HomeMy WebLinkAboutREP PC 140 05/13/1986 1984-1988 • REPORT OF THE
COMMITTEE ON PLANNING
DATE: May 13 , 1986 Re: Comm. 468
PLACE: Councilroom
TIME: 1: 30 p.m.
Chairman and Members
Hawaii County Council
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Your Committee on Planning, to which was referred Bill No. 149,
regarding the rezoning request of Ahualoa Development, Inc. , Kapaanui
and Kou, North Kohala, Hawaii , Tax Map Key 5-7-02:11, reports as
follows :
Bill No. 149 amends Section 25-91, Article 3, Chapter 25 of the
Hawaii County Code, by changing the district classification of
208.202 acres of land from Unplanned (U ) to Agricultural (A-la ) .
The bill passed first reading on March 24, 1986 and was recommitted
to the Committee on Planning for the purpose of holding a public
hearing. Such a hearing was held in North Kohala on April 16, 1986 .
At the May 13,1986 meeting, Councilman Russell Kokubun stated that a
more appropriate zoning for the proposed project would be Residential
and Agricultural rather than Agricultural, 1-acre.
Your Committee on Planning agrees with Councilman Kokubun that a
State land use designation of Rural and County zoning of Residential
and Agricultural would be more appropriate designations because many
of the conditions imposed on agricultural designated land cannot be
met by this project .
During its review of the application, the State Department of
Agriculture made reference to a portion of Section 205-2 ,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, which clearly states that living quarters
and dwellings constructed on the proposed lots must be accessory to
an agricultural use.
Sandra Pechter Schutte, attorney for the applicant, wrote to the
Council on April 2, 1986 , stating that "The character of the land at
Kapaanui makes it particularly suitable for the non-commercial type
of agricultural development proposed. " She also stated that "The
developer in its application for the Kapaanui Agricultural
Subdivision specifically intended that the development of one-acre
agricultural lots would provide for non-commercial agricultural use
of the land. "
PC REPORT No . 140
ADOPTED :
� • •
PC-140 Page 2 May 13, 1986
The Department of Agriculture further stated that "The stony and
shallow soils found on the subject parcel combined with the annual
median rainfall of approximately 15 inches provide a significant
obstacle to the establishment of any substantial agricultural
activity. "
The Mauna Kea Soil and Water Conservation District stated that "The
project is planned as an agricultural area but the amount of water
available is not enough to allow for irrigation of even trees and
lawns , let alone crops or grass . "
Your Committee on Planning believes that too much of an inconsistency
exists between the requirements of Section 205-2, Hawaii Revised
Statutes and the intent of the project.
Your committee also believes that the proper land use designation of
Rural and County zoning of Residential and Agricultural will
significantly increase the property tax valuation of the project .
Property tax is assessed on the property's State land use
designation; therefore, if the property is going to be primarily for
large, rural residential estates, your committee believes that the
land use designation should be changed to Rural and taxes should be
based on this use rather than the lower tax rate of agricultural land.
William Thompson, who testified before your committee as a
representative of the applicant, stated that approximately two years
ago the applicant estimated that the lots would be sold for
05, 000-$85, 000 each. However, he suspects that the sale price will
be higher today due to higher development costs . Your committee does
not believe that farmers will be willing to pay anywhere close to
$75 , 000 for an acre of land for farming purposes .
Your committee believes that it is the Council 's responsibility to
make certain that properties are properly and fairly taxed .
Therefore, it believes that the applicant should seek a land use
boundary change to Rural and a County zoning change to Residential
and Agricultural.
. ,
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411 III
,.. . .
PC-140 Page 3 May 13, 1986
Based on these numerous and serious concerns, your Committee on
Planning recommends that Bill 149 be denied .
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TAKASHI DOMINGO, AIRMAN
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7" i , /1 (_. P,0007 00/./Ci '4A4AA/LA.L-A, 116.-- (in NOT CONCUR)
SPENCER K. SCHUTTE, VICE CHR. FRANK DE LUZ III, MEMBER
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ROBERT N. HER S, MEMBER ORR INE r4507 CHAKU-IN UYE, EMBER
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"�/ R .SELL S. KOKUBU , MEMBER MERLE/K. LAI , MEMBER
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