HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-01-20 Leeward Exh B (Item 3 Planning Dept Presentation) LEEWARD PLANNING COMMISSION
COUNTY OF HAWAII
PRESENTATION TRANSCRIPT
JANUARY 20, 2022
A regularly advertised presentation of long-range land use and infrastructure planning goals by
the Planning Department was called to order at 10:35 a.m. via live stream online meeting, with
Chairman Michael Vitousek presiding.
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Michael Vitousek, Barbara DeFranco,
Clement"CJ" Kanuha III (until 10:38 a.m.), Mahina Paishon-Duarte, and Faith "Faye" Yates
ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Dalilah Schlueter, Esq. (Counsel for the Commission),
Diana Mellon-Lacey, Esq. (Counsel for the Planning Department), Jean Campbell, Esq.
(Counsel for the Planning Department, from 11:28 a.m.), Zendo Kern (Planning Director),
April Surprenant(Planning Program Manager), Christian Kay (Planner), Alex Roy (Planner),
and Noriko Sauer(Commission Secretary)
PLANNING DEPARTMENT PRESENTATION: Presentation of long-range land use and
infrastructure planning goals for lands under the jurisdiction of the Leeward Planning
Commission based on the Kona Community Development Plan (CDP), South Kohala CDP,
North Kohala CDP and Hawaii County General Plan.
VITOUSEK: Okay, returning to item 3, Planning Department Presentation, a presentation of
long-range land use infrastructure planning goals for lands under jurisdiction of the Leeward
Planning Commission based on the Kona Community Development Plan, the South Kohala
Community Development Plan, the North Kohala Community [Development] Plan and the
Hawaii County General Plan. Staff presentation will be by April Surprenant, Planning Program
Manager, Long Range Division of the Hawaii County Planning Department. Thank you so
much for taking the time to help educate us.
SURPRENANT: Aloha. Thank you. I'm going to share screen—make sure I share the correct
one. Okay, you all should be seeing a full screen of the title slide.
VITOUSEK: Yep.
SURPRENANT: Okay, great. So, yes, we are going to go over land use and infrastructure
priorities from a policy level as it relates to the Community Development Plans and the General
Plan. One part of the great news of this is that our CDPs and our General Plan are very much in
alignment. So in this presentation I don't really separate that out; I kind of combine the policies
together, so please keep that in mind. Also, this is really intended to be an overview and a
beginning of this conversation, so we'll talk about it towards the end of the presentation of
additional information that you all may want to see or potentially departments that you may want
to talk directly with to get more information on that.
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So in this presentation, as you mentioned, the regional areas that we'll cover are North and South
Kohala and North and South Kona. We will focus mostly on the urban areas as it pertains to
land use, and the most critical infrastructure typically is water, wastewater, roads, and also parks.
I will also go through some current Planning initiatives that we in the department are undertaking
and involve some State agencies as well. And then some of the related agencies involved with
infrastructure overall are MTA, which is Mass Transit, Department of Water Supply, Department
of Environmental Management, Department of Public Works, the State Department of
Transportation, Office of Housing and Community Development, and then Department of Parks
and Recreation for the county.
So we'll start our tour with North Kohala and move our way down. Many of you already and
often see our land use maps. On the left is the State Land Use for North Kohala showing where
the urban areas are near Kawaihae in the lower part and then up in Haw! and Kapa`au up in the
north, and then the same for the General Plan showing where the urban areas are in general, most
of the land being either in Ag or in Conservation,which you see here in the blue.
So the general goals in North Kohala really focus on growth management, access, housing, and
infrastructure. Particularly with growth management it speaks to, the CDP speaks to, and also
the General Plan, to focus development in existing town centers, including infill and things of
that nature, and preserving open space and agriculture for historic and cultural resources.
Access, as many of you probably already know, North Kohala is pretty famous for its work with
public access, and it has made a lot of progress in that regard and continues to do so. I also want
to point out I think it's not always talked about, we talk a lot about shoreline access, but there's
also a lot of mauka access that we need to keep in mind—so I just point that out that it's not just
shoreline and coastal access but also mauka. Affordable housing you'll see as a common theme
in all of our CDPs and in the General Plan to find creative solutions to affordable housing and
something that this administration is currently focusing on. And then infrastructure facilities is
another, is another piece of it.
The North Kohala CDP does not have as many details in this particular CDP; the way it's
formulated, it's a bit more general. But the priority policies revolve around cultural and historic
preservation, recognizing—which is critical for many of our villages—recognizing the rural
context of our communities, which is very difficult to compare perhaps with other communities
in the State or even other counties in the State; we have a, we have a distinct rural community
sort of framework on our island. Also, it is pretty clear in the CDP and in the GP related to
upzonings to be very cautious, in the CDP with upzonings as it relates to being consistent with
the goals and policies, which I know this Commission is good about. Recognizing agricultural
subdivisions and confirming that they are for agricultural uses. Just paying special attention to
SMA, or Special Management Area, areas and applications related to that, particularly with
residences and subdivisions. Making sure that all development proposals have adequate
infrastructure, which is typically part of reason ordinances that come out of this Commission.
And then minimizing land speculation in North Kohala really to save land values for affordable
housing purposes, and also just making sure that, again, similar to having development in infill in
the urban areas and preserving those open space and culturally significant areas.
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Under growth management in North Kohala, it talks about acquiring coastal lands, which again
is something that the North Kohala community has been very successful in doing to preserve
open space and culturally significant areas. Downzoning State-owned properties for the same
reason basically. And then supporting diversified agricultureI think that's also a commitment
and a theme that we see throughout the island to preserve agriculture and also to have it be
sustainable and finding creative ways to have agricultural practices to be sustainable and
effective. It calls for participating, the county participating in the important ag lands opportunity
that is outlined in the State statutes. And then also protecting viewplane areas, particularly the
mauka-makai viewplanes, which is also called out in 205A and something that we have
addressed to the best of our ability so far in the update for the General Plan, which we'll talk
about towards the end.
Then again,public access these are just a few of those policies called out that are in the CDP
as well as for affordable housing. I think there is a nonprofit right now in the Kohalas for
affordable housing, but also, you know, commitment to furthering to support that, as well as to
find creative ways to increase `ohana units and additional farm dwellings to help provide more
affordable housing.
In the infrastructure, policies are a little bit more general, but commitment to, you know,
improving and upgrading a lot of the facilities,potable water comes up often, as well as
agricultural water supplies. And then wastewater is alwaysoh, excuse me, where's
wastewater—wastewater is always a big part of the conversation as well. Here's the ag water
down here.
So the Action Committee in its past and current still continues to focus on acquisition of various
open space and culturally significant sites, as well as the public access, to improve the water and
agricultural water systems and transmissions, to upgrade roadway systems in general, and to
create emergency bypass this is another theme you will see in other regions in the General Plan
and CDPs, particularly with the Action Committees, that they tend to focus on to support that
affordable housing nonprofit, as I said earlier, and then promoting diversified agriculture.
So now we'll shift down to South Kohala. Again, the State Land Use is on the left with the pink
being the urban areas and the General Plan, the current General Plan, on the right showing all of
the, sort of dark, the darker colors and the hatch lines are urban areas, as well as the yellows and
oranges are all the urban areas, and the hatching.
The general policies for South Kohala again focus on cultural and sense of place, historic sites
and historic places, traffic and transportation they start to identify a little bit more detail in the
South Kohala areaagain, affordable housing, and emergency preparedness are focuses,
particularly South Kohala is focusing on better procedures when in case of wildfires and
evacuation and alternative routes, things like that. And then environmental stewardship and
sustainability—again, this is a common theme that we see—and focuses things like this one
prohibiting injection wells in the SMA if wastewater is not treated to a certain level, so it's a
very specific policy to keep in mind when we are looking at developments, and it would be part
of comments from the Planning Department.
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Okay, from a land use perspective, to carefully evaluate rezones of important ag lands and make
sure that they comply with, you know, policies that are in both the CDP and the General Plan.
Looking again at agricultural subdivisions and making sure confirming that there is an
agricultural purpose. The South Kohala CDP actually calls for reducing the acreage of
low-density area in Waimea townagain, that is more to focus the development and
redevelopment and infill in those urban areas, rather than letting the village sprawl too far.
Again, affordable housing. Restoring of upland forests this is a very important piece of
natural, our natural resources, mauka forests help to replenish our aquifers, they create more
moisture in the air, more oxygen, and so they are important to our island as a whole. And then
maintaining agricultural zoning until all of the RS zoning lands are developed—again, this kind
of points back to the low-density urban, you know, sort of combining that to some extent so that
the infill can actually happen for existing zoning. It speaks to expanding commercial area of the
Kawaihae Harbor but also to be careful and to mitigate any effects of that growth, so to, you
know, take all of those things into consideration with the harbor area. To mitigate impacts of
development within Puako, and it's specific, and this is mostly pointed to shoreline
environmental conditions related to wastewater—we all know that they are an issue in the Puako
area with wastewater—and so, to that effect, it also recommends not to increase density in that
area, and that it should be prohibited. Again,protecting our historic, natural environment in the
pu`u-s, with no subdivisions or acquisition. Some of the General Plan starts to speak to it, but a
number of the CDPs speak to transfer development rights, so that's something that we have
looked at. We still don't have legislation to actually enable it or to put it in place in Hawaii
County. We do have State legislation that would allow us to do it if we so choose. And then to
create a Waikoloa community center and regional park.
From an infrastructure standpoint, it's a little more specific than the North Kohala. But, to desire
a Lalamilo connector road, a bypass, Kawaihae bypass, which has been talked about for many
years. Potable water systems in the Waikoloa resort and village areas, as well as in Kawaihae.
To upgrade and expand wastewater, again a common theme. A secondary access from the
village, Waikoloa Village, to Queen K. Highway, and which is also in the General Plan. And
then Paniolo extension to Kawaihae Road. Looking at alternate evacuation routes, particularly in
Puako. And then wastewater system in Puako, which we just talked about.
So, similarly, the Action Committee has focused on potable water in Kawaihae, wastewater
treatment in Puako, Waimea,potential of a Waimea Historic District, the Waikoloa intersection
has been a big piece, as well as a secondary access, emergency shelters in the district, as well as
the wildfire emergency protocols and alternative accesses in that area.
And then North and South Kona. Again, State Land Use on the left—I've provided the outline
of the Kona CDP Urban Area just for reference the blue being Conservation, the green being
Agricultural, and then the General Plan LUPAG designations on the right-hand screen, again
with the red outline being the Kona Urban Area.
The Kona priorities are very clear and detailed. In the transportation it calls for a lot of
multimodal systems and complete streets, and, which is something that we've been working on a
lot in the Planning Department, as well as a transit trunk system and hub system for the TODs
TODs meaning transit-oriented development, which is by a short definition is a compact, excuse
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me, compact mixed use type of development and growth that has many different types of
multimodal transportation opportunities in that area and is also walkable between residences and
work, workplaces and commercial uses. So, roadway connectivity in—and part of this has
actually been addressed with the mass transit master plan that is now in place through the Mass
Transit authority for the county—it speaks largely of roadway connectivity, and we'll talk about
some of that in just a minute, including landscaping in the right-of-way. This is one that we in
Planning have been trying to work on for quite a while, and we'll continue to strive for, to get
more landscaping in the right-of-way, particularly, landscaping and, which could even be
dry-scape that's appropriate for a particular region. So a lot of people think that right-of-way
landscape is always plants and has to be lush and has to be irrigated, and that's not always the
best solution to right-of-way landscaping; so there are many different types of landscape that can
happen that may not require irrigation and things of that nature but does provide a much nicer
environment for the residents and pedestrians in those areas. There is a commitment to finish
Ane K. Highway,particularly, well, it calls for connection from Kamini to, Ka`iminani, excuse
me, to Hina Lani, but—and much of that is already completed [sic]but it does also call for the
connection further out to Palamanui. And then a frontage road makai of Queen K. between the
airport and Kuakini.
From a land use perspective, it calls for a redevelopment plan of Kailua Village that has
previously been addressed by the Action Committee. We still do not have a redevelopment plan
for Kailua Village but is certainly in our sights to look forward to. Enhancing shoreline
setbacks that's another project that you'll hear about in just a minute that the County is
working on. Urban growth management and trying to focus infill in those TODs and TND
areas the pink being the TODs, transit-oriented developments, and TNDs being transit
neighborhood developments in the blue. To look more at clustered rural PUDs in a way to
compact the development and preserve open space where can. Looking for a variety of housing
and affordable housing opportunities. And then a commitment to the open space network, which
you will also hear about in just a moment.
And then from water and wastewater, we have a lot of needs in West Hawaii, and we'll talk
about that, too, that the State is actually helping us do some study work related to water and
wastewater. But, looking at the Kona Mauka Watershed Management Area, prioritizing water
and sewer in TOD areas, looking at—and I know DEM is continuing to have this conversation of
how to either expand wastewater or provide a new wastewater north of Hina Lani. Looking at
better and improved urban stormwater management. Certainly, we know that the Kona area gets,
when they, when you do get rain, sometimes you get a lot of rain, and it floods, you get flooding
significantly, and that's something that we need to make improvements on. And then likeoh, I
guess I duplicated Kona watershed management.
So the Action Committee has focused on, and they've done some work already on, the Kona
open space plan. Lako Street connector is another priority that they have. The last phase of
Ane K. between Hina Lani and Palamanui. The Kailua Village redevelopment plan. And then
looking for opportunities for affordable housing. We have had a subcommittee that has now
finished its work and gave a report related to Alii Parkway where they had done some additional
outreach to lineal descendants. And also, we are looking at alternative uses maybe of that
right-of-way that's not necessarily a full parkway but could be a trail, a walkway, or just a transit
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way for perhaps buses, bicycles, and pedestrians. So there are a number of different
opportunities that if this moves forward, that can be considered.
One of the things that we participate in and have for several years since it was instated with the
State, is the commission for transit-oriented development through the State, and there is a State
strategic plan. In the leeward area of the island, we have these particular projects that are in that
strategic plan. So looking at a potential transit station in the Makaeo, or Old Airport Park, area
and doing some site selection and analysis on that through the Mass Transit office. Some
affordable housing that phase 1 has been complete for Kamakana Villages and, but this is one of
the areas—and I'll show you in just, in the next slide that where we have a lack of water
infrastructure, so we cannot expand this facility without identifying funds and resources for
added water infrastructure. Village 9, this is a joint project, and the County portion is looking at
emergency housing, which is, or should be, getting underway in designing and construction
starting this year. And then the multimodal transportation, the Kailua-Kona multimodal
transportation plan, which right now is inactive but is somewhat covered by the island-wide mass
transit master plan that includes the Kona area.
So another piece that we are working with the State, the State Office of Planning and Sustainable
Development has initiated a statewide project to conduct an infrastructure finance study, and
they've asked each of the counties to identify an area to include in that study. And in
conversations with all of our infrastructure departments, with the Department of Planning, we've
identified this area of Ane K. corridor between Henry Street and Hina Lani as that corridor,
particularly looking at water and wastewater needs. It does include a number of affordable
housing projects in the area, DHHL as well as the high school, the Kealakehe High School. And
the mass transit trunk system, which is identified along Ane K., and a hub is predicted and
planned for in the West Hawaii Civic [Center] area. So what we also like about using this
corridor is that the work that we, that gets done and identified in this particular corridor is likely
to be directly transferable to the extension of Ane K. towards Palamanui, and this will include
partnership with a number of different State agencies but particularly HHFDC and Hawaiian
Homelands.
So now,just to cover a few other items, and then we'll open it up for questions, and I'll also
open it to the director to add anything that he would like to add. But just an FYI about
concurrency, I think many of you probably understand what concurrency is, but it's a
requirement for new developments to provide adequate infrastructure to ensure the public health,
safety, and welfare of the property owners, as well as the community as a whole. So our zoning
code identifies certain requirements for concurrency standards related to roads and traffic, as
well as water and civil defense sirens, so it has specific criteria in there that have to be met for
certain developments. And then the Kona CDP also has a roadway concurrency, which is the
map that you see on the right; the shaded areas and the letters just simply identify certain regions,
and then the roadway areas are identified by section or region, and then the blue lines show what
the conceptual idea is for those roadways, green would be the preliminary alignment—some of
these have actually already been built—and then pink is final as of when it was in the CDP.
So some of the things that we in Planning are working on along with the director, we have
started the Kona open space plan in the CDP Urban Areaagain, that red outline that I showed
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you earlier. So we are currently in the consultant selection process, procuring a consultant, and
the CDP does still have a subcommittee that also includes members of the public, and so we will
be working with that group as this particular project unfolds. This is looking at open space but
also trail networks and green space networks that can be connected in the Urban Area. Again,
I've already mentioned the State TOD infrastructure financing study. We are also embarking
and have for the last year or so on a public access inventory update. So we are going through all
of our public, the public accesses that we have in the county, looking at the permits that
authorize them, the conditions that go along with those, the grant of easement, if one was put in
place already, and connecting all of those pieces and making sure that they are accurately entered
into their GIS database so that it will be available on our GIS. We are also working on a
shoreline setback analysis that looks at erosion rates for our shoreline across the island. Right
now we are working on a few very specific sites to do that shoreline analysis, and then it will end
up in, we hope, a shoreline setback rule amendment, which you will certainly be hearing about,
and as that project unfolds, we will provide additional information as well. We are, the Waimea
trails is an ongoing project, and we are trying to identify funding for construction for Waimea
trails. The CRC, the County's Cultural Resource Commission, has two subcommittees, Planning
and Preservation Plan; the Preservation Plan reviews the status of preservation plans that are in
place and works with the agency or the landowner to make sure they get implemented and
upkept; the Planning Subcommittee is a new one and one that will be working to help decide on
priority projects for the commission for any given year and also look at priority sites for purchase
and other things of that nature. As part of, we are working with Research, Department of
Research and Development on the climate action plan, and we are running a piece of it, looking
at climate vulnerability assessment. So again, that's another presentation we could give in the
future, excuse me, to present the findings of that work and further update you from R and D on
the climate action plan. Then we have the General Plan update, which I will also let the director
speak to in just a moment as well.
So some of you may have seen this over the last several years of, sort of the path in which we've
taken in putting together the comprehensive review of the General Plan. So we started with
affirming goals and looking at all of the community development plans, and it was really a great
exercise in confirming how consistent the community development plans are with the General
Plan in looking at the goals and objectives overall. Then we went through and understood all of
the existing conditions and looked at trends and forecasts. So if we keep going the way we've
been going, what will it look like? Some of you may have attended some of our workshops that
we had a few years ago in this regard. And then what if we start to change things and do some
scenario planning, and then what would it look like if those, if those types of things happen?
And then to weigh those trade-offs of different alternatives through the scenario planning process
and looking at model alternatives based, comparing existing trends to potentially new
alternatives.
And then where we are now is really finalizing the phase 4 of the process, which is wrapping up
the recommended plan and something that we have been reviewing with this administration and
our planning director and will continue to do through this year. And then phase 5 will get us into
additional public review of the plan. Then it will come to you for review and recommendation,
and then to the County Council.
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So just to recap all of that really quickly, a lot of the themes that we, a lot of the common themes,
consistent themes, that we see are the natural and cultural resources, the importance of
preservation of those resources, infill in our urban cores, finding creative ways for sustainable
agriculture, looking at other ways to make sure our neighborhoods have amenities similar to
parks—like if developments would put in small pocket parks in lieu of paying fair share and
things of that nature, it would benefit the immediate neighborhood that they are developing
upgrading our water and wastewater systems, and finding new ways to foster a vibrant local
economy.
So just a couple more slides on CIP, overall CIP process. We are in that process right now. We
spent this week with the director and meeting with all of the different departments and sending
them back to do some more work and sending a revised list of projects. The main priorities from
this administration are projects that are mandated by law, public health and safety projects that
are required,priorities from the General Plan and the CDPs, any kind of infrastructure projects
that will support affordable housing—again, that's a priority for this administration. Also
matching funds, we are consistently looking for alternative funding where we can use County
funds to match those funds to take us much further. And then departments and projects that are
ready to go, that are not with the the CIP has typically been used as a wish list, and so we are
looking for creative ways and projects to put in this year's CIP that are much more ready to go,
and that the departments have those resources that they need. One thing to understand about the
CIP budget is that it's called an appropriation, which means it's appropriate for implementation
and use of funds if that makes sense; so it does not commit the funds and it does not commit to
the timing. The CIP does live for approximately, a project in the CIP, as soon as it's adopted
into the CIP, lives for approximately three years in there without having to be re-appropriated,
but it does not mean that the project will happen within that time frame. So the part that the
director, that our planning director has been working with the departments on is trying to really
focus on those projects for this year's CIP that really can get started in the next year or two.
They largely depend on resources, meaning people and money, and also administrative priorities,
so that's just something to keep in mind with our CIP budget. Available funds can come from
bond floats, grants, federal or state money and the like. And then what happens after that, when
it's appropriated, is once funds are found, like a grant has been applied for, and then we get
noticed that we received that grant, then those funds are what's called allotted, and that's when
the source and the project are connected; the source of the funding and the project are connected,
so it's allotted. And then encumbrance is really just signing a contract, so it may be signing a
contract for a grant, and then also signing a contract for the use of those funds with a contractor.
And then those related departments again are Water, DPW, Transit, DEM for solid waste and
wastewater, as well as Housing, and Parks and Rec.
One of the things that we have consistently found in the CIP process is that we are so far behind
on repair and maintenance, and we have so many federal mandates, EPA mandates, ADA
mandates, that are required that much of our CIP funds go toward life safety and repair and
maintenance type projects. And so the same is true that we are seeing so far for this year. We
are not ready to reveal that list yet, and the departments are still working on that, but you will see
it, see it come through Council very soon in March. But most of them are working on repair and
maintenance or hardening, Parks and Rec's works on hardening some of their facilities so that
they can be used appropriately as shelters. Fire, for example, is looking for, might be looking for
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a new substation in Mala, and Police with a substation in HOVE in the Ka`u District I know
that's not in your particular regions but relevant. And then MTA for example looking at hub and
spoke systems in general, and right now their focus is on Kona and Pahoa.
And that is what I have for presentation. I want to—before I hand it back to you, ChairI just
want to see if Director Kern has any more that he would like to add to this conversation.
KERN: Thanks, April. Aloha everybody, nice to see you all, Happy New Year. No, April, you
did a great job. So much information I can talk for days on many of these subjects. I think it'd
be most advantageous right now just to see what the Commission has to say on it. Again, very
comprehensive, and really appreciate all the work that you've put into that. So, happy to answer
any questions.
VITOUSEK: Thank you so much. That was really amazing to go through all that amount of
material in that time, unreal. Thank you. Commissioners, are there any questions?
Commissioner Yates.
YATES: Just so I'm understanding this correctly. So this is wonderful information, a lot of
information, and a lot of questions, of course, but I'm, I'm thinking that, based on all of the
information, that there's still a lot more to be gone through in order to really have concrete
answers to a lot of these questions like affordable housing and, you know, landscaping in
different areas and the time frame and, and so I'm thinking that there will be more coming up
before the Commission as you go through them, or as it comes available, I'm thinking, so that
it'd be kind of like a, kind of like maybe redundant we go over now and then later on we go over
it again. Because some of my questions were, you know, affordable housing, of course, is a big
deal, and I'mspecifically, for my concern is like fire because in Kohala we don't have any fire
hydrants that to speak of where, you know, close enough to homes, except for the newer
subdivisions. So I don't know if that's something we address, you know, at a particular time or
when they talk about it. And also, I'm also curious about cultural and historical preservation;
who's, who'll be overlooking that or will it, you know, as it comes up, then we talk about it?
And then I know about water, you know, our farmers here with the ditch being down, the farmers
here have no water for agriculture, so I'm not, I don't know what all has been done about that,
but I know it's a big concern for the farmers out here because, you know, we are a pretty big
farming community that all the people here they do, you know, they grow their vegetables and
everything, and they take it to market, but I believe they are having a difficult time because of
water—not in the last couple months because we've got rain, but other than that. So those are
some of my concerns about, you know, time frame and, you know, if people ask, we can, or who
should they talk to, or those kind of questions.
KERN: I'm happy to jump in here a little bit. So it's, you talk about time frame, it's quite tricky
because a lot of these plans within the CDP and General Plan they've been there, so they've
existed and these policies have existed, and so then it really comes down to, you know, the will
of the administration to push certain things forward, as well as the bandwidth and resources that
are available. So for example, like on our CIP, or capital improvement project, list of that April
did, we could have 180 million dollars' worth of projects on there at any given time, yet we
really only have the capacity to maybe do like a 40- or 50-million-dollar bond float. So then we
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are looking at how do we prioritize? Then it gets even more complex because, as you say, we
have subdivisions that don't have fire hydrants, right? So now what do we need for a fire
hydrant? We need a waterline. So now we need to go and get that infrastructure put in to bring
those fire hydrants in to serve existing units. Simultaneously, we are in a housing crisis, so we
need new units in other places, and what do we absolutely need for those new units? Water. So
now these really tricky conversations come up of where do we put that money? Do we serve the
existing? Do we serve the new? Similarly to even like our cesspool conversions, and we need,
you know, other wastewater systems like which we are tackling existing and we are also going
after new. So it's really trying to find that balance. I feel like this administration is really
pushing forward to find creative solutions and go through that. All of those policies that you've
seen, we review as a Planning Department when an application comes in. So we review the
projects against all of those policies, GP, CDP, and that's how we kind of help, it helps make that
decision: hey, it's consistent with it, we can support it, it's not consistent with it, we can't
supportit. So you folks are seeing that project by project. The challenge is how do we get
somebody to do more, how do we get somebody to do, you know, more affordable housing,
specifically. And so, like right now we have an area in that, that TOD node within that Kona
urban core area where we could potentially do 1,500 affordable housing units; however, we can't
get the water out of the ground to do it, even though the sustainable yield is there. So it's you
layer compound after compound after compounding, you know, challenge, and it's kind of one
of those things that it could sit there and not a lot be done. And I feel like we've seen just for
many years there's a lot of deferred maintenance that's coming up and something that personally
I don't like to not do, I like to do. So we are trying to do what we can to solve these areas. It
doesn't answer all your questions, Commissioner, but it's some framework of these, how we are
trying to tackle these ongoing constant issues while those policies remain and continue to uplift
those within the decisions that we are making. I hope that helps a little bit.
YATES: Yes, thank you, I mean at least it gives us some insight to it. Thank you.
KERN: Absolutely.
VITOUSEK: Commissioner Paishon-Duarte.
PAISHON-DUARTE: Thank you. Yeah, thank you, Zendo, for providing more context, you
know, competing interests and timelines and resources and so forth. I actually have a,just a
vernacular question; what does infill mean? You had mentioned it in one of your slides. I'm
sorry I don't know what that means.
KERN: Sure, so infill development is when you are basically in-filling an existing area. So like
a really good area would be, say, the old industrial area of Kailua-Kona, so right where, say, the
brewery block is, that whole area; if you were to go in there and start developing, that's infill
development. So we are now, we are in-filling in that area, kind of already existing area, already
had impact, already had the disturbance, versus going outside of that area and now we are
actually creating a new disturbance, a new area, "greenfield development"they call it, and we
are creating new. So that's kind of the difference between those two. You know, modern
planning practices is to try to do as much infill as possible and then limit that. And so we are
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trying to find that balance. I think the CDPs have done a good job of defining those urban core
areas. But that's the, that's what it is.
VITOUSEK: Commissioner DeFranco.
DEFRANCO: I really appreciate the presentation, you know, and it's, it is fair, it's interesting,
because it's about policy and it's about an overview of policy. And so if you are sort of a
hands-on person that wants to find out actually what's happening, this doesn't actually address
that part of me that wants to know where these things are actually taking place and when they are
taking place. So, you know, I sit in South Kona, and we didn't talk about that at all, because it's
all focused on the urban district of, you know, Kona Town. So South Kona is not even involved
in the presentation hardly at all. But, you know, for me there were a couple of things like, you
know, we did sit and look at Palamanui's park structure, then it happen you know, those are
things I want to know. So when is this going to happen? When is Palamanui going to provide
the parks there, you know? When is the idea of a new hospital going to come for us in North and
South Kona? You know, that would affect everybody. Where are those types of projects
happening? Are they happening? At one time I remember the CIP had money to widen the
highway from, you know, Henry Street to Kam III, but I don't think it's even on the CIP
anymore. So now we heard a tiny bit about maybe an Alii Bypass, but, you know, connector
roads for tsunami, you know, all of these things are coming up for us. She has mentioned Lako
Street going through, but, you know, it doesn't mean so much to me as when is that going to
happen and what's happening around the Lako Street. Is there a development proposed there?
What—you know, those are things that I am particularly interested in and would like to maybe
have it put at for another meeting where we get more of the meat like that, that we get addressed
to hear a little bit more about the actual projects that are being proposed. Anyway, but, thank
you, I liked the overview; it was very thorough, and it was a lot of ground to cover. But I sat on
the CDP for four or five years and listened to all of these presentations for a long time, but, you
know, I like the action part and to know, you know, what is, what's roots on the ground, so to
speak, for me. Thank you.
VITOUSEK: I think that the key for us here is that we are reviewing specific projects a majority
of the time, right? We will be reviewing the General Plan, we'll be reviewing any updates to
community development plans, and so forth, but a majority of the time we are reviewing specific
applications. And the reason why we requested to have this overview of the community
development plans and CIP goals is so that when we are reviewing these specific projects,
permits and so forth, we know where they fit within this bigger picture of what needs to be done
so that we can condition those developments appropriately to meet the goals that are established
in these development plans, these larger guiding documents for what the community needs as a
way of us being able to use that information to incorporate it on a small scale when reviewing a
specific project.
KERN: And to add to that and maybe help Commissioner DeFranco's frustration that I also find
is there has, you know, in the past has been somewhat, you know, siloed with departments, and I
think we are doing a good job of working to adjust those and break those down. In my mind I
would like to see our project list a year out in advance where they are design-shovel ready and on
a list so you know. That doesn't exist the way that we'd like to have that, but it should. And it's
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something that our current Department of Public Works Director is on board with, too, and so
really saying, hey, Planning, why don't you help, you know, you guys plan where this goes and
we'll start doing it, so we are doing it. It's a very different dialogue. So that's what we are
working towards. It's not happening fast enough, but that will ultimately get it so we can have a
bit more of a framework on what that would look like. And that's what we are trying to uplift
into the General Plan and make the General Plan more of a county-wide document, it is, but
more adopted by the other departments. That's why we have to go back out, get more buy-in
from them, bring them into it and say this is the guiding document and the CDPs are part of that,
and we are moving forward with those. And at some point, Chair, if you guys want, we can, you
know, request DPW folks to come in and talk about some of their roadway priorities, etcetera,
etcetera.
VITOUSEK: Is that something that you would like to see? Yep, okay, I think that would be a
good thing. Commissioner DeFranco.
DEFRANCO: Yeah, you know, also, you know,we have Kealakekua Bay, Ho`okena, Two
Steps. You know, we in South Kona have areas that, you know, we want to know what is
planned for those. I mean I thought there was a, some, some things going on, but, you know, in
this presentation we didn't even touch it. So in my community that sort of, you know, for me to
go back and be able to tell people, you know, what's happening, or even for me to know what is
planned, would be good, would be good to know.
VITOUSEK: Is there a reason why, you know, North and South Kohala is split in two separate
community development plans, but Kona is lumped into one?
KERN: April?
SURPRENANT: The history of the beast. There are some of us who would like to see those
two combined and others who prefer that they not be combined, but it's simply the way it was
done in the beginning when Council initiated the first community development plans, and so
they were done separately in the Kohalas and done together in Kona. We all kind of wish there
were a little more consistency in that regard. So I do understand the question, but I don't have
much of a better answer than that. We all, all of our regions I think this is one thing to say that,
you know, North Kona is what it is, South Kona is what it is, and even within North Kona there
are very distinct and different regions and environments and different types of urban and rural
areas, and I think we can say the same for all of our different regions that they are very distinct.
But there are enough similarities that I think some of them could be combined, but that's yet to
be seen in the future, so.
VITOUSEK: Basically, Jumpers versus splitters.
KERN: So real quick on the DPW side of it—so, Christian, when Maija comes back, let's circle
up with her and talk story about that. We'll try to fit it, we'll give them some advance notice,
and then we'll work on fitting it into a time period where the agenda isn't too heavy. I don't
think we want to have that presentation on a day that we have a ton of applications coming in.
So we'll work on that one.
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VITOUSEK: Okay.
DEFRANCO: So, can anybody speak to Lako Street? Can anybody give mean update on Lako
Street, what that means? Anybody would care?
KERN: Yeah, I can say that I spoke with the landowner and his representative on what some
potentiality—and I don't have specifics honestly, they didn't give it to me but I talked with him
and the mayor. It's a really big priority to get Lako Street, you know, put in there, trying to do it
in basically a public-private partnership type of way, because, as you guys know, that the
landowner there, it runs through, hit, you know, their property. So that conversation is going,
and Bobby Command is also working with them. I don't have a lot of specifics we can give
other than it is going. I did shake the landowner's hands about four weeks ago saying hi, and we
had the beginning of the conversation. So it's in motion. I think we'll be hearing quite a bit
more of it. I think they are trying to avoid what happened last time where they kind of made an
announcement and said, hey, this is happening, and then things started to change, because a lot of
people got their hopes up, I know I certainly did, and then all of a sudden, it's like what
happened? So whatever they are doing, however it comes out, want to make sure that's very
actionable, and we are on board to make sure that the process is as responsible and as smooth
and as efficient as possible.
DEFRANCO: And one more question, the wastewater connectors on Alii Drive, is anything
happening with, anything along there, Kahaluu Park and in that whole area of those homes that
aren't connected to sewer lines? Has anything ever happened with those?
KERN: I personally don't have an answer to that. I'm not sure if any of my team members do,
but we can certainly inquire with DEM and shoot you folks, shoot you back a note on that at
least or put you in the contact with the person that could answer that directly
DEFRANCO: And then with the new wastewater plant, is there one happening? I heard we had
a deadline with the federal, some kind of federal EPA thing for Kealakehe wastewater place.
KERN: Yeah, they are working on that. There is an item in the CIP request right now that
involves that. They are actually looking at potentially changing from the lagoon into actual sand
filtration system that could turn it into the R1. That could actually have some good ramifications
about how that would move forward in a positive way. My understanding is that they are
working on a section of that here coming up and basically testing that out, so that is in motion.
My understanding is that that wastewater treatment facility, it does basically five million, they
can do five million gallons a day, but once kind of the West Hawaii Business Park is, you know,
filled out, some of these areas, we are going to be at capacity, so it's, now looking at, is there an
expansion, is there a new area? And the other thing with Kealakehe, it's also in—we need to
really look at it from a resilient standpoint with climate change and sea level rise, etcetera. So
that's the conversations that we are having with them, and they are working on it, not as fast as
we want it to be done.
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DEFRANCO: Then one more point, I thought I saw on a slide or heard that the extension of the
Ane K. from Hina Lani to Ka`iminani, it was almost done. What did that mean? I mean I don't,
it was on a slide. I'm not sure that anything has been done.
KERN: I think that was the TOD slide that she showed with the potential for it to go that other
way. You probably know as much as we do on that specific. I think that was probably just a
miscommunication on that one. But if we look at that TOD core area, as we solve for that, it
helps as we move towards Ka`iminani on that—not that it's being built right now or anything.
To me, you know, something like Lako Street would take precedence over that in my mind.
VITOUSEK: Okay. Any further questions from Commissioners?
DEFRANCO: Well, it was sort of just on a report that was sent out on vacation rentals that we
got it. Did you all get those?
VITOUSEK: That would be the next agenda item.
DEFRANCO: Oh, that's next one, okay, sorry.
VITOUSEK: Any other on the Planning Department presentation on long-range planning goals?
[No further questions]No? Okay. April, thank you again for your time. We really, really
appreciate it. Thank you.
The hearing ended at 11:33 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Noriko Sauer, Secretary
Leeward Planning Commission
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