HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-03-24 TAmendment_to_SMA_Map
PLANNING COMMISSION
COUNTY OF HAWAII
HEARING TRANSCRIPT
March 24, 2006
INITIATOR: PLANNING
A regularly advertised hearing on the application of
DIRECTOR
regarding Amendment to the Special Management Area (SMA) Map was called
to order at 9:04 a.m. in the King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel, 75-5660 Palani Road,
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, with Vice-Chairperson William R. Graham presiding.
PRESENT:ABSENT & EXCUSED:
Hannah SpringerAndrew Iwashita
Rodney H. WatanabeJeffrey McCall
Allen Salavea
Rene Siracusa
Fred Galdones
Ivan Torigoe, Deputy Corporation Counsel
Norman Hayashi, Planning Program Manager
Jeff Darrow, Staff Planner
And approximately 0 people from the public in attendance.
INITIATOR: PLANNING DIRECTOR
Amendment to the Special Management Area (SMA) Map by delineating the location of the
SMA boundary along the makai side of the Queen Kaahumanu Highway right-of-way from
the area north of the Kona Industrial Subdivision to the Kona International Airport at Keahole
AccessRoad.
GRAHAM:ThenextitemonouragendaisinitiatedbyPlanningDirectorwhois
not personally here today but Norman will be representing the Planning Department and Jeff.
This is an amendment to the Special Management Area in the North Kona district by
delineating the location of the SMA boundary along the makai side of Queen Kaahumanu
Highway right-of-way from the area north of the Kona Industrial Subdivision to the Kona
International Airport at Keahole Access Road. Well take just a minute for the Staff to get the
presentation for us.
HAYASHI:Okay Im ready Mr. Chair.
GRAHAM:Thank you Norman go ahead.
HAYASHI:Okay Ill just briefly go over the maps. First of all we have 2 maps on
the board. This is the official SMA map that was adopted back in the 70s. This is the North
Kona District and if you look at this map the yellow shaded areas are areas within the SMA.
This is the Keahole Airport and this would be Kailua. So theres an SMA line that is along
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the Queen Kaahumanu Highway. From our perspective the scale is so small, its 1-inch
equals 4,000 so there has been several interpretation as to where the SMA boundary is along
Queen Kaahumanu Highway. At times weve interpreted it to be on the makai side of the
existing right-of-way and there has also been interpretation that it is the centerline. Also since
this map was created additional right-of-way was provided along the makai side of Queen
Kaahumanu Highway and that was to accommodate future improvements like whats going
on right now which is the 4-lane highway. So basically the intent behind this proposal that
the Planning Director is initiating is to make it clear that the SMA boundary would be along
the makai side of the right-of-way. So anything makai of the right-of-way would be within
this Special Management Area and would be required to get a Special Management Area Use
Permit or an Assessment or Minor Permit. So thats basically it. If you notice the existing-.
This is the Kona Industrial Subdivision. When the maps were initially created these areas
were taken out of the SMA or left out of the SMA. But when the new-, this is the second
increment of the Kona Industrial Subdivision and a portion was already subdivided or has
sincebeensubdividedintosmallersizedlots.Thisisalongoneofthestreets;thisonetierof
industrial lots and those are within the SMA. So anything within that area, they would need
to get an SMA Use Permit or was covered under the SMA permit that was granted by the
Commission a few years back.
GRAHAM:Have you finished Norm?
HAYASHI:Okay so basically everything makai of the Queen Kaahumanu Highway
would be within the SMA.
GRAHAM:All right.
HAYASHI:And that is to make it clear that that is the line.
GRAHAM:Okay. Commissioner Springer?
SPRINGER:Thank you. Norman to our right of the red line on Loloku Street.
HAYASHI:Mm hm.
SPRINGER:Is that the Kailua Village Design District?
HAYASHI:The Kona Industrial Subdivision, existing industrial subdivision is not
part of the Kailua Special District.
SPRINGER:Thank you.
HAYASHI:Its outside of that.
GRAHAM:Commissioner Siracusa?
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SIRACUSA:Yes this is a question about process Norman. I dont know if I should
be asking you or Ivan. But usually if, when were approving SMA changes we do not make
recommendation to the County Council. Were the end authority I believe.
HAYASHI:Yes.
SIRACUSA:In this case does it go to the Council?
HAYASHI:No it does not.
SIRACUSA:Or does it end with us?
HAYASHI:Yes, you would be the ultimate decision making body to establish the
line as noted on this map.
SIRACUSA:So we would have to adjust the form of the motion accordingly then?
HAYASHI:Yes that would be to adopt the changes as proposed by the Planning
Director.
SIRACUSA:Thankyou.
GRAHAM:Yes Commissioner Watanabe?
WATANABE:Real quick, one clarification. So we are adjusting or proposing to
adjust the SMA line to makai of the actual right-of-way, which would actually be a little
further makai of the existing Queen K yeah?
HAYASHI:Thats correct.
WATANABE:Am I correct?
HAYASHI:Yes.
WATANABE:Yeah, so that would mean that you know as they do future
improvements to Queen Kaahumanu we would not be encumbered by the SMA Regulations?
HAYASHI:Yes.
WATANABE:Okay thank you.
GRAHAM:Thank you for that clarification. Norman since youre starting off with
a map there is there any kind of metes and bounds now in place or was the map really the only
delineation of the existing SMA area?
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HAYASHI:Yes that was the only, the map was the only thing we had to establish
where the line was, or the line is.
GRAHAM:All right thank you. Commissioner Siracusa?
SIRACUSA:Yes, in the event of widening of Queen Kaahumanu Highway does that
mean that the widening would only be able to take place on the mauka side of the highway or
that the State Department of Transportation should it choose to widen would have to apply for
SMA Variance from us?
HAYASHI:Okay. The improvements that are being proposed by the DOT or
theyre already doing some work is within this existing right-of-way. So its not, and this is
the line that delineates the right-of-way so everything that is being proposed or is being done
is situated mauka of that line on the SMA line. If however the State Department of
Transportationintendstocomefurtherdownanduselandsinthisareafortheright-of-wayin
the future then they would need to get a SMA permit.
SIRACUSA:Thank you.
GRAHAM:Norman could you give us a sense of just what the width is of the right-
of-way for the Queen Kaahumanu Highway. I know its quite, its quite large yeah?
HAYASHI:Excuse. I have 150 feet and 300 feet as the figure but thats a big
discrepancy so Im not able to answer that at this time.
GRAHAM:Thats all right. Thank you.
GALDONES:Mr. Chair?
GRAHAM:Commissioner Galdones?
GALDONES:Thank you Mr. Chair. Norman in the proposed amendment there is no
reference made here regarding the boundary on Loloku Street. So is it my understanding that
that area is not changed, that that boundary line is still the same?
HAYASHI:Yes this would be still the same. So, these dots allow the southside of
Kaloko Street would be within the SMA.
GALDONES:Okay thank you.
HAYASHI:And there is a blanket SMA for this particular area which is part of the,
which includes the Loloku Street. This is the Queen Liliuokalani Trust proposed subdivision
that the Commission had approved a SMA for and that also includes any improvements
thereof.
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GRAHAM:Any further questions from Commissioners? Mr. Torigoe could you
give us a little sense of exactly in the legal framework what we are doing with this item on the
agenda? Its not an ordinance and its not a change to our rules.
TORIGOE:Thank you Mr. Chairman. Basically your Rule 9-21 gives you
authority to amend the Special Management Area Maps. And so thats basically what were
doing today. And basically it says, 9-21, A-3 says the authority which is defined as the
Planning Commission may amend the Special Management Area boundaries only upon
finding if the amendments will further the objectives and policies as provided by Chapter
205A, HRS and will be consistent with the General Plan and other applicable ordinances.
GRAHAM:Thank you.
TORIGOE:I assume that the Planning Director has covered that ground for you.
GRAHAM:Fine. We dont have any testifiers in the room. Commissioner
Watanabe?
WATANABE:Imreadyforamotion.
GRAHAM:Allright,goforit.
WATANABE:Im not sure well we dont have a template for this but I move that we
approve the proposed amendment to the SMA along the right, to move it makai of the right-
of-way along Queen Kaahumanu Highway based on the Directors recommendations.
SPRINGER:Second.
GRAHAM:All right.
SPRINGER:And discussion. The amendment is to a portion of the County of
Hawaii Special Management Area Map for clarification.
WATANABE:Friendly amendment.
GRAHAM:My understanding of the delineation is that it will-, the map now the
mauka boundary of the SMA area, if this is approved will follow the makai boundary of the
right-of-way of Queen Kaahumanu Highway.
WATANABE:That is correct.
GRAHAM:Thank you. Commissioner Siracusa?
SIRACUSA:Should for, to make sure that all our Is are dotted mention in the
motion that the area in question runs from the north of the Kona Industrial Subdivision to the
Kona International Airport at Keahole Access Road? Thats what it says on the map and Im
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wondering if we should just make sure that that is in there so that its not taken in the future to
mean further in either direction than what were specifying.
GRAHAM:Is that your intention Commissioner Watanabe?
WATANABE:Sure.
SIRACUSA:Would you accept that as a friendly amendment?
WATANABE:Exactly, Ill accept that as a friendly amendment.
SIRACUSA:And would the seconder accept that as a-?
SPRINGER:Yes.
SIRACUSA:Thank you.
GRAHAM:Do we have any further questions? Mr. Torigoe?
TORIGOE:Just a point that we should probably remember for all these kinds of
voteswhenyourehavingwhatwehavebeencallingfriendlyamendmentsitsgoodtohave
and maker and the seconder basically acknowledge that its okay. We also should end up
with either a voice vote or just the Chairperson asking if there are no objections then the
motion will be considered amended something like that. So you have something on record
that acknowledges that theres a consensus that the amendments are okay.
GRAHAM:All right thank you. So we have had some clarifications that have been
accepted by Commissioner Watanabe and second by Commissioner Springer. Is there anyone
that has any problem with any of these clarifications and amendments to the motion? All
right thank you. So at this time I believe were open for a motion on this SMA Boundary
Amendment.
SIRACUSA:We have a motion.
GRAHAM:Oh excuse me. Were open for a vote is what Im trying to say.
Anything further from the Commissioners? And no one in the public attendance. All right
Norman please?
HAYASHI:Commissioner Watanabe?
WATANABE:Aye.
HAYASHI:Commissioner Springer?
SPRINGER:Yes.
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HAYASHI:Commissioner Galdones?
GALDONES:Aye.
HAYASHI:Commissioner Salavea?
SALAVEA:Aye.
HAYASHI:Commissioner Siracusa?
SIRACUSA:Aye.
HAYASHI:And Chair Graham?
GRAHAM:Aye.
HAYASHI:Mr.Chairmotioncarries.
GRAHAM:Normanyouwillbeinformedwritingofourdecisiontoday.
HAYASHI:Yes.
This discussion ended at 9:20 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Lynette Marushige, West Hawaii Secretary
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