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HomeMy WebLinkAbout90_001Larry S. Tanimoto Planning Commission Mayor 25 Aupuni Street, Rm. 109 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720 • (808) 961-8288 CERTIFIED MAIL May 14, 1990 Mr. David Basque, President B & B Construction, Inc. P. O. Box 135 Kealakekua, HI 96750 Dear Mr. Basque: Use Permit Application Petitioner: B & B Construction, Inc. TMK• 2-3-25:6 The Planning Commission at a duly advertised public hearing on May 3, 1990, considered your request for a use permit in accordance with Rule 7 of the Planning Commission, to allow the establishment of a medical building for a maximum of eight practitioners on 27,670 square feet of land situated within the Single Family Residential - 7,500 square foot (RS -7.5) zoned district at Piihonua, South Hilo, Hawaii. The Commission voted to deny the use permit based on the following findings: The applicant is proposing to construct a new medical office to accommodate eight practitioners and their staff. The granting of this request will not be consistent with the general purpose of the single family residential zoned district, the intent and purpose of the Zoning Code, and the County General Plan. The purpose of the single family residential zoned district is to provide a residential area for urban and suburban family life. The property to the west and south of the subject property is characterized by established single family dwellings. The property to the northeast is zoned Open and is used as a county park. The establishment of a doctor's office with eight practitioners would adversely affect these residential and open space uses through increased traffic, noise, and related impacts associated with an office development of this size. The General Plan Land Use Pattern Allocation MAY 1 4 1990 Mr. David Basque May 14, 1990 Page 2 Guide (LUPAG) Map designation of Medium Density Urban Development may allow commercial uses. However, the proposed use must also be reviewed against all of the applicable policies, goals, and standards of the General Plan. The proposed use is not consistent with the goal of the General Plan for single family residential development "To ensure compatible uses within and adjacent to single-family residential zoned areas." The Hilo Community Development Plan recommends the retention of Single Family Residential (RS -10) use in this area. This denial recommendation is also based on the policies of the Hilo Community Development Plan (CDP) for future commercial development to "reinforce the existing commercial structure by encouraging it to fill in to become a linear but unified City Center, rather than further disassemble to other parts of Hilo." The existing commercial structure referred to was originally comprised of Downtown, Kaiko'o Mall, and the Hilo Shopping Center. The approval of a regional shopping center in 1982 led to the inclusion of the Prince Kuhio Plaza as another center of commercial development. Approval of this request could lead to similar future requests and would encourage a scattering of commercial development outside of the established commercial centers. The site of the proposed medical center is approximately .5 mile east of the Hilo Hospital. Establishment of the proposed use at this location would not contribute to centralization of health care services around the hospital. Rather, it would lead to scattering of such services. Existing commercial activities in the vicinity, such as the Seven -Eleven store, have been established on older commercial properties and are of a neighborhood service character. A nearby medical building (Kinesis Hawaii) is occupied by a maximum of two physical therapists. These existing commercial uses in the vicinity of the subject property should not be viewed as a nucleus for a new commercial center in this part of Hilo. This request represents a type of development which cumulatively will have negative impacts on the residential quality of the area. The granting of the proposed use will be detrimental to the public welfare and may cause adverse impact to the community. The proposal is to construct a new medical building which would accommodate eight doctors and their staff. This represents a significant increase in activity over present residential Mr. David Basque May 14, 1990 Page 3 levels. The property is part of an established residential neighborhood, which includes some limited commercial uses. The intensity of use resulting from establishment of an eight -practitioner medical clinic would not be conducive to the existing residential setting. The Civil Defense Agency has referred to traffic problems that already exist for the residents and employees along Waianuenue Avenue and Puuhina Street. Access to the proposed development from Waianuenue Avenue would be situated approximately 125 and 280 feet from the Waianuenue Avenue-Kaumana Drive intersection. Traffic travelling in the makai (east) direction from upper Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo Hospital, Rainbow Falls, and Piihonua passes through this intersection, stopping at a stop sign before proceeding onto Kaumana Drive. Vehicles waiting at the stop sign to turn onto Kaumana Drive are often backed up in.front of the subject property. At times, traffic is backed up as far as Puuhina Street. Vehicles approaching the proposed clinic from lower Waianuenue Avenue or Kaumana Drive would have to turn left across the east -bound lane of traffic to enter the driveway. Potential obstruction of traffic because of an increase in number and difficulty of left turn movements may adversely affect traffic flow from Waianuenue Avenue and Kaumana Drive. Furthermore, the applicant shows only 36 parking stalls on the property. A minimum of forty stalls would be required for eight medical practitioners. No street parking is available along Waianuenue Avenue. Should additional employee parking be deemed necessary at the time of Plan Approval, it may not be possible to accommodate such additional parking on the property. For the foregoing reasons, approval of the use permit at this particular location would be detrimental to the public welfare and safety. The granting of the proposed use will adversely affect similar or related existing uses within the surrounding area, community or region. As stated above, approval of this request would not be supportive of the existing commercial areas of Hilo as called for in the General Plan and the Hilo Community Development Plan. The proposed medical office would adversely affect existing residentialuse in the community. The granting of the proposed use will unreasonably burden public agencies to provide an efficient and safe transportation system. As previously mentioned, the establishment of a medical Mr. David Basque May 14, 1990 Page 4 office at this location would significantly lessen efficient and safe use of the local transportation system. Based on the foregoing, it is determined that this request is inconsistent with the intent of the Zoning Code and General Plan; will be detrimental to the public welfare and cause adverse impact to the surrounding residential properties; will adversely affect existing commercial and residential uses within the community; and may burden the current public roadway system. Therefore, the request for a Use Permit is denied. A denial by the Commission of the desired use shall be appealable to the Board of Appeals. Should there be further questions on this matter, please feel free to contact the Planning Department at 961-8288. Sincerely, Fr ed Y. Fujimoto Chairman, Planning Commission xc: Corporation Counsel bcc: Plan Approval Section