HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-12-16 Leeward Exh C (Public Testimony re Item 10 Cravalho REZ) LEEWARD PLANNING COMMISSION
COUNTY OF HAWAII
TESTIMONY TRANSCRIPT
DECEMBER 16, 2021
Public testimony regarding the application of DWAYNE CRAVALHO (REZ 21-000248) was
called to order at 10:01 a.m. via live stream online meeting, with Chairman Michael Vitousek
presiding.
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Michael Vitousek, Barbara DeFranco,
Clement"CJ" Kanuha III, Mahina Paishon-Duarte, and Faith"Faye" Yates
ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Dalilah Schlueter, Esq. (Counsel for the Commission),
Jean Campbell, Esq. (Counsel for the Planning Department), Zendo Kern (Planning Director),
Maija Jackson (Planning Program Manager), Christian Kay (Planner), Jessica Andrews
(Planner), Tracie-Lee Camero (Planner), Eric Cook (Planner), and Noriko Sauer(Commission
Secretary)
APPLICANT: DWAYNE CRAVALHO (REZ 21-000248)
Application for a Change of Zone from an Agricultural-20 acres (A-20a) to a Village
Commercial-7,500 square feet(CV-7.5) zoning district for approximately 7,544 square feet of
land. The subject property is located at 55-479 Hoea Road, at the northeast corner of the Hoea
Road/Akoni Pule Highway intersection, Ka`auhuhu, North Kohala, Hawaii, TMK: 5-5-009:019.
Secretary's Note: "- - -" indicates indiscernible speech due to internet/technical difficulties or
simultaneous talk.
VITOUSEK: Let's see it is difficult to hear the bell. If there's anything that we can do about
that that would be appreciated. Continuing on to Item 10. The first testifier we have is Leslie
Nugent. Leslie are you available?
NUGENT: Am here, thank you. Good morning, thank you.
VITOUSEK: Please state your name and the town you live in, and you've got three (3) minutes.
NUGENT: Okay. Good morning, my name is Leslie Nugent and I'm a resident of Kapa`au.
Thank you to the Leeward Planning Commission for your time this morning. I am a Co-Director
of Operations for the North Kohala Community Resource Center and I'm here to share my
opposition for the rezoning application by Dwayne Cravalho. To rezone the triangle on the front
of Akoni Pule and Hoea Road currently it's Ag-20 designation to Commercial Village-7.5. We
just wanted to share that there is no personal connection to Dwayne himself or his
entrepreneurial endeavors to create a food truck. We support food trucks in our community and
support small businesses and opportunities for farmers to get their food into the community is
awesome.
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However, our objection is in the long term and permanent rezoning to a commercial site. We
don't understand what the protections would be that this site doesn't just become a place that
doesn't have a food truck but have an actual building. We recognize that rezoning is a
permanent change, and we like to really consider that this area that is a very small awkward
shape parcel. It's difficult to understand how there'll be space for two (2)paved parking stalls,
restrooms, food truck buildings and this area is high density traffic. In terms of folks coming on
and off of Hoea, a place where the school bus drop students off, a place where cars often turn
around on their way in and out of Kohala. And police officers often park right there in the State
Department of Transportation area and control traffic and safety to our community. So, we have
concerns, safety concerns that transitioning this parcel to commercial will bring for not only our
nonprofit that serves community projects that benefit our community, but also for other residents
on Hoea Road and in Kohala. Thank you for your time today.
VITOUSEK: Thank you, we appreciate your testimony and next up is Jeffrey Coakley. Jeffrey,
please state your name and the town you live in.
COAKLEY: Aloha, my name is Jeffrey Coakley and I live in the town of Kohala. I'm testifying
in favor of Dwayne Cravalho's rezoning request from Ag-20a to CV-7.5. I've lived in Kohala
for the past fifty (50) years when the plantation was operating at full swing, with the last sugar
truck rolled out of the base yard and beyond. Kohala has gone through a lot of changes since
then mostly subtle changes. Many of today's businesses occupy already zoned commercial
spaces that occupy people who bought or lease or who inherited those businesses from the
grandparents, parents, and there's nothing else. His proposal will create an economic
development opportunity for an enterprising Kohala person to start their own business, a food
truck legally. Create employment for themselves and family.
Some say, can we trust Dwayne? You may get the commercial zoning then who knows what's
going to happen. I've known Dwayne for many years, I knew his parents, his siblings. I
coached his daughter Auli`i, a Disney movie fame as a swimmer and actually helped her get to
Kamehameha Schools. As a young man Dwayne told me he had a goal to have his own
construction company and through hard work he accomplished that. He's a hard-working person
but can we trust him? In 2008, we had a major earthquake, and the only road to Makapala was
blocked by landslides. Dwayne who had his heavy equipment at that time, took his front-end
loader to clear the road, so do so "—" and Makapala residents could get in and out of their
homes. He took it upon himself to do that as the County couldn't get to it.
That's what Kohala people do. We kokua. Kokua is helping without being asked. Some say his
food truck will create an eyesore. Well, Haw!town is not what it is back in the 70's. You had
Ben's Barbershop, Barry Dillard restaurant and meeting room, Haw!'s Laundromat Filipino Store,
Takata Store a dry good store, Kona Chop Suey, Shigi Gas Station, Sarah's Pool Hall and 2
movie theaters. Today, you have real estate and art galleries and nothing wrong with that. But
it's like walking down Lahaina. Things change, it happens, maybe not to our liking, but it is
what it is. I just want to say that I support Dwayne's proposal to rezone his Ag-20a to CV 7.5
because it makes sense. Mahalo for the opportunity to share my mana`o.
VITOUSEK: Mahalo, we appreciate the time.
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The testimony ended at 10:07 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Melissa Dacayanan-Salvador
Secretary to Boards and Commissions
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