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Home My WebLink AboutREP PC 094 04/04/2000 1998-2000 REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING DATE: April 4, 2000 Re: C-703/Bill No. 228 PLACE: Councilroom TIME: 1:52 p.m. Chair and Members Hawaii County Council Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Your Committee on Planning, to which was referred Bill No. 228, transmitted jointly with Bill No. 227 by Mayor Stephen K. Yamashiro per Communication No. 703, dated March 14, 2000, regarding the Change of Zone request by Keven H. and Patricia D. Rinkenbach, at Kalaoa 4th, North Kona, Hawaii, "rMK: 7-3-005:98, reports as follows: Bill No. 228 amends Section 25-8-3 (North Kona District Zone Map), Article 8, Chapter 25 (Zoning Code) of the Hawaii County Code, by changing the district classification for 5.984 acres of land from an Agricultural (A-Sa) to a Single Family Residential (RS-15) zoned district. The rectangular shaped property, owned in fee by the applicants, is located adjacent (north) to Kona Palisades Subdivision bordered by `Ili`Hi Street on its eastern or mauka boundary and Ke`oke`o Street on its western or makai boundary, approximately 500 feet north of its intersection with Ka`iminani Drive. The subject property is presently vacant and unused, although a significant portion of the northern half of the site was previously graded. The southern half does not appear to show any signs of disturbance. The applicants are proposing to redistrict the property to the urban district and change the zone to RS-15 to allow the subdivision of the property into sixteen (16) residential lots. According to the Background Report information, the applicants intend to construct homes on each of the proposed sixteen lots over a three year period. Construction on the first lots will begin immediately after all governmental approvals are secured. Restrictive covenants to prohibit ohana dwellings will be developed for the subdivision to preserve the single-family residential ambience of the area. The General Plan LUPAG map designates the parcel as within the Urban Expansion area, which allows for a mix of high density, medium density, low density, industrial and/or open designations in areas where new settlements may be desirable. The Kona Regional Plan, which was adopted by the Planning Commission in April 1984, designates the area for Residential-4 units /acre. The Keahole to Kailua (K to K) Development Plan, which was adopted by the County Council by resolution on April 3, 1991, to be utilized in the development of infrastructure and land uses in the region, designates the area for Residential Expansion. The property is not situated within the Special Management Area. The U.S. Soil Survey classifies the soil as Kaimu and Punalu`u. The Kaimu consists of well-drained, thin organic soils over A`a lava with rapid permeability, slow runoff and slight erosion hazard which is not suited for cultivation. The Punalu`u consists ofwell-drained thin organic soils with rapid permeability, slow runoff and slight erosion hazard, which is used for pastoral purposes. The Land Study Bureau Soil Rating is "E" or ``Very Poor" for agricultural uses. The subject property is located within Zone "X", which is outside the 500-year flood plain. PC-94 PC-94 Page 2 April 4, 2000 The most prominent species in the northern half of the property consists of silk oak, pride of India, comb hyptis, fountain grass, and guinea grass. The less disturbed southern end of the properly consists of a dense thicket of Christmas berry, and a few areas dominated by Mauritius hemp. Scattered in the canopy are the alahe`e shrub and a large number of lama trees. It is recommended that some of the native vegetation, particularly the lama trees, be preserved. The applicants' environmental report did not address the fauna on the site; however, a recent application for the adjacent property stated that the area is not known for any rare or endangered animal life. An archaeological inventory survey of the property was conducted by Robert L. Spears, Ph.D., of Scientific Consultant Services, and concluded that sufficient data has been gathered and the sites are no longer considered significant under Criterion D (sites containing important information on Prehistory or history). The lava tube containing a burial, known as site 19830, is significant under Criteria D and E, and has been marked for preservation. Site 21812, identified during present research has been sufficiently documented and no further work is recommended. There are single-family residences and a number of vacant residential sized lots within the adjacent Kona Palisades and Kona Coastview Subdivisions, which are located within the State Land Use Urban District and primarily zoned Agricultural (A-Sa) by the County. These subdivisions are essentially non- conforming residential sized lots ranging between 8,000 to 20,000 square feet. At the request of the Planning Department, the State Land Use Commission, in February 1985, reclassified several non-conforming residential subdivisions into the Urban District: Kona Palisades Estates, Kona Highlands, Kona Wonder View Lots, Kona Coastview, Kona Heights and Aloha Kona. In recent years, a number of similar requests were approved within the vicinity of the subject property. Two access points are proposed to the subject parcel. Access to eight of the lots will be from `Ili`ili Street, and the other eight will be from Ke`oke`o Street. Both streets connect to Ka`iminani Drive, which serves as the primary mauka-makai connector road between Hawaii Belt Road and Queen Ka`ahumanu Highway, within the Kona Palisades Estates. `Ili`ili Street is a private roadway, and Ke`oke`o Street extension is in the process of being dedicated to the County of Hawaii. Water can be made available from the end of an existing 6-inch waterline fronting `Ili`ili Street and an existing 6-inch waterline fronting Ke`oke`o Street. Water availability for the North Kona water system is only seven units. Due to system concerns with the Palisades Subdivision water system, the Department of Water Supply will not allow the transfer of water commitments from TMK: 7-4-6:12 to the subject parcel. The property is situated within the Critical Wastewater Disposal Area, therefore, the applicant would be required to dispose wastewater into a septic tank system. Electrical and telephone services are or will be made available to the property. Bill No. 228, Draft 2, which includes the fair share contributions in Condition M, was circulated and approved by Your Committee. PC-94 PC-94 Page 3 Apri14, 2000 Committee Member Julie Jacobson had some concerns about the subject parcel being divided into sixteen lots because one cannot maintain much forest land if the parcels are small. Other members were concerned about the water situation in the area. Greg Mooers, representative for the applicant, stated that they are working with the Department of Water Supply to find a solution to this problem. For informational purposes only, it was noted that in the upper left hand corner of the map, the arrow should have indicated the direction on the Hawaii Belt Road as heading toward Kamuela instead of Kailua. An amended map will be submitted to replace the existing map. Your Committee concurs with the Planning Commission and the Planning Director for recommending a favorable consideration for the change of zone request. Your Committee on Planning is in accord with the intent and purpose of Bill No. 228, Draft 2, and recommends it pass first reading. AYES NOES A & E EX LEITHEAD-TODD X Respectfully submitted TYLER X CEiUNG X COMMITTEE PL G ELARIONOFF X JACOBSON X PISICCFIIO X O Y JEAN LEITHEAD-TODD, CHAIR SMITH X PC REPORT NO. 94 YAGONG X ARAKAKI F,.O.M. X ADOPTED: I