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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0939.024 2004-2006 JDI JACOBY DEVELOPMENT, INC. January 2, 2006 Mr. Christopher Yuen Planning Director County of Hawaii 25 Aupuni Street Hilo HI 96720 Re: Comments on Proposed General Plan Interim Amendments for Kealakehe and Honokohau Aloha Mr. Yuen After reviewing the draft document entitled "General Plan Amendments, Planning Director's Proposed Changes to Land Use Pattern Allocation Guide (LUPAG) Map (dated October 20, 2005)" Jacoby Development, Inc. (JDI) would like to provide the following comments. In the North Kona District, JDI recognizes that you are requesting to change the land use from "Open" to "Urban Expansion" in the draft amendment F-4 for the DLNR lands around Honokohau Harbor. We support this recommended change. However, in addition, we request that you also add "Resort" designation to these DLNR lands, and to the adjacent DHHL lands, as well. In particular, we ask for three changes to be made to your draft document: (1) Please revise draft amendment F-4 to change the land use designation from "Open" to "Urban Expansion and Resort" rather than only from "Open" to "Urban Expansion" as you propose. (2) Please include in this change from "Open" to "Urban Expansion and Resort" the state DNLR lands south of Honokohau Harbor, as well as the 17+ acre parcel bounded on the mauka side by Queen Kaahumanu Highway, on the southern side by Kealakehe Parkway, on the northern side by Kaloko Honokohau National Historical Park, and on the makai side by the fast lands surrounding Honokohau Harbor. (All these areas are State of Hawaii lands referred to as TMK 7-4-08:03 por.) ' (3) Please add another amendment for the lands to the south and mauka of Honokohau Harbor extending to Queen Kaahumanu Highway (DHHL lands of TMK 7-4-08:03, Lot 3) to change from its current designation as "Urban Expansion" to a new designation: "Urban Expansion and Resort." ) Jacoby Development Inc. is making this request for adding "resort" designation to these lands in order to create a mixed-use development based on agreements between JDI and the owners of these lands, which are the Hawaii Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. These agreements are dated December 19, 2003 with DHHL, and November 18, 2005 with DLNR. Both agreements describe the development of a mixed use project which may include (but is not limited to) resort, retail/commercial, and golf course. In addition to these uses, the DLNR development agreement also requires development and construction of an expanded harbor basin and4c.04p hying Comm. No. IP Ref. To&r 171 17th Street, NW, Suite 1550, Atlanta, Georgia 30363 Ref. Date (7701 399A930 Fax (770) 206.9150 slips. Finally, the DLNR also specifically restricts the project from including any permanent residential development. Based on the terms of these agreements, and the input from numerous community meetings held by the DLNR and DHHL in developing this public-private partnership, resort use is an important component in the mixed-use development envisioned for these lands of Honokohau and Kealakehe. This General Plan amendment will be necessary to support the well-planned development of this area at the northern end of the Kailua-Kona urban corridor. With this General Plan amendment, JDI intends to create a mixed-use development with an expanded harbor, with resort, retail/commercial, and marina activities. Using smart growth design principles, JDI intends to create a people-friendly place for residents and visitors alike, that uses the best in transportation planning, environmentally-sensitive and energy-efficient design. Mahalo for your consideration of our request for resort designation on these parcels so that our project can move forward and be a part of the solution to the many growth-related challenges being faced by the Kona community. Aloha, ..James F. Jacoby Chairman Jacoby Development, Inc.