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Home My WebLink About2026-03-03 Dec. Ruling Onaona P. Thoene, Carlsmith Ball LLP Opposition TestimonyFrom:Onaona P. Thoene To:Planning WPC Testimony Cc:Katherine A. Garson; Patrick K. Wong Subject:WPC Meeting of March 5, 2026 - Testimony on Agenda Item No. 2 - Camacho Petition for Declaratory Order Date:Tuesday, March 3, 2026 12:13:16 PM Attachments:2026-03-03 Verizon - WPC Testimony Agenda Item No. 2 (Camacho Declaratory Order Petition) (final).pdf Aloha, Please see the attached testimony on Agenda Item No. 2. Let us know if you have any issues with the file. Mahalo, Onaona ONAONA P. THOENE Partner | Carlsmith Ball LLP 1001 Bishop Street, Suite 2100 Honolulu, HI 96813 Tel: 808.523.2596 Fax: 808.523.0842 Honolulu · Hilo · Kona · Maui www.carlsmith.com Download V-Card IMPORTANT/CONFIDENTIAL: This message from the law firm of Carlsmith Ball LLP, A Limited Liability Law Partnership, contains information which may beconfidential, privileged, and/or exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the addressee (or authorized to receive for the addressee), you are hereby notified that the copying, use or distribution of any information or materialstransmitted in or with this message is strictly prohibited. If you received this message in error, please immediately notify me (the sender) by replying to this email, then promptly destroy the original message. Thank you. HONOLULU HILO KONA MAUI CARLSMITH BALL LLP A LIMITED LIABILITY LAW PARTNERSHIP ASB TOWER, SUITE 2100 1001 BISHOP STREET HONOLULU, HAWAII 96813 TELEPHONE 808.523.2500 FAX 808.523.0842 WWW.CARLSMITH.COM DIRECT DIAL NO. PTHOENE@CARLSMITH.COM OUR REFERENCE NO. 072134-5 March 3, 2026 Via E-Mail to WPCtestimony@hawaiicounty.gov Louis Daniele III &KDLU:LQGZDUG3ODQQLQJ&RPPLVVLRQ&RXQW\RI+DZDLދL Aupuni Center, 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 2 Hilo, +DZDLދL Re: Opposition of Cellco Partnership dba Verizon Wireless to Brandy Camacho's Petition for Declaratory Order, Agenda Item No. 2, Windward Planning Commission Meeting of March 5, 2026_________ Dear Chair Daniele, Vice Chair Perrin, and Members of the Windward Planning Commission (the "Commission"): This firm represents Cellco Partnership dba Verizon Wireless ("Verizon"). Verizon submits this testimony in opposition to Agenda Item No. 2, Petitioner Brandy Camacho's Petition for Declaratory Ruling Regarding Use Permit No. 15-000056 dated January 26, 2026 (the "Petition"). The Petition is an attempt by Petitioner to usurp the County of Hawaiދi ("County") Planning Department and Planning Commission's authority to enforce permit conditions. There is no private right of action for Petitioner to force the County to enforce a permit condition. The Petition specifically asserts that the building permit for the Project, issued by the Department of Public Works ("DPW"), is void because an "access easement" was not recorded prior to the issuance the building permit, as required by Condition No. 3 of the Use Permit. Because the issuance, validity, and any revocation of a building permit is outside of the Commission's jurisdiction, and because Petitioner does not have any right to enforce permit conditions, the Petition should be denied. I. Background Verizon is the original permittee under the Use Permit No. 15-000056 approved by the Commission on November 5, 2015 (the "2015 Use Permit"), which allows for the development of a telecommunication facility and related facilities within a 1,600 square-foot portion on a 2- DFUHSDUFHOLQ.HDދDX3XQD+DZDLދLWKHProject") on Tax Map Key ("TMK") No. (3) 1-5- ³Parcel 118´RZQHGE\+DZDLދL3DFLILF'LVWULFW&KXUFKRIWKH1D]DUHQHWhe Chair Daniele, Windward Planning Commission March 3, 2026 Page 2 "Church"). See Planning Department ("PD") Background Report, Ex. 3 (Use Permit No. 15- 000056). Verizon was also the original licensee under that certain a Land License Agreement (the ³Land License”) by which the Church granted Verizon a license to use a thirty-foot (30’) by thirty-IRRW¶DUHDRQ3DUFHOFRQWDLQLQJDSSUR[LPDWHO\VTXDUHIHHWs.f.") (the ³Premises”), together with the non-exclusive right for ingress and egress over or along a right- of-ZD\RYHUDQGDFURVV3DUFHOH[WHQGLQJIURm 31st Avenue, to the Premises. A Memorandum RI/DQG/LFHQVH$JUHHPHQWGDWHG'HFHPEHUZDVUHFRUGHGRQ$SULOLQWKH 2IILFHRIWKH$VVLVWDQW5HJLVWUDURIWKH6WDWHRI+DZDLދLLand Court") as Document No. T- 7KH/DQG/LFHQVHKDGDQLQLWLDOWHUPRIILYH\HDUVZKLFKZRXOGEH³DXWRPDWLFDOO\ H[WHQGHGIRUIRXUDGGLWLRQDOILYH\HDUWHUPVXQOHVV/,&(16((WHUPLQDWHV>WKH/DQG License] at the end of the then current term by giving LICENSOR written notice of the intent to terminDWH>@Attachment 1 DW ,IQHLWKHUSDUW\SURYLGHVQRWLFHWRWHUPLQDWHWKH/DQG License at the end of that twenty-five (25) year period, the Land License provides for continuous and automatic five (5) year extension terms until terminated by the parties. Id. at § 6. Thus unless the Land License is terminated, the Land License continues in perpetuity. 2Q6HSWHPEHUDIWHUUHFHLYLQJWKH&KXUFK¶VSULRUZULWWHQFRQVHQWSXUVXDQWWR Section 22 of the Land License, Verizon assigned all of its right, title and interest as licensee under the Land License to Horizon Tower Limited Partnership III, a Kansas limited partnership, by Horizon Tower III, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ("Horizon") by executing that certain Assignment and AssumptLRQRI/DQG/LFHQVH$JUHHPHQWGDWHG6HSWHPEHU Originally, access to the telecommunications facility was intended to be from 32nd $YHQXHDQGWKURXJKWKH&KXUFKSDUNLQJORWRQ3DUFHO$VGHVLJQIRUWKH3URMHFWSURJUHVVHG Verizon explored alternative access via 31st Avenue over TMK No. (3) 1-5-³Parcel 84”), a vacant lot also owned by the Church, so that access to the Project would not conflict with &KXUFKXVHVRI3DUFHO,QUHVSRQVHWRDUHTXHVWIURPWKH&KXUFKWRUHORFDWHDFFHVV to the 3URMHFWIURPQG$YHQXHRYHU3DUFHOWRVW$YHQXHRYHU3DUFHO9HUL]RQILOHGDQ application to amend the 2015 Use Permit, which application also requested a 5-year time extension to develop the Project, an amendment to Condition No. 2, which required construction WREHFRPSOHWHGE\1RYHPEHU)ROORZLQJDSXEOLFKHDULQJRQ-DQXDU\WKH &RPPLVVLRQDSSURYHGWKHUHTXHVWHGDPHQGPHQWV3'%DFNJURXQG5HSRUW([$PHQGHG8VH permit approval); Attachment 2 -DQ7UDQVFULSt). The amended Use Permit was issued on January 21, 2020 (hereinafter, the "Use Permit3'%DFNJURXQG5HSRUW([,QDSSURYLQJWKHDPHQGPHQWVWRWKH8VH3HUPLW SXUVXDQWWR&RQGLWLRQ1RWKH&RPPLVVLRQDGRSWHGWKH3ODQQLQJ'HSDUWPHQW VILQdings and UHFRPPHQGDWLRQVDQGGHWHUPLQHGDPRQJRWKHUWKLQJVWKDW³the only change is the location of the proposed driveway access in order to create a safer environment for children playing on and around the playground equipment on Parcel 118”; and (2) that the change in access location would not adversely affect surrounding properties. PD Background Report Ex. 5 at 2; Attachment 2 at 20--DQ7UDQVFULSW Chair Daniele, Windward Planning Commission March 3, 2026 Page 3 Additionally, to ensure that the Project and permittee would retain the benefit of access RYHU3DUFHOWKH3ODQQLQJ'LUHFWRUUHFRPPHQGHGWKDW³DFRQGLWLRQEHDGGHGWRWKHSHUPLWWR ensure access is provided during the life of the telecommunication facilLW\RYHU3DUFHOHYHQLI the parcel is sold to another owner by the landowner.” Attachment 2 at 20--DQ Transcript). The Planning Director’s recommendation was included in the amended Use Permit as Condition No. 3: 3. The applicant shall H[HFXWHDQGUHFRUGDQHDVHPHQWRYHU3DUFHO WRSURYLGHDFFHVVWRWKHWHOHFRPPXQLFDWLRQVVLWHRQSDUFHOfor the duration of the life of the telecommunication facility. A copy of the recorded easement shall be provided to the Planning Department prior to issuance of a building permit for construction of the telecommunication facility. PD Background Report Ex. 5 (emphasis added). Condition No. 3 provides the sole basis for the Petition, which was added solely for the benefit of the permitholder, is not required by statute, zoning ordinance, or any other County rule, and does not in any way affect Petitioner. II. Opposition to Petition The Petition should be denied because (1) the Commission does not have the authority to decide matters related to issuance, validity, or revocation of a building permit, thus, such decisions are outside of the Commission's jurisdiction, and (2) Petitioner does not have a right to enforce permit conditions. Petitioner asserts that the building permit for the Project, issued by DPW, is void because an "access easement" was not recorded prior to the issuance the building permit, as required by Condition No. 3 of the Use Permit. Petitioner's "Proof of Breach" supporting her position is a 'HFHPEHUHPDLOZLWK+DZDLLDQ(OHFWric Light Company ("HELCO") regarding an unrelated HELCO easement. See 3'%DFNJURXQG5HSRUW([DW$VGHWDLOHGDERYH &RQGLWLRQ1RRIWKH8VH3HUPLWUHODWHVWRWKHDFFHVVULJKWVRYHU3DUFHOJUDQWHGWRWKH developer/operator of the Project, not a utility easement to HELCO. Compare PD Background 5HSRUW([DW (Condition No. 3) with Ex. 1 at 1. $VGLVFXVVHGDERYHDQGLQVDWLVIDFWLRQRI&RQGLWLRQ1RRIWKH8VH3HUPLWRQ$SULO 2021, a memorandum of the Land License was recorded in the Land Court. The Land License provides for access to the Project over PDUFHOIRUVRORQJDVWKH3URMHFWLVVLWHGDQGRSHUDWLQJ RQ3DUFHO7KH/DQG/LFHQVHGLUHFWO\DGGUHVVHVWKH3ODQQLQJ&RPPLVVLRQ VDQG3ODQQLQJ 'HSDUWPHQW VH[SUHVVHGFRQFHUQVWKDWWKH3URMHFWDSSOLFDQWKDYHSHUSHWXDODFFHVVRYHU3DUFHO to the Project site. Additionally, a Grant of Easement dated January 22, 2026, recorded in the Land Court as Document No. T-RQ-DQXDU\DOVRSURYLGHV+RUL]RQZLWKD SHUSHWXDODFFHVVHDVHPHQWRYHU3DUFHOSee 3'%DFNJURXQG5HSRUW([ Chair Daniele, Windward Planning Commission March 3, 2026 Page NothLQJLQ&RQGLWLRQ1RRIWKH8VH3HUPLWWKH+DZDLދL&RXQW\&RGHWKH&RXQW\RI +DZDLދL3ODQQLQJ&RPPLVVLRQ5XOHVRI3UDFWLFHDQG3URFHGXUHPC Rules"), or any statute gives a private individual the right to challenge compliance with the Use Permit conditions and neither the Planning Department nor the Planning Commission have determined that a violation of Condition No. 3 exists. Before the Commission can even consider whether there is a violation of the Use Permit, the County must first decided whether there is a violation of a permit condition, considering the intent of the condition. See, e.g., PC Rules, 5XOH-11. Even if a violation is found, that does not render the Use Permit automatically void, and it certainly does not have any bearing on whether the building permit is void, as Petitioner contends. See Maui Lani Neighbors, Inc. v. State of +DZDLұLHWDO+DZDLދL3G7REHFOHDURXUKolding that MLN's HEPA claims may proceed without application of the doctrine of administrative remedies does not automatically vitiate the CUP.") III. Conclusion Under PC Rule 3-1(c), the Commission "shall either deny the petition in writing, stating the reasons for such denial or issue a declaratory order on the matters contained in the petition, or VHWWKHPDWWHUIRUDSXEOLFKHDULQJ>@)RUWKHUHDVRQVGLVFXVVHGDERYHWKH3HWLWLRQVKRXOGEH denied. Sincerely, Carlsmith Ball LLP Patrick K. Wong Onaona P. Thoene Attachments 1-2 ---00005 1#ÿȒĕ<ûȒćVȒ yȒ ĩȒ K ½Ȓ ' Ȓ Ȓ 6Ȓ ųȒï"/Ȓ»·pcŻ ƚ`G Ā ŐeȒ ĿĐǵȒ Ĉ&Ȓ ğ ŷƏ Ȓ ā Ȓ ! 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ATTACHMENT 1 ATTACHMENT 2