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Home My WebLink About2024-03-21 Leeward Planning Commission Agenda County of Hawai‘i LEEWARD PLANNING COMMISSION Aupuni Center • 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3 • Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720 Phone (808) 961-8288 • Fax (808) 961-8742 Barbara DeFranco, Chair Mahina Paishon-Duarte, Vice Chair Dean Au Michael Dela Cruz Clement “CJ” Kanuha III Mitchell D. Roth Mayor AGENDA NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN of the following matters to be considered by the Leeward Planning Commission of the County of Hawai‘i in accordance with the provisions of Chapters 91 and 92, Hawai‘i Revised Statutes, Section 6-7.5(a) of the Charter of the County of Hawai‘i and Planning Commission Rules of Practice and Procedure. DATE: Thursday, March 21, 2024 TIME: 9:30 a.m. LOCATION: West Hawai‘i Civic Center, Council Chambers, Building A 74-5044 Ane Keohokālole Highway, Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i Public Participation: This is an in-person meeting, and the Leeward Planning Commissioners will participate in person. The primary way to view or testify at this meeting is in-person; however, as a courtesy to the public, the Commission provides the following additional ways to view or testify remotely at this meeting. Optional Alternative to Provide Remote Oral Testimony: The public has the option to provide verbal testimony at the meeting by joining Zoom. To provide verbal testimony via Zoom, please use the link below to register, no later than noon on the day prior to the meeting: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItduutrTsqHVbqF2jFnjQsA_zW-cbyk-E Optional Alternative to View Meeting: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAFoRMb3rfWLQMPd6TAkEGA?view_as=subscriber (Please note, as this is an in-person meeting, the hearing will proceed if the Zoom and/or YouTube connections fail.) The Planning Director’s background report (including application) and recommendation report for each agenda item will be available for review at www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov prior to the meeting. This information can also be requested by sending an email to LPCtestimony@hawaiicounty.gov or by calling (808) 961-8288. 2 CALL TO ORDER APPROVAL OF MINUTES Review and Approval of the February 29, 2024 Leeward Planning Commission Minutes. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS Members of the public may provide public testimony regarding any agenda item now or at the time the agenda item is called to order. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 1. PETITIONER: WILLIAM N. MELTON (PL-CCH-2023-000014) Consideration of a Petition for Standing in a Contested Case Hearing filed by William N. Melton to contest applications submitted by Ahu Pohaku Hoʻomaluhia LLC (formerly Robert Watkins and Jean Sunderland) to amend Special Permit No. 1117 and Special Management Area Use Permit No. 417 to increase the number of guest rooms from sixteen to thirty-six by constructing twenty additional guest rooms at Hawaiʻi Island Retreat, on an approximately 5.0-acre portion of a 14.5-acre parcel of land situated in the Special Management Area and the State Land Use Agricultural District. 2. PETITIONERS: DALE AND DON FRANZEN (PL-CCH-2023-000016) Consideration of a Petition for Standing in a Contested Case Hearing filed by Dale and Don Franzen to contest applications submitted by Ahu Pohaku Hoʻomaluhia LLC (formerly Robert Watkins and Jean Sunderland) to amend Special Permit No. 1117 and Special Management Area Use Permit No. 417 to increase the number of guest rooms from sixteen to thirty-six by constructing twenty additional guest rooms at Hawai‘i Island Retreat, on an approximately 5.0-acre portion of a 14.5-acre parcel of land situated in the Special Management Area and the State Land Use Agricultural District. 3. APPLICANT: AHU POHAKU HOʻOMALUHIA LLC (FORMERLY ROBERT WATKINS AND JEAN SUNDERLAND) (PL-SMA-2022-000018) Application for an amendment to Special Management Area (SMA) Use Permit No. 417 to increase the number of guest rooms from 16 to 36 by constructing 20 additional guest rooms at Hawaiʻi Island Retreat, on an approximately 5.0-acre portion of a 14.5-acre parcel of land situated in the Special Management Area. The subject property is located at 54-250 Lokahi Road, approximately 1.2 miles northeast (makai) of Akoni Pule Highway, Hanaula and Honopueo, North Kohala, Hawaiʻi, TMK: (3) 5-4-009:014 (por). 4. APPLICANT: AHU POHAKU HOʻOMALUHIA LLC (FORMERLY ROBERT WATKINS AND JEAN SUNDERLAND) (PL-SPP-2022-000018) Application for an amendment to Special Permit No. 1117 to increase the number of guest rooms from 16 to 36 by constructing 20 additional guest rooms at Hawaiʻi Island Retreat, on an approximately 5.0-acre portion of a 14.5-acre parcel of land situated in the State Land Use Agricultural District. The subject property is located at 54-250 Lokahi Road, approximately 1.2 miles northeast (makai) of Akoni Pule Highway, Hanaula and Honopueo, North Kohala, Hawaiʻi, TMK: (3) 5-4-009:014 (por). 3 5. APPLICANT: KONA THREE, LLC (PL-REZ-2022-000033) Application for a ten (10)-year time extension to Condition I (Complete Construction of the First Increment on RM Zoned lands) and an amendment to Condition N (Roadway Standards) to clarify which roadways within the subdivision are subject to the County Dedicable Standards, of Ordinance No. 02 131. Ordinance No. 02 131 was a successor ordinance to Ordinance No. 84 23, which reclassified two (2) parcels of land totaling 68.837 acres of land from an Unplanned to a Multiple Family Residential-5,000 square feet (RM-5) zoned district. The subject properties are located along the east (mauka) side of the Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway at its junction with Kuakini Highway and between Pualani Estates subdivision to the north and Kona Vistas to the south, por. Hōlualoa Hui Lands, Hōlualoa 1, 2, & 3, North Kona, Hawai‘i, TMKs: (3) 7-6-021:016 & :017. NEW BUSINESS 6. APPLICANT: RYAN LEESE (PL-REZ-2023-000055) Application for a Change of Zone from an Agricultural-20 acre (A-20a) to a Family-Agricultural-5 acre (FA-5a) zoning district for 21.942 acres of land. The subject property is located at the southwest corner of the Kaloko Drive/Haō Street intersection, Kaloko Mauka Subdivision, Kaloko, North Kona, Hawai‘i, TMK: (3) 7-3-024:003. PLANNING DIRECTOR’S REPORT 1. Report on Hawaiʻi County Council Resolution No. 203-23 adopting the County of Hawai‘i Integrated Climate Action Plan. 2. Presentation by the Planning Department on next steps that will be taken to develop strategies, ideas, and a plan to evaluate cumulative impacts of single-family dwelling development on the overall character of the Puakō community. 3. Report on Special Management Area (SMA) determinations and minor permits issued by the Planning Director for the month of February 2024. AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING The Commissioners will comment on matters not on the current agenda, for consideration for the Commission’s next meeting. ANNOUNCEMENTS The Leeward Planning Commission’s next monthly meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 18, 2024 at the County Council Chambers in Kona and the public can also testify via Zoom. The date and venue of the meeting are subject to change. ADJOURNMENT Submitting Written Testimony: Pursuant to Hawaiʻi County Planning Commission Rules of Practice and Procedure (PC), Rule 1, General Rules, a person desiring to submit written testimony shall indicate her/his name; address; and whether the testimony is on her/his behalf or 4 as a representative of an organization or individual. If testimony is being submitted on behalf of an organization, documentation showing membership ratification should accompany the testimony. Public testimony can be submitted by mail or email. Those submitting written testimony by mail should provide one copy for distribution. Public testimony submitted by mail should be mailed to the Leeward Planning Commission at the Planning Department office addresses in Hilo and Kona listed below under Board Packet. It is preferable that mailed testimony should be provided at least one week prior to the hearing date to allow for thorough Commission review. Public testimony that is submitted by email to, should be submitted before 4:30 p.m. two (2) business days prior to the Commission meeting to LPCtestimony@hawaiicounty.gov. Public attendees may present written testimony at the meeting without prior submission. Additionally, pursuant to Rule 1, the Chairperson may limit testimony that is irrelevant or unduly repetitious. Notice to Lobbyists: If you are a lobbyist, you must register with the Hawai‘i County Clerk within five days of becoming a lobbyist {Article 15, Section 2-91.3(b), Hawai‘i County Code}. A lobbyist means “any individual engaged for pay or other consideration who spends more than five hours in any month or $275 in any six-month period for the purpose of attempting to influence legislative or administrative action by communicating or urging others to communicate with public officials.” {Article 15, Section 2-91.3(a)(6), Hawai‘i County Code} Registration forms and expenditure report documents are available at the Office of the County Clerk, 25 Aupuni Street, Room 1402, Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720. Board Packet: Pursuant to Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes Section 92-7.5, the board packet provided to members of this board for this meeting is available for public inspection forty-eight (48) hours before the meeting date during regular business hours at the Hilo office of the Planning Department, Aupuni Center, 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3, Hilo, Hawaiʻi and at the Kona office of the Planning Department, West Hawaiʻi Civic Center, 74-5044 Ane Keohokālole Highway, Building E, 2nd Floor, Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i. Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service, or other accommodation due to a disability, please contact the Planning Department at (808) 961-8288 or LPCtestimony@hawaiicounty.gov as soon as possible. If a request is received later than five working days prior to the meeting date, we will try to obtain the auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation, but we cannot guarantee that the request will be fulfilled. Upon request, this notice is available in alternate formats such as large print, Braille, or electronic copy. Hawai‘i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer LEEWARD PLANNING COMMISSION Barbara DeFranco, Chair (Hawai‘i Tribune Herald: Friday, March 1, 2024) (West Hawai‘i Today: Friday, March 1, 2024)