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HomeMy WebLinkAbout15Apr10 AC Minutes County of Hawai‘i PLANNING DEPARTMENT PUNA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN ACTION COMMITTEE Aupuni Center • 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3 • Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720 Phone (808) 961-8288 • Fax (808) 961-8742 Hawai’i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer BJ Leithead Todd Director Margaret Masunaga Deputy Director William P. Kenoi Mayor Thursday, April 15, 2010 Meeting Minutes CALL TO ORDER 1. Vice-Chair Frank Commendador called the PCDP Action Committee meeting to order at 3:01 p.m. in the Kea’au Community Center, with the following persons present: Action Committee: Frank Commendador, Madie Greene, Larry Higgins, Keikialoha Kekipi, Jeffrey Krepps, Wesley Owens, Tim Tunison. Excused: Barbara Bell, Daniel Taylor, Staff: Larry Brown (Planning Department, Project Manager), Cynthia Lahilahi Verschuur (Planning Department, Recorder). Public servants: Emily Naeole-Beason (County Councilwoman, 5th District), RJ Hampton (5th District Aide), Shelly Ogata (3rd District Aide). Media: David Corrigan (Big Island Video News) Members of the public: 10 ANNOUNCEMENTS None PUBLIC TESTIMONY 1. Lon Brown, Pahoa Arts and Library Association (PAALA), testified on the need for a library and performance venue in Puna that is not dependent on the Department of Education or subject to public funding cuts. 2. Denyse Temple, PAALA president, testified on Pahoa Library’s inability to effectively serve the community. Gave background information on the proposal to build a new private, not-for-profit, membership-based community facility behind the swimming pool. 3. Diane Ware testified on behalf of Kathleen Golden, former Natural Resource Working Group member, who expressed concern about the amendment process imposed by Bill 194 and wanted to make sure the Steering Committee’s opinions were considered. 4. Diane Ware, former Natural Resources Working Group member, asked for a meeting with community members. Spoke on AC Draft Recommendation Report, item 5, and the need to decrease population density. Would like more discussion and clarification on Ag-zoned lots in Volcano and the issue of road conditions in Hawaii Orchid Isle Estates. 5. Richard Bidleman, Board of Directors for Friends of Pahoa Library and former Infrastructure Working Group member, testified against the proposed not-for-profit library in Pahoa. 6. Elizabeth Weatherford testified in support of the AC recommendations on aquifer protection and transfer of development rights. 7. James Weatherford testified on the amendment recommendations concerning Hawaiian Paradise Park. Asked for a footnote in the AC’s report to include the quantity of lots prior to consolidation and spoke in favor of indicating the number of miles of roads in HPP. 8. Jon Olson thanked the AC for their work. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Wes moved to defer approval of the minutes of the special AC meeting held March 25 and continued on April 8, 2010 until the next monthly meeting. All voted in favor. NEW BUSINESS 1. Galen Kuba, head of Engineering Division, Department of Public Works, gave an update on DPW projects in the Puna district. A. One funded project remaining this fiscal year: South Puni Rd. Mauka in Hawaiian Shores. B. Two projects scheduled next year: South Puni Rd. Mauka and Kama‘ili Rd. in ‘Opihikau. C. Looking at using new software to manage paved county roads in Puna. D. Poho‘iki Bypass: Dept. of Parks and Rec. is working to acquire the old road. E. Flood study of Puna using aerial technology (LIDAR) to create topographical maps. F. PMAR: Delay due to federal and county funding issues. G. DPW has begun inventorying private roads to qualify state for more federal funding. H. State Transportation Improvement Program public meetings i. Members of the public can attend and make suggestions for improvements to state roads functionally classified as major collector or higher. ii. Puna meeting to be held May 17, 2010 at 6 p.m. at the Kea’au Community Center. 2. Denyse Temple resumed her presentation on PAALA’s proposed project to build a non-for-profit library and amphitheater in Pahoa. A. Requested the Action Committee provide input to Mayor Kenoi. B. Want to use six acres of the recently purchased 58 acres of fallow county park land behind the Pahoa swimming pool. Said the public’s top vote for the land’s use was a library. C. Construction funds goal: $30 million D. Emily Naeole-Beason commented that she is proposing a homeless shelter for that land and encouraged PAALA to work with her. E. Wes made a motion that the AC finds that PAALA’s current plan fits within Pahoa’s needs and services as described in the village center concept in the Puna CDP, and defers action on the request for endorsement until the current amendments pass or fail. 2 Madie seconded. All voted in favor. 3. Subcommittee Reports A. Amendment Subcommittee – no meetings held B. Budget & Finance Subcommittee – no meetings held, checking with Rene Siracusa on grant research C. Mālama I Ka ‘Āina Subcommittee – no report D. Managing Growth Subcommittee i. Parks and Recreation –Pahoa Senior Center meeting held April 14. Dept. of Parks and Rec. is working on turning the old firehouse into a dedicated senior center. The next meeting is July 14 at the Pahoa Neighborhood Center. ii. Larry H. held a meeting March 23 to gather input from community leaders regarding village centers, which was not well-attended. Will send out e-mail to communities. iii. Reported on Seaview Annual General Meeting held March 29. The board rescinded their request to have Seaview removed as a possible location for a village center. E. Transportation Subcommittee – no meetings held 4. Action Committee Workshops: No suggestions *Frank turned the meeting over to Larry B. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 1. Amendments to the Puna CDP A. AC Draft Letter of Recommendation to the Planning Director i. Item 5 (Agricultural zoning) a. Sec. 3.2.3.c: Amend the original text as follows: “Rescind the Urban Expansion Area designations in the County of Hawai’i General Plan LUPAG, except where they correspond to the recommended Preliminary Regional Town Center boundaries and existing urban type zoning for Kea‘au and Pāhoa as illustrated in Chapter 5.” b. Wes moved to accept revision, Madie seconded. All in favor. ii. Item 9 (village/town center formation) a. Larry B. discussed the need for design guidance. Suggested amendment to Sec. 5.2.3, 1st par., 2nd sentence “Table 5-1 suggests guidance on the scale, uses, and general site and design characteristics for three types of town/village centers that may be defined in the town/village center “floating zone” designations to be adopted.” b. Frank moved to adopt the amendment as read. Wes seconded. All in favor. iii. Hawaiian Paradise Park Homeowners Association’s (HPPOA) request to change number of lots and add miles of roads. a. Wes moved to retain the original text on pg. 5-10 in the Puna CDP. Madie seconded. Except for Jeffrey’s abstention, all others voted in favor. 3 4 iv. Ulupono Center a. Larry B. suggested revising the draft recommendation to more accurately reflect the AC’s position as follows: “The Action Committee recommends rejecting this request to amend the preliminary boundary of Kea’au Regional Town Center as shown in Figure 5-1 at this time. A proposal to include additional areas outside the preliminary boundary should be addressed in the Kea’au Regional Town Center master planning effort.” b. Wes moved to accept wording as stated. Madie seconded, all in favor. v. Aquifer a. Frank brought up concern and felt the protection corridor should be expanded. Discussed the possibility of taking a position or recommending a study. b. Discussion ensued to consider prohibiting new cesspools in Puna. c. Larry B. said the AC could propose an amendment at a future date after more research. d. Discussion ensued about how to treat Hawaiian Homes land. e. Wes moved to recommend “extra protection of the aquifer makai of Hwy. 130, as in lands mauka. Therefore, retaining the original PCDP wording in Ch. 2, Sec. 2.3.3.d.” and adding the description text, “The Action Committee recognizes that the DHHL developments in the Maku‘u area are already in existence or have State Department of Health approvals for private waste water disposal systems and, therefore, are not subject to the requirements proposed in Sec. 2.3.3.d of the original PCDP. It is further understood that follow-up studies to determine what additional actions are needed to ensure that the Puna aquifer is adequately protected from contamination due to continued development.” Madie seconded, all in favor. vi. Tim moved to accept the letter to the Planning Director as drafted, Wes seconded. All voted in favor. 2. Communication No. 2010-23 (Consideration of CIP projects) A. Discussion ensued on recommending an environmental assessment and feasibility study for the Pahoa Regional Park. B. Jeffrey pointed out the park is already on the CIP list (as Pahoa Neighborhood Park Project). C. Larry B. said he would draft a letter from the AC to Emily Naeole in response to her request. D. No action was taken. * Larry B. turned the meeting back over to Frank. AGENDA FOR NEXT MEETING 1. Department of Transportation to speak on Hwy 130/shoulder conversion projects. 2. Department of Water Supply/public agency representative to discuss aquifer issues 3. Mass transit/Tom Brown ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned at 5:49.