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HomeMy WebLinkAboutREP PC 010 03/16/1999 1998-2000 i REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING DATE: March 16, 1999 Re: C-133/Bill No. 35 PLACE: Councilroom TIME: 3:34 p.m. Chair and Members Hawaii County Council Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Your Committee on Planning, to which was referred Bill No. 35, transmitted jointly with Bill No. 36, by Mayor Stephen K. Yamashiro per Communication No. 133, dated January 29, 1999, regarding the amendment to the State Land Use Boundaries Map request by Hawaii Electric Light Company, Inc. , at Keaau, Puna, Hawaii, TMK: 1-6-3:93, reports as follows: Although transmitted by the Mayor on January 29, 1999, Bill No. 35 was not agendized until March 5, 1999, when it was deferred until today. Your Committee decided to defer all zoning requests until the fate of the infamous Bill No. 250 and all of its drafts, otherwise known as the Zoning Code, was known. Bill No. 250, Drafts 4 and 9 (ramseyered) will be heard by the Hawaii County Council on its first reading on Mazch 17, 1999, and on its second and final reading on April 6, 1999. Bill No. 35 will advance to the Council for its first reading on April 6, 1999. Bill No. 35 amends the State Land Use Boundaries Map, H-66, for the County of Hawaii, by changing the district classification for 10.5 acres from an Agricultural to an Urban district. The reclassification ofthe site to the Urban district will not impact the provision of sufficient service areas for other urban growth requirements. Approval of the "Urban" district designation would be consistent with approved urban land use reclassifications in the immediate vicinity of Keaau. The reclassification of the site to the Urban district will not contribute to scattered spot urban development, as it is in the midst of azeas with urban type uses, and is adjacent to and in close proximity to existing urban designated lands and facilities. Although the Planning Commission approved a Special Permit on November 22, 1988 to HELCO for the establishment of an electric power plant and related improvements, the applicant would like to legitimize the uses and bring the parcel into conformance with the permitted uses within the Urban district. The somewhat triangular-shaped level subject parcel, owned in fee by the applicant, is located approximately one mile east of the Keaau Town Center at the end of Milo Street in the vicinity of the former Puna Sugar Company Mill site near the 300-foot elevation. The parcel is comprised of the 9.3 acre former mill site and a 1.2 acre area that was part of a railroad right-of--way. Access to the Puna Generating Station is from the Old Volcano Road and to Keaau Road. The subject property is bound along the north and south property boundaries by private easements, which are owned by W. H. Shipman, who has granted permission to use these private roads PC-10 PC-10 Page 2 March 16, 1999 through a Grant of Easement which was recorded at the Bureau of Conveyances on January 24, 1992. According to the applicant's report, the Keaau By-Pass Road will intersect with Keaau Road. HELCO owned structures and improvements on the site are related to electrical generation and distribution. In addition to HELCO's structures, the County Water Department also has two water wells, a chlorinator, storage and pump facilities and 10-inch diameter service lines. The subject property is located in the Lava Flow Hazard Zone 3, which is also applicable to Hilo. Zone 1 reflects the greatest volcanic hazard and Zone 9 the lowest. There is no ALISH (Agricultural Lands of Importance in the State of Hawaii) designation. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Soil Conservation Service Soil Survey Report classifies the soils in the vicinity of the site as being in the Olaa series, and specifically the Olaa Silty Clay Loam, which is characterized by moderately deep, moderately fine soil. Permeability is rapid, runoff is slow, and the erosion hazard is slight. The State Department of Agriculture indicates that the Land Study Bureau Detailed Land Classification rates the site as "U" or urban use, reflecting the industrial use of the area. Former sugar cane lands surrounding the former Puna mill site have an overall productive rating of "C" indicating fair productivity potential for most crops. . A culvert adjacent to the road serving the site drains into a drainage ditch parallel to the road. Standard on-site drainage improvements would accommodate any futwe intensification of the use of the site. The ambient noise levels at the Puna Generating Station indicate that HELCO is in compliance with the State Department of Health 70dBA standard at the property lines. Your Committee concurs with the Planning Commission and the Planning Director for recommending a favorable consideration for amending the State Land Use Boundaries Map. Your Committee on Planning is in accord with the intent and purpose of Bill No. 35, and recommends it pass first reading. AYES NOES A & E EX LEITHEAD-TODD X TYLER x Respectfully submitted, CHUNG X ELARIONOFF x COMMITTEE T PL ~ ING JACOBSON X ~ PISICCHIO X sM~TH x Y JEAN LEITHEAD-TODD, CHAIR YAGONG X ARAKAKI E.O.M. X PC REPORT NO. 10 ADOPTED: ~ 0 61999