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Home My WebLink About2022-10-20 Leeward Exh A (Public Testimony re Item 1 Cravalho & Item 4 Council Bill 194) LEEWARD PLANNING COMMISSION COUNTY OF HAWAI`I TESTIMONY TRANSCRIPT OCTOBER 20, 2022 Public testimony of Rebecca Melendez via Zoom regarding the application of DWAYNE CRAVALHO (REZ 21-000248) and the COUNTY COUNCIL INITIATED BILL NO. 194 was heard at 9:07 a.m. in the West Hawaii Civic Center, Community Center, Building G, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, with Chairman Michael Vitousek presiding. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Michael Vitousek, Barbara DeFranco, Clement"CJ" Kanuha I11, and Mahina Paishon-Duarte ABSENT AND EXCUSED: Michael Dela Cruz and Zaheva Knowles ALSO PRESENT: Keyra Wong, Esq. (Counsel for the Commission), Jean Campbell, Esq. (Counsel for the Planning Department), Jeffrey Darrow (Deputy Planning Director), Maija Jackson (Planning Program Manager), Jessica Andrews (Planner), Clinton Mercado (Planner), Janice Hata(Zoom host), 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: (3) 5-5-009:019. INITIATOR: COUNTY COUNCIL (BILL NO. 194) (PL-CCI-2022-000002) An Ordinance amending Chapter 25, Article 2, Division 4, of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2016 Edition, as amended), relating to conditions on change of zone actions. The purpose of this amendment is to clarify that the Planning Director may not extend the time allowed to satisfy conditions within a change of zone ordinance unless specifically authorized by the County Council. MELENDEZ: Can you hear me, I wanted to testify, and I don't think you saw me on Zoom. VITOUSEK: I didn't. Sorry about that. Please — MELENDEZ: That's okay. Um' so, um'— VITOUSEK: Please — MELENDEZ: —please excuse my ignorance too I'm new to this- 1 EXHIBIT A VITOUSEK: Okay. MELENDEZ: —I'm trying to learn how to voice my opinion as I'm a resident in Keauhou. So, um' your Bill 194 is this the time where I can testify because you mentioned testifying about anything. So, can I testify against that right now or for that? VITOUSEK: Sure. MELENDEZ: Okay. VITOUSEK: So, the options are you can either testify about it now or you can wait until that agenda item is called and then you can testify at that time. MELENDEZ: Okay. VITOUSEK: So, what would you prefer? MELENDEZ: Well, I guess, um' how long is the meeting because I would like, I just have to go to work. So— VITOUSEK: Cool, yeah. Please feel free to testify now. That's no problem. MELENDEZ: Okay, thank you. So,— VITOUSEK: If you don't mind, what is your name and the town you live in? MELENDEZ: Yeah, I'm Rebecca Melendez, I live in Kailua-Kona, Keauhou area— VITOUSEK: Okay. MELENDEZ: —resident of Keauhou. VITOUSEK: And would you please raise your right hand so I can swear you in. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth on the manner before the Planning Commission? MELENDEZ: Yes, I do. VITOUSEK: Okay, please proceed with your testimony. MELENDEZ: Okay, thank you. So, with regards to the Bill 194 and I totally agree that no Planning Director should not have the full say without the County Council being addressed with regards to the zoning being able to extend, right. I just feel like right now what I'm seeing as a resident, as I've been here since 1997. Um' you know especially after Covid there's just so much growth happening and unfortunately people have been caught taking handouts you know what I mean. Like I'm not blaming anybody for this but I'm saying is we need to have a checks and balances so that it's not you know a possibility of a director or somebody being able to extend 2 EXHIBIT A something and then you know who's to say. I mean there's always now going to be a thought if people are going to be taking you know money for or for these extensions because they've been caught in the past unfortunately. And I'm just really hoping that this island I really feel is losing its feel of aloha. We don't have the roads for so much development and to have a director to be able to say right away, yes, let's extend you without coming to the City Council is not okay. So, I definitely agree with that bill saying no, it's not okay for him to be able to do this because it actually helps the community feel especially like myself feel more protected that people aren't taking handouts because they can't have a yes right away. That's something I wanted to say for that one and there was another one on the agenda here and if it's been taken back then please let me know. So, there's the applicant Sunshine Holdings with regards to oh no, excuse me, applicant was unfinished business number 1, Dwayne Cravalho. It's 20 acres and then it says into a village, a Commercial Village. So, I think this goes back to my concern about the fact that you know this was Agricultural land and there are so many I have actually documented over 300 acres that are currently in application process. A lot of them was Agricultural land that's now going into wanting to become Commercial and the Big Island has a lot of vacant land. It has a lot of Agricultural land. But the thing is we don't have the roads for a lot of the commercial business that I'm seeing that these agricultural lands want to turn into. You know what I'm saying, like, don't have the roads, the traffic is already so bad and the parking in town like I'm just wanting that to be really a concern. And I just want to know that you all really are seeing what's happening to this island in a very fast way after Covid. After Covid its exploded. So, these applicants that are turning their Agricultural land to Commercial I just want you to be to really look at the roads and the traffic and how this island is changing. So,just to give more aloha for the fact that we do need affordable housing for locals, and we don't need really — VITOUSEK: We'd ask you to briefly summarize. MELENDEZ: — any more commercial. Okay. VITOUSEK: Thank you. MELENDEZ: Yeah, that's all that I got to say for that. Thank you. VITOUSEK: Mahalo for your testimony. The hearing ended at 9:12 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Melissa Dacayanan-Salvador Secretary to Boards and Commissions 3 EXHIBIT A