HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN PC 2019/04/09 2018-2020Committee on Planning
7th Session
Hawaii County Building
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hawaii
April 9, 2019
CALL TO The regular meeting of the Committee on Planning was called to order at
ORDER: 1:02 p.m., in the Council Chambers, Hilo, by Ms. Ashley Kierkiewicz, Chair.
R(1T T CAT r
Present: Ms.
Ashley Kierkiewicz, Chair
Ms.
Susan L. K. Lee Loy, Vice Chair
Mr.
Aaron S. Y. Chung, Member
Ms.
Karen Eoff, Member
Ms.
Maile Medeiros David, Member
Mr.
Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Member
Ms.
Valerie T. Poindexter, Member
Mr.
Herbert M. "Tim" Richards, III, Member
Ms.
Rebecca Villegas, Member
STATEMENTS The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business,
FROM THE Statements from the Public on Agenda Items.
PUBLIC ON
AGENDA ITEMS: The following individuals registered to speak and came forward when called
called by the Chair:
Dwight J. Vincente Bill 47 (Comm. 196);
Bill 48 (Comm. 197); and
Bill 49 (Comm. 198), comment.
Jeno Enocencio Bill 49 (Comm. 198), comment.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: At this time I will be closing public testimony, and
moving on to business of the day. Mr. Clerk, if you could please read in
Communication 194.
COMMUNI- The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business,
CATIONS: Communications.
PC -7 April 9, 2019
Comm. 194: NOMINATION OF DAVID HUERTA TO THE KONA COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT ACTION COMMITTEE
From Mayor Harry Kim, dated March 20, 2019, submitting for the Council's
review and confirmation the above nomination.
Requires Council
Confirmation by: May 3, 2019 (Section 13-4(1),
Hawaii County Charter)
Vote on Comm. 194: Ms. Eoff moved to recommend confirmation of the
(Approved) appointment of Mr. David Huerta to the Kona
Community Development Action Committee. Seconded
by Mr. Richards and carried by the following voice vote:
Ayes: Committee Members Chung, David, Eoff,
Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Lee Loy, Poindexter,
Richards, Villegas, and Chair Kierkiewicz — 9.
Noes: None.
Absent: None.
Excused: None.
Committee Members spoke in favor of the appointment. Chair Kierkiewicz
informed Mr. Huerta that he does not need to appear at the Council meeting for
final confirmation of his appointment.
Comm. 195: NOMINATION OF KILOHANA HIRANO TO THE HAWAII COUNTY
CULTURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION
From Mayor Harry Kim, dated March 20, 2019, submitting for the Council's
review and confirmation the above nomination.
Requires Council
Confirmation by: May 3, 2019 (Section 13-4(1),
Hawaii County Charter)
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Vote on Comm. 195: Ms. Lee Loy moved to recommend confirmation of the
(Approved) appointment of Mr. Kilohana Hirano to the Cultural
Resources Commission. Seconded by Mr. Kaneali`i-
Kleinfelder and carried by the following voice vote:
Ayes: Committee Members Chung, David, Eoff,
Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Lee Loy, Poindexter,
Richards, Villegas, and Chair Kierkiewicz — 9.
Noes: None.
Absent: None.
Excused: None.
Committee Members spoke in favor of the appointment. Chair Kierkiewicz
informed Mr. Hirano that he does not need to appear at the Council meeting for
final confirmation of his appointment.
Recess: At 1:27 p.m., the Chair called for a recess.
Reconvene: The meeting reconvened at 1:28 p.m.
ORDER OF The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, Order
RESOLUTIONS: of Resolutions.
(There were none.)
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Moving on to the next order of business.
BILLS FOR The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, Bills
ORDINANCES: for Ordinances.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Mr. Clerk, if you could please read in Bill 47.
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Bill 47: AMENDS SECTION 25-8-11 (LALAMILO-PU'UKAPU ZONE MAP),
ARTICLE 8, CHAPTER 25 (ZONING) OF THE HAWAII COUNTY CODE
1983 (2016 EDITION, AS AMENDED), BY CHANGING THE DISTRICT
CLASSIFICATION FROM AGRICULTURAL — FORTY ACRES (A -40a) TO
AGRICULTURAL — FIVE ACRES (A -5a) AT PU'UKAPU HOMESTEADS 2ND
SERIES, WAIMEA, SOUTH KOHALA, HAWAII, COVERED BY TAX MAP
KEY: 6-4-017:043
(ADDlicant: 64-560 Mamalahoa_ LLC) (Area: 10.94 Acres)
The Leeward Planning Commission forwards its unfavorable recommendation for
this change of zone, which would allow the applicant to apply for subdivision of the
parcel and create a flag lot. The commission cites concerns over flood control and
the applicant's request to construct two driveway access points to Mamalahoa
Highway. The property is located approximately .42 miles west of White Road and
150 feet east of Pu`u Manu Place.
Reference: Comm. 196
Intr. by: Ms. Kierkiewicz (B/R)
; and
Comm. 196.1: From Planning Director Michael Yee, dated March 19, 2019, transmitting the
draft transcript from the Planning Commission's February 21, 2019, meeting.
Motion to Approve: Mr. Richards moved to recommend passage of Bill 47 on
first reading. Seconded by Ms. Lee Loy.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Will the applicant and/or their representative please come
forward?
(Note: At this time, Planning Consultant Zendo Kern and Manager of
LLC Property Dan Kenight came forward to address the members of the
Committee.)
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Mr. Kern, if you could provide an overview of the project
or the applicants request for the Council. I see that there was an unfavorable
recommendation by the Planning Commission, however favorable
recommendation from the Planning Department.
MR. KERN: That's correct.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you.
MR. KERN: Thank you. So good afternoon, Madam Chair, and members of the
Planning Committee. Thanks for the opportunity. So yeah, like you say, I'll give
an explanation, and then I'll talk about kind of what happen to the Planning
Commission as well.
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So this property is zoned Ag -40. As you can see it's a long narrow lot, it's a little
bit over 10 acres, so we based on the land use criteria A -5a was acceptable zoning
to the Planning Department. So we moved forward with a request for the two lot
subdivision, both Ag five. Meets all the land use criteria from State Land Use.
Ag, size, the area. If you look at the proposed subdivision map, to left of the
property is the almost the exact same thing we're asking for. A flag lot there.
That one also has a flood plain that runs through it.
And to the right there's a larger parcel, one over that abuts the property towards
the top. In 2011 that was rezoned to Ag -5 as well. So the Ag -5 zoning obviously
meets the general makeup of that area, and would be the most advantageous
zoning for that area as well. The large super long, long spaghetti lot is
challenging in many ways.
So yeah, we had a favorable recommendation from the Planning Department, with
conditions. And the conditions were primarily acceptable. So when the Planning
Commission gave a negative on it, the main issue was this floodplain that crosses
over it. And I obviously failed to articulate in enough detail or depth, to have
them think otherwise. The floodplain does not come from the applicants property,
it crosses over it and that exists. And the second driveway situation, in the
conditions that were provided, Department of Public Works requested a single
access off of there. We did ask to see if we could get two access, because there
was an existing driveway to the existing house.
If they would have said no, we would have accepted that and moved forward. But
to me that wasn't a criteria for a negative recommendation. The flood issue was
the situation, but that's not really a land use criteria. Within the conditions, there
are conditions that mitigate that. Specifically Condition J, "All development
generated runoff shall be disposed of onsite, and not be directed to adjacent
properties." So that's the standard condition, and that's County Code.
And further more Condition K, "All development shall comply with Chapter 27,
Floodplain Management, of the Hawaii County Code. And that section of code
deals with areas that have flood issues, and there's ways to mitigate that. The
applicant does have a Civil Engineer, and when it comes time they'll work on that
and make sure that there's no additional affect. Unfortunately if this area had
higher destiny, they could actually probably do something to mitigate the flooding
and its entirety. But with the two -lot subdivision it's kind of—we have to work
with what's there, and the applicant's fully aware of that. And they would have to
make sure that it does not increase, or negatively affect any surrounding property
owners based on that floodplain.
As the property sits now, zoned Ag -5, the applicant could apply for an additional
farm dwelling application agreement; possibly get one, which would also allow
for another driveway in there. They could be doing large scale farming on there,
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and there could be a driveway and trucks going up and down that same area. So
the issue is there. The request for the zoning does not, you know, take away from
that or make it worse. Actually I think it brings further scrutiny to that, and so the
applicant will have to work with that and make sure that they do not negatively
affect that. And so the reason for the Planning Commission's negative
recommendation was based on this, this floodplain issue, not based on land use
criteria.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Well just to expand upon that Mr. Kern, in reading of the
transcript from the Planning Commission, they had wanted the flood control plan
to be presented to the Commission prior to making any decisions.
MR. KERN: That's what they would've liked, correct. We didn't know this. At
the time there was no request made of that, at the time. Obviously if there was,
we of done something. It's hard to spend a tremendous amount of money on
engineering, prior to having any approvals. And so the conditions basically
control that afterwards, that has to be addressed. Like I said, the applicant does
have a Civil Engineer that he's going to be working with to maintain that
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Okay, I'm going to open it up to my colleagues for
questions. Ms. Poindexter.
MS. POINDEXTER: Did you have a chance to meet with the neighbors in that
area?
MR. KERN: I personally did not. I know that the applicant has made an attempt,
I don't believe that they actually have, correct? No. And I couldn't get a phone
number for him that was my challenge.
MS. POINDEXTER: Yeah. So I have a phone number. I've not really had a
chance to sit with them, and that's why I would ask if, you know, this could be
postponed until we can sit and meet with them. Because even with the letters that
they provided, you know, of concernI would love to see this go through.
Honestly right now, I cannot vote for it knowing that we didn't even meet with
the neighbors there who are opposing it.
And in small communities throughout the coastline, because this is in my district.
We always come together first, talk about it. I mean even when we had a pig
farm coming into the community, it wasn't the most attractive thing to have in a
community, right. People fought and we worked through it with the community,
and it's wonderful now. You know, we have good relationships. And I think we
need to start with the relationships first, and understanding what their concerns
are. And kind of easing some of their concerns, if you have something to offer
them that will ease that concern of additional flooding.
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And when I speak with you Zendo, when I sat and met with you, it sounds
reasonable. But it's not me that needs to be convinced. I know I hold the vote,
but I speak on the people's behalf, so we need to meet with them. So I'm going to
not ask for the postponement right now, because I would love to hear from the
rest of the Council. But that's where I'm leaning. If I'm forced to vote today, it's
going to be a no vote. But I wouldn't mind having a postponement meeting with
the community there, and then coming back for a vote then.
MR. KERN: In response to that Council Member Poindexter. If it's possible, I
understand where you're coming from on that, to keep things moving along.
Would it be possible that we could maybe move this forward and between now
and the next meeting do everything we can to sit down and talk story, and if the
timing doesn't work out for that perhaps we can could postpone it on the next
reading?
MS. POINDEXTER: So may I ask why the, what is—the time is of the essence
for what reason?
MR. KERN: It's basically the way that I like to keep things moving. It's more of
a me thing.
MS. POINDEXTER: And I respect you, but I think my belief is, I got to meet
with them first. Because my vote to push it forward right now, it's not going to
be a true vote. You know what I mean?
MR. KERN: I understand that.
MS. POINDEXTER: It's just to vote it through. I got to go with what I've
always believed. Unfortunately I didn't have a chance to meet with them prior,
but I would love for all of us to sit with them, yeah.
MR. KERN: That would be great.
MS. POINDEXTER: Eye to eye, you know, talk story and hear their concerns.
But thank you.
MR. KERN: Okay, thank you.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Any other questions from my colleagues? And I just
want to note if you read the ordinance, there are no attached conditions. So we
are going to need to amend this ordinance, to include the conditions that were
originally recommended by the Planning Department. And I think it would be
great if we could have maybe Jeff Darrow, or Christian Kaye, or Director Yee
come to the front and talk about their recommendation on this particular bill.
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Could we just do a little thing of musical chairs real quick? Thank you Dan and
Zendo. And I'm going to turn the floor over to Council Member Lee Loy.
(Note: At this time, Planning Director Michael Yee and Planning Program
Manager Jeff Darrow came forward to address the members of the
Committee.)
MR. YEE: Michael Yee, Planning Director.
MR. DARROW: Good morning Council. Jeff Darrow Planning Program
Manager.
MR. YEE: It is the afternoon now, Jeff
MR. DARROW: Good afternoon.
MR. YEE: I'll have Jeff talk about the details of my recommendation first, and
then I want to come back to probably more of a 30,000 foot level.
MR. DARROW: Good afternoon, Commissioners. As mentioned, Planning
Director had recommended a favorable recommendation to the Leeward Planning
Commission, basically looking at the consistency with the General Plan, the
Community Development Plan. The area itself as mentioned by Zeno that there
have been previous rezoning in the area, similar. There was one in 2011 just to
the east of this particular property, that was zoned Ag -40 and went to Ag -5 to
create two lots. Prior to that in 2005, there was a rezoning that created eight lots
it went from Ag -42 to Ag -5. One of those was before the Community
Development Plan was adopted, one was after that.
To the west the property that's adjoining it, although it's zoned Ag -40 if you look
on the map it does have two lots. So it's very similar as if it was Ag -5. Both of
those lots consist of approximately five acres in size, so it is consistent with the
general area. The General Plan is consistent with the zoning. The applicant had
come in previously to try and go with a higher density, and we informed him that
at that point we would have to move forward with an unfavorable
recommendation. But they were contemplating whether or not to go forward, or
to revise their application. They felt that it was better to revise and come in with
an agricultural five acre, to be able to get a favorable recommendation from the
Planning Director.
At the Planning Commission hearing there was a number of issues brought up,
mainly flooding. And you know, typically prior to the submittal of a change of
zone application, we don't require extensive, you know, engineer flooding and
grading plans to be able to address the flooding issues. We do have conditions in
the ordinances that will require the applicant to make sure that they comply with
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those requirements. Mainly Chapter 27, Floodplain Control, and also making sure
drainage doesn't increase off the properties. Whatever comes on and goes off has
to remain the same or else they have to take care of through different types of
improvements that will be required. So again, as mentioned Michael wanted to
speak from the 30,000 foot level.
MR. YEE: So at the Planning Commission meeting as Council Woman
Poindexter had pointed out, if there were community concerns there are always
options for the applicant to adjust there to suggest options to continue it or
whatever, and that didn't occur. And so some of these options now could be
discussed today, but it's not as if they didn't exist back then. So I just want to
make that comment first.
Second, you folks know I'm a firm believer in checks and balances, and then the
democracy and the systems that we have. So I think I'm put in an awkward
positon where at one place I'm asked for an opinion I deliver an opinion in this
case. It could be favorable or unfavorable. And then the Planning Commission
takes hold of the application, and makes their recommendation. And although,
you know, a majority of the time they, you know, are in alignment with me.
They're not. And I want to say from a 30,000 foot level, I'm a firm believer in
the system we have here.
And we have to be very thoughtful that when I come here, I cannot just come up
here and say this is what I wanted as Planning Director. I still represent the
Planning Commission when they've made that decision. And so I can't separate
myself to just be Planning Director and say hey, this was my opinion at this point.
I still have to come here and explain to you which Jeff did, of how the Planning
Commission ended where they did. And to try and be able to give that
information to you, to have you folks make a decision from that point. So I just
wanted to kind of remind us of our roles here today. Thank you.
MS. LEE LOY: Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Darrow and Mr. Yee for that
explanation. I too am a firm believer of the process. I often find myself walking
back to the democracy of that processes. I think what Ms. Poindexter points out
is there was a number of opportunities to engage with the neighbors, and seeing
those letters of concern was a way to engage with them. I also heard from the
applicant it was challenging to get in touch with them. From a land use
perspective, what we have before is, you know, a bill, but it doesn't have any
conditions that would actually help mitigate some of the concerns.
So as Ms. Kierkiewicz points out, I want to see conditions of approval that
provides the checks and balances. And then provides the applicant an opportunity
to further engage with adjacent property owners to maybe even help refine that.
But what we have before us is just a change of zone with no conditions, which
doesn't address any of the impacts for the project. That being said, I'm willing to
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put a pin in it for one more meeting. I'd like to see that amendment come
forward, so that there can be meaningful dialog between the adjacent property
owners and the applicant. Because they're going to be neighbors, that's the
bottom line. You have to be a good neighbor.
And if this is, you know, the rock and hard place that everybody needs to
between, I'm willing to do that. And it's rather interesting when people are put in
those positions to rumble, and then talk about compromises and talk about
opportunities and constraints. You need that rock and hard place. So I'm going
to be looking forward to Ms. Kierkiewicz' amendments, as far as conditions of
approval. I would speak in favor of putting a pin in it to the next committee
meeting, which would then allow the applicant and the adjacent property owners
to engage with one another. And who knows, maybe even refine those conditions
going forward. But Mr. Yee is smiling at me, because that's how community
really addresses community is with that kind of engagement. So with that, I think
I sent a signal to where I stand on this one. I yield the floor.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Council Woman Villegas.
MS. VILLEGAS: In my short tenure, being on the dais here, something I'm
noticing becoming very relevant on the west side in Kona, is developments
happening at mauka affecting the waterways and floodplains of those below. I've
had a number of different constituents come to my office and speak to me about
that, and they were always given assurances that steps would be taken to mitigate
the flooding of their homes or what not. But this seems to be theme and
something that's very relevant, especially as we transition into different weather
patterns as an island, so I have some concerns about that. And I also firmly agree
being neighbors.
And from looking at this property it already has a home. It looks like two
structures, and so it's looking like that five acres basically just goes up that
mountain. So I don't know what the extenuating circumstances are for the
property owner or the landowner that they need—you know, they don't want to
use all the land. I guess one of my other questions is, is it really being used for
Ag or we're just once again subdividing properties that are theoretically being
used for Ag and the County not getting the tax benefits of properties being zoned
more accurately. So I have some concerns with those capacities. I also haven't
seen a whole lot of Planning Commission negative recommendations, so I
definitely take heed when there is one. And so that's kind of how I'm feeling on
this, so thank you. I yield.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Council Woman Poindexter.
MS. POINDEXTER: Yeah, I think I'd just like to do a motion to postpone this
till our next meeting on the 23rd, April 23.
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CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Before I entertain that motion, I have some questions for
Planning Department and the applicants. Because as part of this packet that we
received, there are conditions I do want to discuss and question. If we're going to
be moving it forward, then I want to make sure that we our doing our work as the
Council as a policy making body to ensure that our next meeting is going to be
productive, and that there are clear steps from the applicants and the Planning
Department as to what everyone is going to do. I'm sorry what did you say?
MS. POINDEXTER: No. I was just going to say, I was wondering if there was
another way to work that, but that's okay.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: I will entertain that motion, but I want to have a little bit
more discussion first.
MS. POINDEXTER: Okay, I'll hold off on the motion.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Okay. Mr. Darrow, you have a steel -trap memory. So
I'm just wondering and taking a look at this neighboring properties that have been
rezoned similarly. Clearly on the map it indicates that there are some flooding
issues on neighboring properties, so what sort of mitigation measures were
explored? And I'm wondering what kind of engagement happened with
neighbors? I mean was there any sort of precedence set on these properties that
could essentially inspire the path forward for this applicant?
MR. DARROW: Thank you, Chair Kierkiewicz. I actually brought the zoning
ordinances for those two applications. I was a part of both of these. The first one
that happened in 2005, is the one a little bit further east from this property that
resulted in an eight -lot subdivision. And I recall that there was testimony at the
hearing regarding flooding. People had come out and were concerned that the
area was known for flooding, so this isn't something just related to this particular
application. This is kind of a known factor in this particular area of Waimea.
Again, the standard conditions—when a particular—if I could read a condition
that was in the 2005 that was put in specifically for this particular rezoning. It
said prior to the submittal of a subdivision application for the subject property, the
applicant shall, upon consultation with surrounding property owners and other
concerned public agencies, prepare and submit a drainage plan related to the
proposed subdivision for review and approval of the Department of Public Works.
The approved drainage plan shall reflect all development generated runoff to be
retain or disposed of on site and shall not alter any existing water courses that
may be entering or exiting the subject property or be directed toward any adjacent
properties. Furthermore the approved drainage plan shall be implemented prior to
or in conjunction with the issuance of final subdivision approval.
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This particular application or property was larger than the one just to the west of
this one, and just to the east of the subject property. That was similar to this
application where it was a two -lot subdivision. And there conditions are very
similar to the conditions placed in this application. But again, everything is
working in conjunction with the Department of Public Works, to submit this
drainage study showing how they're going to direct and take care of any runoff on
the property. Is that?
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: That's helpful. And there is also something about
directly engaging community.
MR. DARROW: Correct.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: In that.
MR. DARROW: That's unique to that particular condition.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Yes. And I'm thinking and I wonder Council Woman
Poindexter, if that condition that Mr. Darrow has communicated for us is
something that you would be willing to discuss further with the neighbors?
Because I think this is a nice balance that we are able to strike. Working
partnership with neighbors to address their concerns, and making sure that is a
condition that we can hold the applicant accountable to.
MS. POINDEXTER: Yeah. And I think that's all we need, is to sit down with
everybody at the table, so that they can understand. A lot of times, emails going
back and forth, or even phone calls don't do it. And especially if we don't have
the applicant there, and they meet eye to eye. I mean and we have the contact
number for Lisa, her cell number is in the documentation. For Gail Onodera,
which is one of the but I'll arrange to have that meeting. So I don't mind doing
it.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: So Council Woman Poindexter will be working in
partnership with the representative for the applicant, Planning Consultant Zendo
Kern to meet with neighbors to discuss concerns and to also go through the
proposed conditions of the ordinance. Okay.
Yes, so it gets back to the original point I made earlier, this ordinance does not
have any conditions. And so I want to make sure that we are moving this
forward, but also engaging the community in a meaningful way. And we can
engage them in a meaningful way, if we do provide proposed conditions for the
ordinance. So at some point, I'm going to be looking for an amendment. Council
Woman Villegas. You have your mic on.
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MS. VILLEGAS: Oh, yes, I apologize. I just wanted to point out, that I did just
come across the contact cell number for Gail Onodera. So it's found right after
the photos of flooding that were sent in on her behalf, so there's an email from
Brain G, for Gail Onodera. So I just wanted to point that out.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Ms. Villegas. I see Robyn Matsumoto from
Public Works, if I could call you up to answer a couple of questions about access.
I see you hiding back there, just kidding. And I know that were at the Planning
Commission meetings, and there was also some concern about multiple access
points; and you had crafted a rough draft sort of map talking about one access
point outside of the AO flood zone, so I'm wondering if you could just elaborate
on that for the Council.
(Note: At this time Civil Engineer Robyn Matsumoto came forward to
address the members of the Committee.)
MS. MATSUMOTO: Good afternoon, my name is Robyn Matsumoto. I'm the
Civil Engineer with the Department of Public Works. So regarding the one access
point, Mamalahoa Highway is arterial. So our common, you know, common is to
just keep the access to one point, because we don't want to include any additional
ones. And then regarding the flood map, we tried to look at some like different
alignments of getting access onto there using the flag, but not coming straight off
into the AO special flood hazard area. So we kind of made it like a wider boot
area, if they insist on having it on the east side.
Because our concern is that, once they come off the highway they are going to be
straight into that AO area which is flood prone based on the complaints we've
gotten. So we're just looking for alternate options.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: And thank you for working with applicant to make that
happen, appreciate that. Could I just call the applicant back up, Mr. Kern?
Unless Robyn, do you have anything else to add? Director Yee?
MS. MATSUMOTO: Have no other comments.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Okay, thank you. Mr. Kern, there were a few letters that
were submitted to I believe the Commissioner Planning Department about
concerns around this particular application. And I noticed that you had follow-up
communications to the department to address those concerns. But were any
letters or communications via email sent to those neighbors addressing their
concerns?
MR. KERN: No.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Okay.
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MR. KERN: And just on that point, I've been looking at some hand written
letters we got here, and then when you called that out—so honestly my fault on
that one. I caught here on the back of the other report where I see that, so
obviously that's going to happen in two shakes. But I was looking at these, and I
would think, where is it? And obviously it's a different location.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Okay, so you will be working with Council Woman
Poindexter to meet with neighbors to talk about ways in which you can move this
forward and assuage any concerns they might have with regards to flood control,
mitigation plans, and access points.
MR. KERN: That's correct.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Okay.
MR. KERN: And the conditions in the recommendation would be probably the
best format to go off of.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Yeah. So I'm looking to amend this bill with the
conditions that were put forth by the Planning Department, and including that
additional condition that Mr. Darrow had mentioned. But also in taking a look at
Condition E. Amending that further to say that the design of the driveway
intersection shall meet with the approval of Public Works. Just want to be crystal
clear, that any sort of access points are in fact signed off and approved by Public
Works.
MR. KERN: That's fine, we're in agreeance with what DPW came up with on
that as far as mitigation goes.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Okay. Council Member Richards, I didn't know you had
your light on. You may have the floor.
MR. RICHARDS: Yeah, thank you, I realize it's a long away. It's hard to see,
but thank you. I not going to reiterate everything that's been stated. Reading
through everything flooding concern of the neighbors, that's the long and short of
it. And I think the metrics are in place to get that dealt with. I am very familiar
with the property, I've known that for most of my life. And I've seen a good
portion of the flooding that goes on there. And I think the request is reasonable,
but the request of the Council is reasonable as well. And so going forward and
the metrics are in place, and I look forward to the amendments coming before us.
I yield.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Hi guys, how you doing?
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MR. KERN: Good.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Thanks for being here, good to see you. I
had a question about the two roads that are supposed to come through the
property, and how you're going to work that especially when you start talking
about flooding. And as well your access route from the highway, and I'm trying
to figure out why. It almost sounds like we have three roads coming into the
property.
MR. KERN: Well what it is, the Planning Department the subdivision section, we
looked at the Subdivision Code they wanted basically just a set aside for a future
road, basically, blocks. If you look at this map, there's a set aside on this property
here and then over here. This map is not labeled on the upper lot with that set
aside. So essentially it's just an area that's set aside for future roads, which
clearly says that sometime in the future something may happen there. It's just
something we have to do.
The road doesn't need to be improved. If that were to ever happen, if there were
ever to be a road that was improved through there, it would basically bisect the lot
there for automatically creating a subdivision of that parcel.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: The driveway would intersect those two
road setbacks, yes?
MR. KERN: Yes, by default it's going to have to, yeah. But who knows when
the—that's what the subdivision, division of the Planning Department wanted.
Whether those ever get done or not, to be determined.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: I asked the Planning Department if there's a
goal to extend Hauhoa Road and Uhiwai through the middle of the property. Is
there a want or a need there? Is something coming up we need to know about or
are we just future planning? Because that to me kind of destroys this property.
MR. DARROW: Typically when we have a connector road that's kind of
providing connectivity from adjoining areas, we try to continue that on. So
Hauhoa definitely is coming across from the east. We've place that has a
condition on the change of zone that I had mentioned previously. That's
adjoining the property to the east, so they additionally have to have 50 -foot future
road widening, that right of way coming across. And if this particular roadway is
aI'm sorry, change of zone is approved it would also have that condition placed
in there to be able to bring connectivity. We're just again, trying to provide
connectivity in an area. That's a big part of planning, is trying to look at our
options and provide connectivity where we can.
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April 9, 2019
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: That's a big thing in District 5 as well, and
District 4. It's across the island. I was just wondering about that, looking at your
future plans, looking at the property, the layout, the driveway that goes north to
south. And then you have two roads possibly intersecting, that it's just going to
make that property very difficult to build -out in the future.
MR. KERN: What would actually happen, if that road is ever constructed the
property would be accessed by that road. The driveway wouldn't necessary
intersect through it, the logical access would be like Hauhoa Road to get to it.
Obviously the upper side of it.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: But we're also suggesting an access point
from Mamalahoa Highway, as well correct?
MR. KERN: For now, yeah. Well it's a flag lot, so both lots abut the highway, so
it's not a road it's a driveway, right. It's a driveway, single access point. So that
would be there until those other roads were eventually developed, which again,
could be 20 to 30 years.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Yeah, I think it's really important we get the
conditions on there, because there's so much going on with this property from
flooding, two different roads being accessed to, and arterial road being the access
point, that it be good to have everything written down.
MR. KERN: I agree.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: I yield.
MR. DARROW: I'm sorry, if I could just—are you able to see the conditions that
the Planning Director proposed?
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: There in our packet.
MR. DARROW: They are? So you're able to see those? So Condition G and H
speak to both of those future road -50 -foot wide future roadway. So they are
imbedded in the conditions. But again, those were in the conditions that were
recommended by the Planning Director.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Yeah. I was just looking at the property, the
width itself is 150 feet. So when you take away 50 feet for setbacks, it starts to
get real skinny, it's wide. I mean am I wrong is that, you know, other way?
MR. DARROW: Other way.
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April 9, 2019
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay, sorry. Yeah, but there's not a lot of
room, little bit tight.
MR. DARROW: Thank you.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Any other questions or comments? If not I have a pretty
clear plan in my mind of how I want us to march forward. Okay, here we go. So
we as Council Members in our packet have a list of proposed conditions from the
Planning Department, and I think this is a really great tool for Council Woman
Poindexter and Consultant Zendo Kern to take to the community to review. I
would like add in what I've mentioned earlier that change to Condition E, and
also have as a supplement the proposed condition from the 2005 ordinance that
Mr. Darrow shared with us.
I want the community to have something that they can sink their teeth into. I
think it's really important that we provide them with conditions that have been
vetted and crafted by individuals with the technical expertise to really articulate
conditions that are in line with our coding. So Council Woman Poindexter, I will
entertain your motion to defer this matter to the Kona Council meeting on the 23rd
in Planning Committee. But the expectation is a meeting must happen with
community before then.
MS. POINDEXTER: Right.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: And then we are going to work on amending this
ordinance to include the conditions that have been put forth by the Planning
Department.
MS. POINDEXTER: Right. And I'm hoping it will happen next Monday.
Thank you, Madam Chair, if I can speak.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Excellent. Yes, you may.
MS. POINDEXTER: So I just sent a message to one of the landowners, and
asked if it could be possible next week Monday, so I'm waiting to hear back from
them and then we'll go from there. So thank you for the opportunity. So did you
want to say anything before we?
MR. KERN: No, just look forward to meeting with you and the neighbors.
MS. POINDEXTER: And I just want to say thank you. Thank you for reaching
out several times that we've met and you know, I was trying reach out to them as
well. You were there in the office when I was making some—
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MR. KERN: I know, and I feel like a knuckle head, because I didn't see that one
on the backside.
MS. POINDEXTER: But anyway, so hoping that it'll happen really quick. So I
have a motion to postpone till the April 23, meeting.
Motion to Postpone: Ms. Poindexter moved to postpone Bill 47 to April 23,
2019. Seconded by Ms. Lee Loy.
MS. LEE LOY: Chair, if I may?
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Yeah.
MS. LEE LOY: In an effort to help expedite that, I'll go ahead and draft the
amendment prior to your folk's meeting. That way again, as our Chair has shared
there'd be something to chew on. There is a number of people who craft these
conditions of approval, with the technical expertise and training. It's great when
community engages, but it would kind of set us up for failure if they suggest
conditions of approval that just don't meet the technical requirements or standards
of our code. And as Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder always says, his grandpa likes it
when it's in writing. So I'll be offering that to this body along with the applicant.
Chair, I yield.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Any other discussion? If not thank you, Council Woman
Poindexter, for just noting that it's important in these sort of situations where we
all have to coexist to engage our neighbors. Just, you know, out of courtesy, that
we all know what's going on and we're all taking care of each other. And just
having a platform to discuss and find common ground. And thank you, Mr. Kern,
Planning Department folks, and Mr. Kenight, for being here in support and
available to answer questions. All in favor to postpone the discussion on Bill 47
to the Kona Council meetingoh, okay.
MR. KANEALI'I-KLEINFELDER: Sorry, I just have one question. How come
the conditions in the approval weren't in the original submission?
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Because of the unfavorable recommendation by the
Planning Commission.
MR. KANEALI'I-KLEINFELDER: So that was it.
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Correct.
MR. KANEALI'I-KLEINFELDER: Okay.
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MS. KIERKIEWICZ: So going back to the vote, all in favor to postpone till the
23rd please say "aye."
Vote on Motion to: The motion to postpone Bill 47 to April 23, 2019, was
Postpone: carried by the following voice vote:
(Approved)
Ayes: Committee Members Chung, David, Eoff,
Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Lee Loy, Poindexter,
Richards, Villegas, and Chair Kierkiewicz — 9.
Noes: None.
Absent: None.
Excused: None.
MR. KERN: Thank you all very much. Have a great rest of your day.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: We are powering through. Okay, Mr. Clerk, if you could
please read in Bill 48.
Bill 48: AMENDS ORDINANCE NO. 12-156, WHICH AMENDED ORDINANCE NO.
02-64, WHICH AMENDED SECTION 25-8-3 (NORTH KONA ZONE MAP),
ARTICLE 8, CHAPTER 25 (ZONING CODE) OF THE HAWAII COUNTY
CODE, BY CHANGING THE DISTRICT CLASSIFICATION FROM
AGRICULTURAL — FIVE ACRES (A -5a) TO SINGLE FAMILY
RESIDENTIAL — 20,000 SQUARE FEET (RS -20) AT KALAOA 4TH, NORTH
KONA, HAWAII, COVERED BY TAX MAP KEY: 7-3-005:030 (Applicant:
Ellen Garver Koizumi) (Area: Approximately 3.13 Acres)
The Leeward Planning Commission forwards its favorable recommendation for
this amendment to allow for a five-year time extension to Condition D (Final
Subdivision Approval). The applicant proposes to develop a six -lot subdivision.
The property is located adjacent to the Kona Coastview Subdivision to the south,
at the end of Leimomi Street.
Reference: Comm. 197
Intr. by: Ms. Kierkiewicz (B/R)
; and
Comm. 197.1: From Planning Director Michael Yee, dated March 19, 2019, transmitting the draft
transcript from the Planning Commission's February 21, 2019, meeting.
Motion to Approve: Ms. Lee Loy moved to recommend passage of Bill 48 on
first reading. Seconded by Ms. David
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Will the applicants and/or their representative please step
forward to address the Council.
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April 9, 2019
(Note: At this time, Planning Consultant Greg Mooers came forward to
address the members of the Committee.)
MR. MOOERS: My name is Greg Mooers, Planning Consultant for Ms. Garver.
I did the original rezoning for this project back in 2002, and recently she
approached me and asked me if I would file for an extension. Ms. Garver and her
husband, both been in ill health for a number of years. And if you look at the
record there was an attempt to change the subdivision a couple of times, trying to
modify to see if there was something she could afford to do. Fortunately her
family has now stepped in and are taking over the financial responsibilities of
completing this subdivision. So that's why we're proceeding at this time.
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Okay. My understanding very simple housekeeping
measure of providing a time extension on this. There's been a tentative
subdivision approval, and so now the applicant just needs additional time to meet
the conditions in order to get final approval of the subdivision plan
MR. MOOERS: That is correct.
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Okay. Any questions or comments from my colleagues for
Mr. Moore or folks from the Planning or Public Works Department. Just making
note that this was a favorable recommendation from the Commission.
Director Yee.
(Note: At this time, Planning Director Michael Yee came forward to
address the members of the Committee.)
MR. YEE: Go ahead with your motion, but I want to add a few comments after
you take action.
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: You can make comments right now.
MR. YEE: Okay. I'm taking the plane up to 40,000 now. And so the reason is
because time extensions have come in front of you folks recently, it was in front
of both Planning Commissions recently. And so not specific to this application.
But there's been this debate going on about how we go about time extensions, and
I commented before like we have to be careful that there are folks that are that are
focusing on a few high-profile cases around time extensions, and then wanting to
create policy around a few very difficult projects.
And I've given warnings out at both Planning Commissions that there are cases
such as the one in front of you, where there are really good reasons for providing
time extensions and not creating automatic kickbacks and saying, "Hey, applicant
everything's a do over, come back in." We put at risk the typical resident, you
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April 9, 2019
know, property owner here, if we're going to start doing that all because of a few
big projects that are high profile.
So we haven't written any new rules or anything, but I've been going out and just
warning folks that don't just create policies around a few big projects that you've
been worried about. Because of courts don't distinguish between a mom and pop
necessarily and a big developer if you're going to treat them differently, right.
And so I just wanted to highlight this is a great case, where providing a time
extension makes a lot of sense. And sometimes these occur automatically within
the Planning Department, and we do them all time for a good reason.
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: And Director Yee just for the record, this approval that
you have mentioned that's the Administrative time extension that you are allowed
as part of conditions and bills, correct?
MR. YEE: Correct.
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Okay. I just want to make sure that stated for the record.
Council Woman Lee Loy.
MS. LEE LOY: Yeah, and thank you for that comment, Director Yee, because
I'm with you now at 40,000 feet. Because we as a body have seen a number of
time extensions, and there are good reasons. Not only from the applicants'
perspective, but from the County's perspective. Often times, subdivision
application takes longer than the time provided. The comments go back and forth
and the applicant works very diligently to get those plans approved. Subdivision
approved meet those conditions of approval, pay for their water commitments, do
final plan approval. But for whatever reason the Administration, the department
is taking a long time.
And so it's been my thought, and I'll put it out there, that some of these time
extensions, five years, the clock should actually stop. Because the applicant has
done their part to get that subdivision application in, and the clock should not
continue to tick if it takes two, three, or even four years to get through Public
Works. Or get through FEMA for, you know, flood zone management review or
update or mapping. I think it's completely unfair to keep that clock ticking, when
it's actually on the County to review in a timely manner. So with that, I will be
supporting this time extension, because Director Yee is absolutely correct.
This is poster child of why we should grant a time extension, but I want to put it
out there not only to rest of my colleagues, but the other departments. That we
cannot keep strapping our applicants over the barrel with these time constraints
that they meet, but the County cannot. That's completely unfair, we're setting
them up for failure. And we're losing out on economic opportunities. So with
that, I yield.
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MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Councilman Lee Loy. Councilman Richards.
MR. RICHARDS: Thank you, Chair. And I'll go up to 45,000 feet just to have
(inaudible) level higher. But all kidding aside, I think we've seen some of these
extensions come forth. I think, Director, you and I have talked about this. It's not
just timing that maybe family and family issues related, but also if we think back
10 years ago we're looking at not a very good financial climate. And so I think
we have to give credence to that as far as why there's been a sequence events that
come before us. So again, I appreciate your comments and your words, and I
appreciate Mr. Mooers comments as well. But that's what we are supposed to do,
we're supposed to be mindful of that for the reason articulated by Council
Woman Lee Loy. So I will be supporting this, I yield.
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Any other questions or comments? Because I'm at 45 too,
and I'm going to skydive on down, and just say that we've seen a lot of time
extensions come before us over the last few months. And so I that after we are
through the budget process, Council Member Richards and I are going to be
putting forward that communication to have that conversation on how we can
make the system work for not just County, but for folks that are investing in
critical developments that we really need in order to create affordable housing and
other economic opportunities that will really carry our island forward. So no
other comments, let's take a vote. All in favor of moving Bill 48 forward to the
Council with a positive recommendation please say "aye."
Vote on Bill 48: The motion to recommend passage of Bill 48 on first
(Approved) reading was carried by the following voice vote:
Ayes: Committee Members Chung, David, Eoff,
Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Lee Loy, Poindexter,
Richards, Villegas, and Chair Kierkiewicz — 9.
Noes: None.
Absent: None.
Excused: None.
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Mr. Mooers, have a great day. We're going to
take a five minute recess. We will reconvene at 2:26, thank you.
Recess: At 2:21 p.m. the Chair called for a recess.
Reconvene: The meeting reconvened at 2:26 p.m.
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Aloha everyone, five minutes has lapsed so we're going to
get started. Going to pull us out of recess, and back into session. Just waiting for
my Clerk, to read in Bill 49, and we will get started with the last order of the day.
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Bill 49: AMENDS ORDINANCE NO. 10-64, WHICH RECLASSIFIED LANDS
FROM PROJECT DISTRICT TO PROJECT DISTRICT AT PONAHAWAI,
SOUTH HILO, HAWAII, COVERED BY TAX MAP KEY: 2-3-037:001, 2-3-
044:019, AND 2-3-049:053 (Applicant: Wailani Development LLC)
(Area: Approximately 171.504 Acres)
The Windward Planning Commission forwards its favorable recommendation
for this amendment to the Wailani Project District. The original project was
proposed to be a mixed-use community, housing a medical office campus,
commercial space, a business park, senior housing, single- and multiple -family
residential lots, and recreational and open space. The applicant seeks to modify
11 conditions within Ordinance 10-64 to improve the projects feasibility. The
property is located on the west side of the Ponahawai Street intersection, and
northeast of the Moho`uli Street Extension.
Reference: Comm. 198
Intr. by: Ms. Kierkiewicz (B/R)
Motion to Approve: Ms. Lee Loy moved to recommend passage of Bill 49
on first reading. Seconded by Mr. Richards.
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Will the applicant and or representative please come
forward. And if you could please introduce yourselves for the record.
(Note: At this time, Planning Consultant Sidney Fuke and Dr. Peter
Matsuura came forward to address the members of the Committee.)
MR. FUKE: Good afternoon, Madam Chair, members of this Committee. My
name is Sidney Fuke I'm a planning consultant assisting Wailani, the applicant.
MR. MATSUURA: Good afternoon, Madam Chairman and County Council
Members, Peter Matsuura, I'm a doctor in Hilo.
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Go ahead, Mr. Fuke. If you could provide Council with an
overview of the project and the requested amendments to the ordinance.
MR. FUKE: Glad to. Before doing so however, I'd like to kind of like open up
by responding to some of the public comments that were made. I think in
summary like the comments that were made, were like from an archeological
perspective. Just kind of wanted to share with this body that there already was an
approved archeological inventory survey done, and it was updated and reapproved
again, in 2017. Subsequently there was an interim preservation plan and a final
preservation plan approved by SHPD (State Historic Preservation Division). All
of those things needed to be placed before any grading or grubbing activity that
one may currently see on the property occurred.
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April 9, 2019
So that's from the grading stand point. There also is a condition in the existing
ordinance which called for a preservation of approximately 19 acres of land. And
this 19 acres of land is kind of close to where some of the grading activity has
occurred, but one of the preservation plan conditions calls for like setting up a
buffer, and putting up a temporary fence so that there would not be any
destruction. Actually the only significant item that was recommended for
preservation was the existing pu`u they call it pu`uhonu.
The other point that was made or the question that was made in relation to
drainage. Yes, there is that Alenaio Stream that currently bisects the property,
generally in the mauka makai direction, more on the southern end of the property.
If you look at the existing zoning conditions right now, and also existing code,
what it requires is that if you're going to do any development on the property, all
project generated storm water must be contained on the sight. It cannot be
diverted into the streams, it cannot be diverted to adjoining properties, and it
cannot be diverted to public roadways. It has to be contained on sight. And the
regulatory body, of course obviously on that is the County Department of Public
Works, you need to have a drain prepared, you need to get the appropriate permits
whether is the NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System), UIC
for the Underground Injection Control, so these are measures already in place.
And so the short answer to the comment about whether the water is going to be
diverted to Alenaio Stream or anywhere off property, is that from a regulatory
plan standpoint and a policy standpoint that answer is no.
Now getting back to, you know, what I really was going to say about the project.
I think for the Council Members too, for the most part, you know, you're all new
Council Members. I'd like to kind of give a history of the project itself. Basically
for the members to understand, you know, the nature of the amendments, the
request of amendments, I think one needs to understand first of all who Wailana
LLC is. Well the man seated to my right, is the principal prime mover behind
Wailani LLC. His office is at Ka Waena Lapa`au just across the street of this
vacant land. And I guess everyday he comes to work and he sees this vacant
property, and he has this vision. And the vision was to create this massive
medical and residential campus in that area.
But the only way he could do that, is that he had to buy the entire property. You
know, which was at time the project entitlement was called University Terrace.
So all though his goal was to have like about 10 or 15 acres, he had to eventually
the only way he could get it was to purchase this 171 acre site. Now you have to
bear in mind that he is a physician, orthopedic surgeon, he's not a developer. So
but he was just driven, you know, he had this vision. So now he decides what
he's got to do, like any other developer, normal developer, you have to get the
funds, you have secure the required entitlements, and you actually have to
develop this project. It's tough enough if you are a developer to do all of those
things, but can you imagine he's a physician and trying to do it.
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So what he does is that they form a hui, and it's called Wailani Development
LLC. And the hui is not mainland investors, or out of state investors. The hui is
all family members, essentially they're all seated over here. So what happened,
they purchased the property in 2009, and then they retained local professionals to
do the necessary plans, do the drainage plans, have community meetings.
Dr. Matsuura shared the vision with the community a number of times. And then
finally the zoning was approved in 2010. And there was also a master plan that
was approved by the Planning Director in 2011. That's the first phase.
The second phase which is a little bit more complex and very cumbersome, I call
it the heavy lifting. It's actually to develop the project. So how do you develop
the project? He retained, you know, additional consultants, he worked on a water
masterplan. He developed a sewer plan, he had the grading plan developed. He
had roadway construction plans prepared, and he even paid thousands of dollars
in the water commitment fees and it's currently all current.
So exclusive of just the land acquisition cost they're in like about over quarter of
a million dollars and they've got nothing to show for it. So what they did was, at
the same time their doing all of this kind of planning stuff they were also looking
for potential tenants. And they were able to find to find two really good potential
tenants. One was a local supermarket, and the other one was a local
pharmaceutical company. But they went in, you know, these two potential
tenants came in, and the idea was they were going to split some of the
infrastructure cost, but the infrastructure cost was so heavy. So unfortunately
nothing could be consummated.
So they're kind of like sitting on a wayside. So Dr. Matsuura and his group is
like, "Well we are not really developers, what we really need to do is to find
someone who has extensive development experience." So they reached out to one
of their friends on Maui, who has had extensive development experience.
Brought him in and then have him look at the project, and with the firm look at
the whole project, and then try to figure what can be done, what needs to be
adjusted to make the project feasible.
So where we are right now is that under the guidance of their so called
development consultant, they came forth with a series of proposed amendments
that they feel, Wailani feels, are necessary for them to complete the project.
I know there are like a number of amendments, but before kind of like going into,
you know, summarizing these amendments. One thing I kind of like to point out
is that the Wailani Development, it's a family owned, family developers, they
have no intentions of flipping the property. They're here for the long haul. True,
they may sell portions of the property, they may go into joint venture, but at the
end of the day it will still have their name and signature on the different
components of the project. So as a result of, you know, this getting together with
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this development consultant, then we came forth. You know, because I was kind
of assisting in some of the drafting of the language with—there's a total of 17
amendments that's currently before you right now.
And of these 17 amendments the applicant had requested 11. Of the
11 amendments the Planning Director and the Commission had favorably
recommended eight of these. And I'll just kind of summarize what these eight
amendments were. First of all was that they proposed to decrease the commercial
area from 480,000 square feet to 420,000 square feet. Sure, that's Condition E.
And then if you look at Condition D, as in delta, the number of eligible residential
units was increased from 518 to 700. And the basis behind this increase in
700 units is that, you know, we all know it's a standard requirement that you have
to put forth an affordable housing plan. And then the affordable housing
requirement is at least 20 percent. So the idea based on the discussions with the
development consultant is that, you know, you need to have a little bit more
dwelling units, you know, allowed on the project such that you can address these
affordable housing requirement. And that's the basis for increasing the residential
component from 518 to 700.
At the same time, we understand that there's going to be potentially different
impact, and that's the reason why some of the commercial component was
reduced. So sort of like to balance that out. Further, to make the affordable
housing affordable and really like developable, Condition HH, HA, on the fair
share requirement we're asking that the fair share component not be applied
towards all of the affordable housing units.
Just for your background and information, the affordable housing unit
requirement, if you're doing a multiple family project, then the affordable housing
requirement per unit is little more than $9,000. If you're doing a single-family
residential lot subdivision, the fair share requirement is $14,300 and change. So if
you take it along those lines, and you know, you add it up, and it can be kind of
sizeable.
The other condition we had requested, and the Director and the Commission has
also accepted, is the old condition, and as in, I think it's nowoh, it was old
Condition N. It just says "All project utilities shall be underground." And so that
condition was deleted.
There were also like, you know, time extensions, and there were time extensions
relating to like three different conditions. Conditions L, P as in Paul, and 00.
But they're kind of like parallel with one another. I think interesting to note on
the time extension, and that, you know, like hearing the discussion earlier and
what the Director had to say. The way that this time extension is written, or at
least like the construction requirement is written, I think it's very good and very
helpful. Because first of all it says like, you have to start construction within five
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years, not do the completion within five years. And then your completion
requirement begins after you start. So I think that's a very positive way of
looking at it, because there's a lot of lead time leading up to start. But once you
start construction it's very, very rare you're going to find a situation that they're
going to abort. I mean you know, you have situations that they've aborted
projects, but very unlikely.
There were three of the applicant's recommendations that the Director did not
agree with. One was we wanted to create, and this was Condition Q, we wanted
to create, relating to getting an access to properties, we were proposing to have
access where, you know, even like on Komohana Street or Moho`uli Street, or
Ponahawai Street, to give the Planning Director or more specifically the Public
Works Director the option to allow additional access. And the reason, you know,
we suggested that, is that it was a typical KTA situation down at Puainako Town
Center. Because for the longest time, the State Highway refused to allow any
more access to the KTA shopping complex. Until they realized that, you know, if
they don't at least allow right turn in, right turn out it's going to further compound
the intersection at Puainako and the main highway.
And so all we wanted to do is that if, and hopefully the project is very, very
successful especially at the Komohana end where they're proposing to have the
commercial area, perhaps, you know, if Public Works decide it might be
appropriate to have a right turn in, right turn out kind of movement maybe that
should be allowed. The staff and based on input from Public Works, essentially
said that "Nah, I don't think we want that." Long story being short from the
applicant standpoint, you know, it doesn't create a heartburn. We were just
thinking maybe being more proactive, in allowing that kind of possibility. But
it's one condition that the applicant is willing to kind of basically concede.
There are two other conditions that the Director had recommended denial, but
from the applicant's standpoint we would wish this body to pay, you know,
attention and accede to what the applicant's suggestions are. This relates to
having Ponahawai Street, the extension, be constructed with curb, gutters, and
sidewalk. And I'll explain to that a little bit more in detail. And the other one is
that within the entire project area, also to have the entire project area be
developed with curb, gutters, and sidewalk. So those are the two areas we'd like
to request this body to take consideration of like what like we're going to be
proposing.
The Director also had proposed seven other amendments of its own, all of which
the applicant has no qualms or disagreement with. This deals with the
requirement that the entire project connect to the County sewer system. The
director also deleted the requirement that the streets, you know, do not connect.
And there was some other editorial things like, you know, some changes to master
plan language and updating the water commitment fees. And some conditions
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were deleted like Conditions FF, GG, and HH. These are all dealt with the
archaeological aspects, for which the project's requirement has already been
fulfilled. So they became very redundant.
Relative to the Ponahawi Street extension, the current proposal that the Director
has submitted before you, it calls for like an 80 -foot wide right of way on
Ponahawai Street. And that it must be completed at the end of the day, you know,
full on with curb, gutters, and sidewalks. What we're recommending, what the
applicant is proposing on the other hand is that we can accept the 80 -foot wide
right of way; however, it would be built without curb, gutters, and sidewalk.
Maybe I should just explain why. An 80 -foot wide right of way, just to give you
some example as far as where is an 80 -foot wide right of way. If you look at the
Moho`uli Street extension currently today, that's an 80 -foot wide right of way.
An 80 -foot wide right of way, when the County constructed that using the state
and I don't know whether federal funds were involved. But they constructed it
without curb, gutters, and sidewalk. So we're asking ourselves from, you know,
the developer's standpoint, the County construction that uses public money but
they don't see a need for curb, gutters, and sidewalk. You have a private
developer comes in, same 80 -foot wide right of way, now you're asking them to
put curb, gutter, sidewalk. So there are some measure of like hipocracy, and also
the sense of equity. So that was one point. You know, related to the 80 -foot wide
right of way, you know, that's again, the main highway, Komohana Street,
Moho`uli Street, they're really like what you call cross-town, cross-town
roadways. They're like regional roadways.
If you look at this section of Ponahawai Street, this extension, it's more like a
feeder street into this cross-town roads. Normally the feeder streets are like
60 -foot wide right of way, the street right next to the proposed extension is called
Kukuau Street. Kukuau Street has a 60 -foot wide right of way. Within that area
that has a 10,000 square foot lot subdivision on the makai end, you have curb
gutters and sidewalks. As you approach further mauka, you know, where the lots
are one acre, it's a 60 -foot wide right of way, but you don't have curb, gutters,
and sidewalk. You just have full on pavement.
So if the idea behind like an 80 -foot wide right of way is that to have this area
served like a regional need, then the question of rational nexus and proportionality
come into being. You can't expect this one developer to do something that's
good for the big community not necessarily on only his project. That's where like
the proportionality comes in. So from their standpoint their saying okay, we'll
concede to a 80 -foot wide right of way. And we will concede to having the
improvements made exactly like how the County did Moho`uli Street. That they
believe is kind of like you would at least fulfill the rational nexus, you fulfill the
proportionality criteria.
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The other proposal that we disagree with the Planning Director's position was that
their current condition, Condition R, right now it states that all streets within the
project has to be built dedicable standards with curb, gutter, and sidewalk. What
we're saying is that the concept is nice. It's not only from the monetary
standpoint but from a equity standpoint. Because all we're saying is that we want
to be able to build roads that are consistent and allowable within the Subdivision
Code. So the Subdivision Code says that if you're doing a six -lot subdivision you
could have like a right of way of 20 feet, you can have 16- or 18-footwide
pavement. That's allowed in the Subdivision Code.
The project may have like a number of single-family residential lots subdivision,
so to say that all of the roads have to be built to dedicable standards, which is
dedicable standards means you need to have a minimum right of way of 50 feet.
And now you have to have curb, gutters, and sidewalk. And we're saying,
where's the equity? Then when the Subdivision Code says that we can do this.
So all we're saying over here right now, all we're proposing is that if the project
has a residential subdivision that has less than 50,000 square feet, then yes, we
will have curb, gutters, and sidewalk.
And also those streets that connect to existing adjoining streets we will also have
those streets be built to dedicable standards, and with curb, gutters, and sidewalk,
because that's the connectivity. But over and beyond that, let the prevailing
regulations, you know, apply.
So those are the only two, you know, like amendments that we're asking for in
addition to the others that what the Planning Director and the Planning
Commission have already accepted. I have the proposed language, you know,
that would accomplish that, and at this point and time I don't know what the
protocol is to present that, but I'll defer to the Chair.
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Mr. Fuke. So I just want to get clear on the
conditions you're referring to. The Condition P?
MR. FUKE: P as in Paul.
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: P as in Paul.
MR. FUKE: Yeah.
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Where there are two stages of construction for Ponahawai
Street, you would like an amendment to that?
MR. FUKE: Correct.
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MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Where we eliminate second stage to include curb, gutter,
sidewalk. Just for the record, want to be clear on what my colleagues and I have
now deliberate.
MR. FUKE: Correct, yeah.
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: And then you also want to amend Condition R, to be
consistent with Subdivision Code, which is curb, gutter, sidewalk for lots 10,000
square feet or smaller.
MR. FUKE: Correct.
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Correct, okay. And then Condition Q, but it's not a deal
breaker, is to discuss access right in, right out.
MR. FUKE: That was more like an editorial change.
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: An editorial change, okay. And this is along the
Komohana Street side where the commercial park would be.
MR. FUKE: Among all of those streets.
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Among all of those streets.
MR. FUKE: Because if you look at that Condition Q, the first part of the
sentence, it talks about access, and then when it goes down it talks only about
road lots. And so we just kind of wanted to make it clear, road lots or access.
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Okay, so we are looking at P, Q, and R where there are
differences in opinion between the applicants and the Planning Department.
MR. FUKE: That is correct.
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Okay. I do want to give the Planning Department an
opportunity to make a statement on these conditions. And Director Yee can you
establish at what elevation we are at, 30-40,000 or just 4,000.
(Note: At this time, Planning Director Yee and Planning Program
Manager Jeff Darrow came forward to address the members of the
Committee.)
MR. YEE: I'm changing the analogy. How about we go with the good, the bad,
and the ugly, and now play the role of all three. Okay, I got to stick at 20,000.
Okay, here we go. Complete streets. There was a resolution passed by the
Council, several years ago for the support of complete streets. And complete
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streets talks about walkable communities, curb, gutter, sidewalks. Some of you
have even been on a mobility tour, prior to Seattle and Portland to take a look
how other places do this.
Now, if it was just me showing up from the continent and saying, "Hey, do
everything like the west coast," I'd be open to that criticism. But you have
adopted a resolution to think about these things that make a more walkable
community, and more livable community. Something that's a little more blue
zones oriented. And I certainly bring that lens to projects, and in this case where
it is a Project District, it's give and take on many different issues. And so I think
it's a little difficult to sit there and say hey, we want the flexibility of an entire
project but then say, in this one specific area we'd like the County to play by the
subdivision rule.
I don't like to kind of like handpick where it's convenient to do so. And so from
the greater scheme, I've tried to work with the applicant on the give and takes.
There was being able to give them fair share relief, giving them relief from
underground utilities, right. And these are all part of, you know, the relationship
you have with the developers and trying to create a good project for the future.
And in the end we're all trying to develop a project that is worthy of our kids
someday. And you know, whether or not it survives on just curb, gutter,
sidewalks, no. I know the project can go forth, and people live there and it'll be
okay. But I want it to better than okay.
And this is where we get into Moho `uli. I wasn't around there, and it's alarming
that a major roadway in Hilo was built to that standard. Again, I can't criticize
everybody that made that decision then, it is what it is. But I certainly don't want
that to become the standard which to how the County wants to about building our
streets and roadways for future generations. There are many examples and we
covered in Planning Commission around all the different surroundings and
subdivisions. And some were required to put in curb, gutter, sidewalks and some
were not, it's been inconsistent.
Well luckily I'm the Planning Director, and I bring a certain lens which is, you
know, I'd like to be consistent with connectivity. Which I pushed on a lot of
different projects. I'm pushing curb, gutter, and sidewalks, to make them
walkable for folks. And I would lastly say, Wailani is this last, maybe not the last
but one of the few big, big projects we can have in Hilo. I'm terribly supportive
of the family to get this project going, it's really important that we do. And it's
going to be connected to commercial, it's about the closest we get to kind of
mixed-use development here in Hawaii.
And so I wanted for folks to be able to walls to the grocery store, to walls to the
medical facilities, right. And Moho`uli is not the great example of people feeling
safe, they may use it plenty of users on it. But doesn't necessary—if you were to
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go out and survey how comfortable they are on walking on this 80 -foot wide
roadway. I'm not sure you'd get great, you know, support for wanting to have it
to be that way, so. That's my 20,000 foot level of it.
In terms of—you know, I think it was fairly clear, the same debate, everything we
debated here, was debated at the Planning Commission. They heard all the
arguments from Sid and the applicant to all these issues, and the Planning
Commission went in favor of most of my recommendations except for one. And I
would just generally say I support what the Planning Commission brought
forward to you, you've heard from the applicant. Again, I think what's most
important is that this project moves forward in some fashion today, that's the
underline.
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you Director Yee. Mr. Darrow, did you want to
comment on this project at all? Maybe elaborate on somethings that the Director
has stated, and maybe even if you can comment on some of thinking that went
behind the decisions for the Moho`uli extension. And why the curb, gutters, and
sidewalk were not included in that project.
MR. DARROW: Well first of all, I would like to take time and acknowledge
Planner Maija Jackson, for her incredible hard work on the background
recommendation for this report. This was one of the more extensive requests and
that we've had in some time. And the way everything was laid out, the clarity
was just superb. So I want to take time to acknowledge that.
With that, as the Director stated, we went into great detail on each condition that
was requested, to kind of bring into light what the issues were. As the Director
stated our focus has been on complete streets, and that's what we've been
focusing on. This is a new development, this is going to provide a lot of
residential housing, affordable housing. It's going to be a walkable community.
And so we wanted to be able to implement that idea going forward. There was
the argument between Moho`uli and Ponahawai extension.
And as Michael said, you know, we're unsure as to why that happened for that.
And as Sid mentioned it kind of seems like it's not fair, but again, we're focusing
on our consistency with our projects going forward. If we consistently say no
curb, gutter, sidewalks, because Moho`uli didn't have it. That doesn't make sense
either, that begins to provide poor planning going forward. We want to keep that
consistency going forward with our neighborhoods that we're looking to create.
I do want to add a friendly amendment that was brought to my attention. This
was an overwhelming application, and you know, as we go through it sometimes
we find something that we overlooked, so I'd like to add that. I believe was, this
would be on Condition R. There was a change that was added on your Condition
R, let me just bring that up. Apologize we just had actually excepted
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MS. KIERKIEWICZ: No need to apologize. This was quite a beast.
MR. DARROW: No. So if you refer to the previous Condition R and the new
Condition R, there's a—the last two sentences it says, "Including the provision of
curb, gutters, and sidewalks," and there's a period. But there was an addition at
commission that says, "Except for the first stage construction of Ponahawai Street
extension as described in Condition P." That should be underlined as a
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Condition P, underlined?
MR. DARROW: Yes.
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Okay. Because it's in our ordinance, our draft ordinance.
But that is an amendment to R.
MR. DARROW: Yes.
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Okay.
MR. DARROW: I'm sorry, I'm not going into great detail. As mentioned, this is
very extensive. But again, our main focus from a higher level is going forward
with these good planning principals.
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Mr. Darrow. And I just, I want to quickly
elevate one of your comments about the work that Maija did on the report. I
mean really bravo, well done. It was so clear and concise the way you broke
down each of the conditions, and really explained for us what the Planning
Department's thinking was, what the Commission's thinking was, and ultimately
what was put forth to the Council. So thank you for that, really well done. At this
point I want to open it up for discussion among our Council. Council Woman
Poindexter.
MS. POINDEXTER: Yeah. You know, while I believe in when we're talking
about complete streetsI went on that trip and visited, you know, Portland, we
went to Washington we did great stuff But I want to reflect back on growing up,
and when we had communities. We didn't have so much cement, and I think the
cement today is killing us with flooding. Because there's no place to absorb. I
mean we went to one community in Portland. And they had so much walkable
areas and paths that had walkways, and a lot of drainage areas that were natural.
You know, ground cover and all those things that need to happen. So when we
talk about curb, gutters, sidewalk, I kind of feel yucky about that being in Hawaii
all the time.
I'd love to see more of that natural type of landscaping that would, you know,
absorb a lot of that water that we're getting. Some trees that will absorb a lot of
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that water, and prevent flooding from happening. So I just wanted to say that
curbs, gutters, and sidewalks, I don't buy into that. It wouldn't fit in some of my
areas anyway, it would take away the beauty of Hawaii. You know, were turning
this into cement, I don't want to look like the mainland, you know.
So I believe in walkable communities, but we need to possibly look walking paths
to the health facility, the store, you know, visiting neighbors, doing gardens,
doing, you know, more like a agri-hood were everybody could have their own
gardens. You don't need a car, you can live within your own community, you
know, whatever. And once a month go to Taniguchi store, as we used to call it.
But anyway so, I just wanted to give you my feedback on curbs, gutters, and
sidewalks, which I don't really buy into, so, thank you.
MR. YEE: Quickly I just want to add that, we definitely have applications where
we have not had curb, gutter, and sidewalk. And so we do make those decisions
in certain areas, I want to remind folks this is still basically in the urban core of
Hilo. So we're not talking out in a rural agricultural little town right now. And so
we are talking about walking to a medical facility, we are talking so, yeah I
just—
MS. POINDEXTER: We can have walking paths, because even if it's, you know,
Hilo is, you know, we're still in Hawaii. You know, we're not in Los Angeles,
or someplace where, you know, it's just all cement. But I'm just worried about
the amount of rain water that comes down, yeah. Because when you have so
much cement it will flow like hell, right. When you have ground cover and the
way some of the places we visited in Portland where you have some of the
diversion going under into a collection pond, or whatever. Being creative that
way where you can recycle water or something, but you have a lot of ground and
you don't lose the beauty by covering it with cement.
MR. YEE: But, you know, I'm totally in agreement with you if the applicant
wants to move the bio-swales and other things, I'd love that. I bet they'll come
screaming for curb, gutter, sidewalks when I start talking about that.
MS. POINDEXTER: I'll yield at this time. Thank you, Chair.
MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you. Chair Chung.
MR. CHUNG: Thanks. Sidney. What kind of road construction are you guys
contemplating for the commercial?
MR. FUKE: Within the commercial area it's going to be curb, gutters, and
sidewalks. And then also, what's also being proposed and what Jeff had
indicated, which is something that I didn't pick up but I had actually included and,
you know, if there were going to be an amendment to Condition P relating to the
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proposed extension. To make it clear that the first portion or what you call it first
stage, you know, which starts from Komohana Street on and you going up on
Ponahawai Street extension up to the first road, which is like all the commercial
area, that section would be entirely curb gutter and sidewalk, within the 80 -foot
wide right of way.
MR. CHUNG: Yeah, that makes sense. You know, this development is in the
district that I represent. It's probably going to be the biggest development in that
area for a long time. I'll just give you guys my thoughts. No offense to you
Mike. But you know, I may not agree 100 percent with the caparison between
Moho`uli and the Ponahawai Street extension, and it certainly would be nice to
have sidewalks there, curb, gutter, sidewalks.
But let me give you guys a little more background than Sidney had provided
earlier. I noticed that this was a 2010 rezoning, right? But prior to that this thing
came up, right. And I know at that time, I think Steve Yamashiro was the
consultant. This was in 2004, I know that because that was probably one of the
last actions I took before I left the Council at that time. And I supported it on a
5-4 vote. And one of the reasons that I supported it is, I felt that it was very
important for us to have the Ponahawai Street extension constructed. Absolutely
vital. It couldn't have, you know, the potential for alleviating a lot of our traffic
problems, you know, coming down from Ainako and then, you know, then resting
into that intersection by Moho`uli and Komohana couldn't have been, you know,
overstated.
But I suggested an amendment—well the Ponahawai Street extension was a
requirement—but I suggested an amendment, which was shot down, because I
knew the construction of this roadway which I viewed as being vital, was going to
be problematic in the future. I thought the cost was going to be prohibitive. And
it has proven to be that, and I think one of the reasons why it's been mired in just,
you know, some vacant property, being a vacant property for all of these years.
And I suggested, I actually made a floor amendment at that time, that in the event
the developer could demonstrate that they could not fully fund the construction of
that roadway that the County could assist in its construction financially. And that,
you know, my concerns actually proved prophetic.
So right now, I have to believe that if you guys, if the developers were required to
install curb, gutter, sidewalk, it would be cost prohibitive. And we probably not
have the Ponahawai Street extension again. You know, I did state, I thought that,
you know, it would be nice to have those nice complete streets. But sometimes
we can't always have it. And, you know, I will say, that I'd probably feel more
safe on a sidewalk rather than walking up or down Moho`uli Street. But I see
Harry Kim riding his bicycle there every single day, right, and he doesn't seem to
mind. And it is used by a lot of people, and notwithstanding the fact, that it may
not provide a much safe feelings as we would like.
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And it doesn't make for a real nice community, but it's our community none the
less. And I think one of the reason why it wasn't included, the curb, gutter,
sidewalk way back when is because of the cost. So, you know, we recently
passed a GET (General Excise Tax) bill, and I stated one of the things that we
overlooked was the use of those funds for building sidewalks, right. So maybe we
can revisit that at some point, and we can use some of those monies too. You
know, if it's so important to have curb, gutter, sidewalks on that road, then maybe
we can help build it later on with the monies that we generate from the GET.
But I don't think it's necessary. I want to see this project completed, I want to see
it get off the ground. And I think 80 feet actually would have told you guys go
maybe a little narrower, but if you guys want to go 80 feet, fine. And it would
make for a safer, more walkable area anyway.
So that being said, and you know, because I made those statements for the
purpose of just maybe keeping the discussion short. This is the district that
represent, and I'm hoping that I have the support of, you know, my colleagues on
this one. So Mr. Fuke, I can't really say exactly what you wanted, but I know
basically it's to obviate the necessity for a curb, gutter, sidewalk. If you could
work with my staff and coming up with the amendments. Were only talking
about P, Q, and R?
MR. FUKE: P, Q, and R.
MR. CHUNG: No, no, wait, wait. Didn't you say that you guys
MR. FUKE: Q, was really like non substantive, I believe like
MR. CHUNG: So just P, and R, right?
MR. FUKE: Just P and Q, yeah.
MR. CHUNG: Then I'm okay.
MR. FUKE: I mean P and R.
MR. CHUNG: Yeah. And I do apologize, I know the Planning Department did a
great deal of work on this. But that's how I feel about it, yeah. Thank you.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Chair. Council Woman Lee Loy.
MS. LEE LOY: Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chung. I mean it is your district,
and you know it intimately. And walking into this meeting and reading all of the
extensive work from the Planning Department, I really began to take a look at
streets just in general. And we drive over to Kona all the time, and we drive
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down Ane Keohokaole to West Hawaii Civil Center, which was a federal project.
And only one side get curb, gutter, sidewalks. The other side has a walking path.
And I began to think that money was matched with federal money and state
money, and county money and they only could get curb, gutter, sidewalks on one
side.
And so I began to look at the walking path on the other side. And I thought well,
the Council adopted complete streets we're looking at blue zones. Was there a
way through future projects, to maybe dovetail some of those design guidelines as
far as our streets went to create a safe walking path for our kids, for our kupuna,
which isn't as cost prohibitive as curb, gutter, sidewalks. Then we had the Mass
Transit Plan, right, and so we're going to need bus stops. So how wide does that
road have to be? Eighty feet sounds more than enough. Right of way to have a
bus pull out, where we could continue to achieve walkable communities using our
Mass Transit Plan, carving out places for bus stops where they could jump on a
walking path or bike a path.
And at the end of the day it was about reasonable compromise. Because if the
federal, state, and County cannot achieve curb, gutter, sidewalks on both sides of
a road, why would we strap a family developer with those kinds of conditions. I
think that's completely unfair.
So taking a very pragmatic approach, I think there are ways to do that within the
right a way that, you know, the developer, the family is willing to set aside. And
then as Mr. Chung mentioned, you know, maybe bringing in some GE money or
fuel tax money and doing some real partnerships, because at the end of the day,
I'm going to be selfish, I need the zoning. Because the zoning is going to drive
real property tax, and real property tax is going to pay for more services with
Police, Fire, Parks, and Planning Department to come up with more great plans.
And that's just my very simple pragmatic approach.
Maybe going forward Mr. Fuke, if there is a way to talk about the return on
investment by way of real property tax revenue that a project like this generates,
and compare it against what we could see five years down the road, eight years
down the road, I think it would help this body better understand that we cannot
front load people with so much infrastructure costs that we end up with nothing.
was even willing to entertain maybe phasing it in at some future point after so
many units, but I am getting the sense from this body that, you know, we've got
to make something happen. This has waited a long time.
Those are my thoughts, I'm going to be supporting Chair Chung. This is his
district, and I think there's some really good compromises within this. But I also
think we can look at future opportunities, because that roadway right of way is so
large. I yield.
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CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Council Woman Villegas.
MS. VILLEGAS: Sure. I appreciate all this input, and I guess there's just a
couple of concerns I have once again going back into the conversations we had
earlier today about variances. And I want to make sure that this project has the
opportunity to become the model, which I believe is your vision as a family and
your ohana working together to do that. So my only concern is that a precedence
not be set, that then eliminates the possibility of holding future developers
responsible for putting in and paying their impact fees, and for all the different
parts and pieces of a development of this scale.
So that's just my concern or where that capacity lies. Yeah, those are my
concerns, that we not set a precedence that then becomes something that future
developers on the west side, because that's where my district is, then turn back to
and say well, "They didn't have to, so why do we have to?" I also do appreciate
the story that Ms. Lee Loy spoke about. And the community came together and
built the walking path on the other side of the highway there.
So opportunities to create new models. You guys have bitten off an amazing
vision. Which I'm sure you know more than anybody. But I appreciate the vision
of that, and becoming kind of an all encompassing community, and everybody's
insights in that, but boy this is multifaceted in its number of complexities. So
with that I yield. I just have that concern about setting precedent. Thank you.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Council Woman. Councilman Richards.
MR. RICHARDS: Thank you, Chair. And Sidney thanks for bringing this
forward, I think this is a longer conversation than anybody expected. But I think
it's a very good conversation, and I'm going to just springboard off of
Chair Chung. I've been listening to the conversation about the complete streets,
and it's nothing new to this body that I've been arguing against complete streets
for about the last year and a half. And as though I completely understand, I think
they have their place. We start talking about walkable communities there's a
group, Transportation for America, that I think Councilman Lee Loy, and I
attended a presentation two years ago now maybe. And they talk about walkable
streets, but we're not going to have that. We're not going to have walkable
communities until we fix our zoning, and our planning. And that we engineer
these roads an 80 -foot easement that we're going to expect what 25 miles per
hour, maybe 30 miles per hour, but in reality people are going to drive 50 or 60
because it's engineered for that speed.
And I'm not a plannerno, let me rephrase that I'm not someone that can work
in the Planning Department but I do like to plan. But I'm listening to
conversation, and Council Woman Lee Loy points out something in Kona that is
glaringly evident. We need to learn from that. We need the development. We
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have a family working on bringing that forward, and we need to be mindful of
that.
I think that if we truly are interested in having those blue zone walkable
communities, we have to have the structure set up. And when we're talking about
complete streets, I'm thinking about in Waimea I have a complete stream. I got a
path along a stream that we're talking about walking, and it's not going to be
paved. You like the country, yeah, Sue, you like it. I don't mean to make light of
it, because I think Chair Chung is very succinct in his conversation. And as we go
forward, I don't think we're not being considerate of our community, I think
we're being quite considerate of our community.
There's actually good evidence that shows our kupuna-aged people, do better on
uneven paths than on flat concrete. And there's evidence and reasons for that. So
going forward, I'm looking forward to the amendments coming forward. Sidney,
I'm looking forward to those coming. I'll be supporting Chair Chung's position,
how this is crafted. Because I think this conversation is setting us up for a good
direction, and I truly support this development going forward. So with that, I'm
going to yield.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Councilman Richards. Council Woman Eof£
MS. EOFF: Okay, thank you. I kind of like the idea of curb, gutters, and
sidewalks in part of the project. And part of the project maybe doesn't need. I
think that some of it would be walkable. But I just wanted to say one thing about
the highway in Kona. I believe that the reason the one side doesn't have curb,
gutters, and sidewalks is because there's plan to widen that road. So they left it
like it is. But that doesn't mean it's still not a good idea to have a walking path,
as a means for people to get around that community as an option. I don't know if
that's something to draft into this as a condition, rather than leaving it.
Because the other idea that Chair Chung mentioned could happen too,
concurrently that the GE surcharge could help pay for improvements to the roads
at some point and time. Possibly concurrently with the build out of the project, I
don't know, I have no idea about timing. But just that there's a lot of options out
there, whether you want to draft anything in here or leave it as is. But I think
there's options for keeping it not really rural, but more Hawaii rather than
mainland, and yet make it walkable.
MR. FUKE: I'd like to just kind of just follow up all of this conversation with
just one comment. You know, on the Ane Keohokalole and the Queen
Ka`ahumanu Highway, you know, there right of way is 120 feet. And on the
Queen Ka`ahumanu Highway for the longest time it was always on one side, so
when they needed to expand that to a four lane highway, all they did was went on
the makai side. Now considerably you could do this like within an 80 -foot wide
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right away, you know, you just take half of it. And, you know, maybe just do
only 40 -foot wide improvements. The problem is like on the opposite side, you
know, it takes a long driveway to get access to it. So it really doesn't work.
I think the fundamental question here, in my opinion anyway, is like whether you
need to have an 80 -foot wide right of way which would be very counter I think to
the whole idea of creating walkability. Because as I think Councilman Richards
pointed out people going to speed, you know, like how people speed on Moho`uli
Street. You know, the wider the right of way, easier it is to speed. So, you know,
that's kind of like ironic. But, you know, so if it's an 80 -foot wide right of way
verses like a 60 -foot wide right of way, you know, what is more appropriate?
I think the dilemma that we all face, I mean, you know, from planning and from
the developer standpoint. We look at the General Plan, we look at the zoning
map, it says like an 80 -foot wide right of way. So like, you know, we got to be a
little bit anal about it, because it says 80 feet we have to have 80 feet. Now the
question however is like, well if you have an 80 -foot wide right of way do you
necessarily, you know, just for that small section between Moho`uli Street and
Komohana Street. Do necessarily need to build it entirely like to an 80 -foot wide
right of way like how Moho`uli Street is? Really? Why?
Or do you construct it only to possibly be like a 60 -foot wide right of way, but
you still keep the right of way at 80 feet. And conceivably since the developer
had already conceded making an 80 -foot wide right of way improvement, that you
build to only a 60 feet, you know, for a roadway and all that stuff And use the
balance of the right of way to maybe just create like a walking path. I mean, you
know, and that's kind of like doable. So this is something I think between now
and first reading maybe we can, I don't know what the engineering complexities
of it will be. So I'd like to at least have a conversation or discussion with Public
Works, and also Planning. But if it can be worked out, from the cost standpoint
the developers already made that concession to do the 80 -foot wide
improvements. So possibly you can reduce level and, you know, accommodate
the pedestrian walkway and address the safety considerations.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: So I guess, Director Yee, the question to you is can we
adapt the complete streets model to be more in line with the characteristics of
Hawaii? And what we see as, you know, wanting to encourage walkability and
active lifestyle, but without necessarily the curb, gutters, and sidewalks. Without
all of the cement.
MR. YEE: Absolutely. And just great timing, I think it was today we kicked off
our complete streets kind of partnership with DPW (Department of Public Works)
today. And so I think it comes at a good time for us to try to have the different
departments really think about how do we implement. I totally agree with
Chair Chung that, we have to be creative about how we pay for these amenities,
you know, and not just put it on the developers. You've consistently heard me
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say, that infrastructure has been our issue; that we put it on developers. And
that's created most of our problems here on this island.
And so I'm in totally in favor of—now that we have a revenue source for us to go
back and take a look at, and I'll be the first one to say, I'd love to give an 80 -foot
right of way to a road diet immediately. Like I can already tell you that's not
necessary. But as Sid said, it's kind of, we kind of have this code now we kind of
live by and not really questioning. And so I think this is a great time to really
have this conversation.
Lastly, I think you know me well enough to know that I really respect the voices
that have been around much longer than I have, and that's everybody probably in
this room. And I highly respect everybody involved in this project, and you folks.
And it's clear to kind of where you folks want to go with this. And I think what
gives me comfort in knowing this, is that we're working with developers that are
locally here. And the conversation with them will continue. So if there are good
ideas and new ways of doing things, they're accessable to have those
conversations. And they act with high integrity. And so I feel comfortable as
things progress, and we need to be flexible that a family that can turn to do that.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Director. Chair Chung.
MR. CHUNG: Sidney, you know, now we're talking about 60 feet right? No, I
mean, I just wanted to explore the idea. First of all, how long is it going to be
from Moho`uli to Komohana, how long will Ponahawai extension be?
MR. FUKE: I would just guess, about how long?
MR. CHUNG: Not even a mile, right? Almost a mile, but less than a mile. What
kind of right of way is there between Moho`uli and Komohana on Kukuau?
MR. FUKE: That's a 60 -foot wide right of way. The entire right of way is
60 feet, on the lower side you have curb, gutter, sidewalk. Because that was a
subdivision built within 1,000 square feet or less. On the mauka side, you know,
which is like the beginning of the Sunrise Estates. You know, you have the
one -acre lots, it's also 60 -foot wide right of way without curb, gutter, sidewalk.
MR. CHUNG: Okay. Maybe we might have to go with 80 feet though. You
know why, it's pretty narrow. Because a lot of people are going to be going down
there, because you guys are going to have a traffic signal, right, at the intersection.
So you can anticipate a lot of guys going down there in the morning and in the
afternoon. I don't know we can talk about it. So it's a little bit different, if you
said that Kukuau was narrower than 60, then I might say, well okay, 60 might
work. We can talk about that.
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CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Councilman Richards.
MR. RICHARDS: Yeah, just a quick follow up to that. Director, you mentioned
your partnership with Public Works concerning your complete street initiative. I
would offer that this Transportation for America, and I think it's still valid,
Department of Transportation, Hawaii State, have them either on retainer or they
have some working relationship with them. And they've offered that to us as a
Council previously, as far as seeking input. So that maybe something to reach
out, if you need help I'm happy to help you. I yield.
MR. YEE: Okay, thank you.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Hi, guys. So in Condition I, it says that the
revised master plan on the project district shall be submitted to the Planning
Director. It doesn't say anything about the Council. So do we—does this come
back to us ever again, as far as the master plan, of what's happening?
MR. FUKE: In conjunction with the application, there was a preliminary master
plan prepared. And so what this condition is designed to do, is to show a little bit
more definition to that revised master plan. And that would be done all
administratively. So the Council basically, you know, the short answer to your
question Councilman, is like no, the master plan would not be sent back to the
Council for review and approval. What this body would be charged through this
process is basically establishing the perameters, whether how many units, curb,
gutter, sidewalk, non -curb, gutter, sidewalk those kinds of things.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: So it doesn't come back to us?
MR. FUKE: No.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: It just goes to Mike?
MR. FUKE: Correct.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Correct? So we don't see it ever again.
MR. YEE: Never say never; but no, you shouldn't.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: I shouldn't see it again. So I don't see the
master plan ever come back to us, so we can yes, no, we like this, we don't like
this.
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MR. YEE: Hopefully if we all do our jobs well, you don't have to see it. And it's
built the right way, and it gets built.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay. Then this also speaks to deleting
Condition N, yes? All utilities will not be underground anymore. And your
reasons stated for that is, it's not financially, it's not lucrative.
MR. FUKE: Well it was just based on the discussion with the applicant's
development consultant, he said that almost becomes like a deal breaker as well.
Because it adds substantially more, you know, per cost, per unit. And essentially
that becomes an aesthetic requirement, rather than a safety or health safety issue.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: So when I drive into different
neighborhoods, Waimea, Kona, different areas in Hilo, they've taken time to
build neighborhoods that are aesthetically pleasing. And then if the idea is, when
it's not financially feasible, we just don't want to. That raises a question to me, as
to what we're trying to do for future standards of our building here on the island.
So when it just becomes down to, "Financially feasible, I don't want to do it"
that's interesting to me. I don't feel that's in the best interest of what we're trying
to achieve, we're talking blue zones, we're talking about Vision Zero, all these
different standards setting up to make things safer, cleaner, this really is about
aesthetics, I understand that. But are we doing what's right for future?
MR. FUKE: I think in a perfect world, and, you know, we would want that. And
probably the best way to handle, you know, this kind of issue like undergrounding
utility requirement or curb, gutter, sidewalk requirement, is like basically to have
like a separate legislation. Just dealing with that, because otherwise you'll have
like some developers that maybe be exempt from that, you know, like when you
go through this process others would be tagged with that obligation and that
affects the value of the respective project. But if everybody plays by the same
rules in terms of the infrastructure requirements, then we all know the cost will
appreciate or depreciate accordingly.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: So there's no rule in the County that says,
new utilities should be underground, it's just open to interpretation?
MR. FUKE: Yes.
MR. YEE: And I do want to add that—Michael Yee, Planning Director that I
said earlier this was a package of give and takes. And that was clearly something
that I gave away in terms of aesthetics for the curb, gutter, sidewalk. Again, this
is what we negotiate, right. And so it's just one of those things, where I was
willing to give up the aesthetics in this case for a curb, gutter, sidewalk. You give
them back the curb, gutter, sidewalk without having to do it, you don't have them
do underground. You know, they're getting the break that they're looking for,
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which again, we want this project to go through. So these are the hard choices we
make. And all though the ordinance was written many years ago, with different,
you know, economics. You know, hopefully they're trustworthy in terms of what
the economics are today, and what they're presenting and the difficulties of trying
to do it.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: It is interesting that we're being asked to
compromise on the beauty of what we're trying to build as we move into the
future. So that we can all get what we want.
MR. YEE: So now you know what keeps me up at night, sometimes.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: I don't agree with that, I think you should go
underground. I've been in a lot of different neighborhoods. My job takes me to a
lot of different areas. I appreciate the communities they're taking the time to
build themselves out, nicely. Verses the communities that just to put things up
and get it done quickly, and less finances involved. I can appreciate what you're
saying, but I don't agree with it.
MR. YEE: Lastly, I want to add that the Subdivision Code is 35 years old.
Granted, if I get a little bit more time as Planning Director, that would be one of
my top three things to do is to really try to attack the Subdivision Code. And
that's where we're going to address curb, gutter, sidewalk, and underground
utilities that, you know, hopefully the things stay the same. Make it for
everybody then. You know, have the standards of when you institute or don't.
Again, that would be a much bigger fight, not in the next year and half, I could
promise you that. But, you know, it is something the County needs to do.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Page 14 kinds of hints at this again, that the
addition of cost from $8,000 to $13,000, is in regards to amending Condition KK.
And you go back quoting this, because the profit if any, and the wording on that I
find interesting. Because it's justyou're just talking about money. Am I off, on
this document? No? I keep seeing the same kind of wording, it's just financially.
MR. FUKE: Yeah, it was just directed, you know, it's a fair share component,
you know, that provision. And so what the consultant has advised the applicant,
is that to make the project more feasible as well as to be able to more successfully
deliver the affordable housing component, you cannot add all of these small little
requirements. And so what I was pointing out over there was, that, you know, if
you do a multiple family there's already not only the infrastructure cost, but you
have to pay this $9,000 or $10,000 more in share fee per unit. If you do a
single-family residential lot then you want sell it at affordable housing rate, you
have to add on $14,300 more. And then that adds to the cost, so that added cost
would have to be spread among the other projects.
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MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Yes, I'm not arguing that wouldn't be fair.
I'm just saying the wording is interesting. It's bringing it back to, it's kind of like
a, it's a subtle kind of a poke when you say because the profit "if any" is saying
we're not going to make any money on this. So I'm just letting you know that.
It's an interesting way of wording that, in a document that you're going to hand to
somebody. That's what I'm trying to say.
As far as your right of ways, you know, I can see what you're saying about right
of ways. You do go on to say that this community is a walking style community,
and we're making it accessible. People can get around easily, but in the same
conversation we start saying well we don't really want to do curbs, or sidewalks
here, or there. It's interesting that you're using those two in conjunction with
each other. How can you say I want to make a nice walkable, livable community
and start taking things away like, sidewalks and pedestrian rights of way and that
kind of things? They don't equal each other.
MR. FUKE: Well, in this particular situation you have the Ponahawai Street
extension is the one that little bit more problematic, because that's the main
highway that kind of separates the north part from the south part of the property.
That's like having a freeway running through your project. So when you have the
freeway or like the main roadway going through your project, that area is hard to
create like the walkability. We're saying that if you have on the north side and
the south side, you're going to have like those street systems. And those street
system are going to be built according to County dedicable standards. For those
street systems where it connects to existing streets, you know, off property, those
streets will be built to County dedicable standards and have curb, gutter, sidewalk.
The rest of the roadways, well it depends on the level of density. And so the level
of density ain't going to govern, if you're going to do single-family residential.
The level of density then going to govern, whether you have curb, gutter, or
sidewalk. If you do a 10,000 square -foot lot subdivision then the answer to that
question is yes, there would be curb, gutter, and sidewalk. And the logic behind
that is, that's been almost like the convention of wisdom for almost all residential
subdivisions. If you do a 15,000 square -foot or larger lot size subdivision, there is
no curb, gutter, sidewalk in position. So again, it goes back again, the notion of
equity. You have an existing code, that existing code is the Subdivision Code.
Can you not apply it to over here? That's all we're saying.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: This is a big chunk of property in Hilo. It's
been vacant for a long time. I understand we have some, we have good people in
the room who mean well. The end result of this should be a community that is
very approachable, and kind of withstands time. So I would urge that you create
this subdivision, you take the time to build out. It's 172 acres of land left in Hilo
that's still pretty much forest and kind of holds that green spot. It's that last little
piece, so when you fulfill that as a residential neighborhood, fulfill it nicely.
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Make it something that we're all going to be proud of when it's done. Rights of
way to the middle, you want make sure that people are safe when they're around
then good, that's good. I'm not going to fight you on that. Make sure that when
this is done, that you've got a nice thing, and it's pretty.
I think that's the gist of what I'm asking. Not at the, you know, is it financially
feasible standpoint, because I think in the end you're making 700 small residential
lots. I have a feeling you'll do okay, on that. There's a lot of need for housing, so
just take your time and make it pretty. and that's what I'm asking you to do.
And then so actually, I mean we had somebody come and testify. You did say
there was some kind of environmental survey that was done?
MR. FUKE: I was referring to archaeological inventory survey.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay.
MR. FUKE: It was already approved, it was a preservation plan that was
approved. And the buffers were already established. These were established
prior to any land disturbance activity that's currently occurring on the property.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay. And then for a project this size is
there an environmental assessment that needs to be done before it happens?
MR. FUKE: There had to be like an environmental, not an EIS kind of document,
but there had to be document that address typically all of the things that would go
into an environmental impact statement. With a traffic study done, there was like
as I mentioned earlier, archaeological, there was a drainage study done, there was
an infrastructure studies done, you know, on sewer and water system. And they
were all made part and parcel of the application.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Sorry, my brain is going, environmental was
done or was not done?
MR. FUKE: Well not in the sense like of a Chapter 343 Environmental Impact
Statement, but the components of an environmental document were included in
the application. So if you have like EIS for example, you would need to have
information relating to the floral, the fauna, or the archaeological, the drainage
those kinds of things. Well, all of that information was contained in the
application.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay, thank you. I yield.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Council Member Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder.
Chair Chung.
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MR. CHUNG: I was actually going to ask Sidney one more question, but you
know, let me address some of those thoughts or concerns that was brought up by
Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfleder. I mean, I think in an ideal world, what you say, you
know, makes a lot of sense. Unfortunately we don't live in an ideal world. I
think everyone, I'm hoping all developers want to make a good development. At
the same time all business are driven by profit. I don't care what. Nobody goes
in there with the thought they're going to lose money, right.
And I think Matt, you might be operating on an antiquated kind of, no offense
now, okay, but antiquated idea of who builds roads. You know, in the past the
Traffic Division I recall, they always used to say, and this was like about 20 years
ago. County doesn't build roads, developers build roads, that's wrong. I believe
if something is essential or vital to the wellbeing of our community, we build it.
County builds it. But we always wait for developers to build stuff, we shouldn't
do that. That's a wrong way of looking at things. And that was what the County
subscribed to many, many years ago.
So now again, this is only my perspective. If I believe that the Ponahawai Street
extension is very important to the circulation pattern for our area, then we should
build it. But these guys are building it instead. So that takes a lot off of their
topline, it becomes very difficult. And I knew it was going to be problematic
from the very beginning, yeah. So that's why I'm saying maybe we should share
the cost and do stuff, and really, we'd like to look at possibly putting in sidewalks.
But where in Hilo, except for the old area do we have sidewalks? Only Sunrise
Ridge, on the new developments. Not saying that we shouldn't aspire to getting
these things, but doesn't that tell you something?
Why aren't these things being built in Hilo? I told you, this is probably the
biggest development we are going to have in a long time. Maybe these
requirements might work at West Hawaii or where you're going to have guys
with a high amount of return. But Hilo, try go require sidewalks, curb, gutter,
sidewalks, in a development in Puna. Hard to get a return on that. When I bought
my property, Sunrise Estates, no sidewalks. I bought it, knowing full well you
don't have sidewalks. Sure, I'd like sidewalks, that would be terrific. But if I
wanted sidewalks, I go down to Sunrise Ridge. That's the only place they got
them, really. Or go to downtown, I don't want to go there, right.
So, you know, you got to look at things real realistically on this. I mean I'm just
saying, that. I kind of, you know, want to stress that point. We all want to do
something good for the community, but sometimes you just got to give a little on
that. That's my point. Thanks.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Chair. You know, I live in Puna, but I knew
full well when I bought my home, that the roads weren't going to be maintained
by the County, that it was going to be handled by an association. I wasn't going
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to have curb, gutters, and sidewalks, but I was going to get an acre and I was
going to get a brand new home and finally realize the dream of owning my own
home and raising my kids there.
And I just have to commend you, Dr. Matsuura and your family, it's not every
day we see a project come before us, and so many members of the public, many
faces I recognize in full support of bringing these dreams of affordable housing
possibilities to other families. So thank you for the vision that you've created and
the potential to me are affordable housing needs. You know, like seven hours ago
we got a presentation from the Housing Agency Administrator, that talked about
9,000 homes by 2025 is the goal for Big Island. That's what's needed for Big
Island. So the fact that this project could potentially bring 700 homes to the
market, that's huge.
That is helping us meet our goals, because I could not hear any projects being
articulated from the Housing Agency in terms of how we were going to be
reaching those goals in such a short amount of time. That's six years from now.
You know, I do want to support Chair Chung in his amendments to the bill. I
mean a lot of these things curb, gutter, sidewalk, they would be really nice to
have. But I don't want to lose sight of the complete street concept. And so in
discussions with Mr. Fuke, we talked about are there plant barriers or other things
that we could consider to encourage health and safety, and also walkability of the
streets.
So I know you're going to working in partnership Chair Chung's office, and my
staff to put forward some potential amendments. And I like the idea of
public-private partnerships of infusing some of that GET money into communities
where it makes sense to help take the burden off of developers, to just have a lot
of the infrastructure that essentially is really cost prohibitive. A lot of times to get
these sort of projects off of the ground.
So with that said, I was going to call for the question. But do we have, okay, I
didn't see your light. No, Council Woman David. Okay, I'm going to turn the
chair over to Council Woman David, and then we as a Council can talk about how
we want to move this forward. Because I think were majority in agreement of
how we want to advance Bill 49.
MS. DAVID: Thank you, Chair. And I thought I had my light on, but it must of
gone off Anyway, mahalo for that. And the discussion today has been very
mindful and eye opening. I think the complete streets idea, I think everybody
supports that and the complete streets goal for this County. How we get there, is
what we're really having a problem with. I really commend—as long as I've
been living in Kona or on this island, all my life, I have never seen a development
project brought forward by people that have been here for several generations. I
really, really am proud that I've seen developers on the west side that are all
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from out of state. I mean never before have I seen a family with this bold of a
project that I have to commend you folks, because I wouldn't do it.
But all kidding aside. What I do see is the fair share, is something that was
created before all of our times. And it was very controversial, because of the
issues that you folks bring up. You know, developers are building roads for us.
And there's no real balance for that, and we're stuck with what we have to be
bound by, by the law. And so I'm really happy that you folks are thinking about
the Subdivision Code, because we don't want to prevent this kind of development
that really I think addresses a lot of the stuff we're talking about, a whole complex
of medical facilities, and retail, and homes.
So I will actually support what Mr. Chung is proposing, because this is his
district. I would be behaving the same way if it was in my district, in a rural
district. Because I think his points are well taken, and I commend him for trying
to work on a fair and equitable situation, where we can even address some of
Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder's. Because those are pretty much valid concerns too.
And so this is a hard one, and it's not because of anything that's happening right
now. It is because of things that have gone on for a while. And I hope with the
family and with the department and this Council I think, I hope we can come to a
fair and equitable solution for everybody. But I really thank you folks for diving
into this, because if we can help in any way let us know. We have more work to
do, but thank you very much.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Council Member David. Just turning my
head to see if there are any other lights. Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, I saw your
light on earlier. Did you have additional comments? Yes, no? Any other
comments from my colleagues? If not let's put together the marching orders for
this bill. So I'm hearing that Planning Consultant Sidney Fuke will be working
with Chair Chung's office and my office to come up with amendments to this bill,
specifically to Conditions P, Q, and R.
And I just want to thank the Planning Department for being so flexible. You were
flexible on accommodating a lot of the other amendments, and we're asking you
to bend a little further. But thank you, because I think you realize in the grand
scheme of things, it's important to create these really holistic complete
communities where we have affordable housing, where we have beautiful open
spaces, and also accessibility to medical and commercial campus centers. So Sid,
we're in agreement on the conditions that need to be amended?
MR. FUKE: Correct.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: P, Q, and R?
Page 49
PC -7
April 9, 2019
MR. FUKE: Yes.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: So I would like to move Bill 49 forward to the Council
with a positive recommendation, and provide Council Members with an amended
draft based on our conversation and amendments to P, Q, and R at the Kona
meeting. Are we all in agreement? I'm sorry, I'm going to call for a vote. It's
been a long day. I'm going to call for a vote on moving Bill 49 forward to the
Council with a positive recommendation and the version of the bill that we will be
seeing at Council will reflect amendments to Conditions P, Q, and R based on our
very extensive conversations today. Yes, we will adopt the amendment. But
we're moving this bill forward to the Council. And I believe we've done
something similar in the past, Bill 1, for the Kaupulehu development. We've
moved that forward to the full Council with a positive recommendation, with the
understanding that an amendment will come forward to our body at the next
Council meeting. So all in favor, please say "aye."
Vote on Bill 49: The motion to recommend passage of Bill 49 on first
(Approved) first reading was carried by the following voice vote:
Ayes: Committee Members Chung, David, Eoff,
Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Lee Loy, Poindexter,
Richards, Villegas, and Chair Kierkiewicz — 9.
Noes: None.
Absent: None.
Excused: None.
CHR KIERKIEWICZ: Motion carries.
MR. FUKE: Okay, thank you.
Page 50
PC -7
I_T8 CION! OF
MENT:
Apri19, 2019
There being no further business, at 3:57 p.m., Ms. Lee Loy moved to adjourn the
meeting. Seconded by Mr. Richards and carried by the following voice vote:
Ayes:
Committee Members Chung, David, Eoff,
Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Lee Loy, Poindexter,
Richards, Villegas, and Chair Kierkiewicz — 9.
Noes:
None.
Absent:
None.
Excused:
None.
CHR. KIERKIEWICZ: We are adjourned at 3:57 p.m. Thank you.
Appro e
n
Ashley Kierkiewicz, Chair
Planning Committee
AK/rk
qIV/9-
(Date)
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