HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0163.002 2010-2012 Island Planning
1405 Waianuenue Ave
Hilo, HI 96720
808 989 -8322
April 19, 2011
Hawaii County Council, Committee on Planning
Subject: Resolution 60 -11: Moratorium on General Plan and Rezoning in the District of
Ka'u
Aloha Chairman and Members of the Committee
I am a land planning consultant testifying on behalf of Dr. Kevin Stuef DDS who sends his
regrets for not being able to be here in person. Dr. Stuef has been a practicing dentist in
Na'alehu for 29 years and is busy with a full load of patients this morning. He is the only
resident dentist in the district of Ka'u and is one of the longest standing small business persons in
the region. He has committed his professional life to the dental health of the people of Ka'u.
Several years ago Dr. Stuef purchased a residential property from C. Brewer. The property is
across Mamalahoa Highway from Na'alehu Park and adjoins the Na'alehu Sweet Bread Bakery
outlet. The old home on the parcel was formerly used to house the County Fire Department.
This is one of the classic old supervisory residences in the heart of Na'alehu and it had suffered
from long term maintenance neglect. Dr. Stud's dream is to renovate the historic 1928 home
and use it to house an expanded dental practice. To do so, he has hired a qualified historical
architect to direct repairs on the building, and my firm to process a rezoning for the 20,637 SF
property from its current RS -10 zoning to CV -10 to allow the dental office use. The project is a
financial challenge for his small practice but Dr. Stuef has done everything right. With any luck,
he could be in his new offices with expanded services by the end of 2011.
We have prepared the necessary rezoning application and are awaiting response from the State
Historic Preservation Division (SHPD) to provide a formal approval of the work needed on the
historic structure. Our intention was to submit the application in the next 30 days. The property
is in the core of Na'alehu Town and is designated for Medium Density use in the General Plan.
There is commercial zoning already in place on several properties on either side of the subject
property ( TMK 9 -5- 025:033) and across the highway.
Resolution 60 -11, as drafted, would stop Dr. Stuef in his tracks. If the Resolution was approved
in its current form, he would have to wait for the completion of the Ka'u Community
Development Plan or the end of 2012 to complete his rezoning before he continued his work on
the new dental office.
We don't believe that small, General Plan conforming land use changes such as what Dr. Stuef
proposes are really the intended target of the subject Resolution. However, if the Resolution is
Caren No. /43.Z
Ref. To: / PO
Reef. Date APR 1, 2 »I
approved as drafted, Dr. Stuef's good intentions will resemble the colateral damage of a turtle in
a drift net. We ask this Council and Councilperson Smart in particular to consider amendments
that mitigate the impact of Resolution 60 -11 on this and perhaps other small efforts aimed at
improving the quality of life and livelihood in the Ka'u District. In a district where so little new
private investment is being made today, it would seem unfortunate to stifle a worthy effort just as
it was gaining some traction.
Our recommendation is that the Council insert an amendment to the Resolution that would
exempt rezoning application for properties below a certain size (say 1.0 acre), when the
application can be shown to be consistent with the LUPAG Map of the existing Hawaii
County General Plan. This would allow Dr. Stuef to continue to process his rezoning
application and still leave the ultimate decision on its approval to the County Council as it
is now.
There may also be other ways to accomplish the intent of Resolution 60 -11 without halting the
progress of small efforts to do things that the Ka'u residents will benefit from. We are open to
options and encourage the Council to explore ways to support the intent of the resolution without
sacrificing opportunities to make Ka'u a better place to live in the mean time.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
Sincerely
Jeffrey Melrose
Principal Planner
Island Planning
Cc: Dr. Kevin Stuef DDS
Boone Morrison AIA