clause in question is to say that "any uses similar to the ones above and not specitrcally excluded from the list "can be allowed. Bad Precedent. Imagine HPM warehouse tucked in between Cafe Pesto and Dreams of Paradise Art Gallery, in the heart of Downtown Hilo. It doesn't fit. Nor do the proposed warehouses fit in the heart of Volcano Village. When we imagine our future growth, we don't envision an industrial sector to be the focus of our village. Noisy establishments attract like-kind establishments, and drive out the "quiet" ones (professional offices, galleries, restaurants, wellness t:enters). Allowing th~g~ri~er warehouses starts a precedent that will be unstoppable. Please stop it now. The wellness center next door is already anticipating closing its doors. Fite No. Ref. pC Rer. Hate iDEC 1 7 2002 Alternative Locations Available. These lumber warehouses, if truly needed by the Volcano community and truly supportable by local demand, could well be built by someone else, like Shipman, in a more appropriate area on the outskirts of town, rather than forced into the heart of the village where it will disturb businesses and residences on an ongoing basis. Detrimental to Existins>I Errtemrises. Volcano has come to be known both as a "visitor destination" and as an "artist colony". The B&Bs, artist studios, restaurants, and forest meld harmoniously to present the visitor a unique and peaceful destination. Starting an industrial sector in the heart of our village tampers with the very atmosphere that fosters our budding ecotourism industry. When a new business is incompatible with its neighbors, why shouldn't it be the existing businesses that prevail? Why would you approve an incompatible industry, changing the zoning to allow it, when it will harm the established industry? These representatives of the Volcano arts and visitor industry are among the 125 Volcano residents who have signed the pettion against the lumber warehouses (petition was submitted to the Planning Commission -one newly added page, #14, was submitted to this council by FAX on 16 Dec 2002): Loma $ Albert Jeyte -owners, Kilauea Lodge and Restaurant Diane Ware -owner, Kalani Garden Cottages Jillian & Todd Marohnic -owners, Volcano Hideaways Michael Tuttle -owner, Hale Ohia Cottages Peter & Kathleen Golden -owners, Volcano Rainforest Retreat Raven Slaughter-owner, Ma'ukele Lodge Kathleen Porter -owner, Volcano Country Cottages Kathryn Grout -owner, Volcano Places Antoinette Bullough -owner, Volcano Teapot Ira Ono - artist, Volcano Garden Arts Misato Mortara -glass artist, 2400 Fahrenheit Erik Wokt -earthenware artist Pam Barton -fiber artist Dina Kegeler-fabric artist BNI McMahon -wood artist, Willy's Woodworks Lisa Louis Adams -quilting and ceramic artist, Spiral Triangle Studio Cynee Gillette-Wenner-textile artist, Studio Mingei Brad Lewis -photographer Oaponent Fears. There is a fear among the opponents of this project that the community cannot support such a large lumberyard enterprise, and that eventually the warehouse buildings will be divided into bays and rented out to different businesses, forming a cheap (metal building construction) strip-mall type operation, which is even more disturbing than the prospect of the lumberyard. What assurance is there that this will not happen? For all the reasons stated in the sections above, I request that the application for rezoning be denied.