PD RECOMMENDATION REPORT (PL-SPP-2022-000018)

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RAhuPohakuHoomaluhia AmendSPP.-12/20/22 COUNTY OF HAWAII PLANNING DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION AHU POHAKU HO`OMALUHIA LLC (FORMERLY ROBERT WATKINS AND JEAN SUNDERLAND) AMENDMEMT TO SPECIAL PERMIT No. 1117(PL-SPP-2022-000018) Upon careful review of the request against the guidelines for granting an amendment to a Special Permit, the Planning Director recommends that the request to increase the number of guest rooms from sixteen to thirty-six by constructing twenty additional guest rooms at Hawaii 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 be approved by the Planning Commission. Since this recommendation is made without the benefit of public testimony, the Director reserves the right to modify and/or alter this recommendation based upon additional information presented at the public hearing. This approval recommendation is based on the following findings: The applicant is requesting to amend the existing Special Permit (SPP No. 1117), originally approved by the Planning Commission on August 2, 2001, to allow a 16-room permaculture and wellness 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 applicant wishes to increase the number of guest rooms from 16 to 36 by building 20, 400-square foot hales with the goal of offering guests the option of single-occupancy rooms. The new hale structures will be sited in a manner that does not disrupt or impact the existing garden and orchards. According to the applicant, there will be up to 5 new full and/or part-time employees and the projected cost of the additional 20 units is $1.8 million. Building plans will be prepared upon approval of the requested amendments, with construction of 10 of the 20 units commencing no later than 18 months after approval, and construction of the remaining 10 units commencing approximately 5 —6 years after approval. The grounds for approving a Special Permit are based on Rule 6-7 in the Planning Commission Rules. It states that the Planning Commission shall not approve a Special Permit unless it is found that the proposed use (a) is an unusual and reasonable use of