HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0056.000 2006-2008 +tV W y
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Harry Kim Christopher J. Yuen
Mayor Director
~'+:a•e;~_~;+` Brad Kurokawa, ASLA
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/.~'LT1XYTt~1 Ol ~2~~FIYI Deputy Director
PLII'AJJ~,NNINtSG DEPARTMENT
]Ol Pauahi Street, Suite 3 Hilo, Hawaii 96720-3043
(808) 961-8288 FAX (808) 961-8742
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December 22, 2006 `T
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Honorable Pete Hoffmann, Chair
and Members of the County Council
HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL
333 Kilauea Avenue
Hilo, HI 96720
Dear Chair Hoffinann and Members of the County Council:
SUBJECT: BILLS 220 and 221 (Gardner Rezoning)
The Planning Department continues to oppose the proposed self-storage facility on
Highway 130 near Pahoa. It passed the Planning Committee on Dec. 19, 2006, with a
favorable recommendation, as a "Draft 2" , by a 5-4 vote.
We have the following additional comments:
1. Draft 2 of Bi11221 does not actually require that the self-storage facility take its
sole access with the county fire/police site that is adjacent. This may have been
the expectation of the Council, but it is not an express condition of Draft 2.
2. The condition of Draft 2, that the applicant construct a service road across the
county property to serve as an access to the adjacent property, triggers an
environmental assessment under Chap. 343, Hawaii Revised Statutes, because this
proposes a use of county or state property. The environmental assessment must be
completed before any final action is taken on the rezoning.
3. It is not clear what the legal status would be of the "service road" across the
county property. The proposal would result in traffic that uses the self-storage
facility crossing county property on a "service road" shared between the county
and the self-storage facility. The county could face liability for an accident that
Comm. No.
Ref. Tonto
Ref. Dote ~Ah D 4 2447 _
Hawaii County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.
Honorable Pete Hoffinann, Chair
and Members of the County Counci]
HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL
Page 2
December 22, 2006
occurred on its property. The county property is not a public road. The property is
under executive order to the county for specific purposes, which do not expressly
include the provision of an easement to adjacent property.
4. The State Department of Transportation's comments stated that the applicant shall
provide left-turn channelization on Highway 130. These comments would
normally be stated as a condition of rezoning if the Planning Department
recommended approval. We ask that the Council carefully think about allowing a
private commercial operation that will induce customers to make left turns off
Highway 130. If the Council is inclined to approve this rezoning, we request that
an additional condition be added to read: "Applicant shall construct access
improvements to Highway 130 as required by the Department of Transportation,
including but not limited to left-turn channelization."
5. I should have mentioned, when asked about this project's consistency with the
General Plan, that this project violates the following "Course of Action", on p. 14-
26 of the General Plan: "Centralization of commercial activities in Pahoa Town,
rather than along the Pahoa By-Pass, to serve the residents of Lower Puna shall be
encouraged."
Sincere,
CHRISTOPHER Y. YUEN
Planning Director
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Wpwin60/Christ/Hoffman-Bills 220 and 221 (Gardner Rezoning)