HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-03-09 Planning Commission Minutes
PLANNING COMMISSION
COUNTY OF HAWAII
MINUTES
MARCH 9, 2006
The Planning Commission met in regular session at 9:00 a.m. in the in the County
Building, Councilroom - Room 201, 25 Aupuni Street, Hilo, Hawaii, with Chairman C.
Kimo Alameda presiding.
PRESENT:C. Kimo AlamedaABSENT & EXCUSED: Andrew Iwashita
Fred Galdones Jeffrey McCall
Bill Graham Allen Salavea
Rene Siracusa
HannahSpringer
Rodney Watanabe
Ivan Torigoe, Deputy Corporation Counsel
Christopher J. Yuen, Planning Director
Norman Hayashi, Planning Program Manager
And approximately 26 people from the public in attendance.
The Chair introduced the Commissioners and staff to members of the public.
WORKSHOP - Infrastructure and Public Facilities Needs Assessment Project
Ms. Gagorik noted that the County hired Helber Hastert & Fee who in turn subcontracted
with Duncan Associates of Austin Texas to conduct an infrastructure and public facilities
needs assessment and drafting an impact fees ordinance.
Scott Ezer of Helber Hastert & Fee gave some background information and noted they
started the project in late fall and brought on board Jim Duncan and Clancy Mullen from
Duncan Associations, who are one of the foremost experts in the United States on this
subject. He added that Alice Moon joined their teams in putting together an outreach
program, noting they had a meeting in West Hawaii that was well attended and very
productive.HeaddedanothersessionforEastHawaiiisscheduledtomorrow.
JimDuncangavetheirfirmsexperienceoninfrastructureandpublicfacilitiesneeds
assessment and impact fees. He explained what an impact fee is, what it is not, the legal
basisforfees,andthe1992HawaiiImpactFeeAct.
ClancyMullentalkedabouttheworkplanandschedule,growthcontext,impactfees
versus fair share assessments, drawback of fair share assessments, ownership of vacant
residentiallots,typeoffees,treatmentofexistinglots,timeandcollection/assessment,
pre-ordinance credits, post-ordinance reimbursements, assessment districts, benefit
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districts, affordable housing projects, progressive residential fees, cost recovery, phase-in
period and contact information. He said some groups felt for the County to subsidize or
pay all of the fees should depend on the level of need and there was a suggestion made
that fees collected in a district should be spent in the district but a certain percentage, 40
percent perhaps, would go to an island-wide fund.
(SEE EXHIBITS A AND B)
For Commissioner Grahams information, Mr. Duncan explained any improvement
benefit exclusive to the property owner, such as local residential streets or a turning lane
on an arterial that goes into a commercial project, is not eligible; and any improvement
which is capacity enhancing on the system, such as traffic lights, or an arterial or major
collector would be eligible. Mr. Mullen said it was possible to have situations where the
value of the improvement is going to be more than the development is going to generate
inimpactfeesandthattypicallyadevelopershouldbereimbursedorthereshouldbea
credit given to the developer for the cost of the improvements made.
Commissioner Siracusa pointed out the unfairness of a fee schedule based on the
household size for an area that has all the amenities and an area that does not, noting in
the Puna or Kau areas there is no electricity, no County sewer system, and substandard
roads. Mr. Duncan noted that they are still learning the island and at their public meeting
in West Hawaii, of which half the attendees were from Kona and the other half from
Hawaiian Ocean View Estates, the most definitive response was about not wanting to be
excluded from services and not wanting further developments to compound existing
problems. Mr. Duncan noted that Mr. Clancy touched on cost of services varying where
a separate fee could be calculated based on the localized cost or level of existing services.
Commissioner Siracusa said she liked the idea of people in need being exempted, noting
these individuals can be identified by obtaining information from the Department of
Human Services or from the State Tax Office.
In response to the Chairs inquiry, Mr. Duncan said the suggestion that fees collected in a
district should be spent in the district with a certain percentage going into an island-wide
fund made sense as people living in one judicial district do travel to another district.
Commissioner Iwashita questioned whether it was legal to include public transportation
infrastructure as part of the impact fee assessment; and he said he felt building roads
would create more problems, noting he felt developments should occur in a way where
people do not have to get in their cars to go to work, shop or go to school. Mr. Mullen
said they were doing some studies on public transportation and considering person trips
instead of vehicular trips, noting one problem with a transit system is generally the
biggest cost is the operating cost.
Mr. Duncan noted that for one area on the mainland the fees were exempted because they
had a sophisticated rapid transit system; and in some central areas the fees were reduced
10 to 15 percent since many of the people either used the bus system, walked or rode a
bike more than using their vehicles. He said currently they are attempting to look at each
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community individually to see if there are any of those characteristics that they can build
into the system.
For the Commissions information, Mr. Yuen said this matter will come before the
Commission again when it considers the impact fee ordinance.
Mr. Ezer pointed out the Planning Department keeps a current website for this project
and from the workshop they came up with a 6-page list of frequently asked questions,
with answers, which will be forwarded it to the Commission for their information.
RECESSEDThe Chair called a recess at 10:10 a.m.
RECONVENEDThe meeting reconvened at 10:20 a.m.
REZ 05-023The Commission took this item up at 10:20 a.m. with
BIG ISLAND approximately seven people from the public in attendance.
CANDIES, INC.
WAIAKEA,
SOUTH HILO
APPLICANT: BIG ISLAND CANDIES, INC. (REZ 05-023)
Change of Zone from Single-Family Residential 10,000 square feet (RS-10) to General
Commercial 20,000 square feet (CG-20) for approximately 45,450 square feet of land.
The properties are located north of Kekuanaoa Street, at the northeast corner of
Kekuanaoa Street and Hinano Street and the northwest corner of Kekuanaoa Street and
Laukapu Street, Waiakea House Lots, Waiakea, South Hilo, Hawaii, TMK: 2-2-34: 66,
78 & 79.
(SEE EXHIBIT C)
SUBDIVISIONCODETheCommissiontookthisitemupat12:10p.m.with
AMENDMENTtwo people from the public in attendance.
PLANNINGDIRECTOR
SUBDIVISION REVIEW
AND APPROVAL
PROCESS
INITIATOR: PLANNING DIRECTOR
Continuation of a hearing on amendments to certain sections of Chapter 23 (Subdivision
Code), Hawaii County Code 1983 (2005 edition) regarding the subdivision review and
approvalprocess,includingbutnotlimitedtoinformationrequiredforthesubmittalofan
initial subdivision application, revision to certain time requirements, grades and curves of
streets,andhousekeepingchangestothelanguageswithinvarioussectionsofthecode.
(SEEEXHIBITD)
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MINUTESThe Commission took up the following as this time,
3:10 p.m. with no one from the public in attendance.
February 3, 2006 It was moved by Commissioner McCall and seconded by
Commissioner Springer that the minutes be approved as circulated with corrections to
Exhibit B, Page 15 the first three lines should read: YOUNG: No. The Watumull
family does not have any interest in placing our facility on their property; and Page 16,
fourth paragraph, third line change heresy to here say. Motion was unanimously
carried by a voice vote of all Commissioners in attendance.
ADMINISTRATIVEThe Commission took up the following at this time,
MATTERS3:11 p.m.
Status of appeals filed on Planning Commission decisions - Corporation Counsel Mr.
Torigoe stated he had nothing new to report.
ANNOUNCEMENTSThe following announcement was made at this time,
3:12 p.m.
Chair announced that the next meeting is scheduled forMarch 24, 2006 in Kona.
ADJOURNMENTTherebeing no further business, the Chair declared the
meeting adjourned at 3:12 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Sharon M. Nomura, Secretary
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