HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-02-03 Letter from Applicant (Daryn Arai Land Use Planning Consultant) testimony given at WPC 2225-02-06 mtg. Rc:'d at mtg by
'd Read
Daryn Arai
Land Use Planning Consultant
February 3, 2025
Mr. Louis Daniele III, Chair
and Members of the Windward Planning Commission
101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3
Hilo, HI 96720
Dear Chair Daniele and Members of the Windward Planning Commission:
Subject: Applicant Proposed Amendments to Planning Director's Draft Conditions
Change of Zone Application PL-REZ-2024-000072
Applicants: Jack Vanderhoff,Jr. and Sau-Yin Yeung
TMK: 2-2-036:113, Waiakea Houselots lst, South Hilo, Hawaii
The Applicants, Jack Vanderhoff, Jr. and Sau-Yin Yeung, appreciate the Planning
Director's favorable recommendation of their requested change of zone of the subject property in
order to support the renovation of the existing single-family dwelling to allow for the
establishment of a small accounting business to be operated by Ms. Yeung.
However, as further discussed below,the Applicants would like to make one specific
amendment to the proposed conditions of approval as offered by the Planning Director,relating
to the location of the access driveway onto Manono Street. More specifically, the Applicant
wishes for flexibility in siting the final access driveway location due to pending design and
potential underground utility constraints. For example, there are underground water and sewer
connections fronting and within the northern portion of the subject property,which may
complicate the relocation of the current access driveway to the north end of the subject property
as currently mandated by Condition G.
As referenced in the Planning Director's Recommendation Report, "Access to the subject
property is from Manono Street, a County-owned and maintained collector road improved with
full curb, gutters, and sidewalks and an approximately 32 foot-wide pavement within a 60 foot-
wide right-of-way. The Applicants originally proposed to limit access to right-in, right-out
movements only, due to the current traffic striping configuration on Manono Street,fronting the
subject property. However, according to the Department of Public Works (DPW), Engineering
Division, as long as the property is limited to one access point, there is no objection to allowing
full movements at the access drive. Thus, no such limitation will be conditioned. Additionally,
DPW notes that new striping may be required for the middle lane divider on Manono Street and
the driveway location may be restricted to the north end of the property in order to provide for a
longer turn lane pocket. Conditions of approval will be included to address the preceding."
(emphasis added).
P.O.BOX 4501,HILO HAWAII 96720
PHONE:(808)895-3218 EMAIL:DARYN ARAI@OU'I'L,OOK.COM
Mr. Louis Daniele, Chair
Windward Planning Commission
Page 2 of 2
February 3, 2025
However, as currently presented, Condition G would mandate that the access driveway be
relocated to the northern end of the subject property. The Applicants therefore offer the
following proposed amendment to Condition G for your consideration (material to be deleted is
bracketed and struck-out):
G. Access from Manono Street shall be restricted to one (1) driveway access point
[.,,L iGh Sh,11 L.e -+the« «rL. end- of the subject p e,.s.. and .,tleey orl F,tt
mevemen ]. If required by the Department of Public Works(DPW),the Applicants
will be required to install new striping for the middle lane divider fronting the subject
property on Manono Street, subject to the approval of the DPW, prior to issuance of a
Certificate of Occupancy for any commercial use.
In the end,the Applicants must design and construct a driveway connection with Manono
Street that meets with the approval of the Department of Public Works, as required by proposed
Condition H:
H. All driveway connections and construction within Manono Street shall conform to
Chapter 22, County Streets, of the Hawaii County Code. Driveway access plans
shall be submitted for the review and approval of the Department of Public Works
and shall include the provision of adequate site distances. The required and/or
appropriate mitigation(s) shall be in place prior to issuance of a Certificate of
Occupancy for any commercial use.
The Applicants understands and accepts that depending on the final location of their
single access driveway,the County may restrict access to their property to right-in/right-out as
the Applicant's originally proposed, or allow for full-turning movements. It is simply too early
in the overall design/engineering/construction process to determine the final location of the
driveway access, so some flexibility is respectfully requested.
Please feel free to contact me should there be any questions or need for additional
information.
Sincerely.
I)ARYN ARAI
band Use Planning Consultant
cc via email: Applicants Jack Vanderhoff,Jr. and Sau-Yin Yeung