HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-09-03 THALL
PLANNING COMMISSION
COUNTY OF HAWAII
HEARING TRANSCRIPT
SEPTEMBER 3, 2004
WILLIAM HALL (SMA 04-007)
A regularly advertised hearing on the application of
was called to order at 10:54 a.m. in the King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel,
Kamakahonu Ballroom, 75-5660 Palani Road, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, with Chairman
Fred Galdones presiding.
PRESENT:Fred GaldonesABSENT & EXCUSED: Bill P. Thibadeau
C. Kimo AlamedaRene Siracusa
Earl Fujikawa
BillGraham
Jeffrey McCall
Hannah Springer
Francis Smith
Ivan Torigoe, Deputy Corporation Counsel
Chris Yuen, Planning Director
Norman Hayashi, Planning Program Manager
Jeff Darrow, Staff Planner
Kiran Emler representing Department of Public Works
And approximately 15 people from the public in attendance
APPLICANT: WILLIAM HALL (SMA 04-007)
Special Management Area (SMA) Use Permit to allow the construction of a three-story,
12-unit apartment building and related improvements. The property is located between
Walua Road and Kuakini Highway, approximately 930 feet northwest of the Walua
Road Lunapule Road junction, Waiaha, North Kona, Hawaii, TMK: 7-5-18:92 and 93.
GALDONES:Commissioners, we are on Agenda Item No. 6. Applicant is William Hall,
SMA 04-007. This is a Special Management Area Use Permit to allow the construction
construction of a three-story, 12-unit apartment building and related improvements. The
property is located between Walua Road and Kuakini Highway, approximately 930 feet
northwest of the Walua Road Lunapule Road junction, Waiaha, North Kona, Hawaii,
TMK: 7-5-18:92 and 93. Jeff?
DARROW:Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If I may direct your attention to the
location map. The area of this location is the North Kona district. This red line is
actually the SMA line thats running along Kuakini Highway in the north-south direction.
The area of the location of this application is where these bunch of dots are located, the
red dots. As you recall, previously, weve had several applications within this same area.
Weve had two from Paul Black for 2-story office buildings with related improvements
and, also, two from the Rapozas for 2-story office buildings.
EXHIBIT D
The Applicant in this case, William E. Hall, is requesting an SMA Permit to allow a
3-story building with 12 units. On the first floor, that will be a garage area for each of the
units. Second and third floors will consist of six 1,300 square-foot units on each floor.
The application is actually on two parcels, 92 and 93, which are in the process of being
consolidated at this time. They will be one lot. And, as a result of that consolidation,
there has been some changes to the access easements that were required previously.
Those are going to be withdrawn. And the Applicant will be able to access on the two
ends of that one lot, once its consolidated.
The application has gone before the Kailua Village Design Commission; and they had
recommended approval of the plans by the Director for the 3-story, 12-unit building on
May 25, 2004.
Just for your information, this last map is the elevation showing the structure and the
KuakiniHighway,boththemakaielevationandthemaukaelevation.Theyellowlineis
the Kuakini Highway and it also depicts the guardrails. So it shows you a little bit about
the height from Kuakini.
If youll also notice that the way that the roof line is running, it is not running parallel
with the ocean but its actually running perpendicular with the ocean; and that was done
to be able to minimize visual impacts.
The Planning Director is recommending approval of the application from the Planning
Commission. Are there any questions?
GALDONES:Commissioners, any questions of Jeff? Seeing none, will the
Applicant or representative, please come forward? Could you please raise your right
hand? Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth on this matter now before the Hawaii
County Planning Commission?
HALL:Yes.
GALDONES:Could you speak into the mike. Could you please state your
name and your residence address?
HALL:William Hall, 77-364 Polina Place, here in Kailua.
GALDONES:Sir?
,
FAULK:William Faulk 75-5656 Kuakini Highway, Suite 301, 96740.
GALDONES:Mr. Hall, have you received a copy of the Background Report
and the Recommendation?
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HALL:Yes, I have.
GALDONES:Do you have any comments to these documents?
HALL:No, not at this time.
GALDONES:Commissioners, are there any questions of Mr. Hall?
Mr. Fujikawa?
FUJIKAWA:Mr. Hall, from Kuakini Highway looking toward the ocean,
how much of area would the building extend up?
HALL:Approximately a single story, about 12 feet.
GALDONES:CommissionerGraham?
GRAHAM:Ijustwantedto-.Isthisworking?
GALDONES:Yes.
GRAHAM:Ijustwantedtopointoutthatrecentlywedidacoupleofother
SMA Permits in the very same area. And I was very concerned about the loss of
viewplanes from Kuakini Highway. And Mr. Mooers actually pointed out that I probably
wasnt even aware of the viewplane route, the trees hadnt been taken out, and which is
probably true. But I still feel that there is a really good viewplane. However, since the
Commission has felt that the value of that viewplane was not of such importance to vote
against and favoring the application, I certainly dont feel like you should be held to any
higher standard than what else has been approved by this Commission. So I have no on-
going objection from the viewplane on Kuakini Highway given, you know, the efforts,
and given what has already been approved by the Commission. So I just want to put that
forward.
HALL:Thank you.
GALDONES:Commissioner Springer?
SPRINGER:Yes, Im looking at the application. Im looking at page 10,
Section G, where theres a discussion of the conversion of Kuakini Highway into a 4-lane
highway. Is anyone able to give me a timetable for that at this time?
HALL:Im not aware of any timetable.
SPRINGER:And Im asking because on page 6 of the Background Report,
Item 34, the Police Department comments, Note that the development will add to
already congested roadways, and the previous statement is offered as an address of that.
Thank you.
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YUEN:On the Kuakini widening, the County does have a project to
widen Kuakini but only from Palani to Hualalai, that is a set project. Its going to be
widened to five lanes. Its funded, it should start happening pretty soon. Beyond
Hualalai, I dont think that there is any set plan or project, although its something that
should be done at some point.
SPRINGER:Thank you.
GALDONES:Commissioners, any -. Commissioner McCall?
MCCALL:Yeah, question forthe Planning Director. What is the
requirements for parking stalls for, theres certain amounts for residences?
YUEN:Itseitherone-and-a-quarterorone-and-a-half,whichisit,per
parking stalls per residential unit.
DARROW:Im not sure, but -.
MCCALL:But this meets the requirements?
DARROW:Yes.
MCCALL:Part of my question was also the garage area, under the first
floor, is that going to be parking or its going to be open? I didnt, the garage area -.
HALL:Theyre enclosed garages.
MCCALL:So there will be some parking stalls there, but not -? There just
not enough for 12 parking stalls there, isthat it?
FAULK:You know, the parking requirement I think is one-and-a-
quarter stalls per unit. And theres a designated garage stall for each unit, and theres an
overflow flow parking on site. So its almost two stalls per unit is what were trying to
achieve there.
GALDONES:Commissioner Springer?
SPRINGER:Ive heard the Director speak in the past and have been reading
a number of editorial comments as well as articles in the various local papers debating the
issue of housing close to places of employment as compared to added distance from
them, and then the complaints about zoning on paper not keeping up with infrastructure
development on the ground. And I wonder if the Director or any of the Commissioners
could share their comments on that tension that directs the position in this application,
practically as well as policy-wise.
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YUEN:This is an SMA Permit application, rather than zoning
application, so that its coming to you at a point where the basic land use has been set.
So our conditions that were requiring are tailored to that, rather than looking at this as,
say, an unzoned piece of property thats now coming in for a commercial zoning. There
were substantial roadway improvements, though, done as a part of this subdivision and
the Alii Lani rezoning so that at least as far as, the immediate infrastructure has been
improved. We do not, well -. I think thats really all I have to say about that.
SPRINGER:Thank you.
GALDONES:Seeing no further discussions from the Commissioners,
Sharon, do we have any more from the public to testify?
NOMURA:No one signed up.
GOLDEN:I would like to -.
GALDONES:There is somebody. Maam, could you please come forward.
Norman,canyoumakeaccommodationstomakehercomfortable,please?
GOLDEN:Actually,Imhereforthenextonebutthisoneaffectsmeas
well.
GALDONES:Maam, before you start your presentation, could I have you
sworn in?
GOLDEN:Susan Golden from Kona Pacific Condominiums, 75-5865
Walua Road.
GALDONES:Could you raise your right hand? Do you swear or affirm to
tell the truth on this matter now before the Hawaii County Planning Commission?
GOLDEN:I do.
GALDONES:You may begin your testimony.
GOLDEN:My questions are really the same ones that I intend to make on
the next property. But I would question how much fill is being put in, in the order? Im
downhill so Id like to know how theyre planning on changing the flow of water, and
etcetera; and if there is going to be fill, its going to end in my back yard.
GALDONES:Mr. Hall?
FAULK:Im the architect of record on the project; and thats a great
question, you know. On this particular site, though, the grade is actually in place now.
What you see is what you get. It has been cut about nine feet below Kuakini Highway.
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There is a drainage easement behind it and the drainage has been rerouted back into the
original stream bed which is on the north, just to the north of this, between you and this
project. So -.
GOLDEN:Its probably going to be right next to Mansions, right?
FAULK:Yeah, just a little bit south of Kona Mansions, you bet.
GOLDEN:Okay. Thats it.
GALDONES:Thank you very much, maam. Is there anybody else from the
public who wish to testify on this subject matter? Seeing none, Commissioners, no
further discussions? Then motion is in order to approve the Special Use Permit.
Commissioner Fujikawa?
FUJIKAWA:Yeah, I make a motion to accept and approve SMA Permit
04-001.
SPRINGER:Second.
GALDONES:IthasbeenmovedbyCommissionerFujikawaandseconded
by Commissioner Springer that William E. Halls Special Management Area Use Permit
(SMA 04-007) be approved by the Planning Commission. Discussions, Commissioners?
Seeing none, Jeff?
DARROW:Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Commissioner Fujikawa?
FUJIKAWA:Aye.
DARROW:Commissioner Springer?
SPRINGER:Yes.
DARROW:Commissioner Alameda?
ALAMEDA:Aye.
DARROW:Commissioner Graham?
GRAHAM:Aye.
DARROW:Commissioner McCall?
MCCALL:Aye.
DARROW:Commissioner Smith?
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SMITH:Aye.
DARROW:And Mr. Chairman?
GALDONES:Aye.
DARROW:The motion passes seven to zero.
GALDONES:Thank you, Jeff. Mr. Hall, you will be informed in writing of
todays actions.
HALL:Thank you very much for your time.
GALDONES:Yourewelcome.
Thediscussionendedat11:11a.m.
Respectfullysubmitted,
Sharon M. Nomura, Secretary
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