HomeMy WebLinkAboutPL-SMA-2022-000018, PL-SPP-2022-000018 1.19.23 M. CASTAING & H. BEHRMANN TESTIMONYDate: January 19' 2023 8:30 AM
To: Leeward Planning Commission / Kona Planning Office
West Hawaii Civic Center
74-5044 Ane Keoholkalole Hwy, Building E
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
From: Mark Castaing and Helen Behrmann
PO Box 1135, Kapa'au, HI 96755
CeII: 808 987 8177
RE: Applicant: AHU POHAKU HOOMALUHIA LLC (Formerly Robert Watkins & Jean Sunderland)
( PI- SMA-2022-000018)
Special Permit (SPP 01-000006 and PL-SPP 20222022-000018, Tax Map Key: 5-4-009:014
AND Application for an amendment to Special Permit No. 1117
Honorable Leeward Planning Commissioners:
Hawaii Island Retreat (HIR) was granted a Special Use Permit (SUP) over 20 years ago and has
been at odds with its neighbors ever since.
HIR has never lived up to its commitments and required mandates for infrastructure on
Maluhia Road.
1- The surrounding agricultural lots that were a part of Honopueo Community Association
(HCA) had much different needs and uses for Maluhia Rd. HIR had special commitments
and requirements mandated for their SUP to build a hotel which set them apart from
the rest of the community.
2- Not only did they not follow "a good neighbor" policy (required as one of the mandates
of their SUP). They turned around and sued their neighbors to compel them to pay for
their required improvements. Which still left us with a sub -standard road
3- The surrounding community has since paved all of Maluhia Rd. The cost was $140,000.
70% of this was paid for by the neighbors and 30% by HIR. This worked out well for HIR.
HIR guest's, workers and the hotel mandated "public access" put a huge amount of
traffic on this road and have no right to more than double the traffic on our community
road. Even with the community's efforts this is still a sub- standard road especially with
much of its use by visitors that are not use to driving on steep and curvy roads.
4- An example of "spin" on their plans is that adding 20 more rooms to the hotel would not
increase the number of guests, just allow yoga retreats to have one guest per room. It
should be assumed that the hotel will run at full capacity whenever it can. Jean
Sunderland told community members 20 years ago that all guest would come and go in
vans putting very little traffic on our road, this was not true then nor now.
5- Realtors made inquiries to past board members of Honopueo Community Association
about the status of HCA. This inquiry was about the sale of HIR and if HIR was still part of
HCA. The members of the Planning Commission are well aware of the huge problem of
granting zoning and building applications that are just used to increase land value. Years
later new owners request extensions due to no action on the granted permits which
only increase the property value to the original owners.
The next issue that the commission should focus on is the HIR mandate to provide public
access to and along the shoreline. We have often found the gate to travel along the coast to
be lock and there are fences that do not have gates which impedes those wanting to walk
along the coast. As other ocean front neighbors also have mandated public access along this
portion of the coastline.
HIR originally purchased a large 54-acre piece which surrounded the small Lincoln burial lot.
Years after all permits and mandates for HIR where issued, HIR purchased the Lincoln burial lot
and used a PCRS to make two larger lots. Now they want to use another PCRS to take land
away from the hotel parcel at the same time they want to double the size of the hotel.
We own land that touches one of the lots which HIR proposed a PCRS on, there is no
notification on Honopueo road that will be used if this PCRS is allowed to move forward. There
is a requirement to post notification which was not done. The hotel property should not be
allowed to be compressed onto 5 acres.
We strongly urge this commission to deny the request to more than double the size of the
hotel and we urge that the commission not allow the request for a PCRS.
Mahalo for your attention to the surrounding neighbors' concerns.
Mark Castaing
TMK 3-5-4-009-025-0000-000
Helen Behrmann