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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-02-01 Windward Exh B (Item #2 Manono Corner LLC) IWINDWARD PLANNING COMMISSION COUNTY OF HAWAI`I HEARING TRANSCRIPT FEBRUARY 1, 2024 A regularly advertised hearing on the application of MANONO CORNER, LLC (PL-REZ- 2023-000053) was heard at 9:14 a.m. in the County of Hawaii Council Chambers in Hilo, 25 Aupuni Street, Hilo, Hawaii with Chair Dennis Lin presiding. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Dennis Lin, Lauren Balog, Louis Danielle III, Matthias Kusch, and Chantel Perrin. COMMISSIONER EXCUSED: Wayne De Luz ALSO PRESENT: Suzanna Tiapula, Esq. (Counsel for the Commission), Jean Campbell, Esq. (Counsel for the Planning Department), Jeffrey Darrow (Deputy Planning Director), Christian Kay (Planner), Tracie-Lee Camero (Zoom Host), and Melissa Dacayanan-Salvador (Windward Planning Commission Secretary). And nine members from the public were in attendance. APPLICANT: MANONO CORNER, LLC (PL-REZ-2023-000053) Application for a Change of Zone from a Single-Family Residential-10,000 square feet(RS-10) zoning district to an Industrial-Commercial Mixed-20,000 square feet(MCX-20) zoning district for a 21,023-square-foot parcel of land. The subject property is located on the northeast corner of East Lanikaula Street and Manono Street, Waiakea House Lots, Waiakea, South Hilo, Hawaii, TMK: (3) 2-2-036:076. Secretary's Note: [indecipherable] indicates that there were technical and/or internet difficulties, which made the conversation inaudible. LIN: Okay, we will now move on to agenda item No. 2, which is Manono Corner, LLC PL-REZ-2023-000053. Application for a Change of Zone from a Single-Family Residential-10,000 square feet RS-10 zoning district to an Industrial-Commercial Mixed-20,000 square feet MCX-20 zoning district for 21,023 square feet parcel of land. The subject property is located on the northeast corner of East Lanikaula Street and Manono Street, Waiakea House Lots, Waiakea, South Hilo, Hawaii, TMK: (3) 2-2-036 parcel number 76. Okay, public testimony on this matter. I'll start in-person and then, actually, we have only one testifier on Zoom right, so, maybe we do the Zoom testifier first. FEMALE ZOOM TESTIFIER: Yes, good morning. LIN: Good morning. FEMALE ZOOM TESTIFIER: My name is- 1 EXHIBIT B LIN: So, — FEMALE ZOOM TESTIFIER: Betty Osako. LIN: Sorry, I have to swear you in first. FEMALE ZOOM TESTIFIER: Okay. LIN: Okay, if you could please raise your right hand. FEMALE ZOOM TESTIFIER: Yes. LIN: Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth on this matter now before the Windward Planning Commission? FEMALE ZOOM TESTIFIER: Yes, of course. LIN: Okay. Please speak clearly. State your name, the area you reside in and whom you represent. B. OSAKO: My name is Betty Osako. I live on Lanikaula Street which is just a few houses mauka of the property that we're talking about. LIN: Okay and you have three (3) minutes for your testimony. Thank you. B. OSAKO: My family has lived there for over seventy (70)years. I've seen that property as Hilo Transportation as a child and it was a viable business. My concerns are, first it says according to the map that you sent me the entrance to Lanikaula Street is from a right turn onto the property and then a right turn out of the property. So, my first question is how are you going to prevent anyone on Lanikaula Street making a left turn onto the property? My second question is on Manono Street. The map, the diagram shows that it will allow people to make a left turn from the parking area onto Manono Street. I feel this is very dangerous because my neighbor has lost her father when I was a baby here, she lost her father at that corner in a bad accident and subsequently there were traffic lights but that still doesn't prevent accidents happening at that corner. And so, I'm very wary about the why you would allow anyone to make a left turn onto Manono Street from the parking? The third issue that I am concerned about is the number of parking spaces. I'm not sure what kind of businesses are going to be there and I'm sure it depends on what kind of businesses are going to be on the property. But I feel that the number of parking spaces are um' may not accommodate the number of cars that might want to use the businesses there. Thank you. LIN: Thank you very much. Commissioners, you have any questions for the testifier? Okay, if not, we'll move on to in-person testifiers. First person I have here is Gail Rhoades. [Female from audience approached the testifier table]. Okay. If you'll please raise your right hand. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth on this matter now before the Windward Planning Commission? 2 EXHIBIT B G. RHOADES: I do. LIN: Okay, your microphone is on. Please speak directly into the microphone, begin your testimony by saying your name, the town you reside in and please summarize your testimony within 3 minutes. G. RHOADES: My name is Gail Rhoades. I live at 1045 Manono Street, directly next door to the proposed change in zoning. I did not want to live next door to an industrial building. I've lived in my home twenty-eight(28) years. I love Waiakea House Lots and I'm saddened to see more and more businesses move into the neighborhood. I'm very concerned about the traffic. I have trouble getting out of my driveway right now and according to the map the exit onto Manono would be right next directly ten (10) feet next to my driveway. I'm wondering have any of you looked at the proposed, driven up Manono and looked at the impact it's going to have on the intersection? It's going to be terrible. I'm also concerned about security behind the proposed building will be a space for people to do drugs and other unsolicited activity. I've been burglarized at least twice during the 28 years I've lived on Manono, and I'm concerned about unauthorized activities after hours. I'm concerned about security. I believe we need more affordable housing rather than an industrial building on that corner. Why not put up an apartment building or 2 or 3 houses. Directly across the street a new house has just been built. It's beautiful. It's in keeping with the neighborhood. I also am concerned about the impact on the value of my home being right next door to an industrial building. I don't think I'll have the resale value if an industrial building goes up right next door to my house. The driveway issue is a big issue for me. I have trouble getting out of my driveway now. Manono, the traffic has increased exponentially in the 28 years I've lived there. Lanikaula is an artery coming down from Kino`ole and Kilauea. It empties onto Manono. Manono backs up clear past Leilani now. With another business on the corner it's going to congest that traffic area and make it impossible for me to get out of my driveway during traffic times morning, noon, dinner, and evening. So, I'm very concerned about the zoning change. I wanted it to stay residential. Thank you. LIN: Thank you very much for your testimony. Commissioners, any questions for this testifier? Okay. DANIELE: Yes, I just— LIN: Vice Chair Daniele. DANIELE: Yes, I have a question. So, the two (2) houses that they are proposing to raise, are they occupied? G. RHOADES: Yes, the house on the corner, the big yellow one has people living in it. There's four (4) cars there all the time and 2 cars leave during the day. So, we're assuming they have jobs, but 4 cars are parked there every night. I have seen a person exiting the building in and out on a daily basis. So, I know people are living there. The house next to mine, so that's the corner 3 EXHIBIT B house and then there's the next house. That house has been a rental for the 28 years that we've lived there and it's empty right now. So, I'm concerned about homeless getting in there. It's trashy looking. I'm all for raising that property but I don't want to see industrial go in there. I want to maintain the neighborhood. So, there are people living there. DANIELE: Okay, thank you. LIN: Any other Commissioners have questions? Okay, if not. Thank you very much. G. RHOADES: Thank you. LIN: The next testifier I have is Lou Rhoades. [Male from audience approached the testifier table]. Yep, there you go. Okay, if you could please raise your right hand. L. RHOADES: Hello, thanks for hearing me. LIN: Thank you. If you could please raise your right hand, I have to swear you in first. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth on this matter now before the Windward Planning Commission? L. RHOADES: Yes. LIN: Okay, you can begin your testimony by stating your name, the town you reside in and please summarize your testimony within 3 minutes. L. RHOADES: Okay, my name is Lou Rhoades and what was the second thing I supposed to say? LIN: The town you reside in. L. RHOADES: I'm sorry, I forgot my hearing aide. LIN: Yeah, the town you reside in and, the town, where you live and then summarize your testimony within 3 minutes. L. RHOADES: Okay. Most of what my wife said, I would agree with also, but I have some other issues that I think are important. There's been 2 other zoning changes on that section of Manono Street. Both across the street from us, one directly across and one further makai and I think both of those were a mistake. I think that they misrepresented the reason for the change. I don't really understand the reason for the change. The first one was right across the street from us at 1046 Manono Street and that house they said they needed for his, the part-owner at the time his business which is a mortgage company. That was 18 years ago that they changed that one and no business ever went in there. They used it as a rental for a while, they stored buses there for a while, it was abandoned for a while, for a while it was kind of kept up and then it wasn't kept up. Eventually, and also there was supposed to be a stipulation with that they couldn't have changed the appearance of 4 EXHIBIT B the building when they approved it. They said that they wouldn't be allowed to change the appearance of the building. Well now they've removed the structure there. So, that didn't work out like we were told it would. So, I don't know what's happening there exactly, but it's been, there's been absolutely no reason for that zoning change since that zoning change was made and it's just an eyesore. It hasn't contributed anything to the neighborhood, and it used to be a residence which we need residences because we've got a homeless problem and the price of housing [indecipherable]. So I think that's an issue and then further down the street that was 2013 I think they changed the zoning on that and consolidated 3 lots into one (1) lot. And there, there is now on 2 of those lots they've removed the houses that were there and they're now using it as like a dirt and gravel base yard and there's big piles of dirt and big heavy equipment there loading trucks and rock going on. It's noisy during the day and it's an eyesore and I think the zoning changes are contributing to the degradation of the neighborhood and they're not adding anything. I mean maybe if a business had gone in there, there may have been some added value, but it is it's just degrading our neighborhood. Which ultimately is degrading Hilo and degrading the County of Hawai`i. So, I think it's a bad idea to make another mistake because both of those have turned out to be and what appears to me mistakes. You drive by and look at them. There's nothing nice to look at there, it's pretty ugly, both of them and so, that's one big reason why I think it's a bad idea. Just a general idea I think that you make attractive cities less attractive to residents. Residents move out and if the residents move out the businesses move out and you got urban decay and I think these zoning changes that have happened in the past are contributing to that and I don't see any reason this one would be any different. Because the last 2, that's the way they've gone. So, I thinks it's a bad idea. I think it was a mistake then and I think it's a mistake now. One other thing I just saw that I thought was interesting and I didn't provide it in the write up I made but I think maybe it's worth commenting on. I just say — CAMERO: Please summarize, 1 minute left. Please summarize. L. RHOADES: Okay, I'll just cover, yeah,just a couple more points. There's a segment on 60 Minutes that said there's a huge oversupply of office space in the nation because people are working from homes so much more. And there's huge, big office buildings standing open and they're thinking that might be a cause of a big economic downturn at least one of the testifiers in that segment said because the fact that these mortgages are going to come due on those and they aren't going to be able to pay their mortgages. They aren't going to be able to renew their mortgages because there isn't a demand there anymore. So, it's not a good investment. So, that's another problem, I don't think we need more office space and there are other business spaces, there's lots of empty lots around that I see. I don't know that you really need to be changing zoning and if you do need to be changing zoning because we need more residential places we should be changing from commercial to residential and not the other way. That doesn't make much sense to me, and I'd like to leave with 3 questions just not for you to answer for me,just to think about when you making your decision. TIAPULA: Please finish within the next,please- 5 EXHIBIT B L. RHOADES: I already kind of said why is this zoning change any different from the last 2 which have contributed nothing and kind of ruined the neighborhood. If zoning, why, I think trust is an issue, I think that if you could buy into a residential neighborhood, you should be able to trust that it's going to stay a residential neighborhood. TIAPULA: Sorry, you've finished your 3 minutes. L. RHOADES: Time's up? TIAPULA: Yeah. Thank you. L. RHOADES: Okay. Thank you. LIN: Thank you for your testimony. Any questions Commissioners? No, okay. Thank you so much. Okay, next testifier I have here is Maluhia, is it Mauna? Yep, okay. [Female from audience approached the testifier table]. Okay,just press that button right in front of you, that has a little head, yeah. Yeah, there you go and then please raise your right hand. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth on this matter now before the Planning Commission? MAUNA: Yes. LIN: Okay, please start by stating your name, the town you reside in and then summarize your testimony within 3 minutes. MAUNA: My name is Maluhia Mauna, third generation living on Lanikaula. My mother is Betty Osako who testified online, and I live in Hilo. Okay. My concerns are the same as my mom's and of course the concerns this gentleman raised as well. The other concern is really the public safety, especially during rush hours, in the morning and then after like between 4, 3-3:30, and 5-6 o'clock is very high traffic. Even my friend got into a bad accident last year right on that intersection. So, with added things coming into that section turning and whatnot and people chancing it or whatever, those are very serious concerns for me, for the public especially. Knowing the history, even the history of the stories, cause my mom sharing those stories with us too. Just for the public safety is my main concern, especially in such a high traffic area. I know they made that other street to ease that flow because it's all coming from the UH, yeah. Very intense, always backed up and some people cannot cage their rage so, it gets a little intense sometimes for whatever reasons that they are going through to speed or not drive with aloha. So, one more thing, my brother was a little bit reserved to want to testify but he might want to if it's okay with the Commission for him to be able to testify as well. LIN: Is he in the audience right now? MAUNA: Yeah. LIN: Okay, I'll allow it. Are you finish with your testimony? 6 EXHIBIT B MAUNA: Yes. LIN: Okay. If you want to come up, sir? [Male fi°om audience approached the testifier table]. MALE AT TESTIFIER TABLE: Morning. LIN: Morning. If you could raise your right hand,please? Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth on this matter now before the Windward Planning Commission? MALE AT TESTIFIER TABLE: I do. LIN: Okay, please state your name, where you reside and then summarize your testimony within 3 minutes. M. OSAKO: My name is Masa Osako, I live on Lanikaula Street in Hilo. My concern is there anything else I got to, okay. So, my concern is yes, like when I go out, I'm always hit with traffic right in front of my house. It's always congested, I have a hard time taking a left. It's easier to take a right but even then, it's still hard because people who drive, I understand, they don't live on the property, they don't, they're not thinking, they're thinking of getting from point A to point B in whatever time they have to do. I get it, people are busy, and people have lives and it's like I said it's very hard to move freely in and out. Sometimes people will be nice, and they'll leave a gap so I can take a left onto Lanikaula going mauka. But majority of the time, I have to watch everybody speeds to the red light and they don't let me out because they don't live there and I understand that, right. I live there those are the things that I have to deal with. But I don't know what intent or what is going to be built on that lot. That is private property, they have the right I get that. But when those impede on my [indecipherable] to move on and off of my property of the property on which I reside on it's very, it takes a toll. Because, yeah, I mean little by little it just eats away because once again I can't move freely on and off the property from my driveway. Other things I really don't know but that's just an inconvenience every day whether it's in the morning or in the afternoon. There is that little yield, like a little island I've seen people pass onto that to take a left onto Manono. This is going towards the highway. For me, I kind of use that as like, I use it myself only to turn into my driveway so that I don't impede traffic behind me. So, it's nice to improve things but are we really improving things or are we actually, I get it, like progress and change you can't stop that. But do we improve it just for improving things or are we just people like me and residents in that area that's not really improvements. It is impeding in our daily lives, it affects our daily lives and another also like, it's just yeah. I thought, like it's an investment property I get it. Once again you can do what you want with your property, but you have to think about the people that actually live there day to day. If you don't live there day to day, then you don't experience this traffic and all these impediments on other people. So, I can't, like I said, I can't really do anything. All I can do is I guess give my testimony. But, yeah, so, it's just kind of, yeah, but the day to day I get everybody got to work, everybody got to struggle and we're all struggling. But if it's just for an investment property or just the means to 7 EXHIBIT B make money in terms of like renting space that really doesn't serve any purpose to me, personally. But once again, private property, their property do what they will but— TIAPULA: Please finish your testimony. M. OSAKO: Okay, thank you. But yeah, that's all pretty much that's all I have to say is it just impedes on my day-to-day life in that way. LIN: Okay, thank you very much for your testimony. Commissioners any questions or comments for the testifiers? Just for my clarification. When you're talking about cars are passing on, are you talking about the middle lane? M. OSAKO: No, so on Lanikaula right after the intersection mauka of the intersection there's that yellow double line space. You know, where it's kind of like yellow line, it's like an oval shape and it has the yellow lines. People will if they're before that, they'll go around traffic to get into the left lane to turn down onto Manono. But I use that very space so that I can turn left onto my property so that I don't impede traffic behind, people can actually pass. We don't have that infrastructure for that amount of traffic I believe and that's everywhere. We want to improve but we don't have the infrastructure to support people coming in. That's all I have. LIN: Okay, thank you very much. M. OSAKO: Thank you for the clarification. LIN: Any other questions Commissioners? Okay. Thank you for your testimony. M. OSAKO: Thank you. LIN: Okay, at this time. Are there any other testifiers here in the room or on Zoom? Okay, seeing none, then public testimony on this matter is now closed and I'll go on to staff's presentation on this agenda item. Christian? KAY: Yes, again thank you Mr. Chair and if you'll give me a moment, I'll bring the presentation up. Okay just to clarify, Tracie, can you see the presentation on the screen? CAMERO: Yes, I can. KAY: Okay, thank you very much. Okay, as the Chair stated this a Change of Zone application applicant Manono Corner LLC. The subject property indicated in the red star here is located in the South Hilo District of Hawaii island in the Waiakea House Lots area. It's at the corner of Manono Street and East Lanikaula Street. The applicant is requesting a Change of Zone from a Single-Family Residential-10,000 square feet zoning district to an Industrial- Commercial Mixed-20,000 square feet zoning district for a 21,023 square foot parcel of land. The applicant proposes to demolish 3 existing structures and construct a single-story 4,950 square foot structure for retail and/or office uses, on-site parking, and access driveways. The applicant 8 EXHIBIT B anticipates completing the proposed development within 8-10 years of the approval date of the Change of Zone at an estimated cost of$850,000.00. Here's the County zoning map. The subject property is here outlined in red. Again, at the corner of Manono and East Lanikaula Street. The subject property and much of the surrounding area is zoned Single-Family Residential-10,000 square feet. There are some other Commercial and Industrial zoning in the area. Some Neighborhood Commercial here indicated in pink and other industrial uses and Mixed-Industrial Commercial uses indicated in the gray colors. The subject property and all of the surrounding area is designated by the State Land Use Commission as Urban and here is the General Plan Land Use Allocation Pattern Guide Map (LUPAG) showing again the subject property outlined here in red within the Industrial LUPAG designation as indicated in gray. Thus, the MCX zoning would be consistent with that designation. Other LUPAG designations in the area some Medium Density Urban indicated in the mustard color and High Density Urban here to left indicated in red. Here is the applicant's submitted site plan showing the property and elevations of the proposed structure. Again, for reference we've got Manono Street running left to right at the bottom of the screen and East Lanikaula Street running north south on the right-hand side of the screen. The proposed building here is going to be just under 5,000 square feet. Also, showing the proposed parking area and then access. So, the applicant is proposing a right-in and right-out access onto and from East Lanikaula Street and then from Manono Street a right-in access but then a full right-in, right and left out access coming on to Manono Street. For your reference, this was proposed. However, the Department of Public Works (DPW) commented in response to the proposal requesting that the access be limited to right-in, right-out on both roadways. We have requested staff from the Department of Public Works here and Robin Matsumoto is here so if you have any questions about the access, she'd be happy to address those. Here are some aerial photos of the property and surrounding area. The upper left is more zoomed out showing some of the existing mostly residential uses but some of the surrounding commercial and limited industrial uses and Hawaii Community College campus use. Bottom right here is more zoomed in. You can see the subject property again outlined in red. There are 2 existing single- family dwellings and an old commercial garage use that are being proposed to be demolished and then the property would be improved with the new proposed building. Again, for reference we've got Manono Street running here on the left side up and down on the screen and then East Lanikaula Street running at the bottom of the screen. Here are some photographs of the subject property. Here's a view of the property from across Manono Street. You can see the 2 existing dwellings and the garage area with the associated parking. Bottom right is a view of the property from across East Lanikaula Street and the Planning Director is recommending a favorable recommendation be forwarded to the County Council with conditions. With that, I'd be happy to answer any questions the Commission may have. LIN: Thank you Christian. Christian, maybe if you could keep these slides up, we might reference them for discussion. KAY: Sure. One more thing, if it's helpful. I did also create a slide here which is a more zoomed intersection photo, and I overlaid it generally for presentation purposes with 9 EXHIBIT B applicant's site plan relative to access on and off to Manono. So you can kind of see what the existing intersection looks like and the existing area and where the turns are being proposed. So, if that's helpful for discussion. LIN: Thank you. Okay, Commissioners any questions for staff? DANIELE: Yeah, could you — LIN: Vice Chair. DANIELE: —yeah, could you put that photo up. Could we identify the 2 residences that we have testifiers from on that map, please. Male in audience speaking to the Commission [indecipherable]. LIN: Sorry Vice Chair, maybe if Mr. Rhoades, if you want to speak into the mic for the record so that people can hear what you're speaking. Male in audience speaking to the Commission [indecipherable]. DANIELE: At the very top of the slide? L. RHOADES: I'm not sure [indecipherable] DANIELE: Okay. L. RHOADES: In that slide, it just right at the top edge of the slide. DANIELE: Okay and maybe the other testifiers where is the residence? TIAPULA: Actually, if we could have Mr. Rhoades come back. Mr. Rhoades? Female (G. Rhoades) speaking from the audience[indecipherable]. LIN: Okay, if you could speak into the mic Mr. Rhoades to just repeat what. L. RHOADES: But yeah, you speaking it. LIN: If you could speak into the mic though for the record. L. RHOADES: Do you want to do it, or you want me to try do it? So, at the end of that property the next house on Manono Street, makai is our property. So, and is that what you wanted to hear? LIN: Yeah, so, you're saying that house with the red roof is your house? 10 EXHIBIT B L. RHOADES: Yes. LIN: Okay. L. RHOADES: It's set back, and the driveway runs back along, right next to where their driveway will be exiting. LIN: Got it. Thank you. And then the Osako's? If you want to — M. OSAKO: You're not going to be able to see it on this one but the slide that you had previously. If you can, please. Thank you. So, where's the little mouse. Oh right here. Okay, so this is the island that I was talking about, and this is the driveway. This is our house on the corner. LIN: Okay. So, people when you were testifying you were saying people use that— M. OSAKO: Yeah. LIN: —yellow portion— M. OSAKO: Yes. LIN: — to pass other cars. M. OSAKO: Yes. LIN: Or use that as entry— M. OSAKO: Yeah. LIN: — kind of— M. OSAKO: That's what I use it as, so I don't impede traffic from behind. Because if I do then people will miss the traffic light and then that backs up traffic. LIN: Okay. M. OSAKO: So, unfortunately, I have to do what I have to do. LIN: Right. M. OSAKO: To get into my property. LIN: Understood. Okay, thank you. 11 EXHIBIT B M. OSAKO: Thank you. LIN: Vice Chair, did that answer your question? DANIELE: Yeah, it did. Thank you so much. LIN: Okay, any other questions for staff? Okay, if not. We'll now allow the applicant to come up and the applicant's representative. [Two males from the audience approached the testifiers table] Sir, if I may if you could press the mic on your side as well. There you go. Okay,please I'll first swear you in. So if you could please raise your right hands, I'll swear you in at the same time. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth on this matter now before the Windward Planning Commission? MALES AT TESTIFIER TABLE: I do. LIN: Okay, speak directly into the microphone, state your name, the area you reside and whom you represent. FUKE: Sure, good morning, Mr. Chair, and members of the Commission. My name is Sidney Fuke, I am a Planning Consultant and I'm here assisting the applicant, Robert Hamilton. My residence address is here in Hilo. LIN: Thank you. Sir? HAMILTON: Yeah, good morning. My name is Robert Hamilton. I reside in Kurtistown, and I am the owner of this property and have been for the last twenty-one (21) years I believe. LIN: Thank you. Have you guys received the Background and Recommendation reports from the Planning Department? FUKE: Yes, we've had, and we've had a chance to, well, I've had a chance to review it with the applicant. Particularly the proposed conditions and the background and the proposed conditions were confirmed that to be acceptable by the applicants, so, yes. LIN: Okay. Do you have any further comments that you'd like to share with the Commissioners? FUKE: Sure, yeah. Thank you very much Mr. Chairman. I think the staff's background report is and you have the written before you so it's kind of comprehensive. So, pretty much I'd like to kind of help address some of the comments that we're offered by the surrounding property owners. First of all, I think maybe we can just kind of separate it in terms of two categories. One relates to just overall land use issue and the other one specifically targeting the traffic question. So relative to the land use issue. I mean there comments about like maybe the property should not be rezoned to industrial, it should be set aside maybe for higher density residential uses, so on and so forth. I mean, that's kind of like "no"but it goes contrary to the 12 EXHIBIT B General Plan and so probably the staff can kind of verify that if the property were it's currently zoned single-family residential. So, if he were to rezone it to Multiple-Family or Duplex or whatever it'll be contrary to the General Plan so that rezoning on its face would not be acceptable. So, his kind of like stuck in the sense that in terms of any new zoning classification would have to be industrially related. So, given that kind of scenario, he looked at different options of you know there's 3 industrial categories. You have the Heavy Industrial, you have a Light Industrial and you have the Mixed- Commercial Industrial. So, Mixed-Commercial Industrial pretty much is the lightest on most benign of industrial uses. So you have more of a combination of commercial and retail activities. The only exception I would think within the MCX zone, which isn't allowed in a General Commercial district, would be like self-storage facilities. Well, self-storage facilities within the MCX zone will be possible. So, what I'm trying to share with the Commission is essentially that regrettably even if he wants to have a higher density maybe a residential project it would be contrary to the General Plan would not be possible as its currently stands. There were also comments about like there were 2 or 3 other properties in the general area that were rezoned recently or recently at least in this century. In those 2 properties I downloaded them and they're commercially zoned and the rules are correct the property across of them was rezoned commercial and that rezoning occurred in 2005 and with the stipulation that construction occur within 5 years subject to 5-year administrative extension. Well, that expired. So, essentially the property is kind of like one of those properties from a zoning standpoint in limbo. So, whoever wants to develop or use the land for what it was currently zoned for, zoned for Commercial- Neighborhood would have to go back to the Commission and also ultimately before the Council to seek an extension before anything can happen on the property. Why that property has not been developed? Neither me nor Mr. Hamilton can really say that it's their respective property owners' choice. There were also the other property that was zoned in 2016 just further down the street. There were actually 2 parcels. On that property too, they had like a 5-year construction window, it was subject to a 5-year administrative extension and so it was effective August of 2016. So, basically, they are subject to an administrative extension they would have like until the year 2016 to complete something on the project. Why they haven't, why they have or have not developed again, we don't know. Like the other comment that was made relating to the land use was that perhaps there's not a demand and maybe its location is not the most conducive for commercial activities and I think the letter the testimony pointed out to Subway,just right up the street. Which is a small little commercial complex was within the small little commercial complex on the corner of Lanikaula and Kilauea Avenue. I don't necessarily subscribe to that because if you just look right on just go further mauka on the corner of Lanikaula and Kino`ole you have the Bank of Hawaii. So, it's not necessarily the location that dictates whether a building or a use is or is not successful. There are so many other factors that go into what makes a use or commercial use successful or not. So, that's really like from a land use standpoint and so when we had a discussion in terms of what type of land use or zoning should be most appropriate over here. Then obviously you look at the General Plan and so that's been kind of like the guiding principle and trying to go more on the lightest of the industrial given the fact that this is an area of transition. There were also like 13 EXHIBIT B comments on the relative to land use issue but maybe you shouldn't have commercial uses or industrial uses kind of mixed up within the residential area. I can understand some of that point. However, over time there has been a grant like in years past zoning was highly segregated commercial, commercial, residents, residential and then over time what has happened is that there's been more a growing sense of a need for having a mixed-use. Having commercial and residential so that it kind of helps address some of the traffic issues because people now can work and live basically in the same area. So, that's the concept of like mixed-use. You've had like a number of Project District zoning which allows for this mix-use kind of concept and like unfortunately like in the Waiakea House Lot area. You don't have an automatically, you don't have an automatic zone that zones that whole area of mixed-use. So, you have to do it like on a case-by-case basis and such the situation here. If you just like we're all I think pretty much I know you kind of like work in that area, you know Mr. Chairman. So you kind of know the intersection very well. So, on the corner of Lanikaula and Manono Street it's also like a commercial complex right in that area. They have like a I think a visitor or it's like a tour company right on the corner. So, it's the same kind of like situation from a land use standpoint. If you go like Big Island Candies and you go down to Don's Grill area, you'll see some beginnings of commercial uses too. So, that's been the general pattern within the House Lot area, kind of like a mixed-use. Having said that so going to now to the traffic question. We had recognized there is a need to restrict access on Lanikaula because if you allow for left turn getting into the property on Lanikaula and you don't have like multiple lanes in that particular area. So, what happens is that the car then backs up into the intersection and that's not a good situation and that's the reason why the suggestion was to have a limited only right-turn in, right-turn out. On Manono Street on the other end. It's a little bit different because if you look at the map you already see that there is like a median lane. It starts off initially as like you have like what we commonly call as like as a suicide lane. In the Kaumana area you have 2 lanes and then you have 1 lane expressly dedicated for turning and this is the situation right over here and where it comes to the intersection however that so-called that turning lane eventually migrates into like a dedicated left turn lane at the intersection area. So, if you allow for a left turn the way that we look at it. If you allow for a left turn from Manono Street coming into the property, then you won't necessarily have that kind of back up because you have an opportunity for vehicles that's travelling on the Puna direction to kind of bypass that area and kind of continue on. We are sensitive to what the Rhoades said about the location of the access. It was kind of like deliberate to have that access point be situated as far as it could from the intersection for obvious reasons from a traffic congestion perspective. However, in light of what the Rhoades are saying that there is perhaps like an opportunity for a consolidated access as to kind of minimize that issue. We don't know necessarily whether that can or cannot be done. But it's something that the owner and this is the reason why I called Mr. Hamilton up here to see whether he'll be willing to kind of step back and engage the Rhoades and possibly the Osako's to see whether anything can be done. I think relative to the Osako's because their property is not adjacent. There's very little that can be done to address the concerns but, however, relative to the Rhoades I think that a discussion might be and might come in handy. 14 EXHIBIT B The other, I forgot to mention, I'm looking at the map right now but the site right now they have 2 access to the property. Two access that comes in from Manono Street. They are like 2 existing single-family dwellings; they are not in the best case. The applicant has already taken out building permits, excuse me, demolition permits for those right now. But he has not yet pulled the trigger on demolishing it yet. One of the homes right now, as I understand it, correct me Mr. Hamilton, is currently occupied and that person is doing some woodwork on that area in that so-called warehouse area. For those who are familiar with that area, that warehouse area has kind of morph into a whole different variety of types of industrially related use. I remember at one point in time was used to repair like lawn mowers and things like that. So, anyway it's that area and Mr. Hamilton in my discussion with him, he really concedes that the existing 2 residential structures is not really like the best and then at some point in time it should be demolished. So, having and maybe giving us a chance to take a step back and give us a chance to talk to the Rhoades and see maybe how if anything we can kind of maybe ameliorate their issues. Maybe we can't but, at least I think long story being short. I think we're asking that we don't mind having this application be continued to enable us to reach out to the Rhoades particularly and see what can be done. LIN: Thank you, Mr. Fuke. Commissioners questions, comments? Oh — HAMILTON: Yeah. LIN: Mr. — HAMILTON: You don't mind. LIN: Yeah, go ahead. HAMILTON: Just you know this isn't an investment property for us. We've had it for 20 years. It's been rentals and small businesses. I've lived in Hilo for fifty-five (55) years. So we farm up in Kurtistown. This is just a side thing for us. I feel it is a real eyesore, I know the houses. They're not habitable and we need to tear them down regardless and we do have our like Sidney said we have our permits approved. We are not intending, and we think we'll make the neighborhood better. It'll definitely look better than it does now. There is a homeless problem. I've continually kicked people out of the house. The police have been involved in it every time so, it's happening there. So, I want to get rid of that so that hopefully it cleans it up. So, that's our intent. LIN: Thank you. Commissioners any questions or comments? So, I know this road very well, like Mr. Fuke says. I actually grew up on Lanikaula Street, mauka, uh' Puna side. So, I know this property, I've driven past it, I've walked past it when I was kid and I look at proposed conceptual plan here of the building. I saw that there's 2 bays in there, loading bays. Is that correct? Or is that a roll up — HAMILTON: Right now the existing building just had roll ups in the front. LIN: Okay. 15 EXHIBIT B HAMILTON: No storefronts. LIN: Okay. HAMILTON: We haven't actually finalized our plan. This is like the size we were looking at. LIN: Yeah. HAMILTON: We don't have any intended tenants yet. We've talked to people. I talked to a property manager and in the last couple days she manages Hilo Shopping Center, Kilauea Plaza, Tribune Herald, and a bunch of properties down by the docks. She says they're 100 percent full. They don't have any vacancies. So this person would go through Big Island Lands. They're going to manage it for us. But, the specific design of the building is, it's going to be something in this size, but it might it change as where a storefront window is or if it's a roll up door and someone has a tinting company in there. LIN: Okay. The only reason why I brought this up was because if this was like a loading dock and you have big trucks coming into that road. You basically blocking off that whole street on Lanikaula Street to get into the property to load those trucks. I'm familiar because we have trucks at where I work all the time that are loading and unloading stuff. That would be my concern if this was what that conceptual design is. Is for loading trucks in those 2 bays and I agree that coming in from the other side from Lanikaula side coming in. That makes sense, but turning left into a property on Lanikaula, that won't work. I mean, the best example that I can think of right now of the same situation is we have a food establishment right at the corner of Kamehameha Avenue — FUKE: The dental clinic area. LIN: — and you have people stuck in traffic because somebody is trying to turn left, and I've actually gotten hit because somebody wasn't paying attention. I was trying to turn left into that intersection and the car behind me thought I was going already and hit me. But that's the kind of situation I see with having that kind of situation where you have to turn left into that property. But other than that, I just wanted to express my concerns on that specific issue. But do any other Commissioners have any questions or concerns? If not, I think we do not have to take action because you're requesting the continuance? Is that correct? KAY: There should be a motion for a continuance and then a vote. LIN: Okay. Okay, so at the request of the, oh yes, yes. Sorry, we forgot that DPW is in the back there. Did you want them to address their concerns with the traffic? FUKE: I do, it'll be good. LIN: Okay. FUKE: So, you know, we all can learn at the same time, so. 16 EXHIBIT B LIN: Okay. Ms. Matsumoto? Okay, if I could swear you in. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth on this matter before the Windward Planning Commission? MATSUMOTO: Yes, I do. LIN: Okay, please state your name, where you reside, and you can start. MATSUMOTO: Okay. LIN: Thank you. MATSUMOTO: Good morning. My name is Robin Matsumoto, I'm a Civil Engineer 5 with the Department of Public Works, Engineering Division. I reside in Hilo. So, regarding the recommendation from Public Works. Just based on the standard of the road it's determined to be a Collector Road. So, it has a higher density than just minor roads. So, it's our policy to recommend right in, right out. We don't want cars turning left into these properties. So, it's strictly based on the road and not that necessarily the property itself. We talk about drive-thru establishments as well unfortunately we don't have any provisions in our code right now to address those issues. So, that's another concern of ours as well. So at least we would have some restrictions. I see in the Planning Director's recommendation he is recommending that it just be with the approval of the Department of Public Works because I know as many times policy changes as well. So. LIN: Thank you very much. Commissioners any questions for DPW? FUKE: Mr. Chairman — LIN: Go ahead. FUKE: —just to add to that. We've had some informal discussions with, well I've had with Robin and basically the thought was currently the traffic studies are not required if your projected volume is less than 50 in. In this situation you're given the size of the property. It doesn't meet that threshold. However like as we were talking about it there are certain type of uses drive-thru being one of them that has a tendency to if you don't like make sure that everything is internalized at least within the property that you have like a backup and all you need to do is just look at like Cruisin Coffee over here or Starbucks, McDonald's on Kilauea, no, Kino`ole. You see that kind of potential, so the thought was if there are going to be, if the proposed use, say if the zoning were approved. That if for any use, if the zoning were approved then the next phase is you have to still secure Plan Approval. At which time then the uses going to have to be confirmed to be permitted or not and that setbacks are all according to the code as well as the parking. So, the thought was if you're going to have certain type of uses which could have like the spill over into the public roadway area then there should be like a special traffic assessment done with appropriate mitigation. At which time then Public Works can make a decision whether to allow a left turn or not allow a left turn. So, and so maybe in addition to having a condition that would address specifically what you call a drive-thru there might be other type of uses like what you just pointed out like if it's going to require like storage that generates like those Matson container kind of 17 EXHIBIT B coming in then that's another matter. But at this point in time I talked with Mr. Hamilton earlier and he definitely has no vision of having a drive-thru or like the Matson container kind of a Matson container generated type of traffic coming in. But that's him. Tomorrow the property might be sold to someone else and who may have different ideas. So, given that situation that's why to provide that kind of potential the suggestion was that if it goes through then we would like to propose a condition that will essentially say that if you are going to have this kind of uses then you going to have a traffic assessment study that is approved by DPW before they can move forward. LIN: Thank you, Mr. Fuke. FUKE: Yeah. LIN: Okay, Commissioners any other comments or questions? If not, thank you Ms. Matsumoto. Thank you, Mr. Fuke. Can we have a motion on the continuance of this matter, until Mr. Fuke until you guys bring it back to the Planning Department? Or would you like to continue to the next meeting? FUKE: To the next meeting I think because that's going to be within a month. LIN: Okay. FUKE: I think we'd like to initiate such discussions sooner rather than later. LIN: Okay. So continuance until the next Windward Planning Commission. DANIELE: I'll make the motion to continue this application till next month's Windward Planning Commission meeting. LIN: Okay, motion made by Vice Chair Daniele. Is there a second? PERRIN: I second. LIN: Okay, seconded by Commissioner Perrin to continue this matter on, just for the record. Application Manono Corner LLC PL-REZ-2023-000053 application for Change of Zone. Okay, any other discussion on this matter? If not, roll call vote. KAY: Okay, thank you Mr. Chair. On the motion to continue. Commissioner Daniele? DANIELE: Aye. KAY: Commissioner Perrin? PERRIN: Aye. 18 EXHIBIT B KAY: Commissioner Balog? BALOG: Aye. KAY: Commissioner Kusch? KUSCH: Aye. KAY: And Chair Lin? LIN: Aye. KAY: Thank you, Mr. Chair. Motion carries five nothing. LIN: Thank you very much Mr. Fuke. Thank you, Mr. Hamilton. The item ended at 10:13 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Melissa Dacayanan-Salvador, Secretary Windward Planning Commission 19 EXHIBIT B