HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-06-03 TPUNABAPTIST
PLANNING COMMISSION
COUNTY OF HAWAII
HEARING TRANSCRIPT
JUNE 3, 2005
A regularly advertised hearing on the application of PUNA BAPTIST CHURCH (SPP 05-006)
was called to order at 9:07 a.m. in the County Building, Councilroom - Room 201, 25 Aupuni
Street, Hilo, Hawaii, with Chairman Fred Galdones presiding.
PRESENT:Fred GaldonesABSENT & EXCUSED: Allen Salavea
C. Kimo AlamedaRodney Watanabe
Bill Graham
AndrewIwashita
Jeffrey McCall
Rene Siracusa
Hannah Springer
Ivan Torigoe, Deputy Corporation Counsel
Christopher J. Yuen, Planning Director
Norman Hayashi, Planning Program Manager
Phyllis Fujimoto, Staff Planner
Jeff Darrow, Staff Planner
And approximately 29 people from the public in attendance.
APPLICANT: PUNA BAPTIST CHURCH (SPP 05-006)
Special Permit to allow the establishment of a church and related improvements on
approximately 2.91 acres of land situated within the State Land Use Agricultural District. The
property is located along the south side of the Pahoa-Pohoiki Road (Highway 132), adjacent and
to the east of the Pahoa Woodland Subdivision, Pahoa, Kaniahiku, Puna, Hawaii,
TMK: 1-5-115:8.
GALDONES:Commissioners, we are on Agenda Item No. 5 under New Business. The
applicant is Puna Baptist Church (SPP 05-006). This is a
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ORLOSKI:I definitely would like to hear it again.
TORIGOE:Okay, A 30-foot landscaping buffer shall be included in the development
plans to mitigate any potential adverse noise or visual impacts to adjacent properties in
accordance with Planning Department Rule No. 17, meeting with the approval of the Planning
Director. Existing vegetation shall be retained to the extent consistent with runoff control
requirements with the exception of albizzia or other hazardous trees.
ORLOSKI:Is that what you meant, Mr. Graham?
GRAHAM:I can see your reason for concern. But I think the last sentence that
CorporationCounselhassaid,whichisthattheexistingvegetationshallberetainedtotheextent
its consistent with drainage controls necessary, I think it does, in fact, put in place what I
intendedbymyamendmenttothemotion.
SIRACUSA:Excuse-.
GALDONES:CommissionerSiracusa?
SIRACUSA:Yeah,Ijustwantedtopointoutthatsometimestherearetrade-offs,you
know. You dont want the flooding and drainage problems, at the same time you dont want to
bewideopenandhavenoscreening,vegetativescreeningatall.Sothisisanattempttodoboth,
to make sure that the drainage is going to, that issue is primary, and is going to be resolved. And
then to the extent possible once that is guaranteed by the engineers, then as much as possible the
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natural vegetation would be retained and added to as well when necessary. So I think youve got
a, its the closest attempt we can get at to a win-win to allowing the church to go forward and
seeing to your two major concerns.
ORLOSKI:Were asking for less than 3 percent of their land to be allowed for -.
SIRACUSA:Percentage has nothing to do with it though.
ORLOSKI:Well, its a very small amount of land.
SIRACUSA:Cause you can put them on a one-foot, you know, one-foot building the
length of the property and give yourself maximum buffering, or push them over to the other side
of the property which then is going to impact the next neighbor. It looks to me like theyve got it
pretty much in the center to be most considerate of everyone on all sides. And there always have
tobesomegiveandtake.So-.
GALDONES:Okay,theChairwouldliketoproceedforwardwiththemotion.
IWASHITA:Mr.Chairman.
GALDONES:CommissionerIwashita.
IWASHITA:Thank you. I just wanted clarification from counsel, that 30-foot
landscaping buffer, is that identified to be along the residential boundary?
TORIGOE:You know, thats a good question. I was just looking at, Im wondering if
we should say something like to the west to specify it, or are we intending for this to be on all,
you know -?
IWASHITA:Yeah, it was my intent in seconding the motion that this buffer is along the
residential side of the property, the side that has the residences.
ORLOSKI:Yes, were on Shinde, Ms. Shindes property line, the property, parcel 45;
and its between, for legal matters, its between parcel 8 and parcel 45.
GALDONES:Well, Id like to direct that question to Commissioner Graham since he
had introduced the amendment.
GRAHAM:Yes, that was my intention, that it would be only on that side of the
property, and specific reference to the need of Ms. Shinde, so along the full duration of the
property line that is shared by those two landowners.
IWASHITA:Okay, thank you. I had one other. I just wanted to make clear on the
record my understanding of counsels proposed language, is that it essentially is a restatement of
the intent of our motion; and that is that the final wording were talking about is existing
vegetation shall be retained. In my mind that is the controlling, the primary controlling
language, that the vegetation that exists shall be retained but for the exceptions, which are
removal of the dangerous trees, or some engineering concern that requires some other work to be
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done in that area so that the existing vegetation cannot be maintained, and it has to be, otherwise,
landscaped. Is that your understanding? Im directing this to the applicant.
CURLEY:What I dont understand is now how much of 30-foot buffer are we talking
about?
IWASHITA:Just along the Shindes property.
CURLEY:Oh, okay. I understand.
IWASHITA:But asto the language requiring, retaining existing vegetation in that area,
my restatement earlier, is that your understanding also?
CURLEY:Well, my understanding is other than the albizzia or the other garbage tree,
whatever.
SIRACUSA:Cecropia.
CURLEY:Renehasgotit.
IWASHITA:Thatyoullneedto-?
CURLEY:Yes.
IWASHITA:Maintain the existing vegetation?
CURLEY:Other than that -.
IWASHITA:Other than those, yeah.
CURLEY:Yes.
IWASHITA:Thank you.
GALDONES:Commissioner Graham?
GRAHAM:One other thing, just to clear with Corporation Counsel, Planning Director
did indicate that he thought it appropriate that he be the person that authorizes intrusion, you
know, into that natural buffer area; and so I dont recall that you said that in your restatement.
But I just want to be sure that that is the sense of this body and thats what you intended, or that
is what were going to be voting on, that the Planning Director will be the body that needs to
approve intrusions into that area for these reasons.
TORIGOE:Right. I dont know if I specifically said that either, but the intent was to
say that the buffer in the development plan would be in accordance with Rule 17 meeting with
the approval of the Planning Director.
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One last thing, I hope, about the plants that can be removed. What I mentioned was that the
albizzia trees and any other hazardous vegetation or trees could be removed. Do we need to
refine that? Are we talking about cecropia? Is that a hazardous plant or -?
SIRACUSA:In a sense it is because like albizzia it does tend to fall, unlike albizzia it
doesnt get quite as large. So it might not necessarily go through a roof, but it would knock off,
say, a gutter. They are a soft wood that, theyre not a hard wood that holds up, you know, to
weather. So, yes, they can be dangerous.
TORIGOE:Okay, so I guess we want to make it clear on the record. What is your
pleasure? You want to authorize removal of the albizzia, cecropia and other potentially
hazardous material or trees? It sounds like the applicant was talking about rubbish tress. I dont
know if thats the same thing.
CURLEY:ThatswhatIcallthem.
GALDONES:Areweallonthesamepage?Okay,anyfurtherdiscussion?Otherwise,
back to the motion. Seeing no further discussion, then the amendment to Condition No. 3 would
be as stated by counsel; and that would incorporate the initial amendment, and the motion by
Commissioner Springer, and the amendment by Commissioner Graham. Norman?
HAYASHI:Before I take the vote, clarification. That new condition by counsel, is that
going to be a new condition or is that added to Condition No. 3?
GALDONES:It would be added on to Condition No. 3. It would amend your original
proposed language.
HAYASHI:In its entirety? Is that the intent?
GALDONES:It would cover that all, counsel?
TORIGOE:Yeah, I think, basically, this is to amend and replace that last sentence that
starts, Landscaping shall be included in Condition 3.
SPRINGER:Mr. Chair?
GALDONES:Commissioner Springer.
SPRINGER:And retaining staffs proposed amendment regarding the CV zoning, the
CV and RS zoning.
GALDONES:We would be retaining that.
HAYASHI:Okay, I think, well try to come up with the proper language for that
particular condition after meeting with counsel after the meeting. With that, Ill take the roll call;
and that is the motion to approve with the proposed amendment to Condition No. 3.
GALDONES:Yes.
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HAYASHI:Okay. Commissioner Springer?
SPRINGER:Yes.
HAYASHI:Commissioner Siracusa?
SIRACUSA:Aye.
HAYASHI:Commissioner Alameda?
ALAMEDA:Yes.
HAYASHI:Commissioner Graham?
GRAHAM:Aye.
HAYASHI:Commissioner Iwashita?
IWASHITA:Aye.
HAYASHI:Commissioner McCall?
MCCALL:Aye.
HAYASHI:Chair Galdones?
GALDONES:Aye.
HAYASHI:Mr. Chair, motion carries.
GALDONES:Thank you, Norman. You will be informed in writing of todays action.
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Orloski.
The discussion ended at 10:57 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Sharon M. Nomura, East Hawaii Secretary
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