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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-28-2010 SKCDP AC Minutes 1 Meeting of South Kohala CDP Action Committee June 28, 2010 Waimea Senior Center Committee Members Present: Nancy Alvord, Mike Fischer, Margaret Horwatt, Robin Absent: Inaba, Leonard Librizzi, Jeannie Palermo, Fran Tabor. Achahn Schulze. Others: Project Manager Allen Salavea; member of the public Anne Field-Gomes; Recorder Judith Graham Handouts: Location maps for Cellco dba Verizon and Nex Gen Energy; Permit Activity Report for May; Operating Guidelines of the South Kohala CDPAC; CDPAC Selection Process; CDPAC 2010 work plan template The meeting began at 5:10 pm. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC There were none. Approval of Minutes Minutes from the meeting of May 24, 2010, were approved. REPORTS 1.SKCDP Action Committee Vacancy Allen Salavea reported that there were candidates for the AC’s ninth seat and he anticipated interviews in mid July. 2. Land Use Permit Activity Report Allen Salavea said he had included agendized applications; the “date received” column indicates the date of the hearing. After hearings comments are taken. Frequently applications are returned for various reasons. The maps on the handout pertained to agendized items. Plan approvals, farm dwellings, ohana dwellings and subdivisions are determined administratively. The Planning Commission considers such matters as Special Management Area permits, SUPS and variances. These have public hearings. It was noted that the Nex Gen Energy application was incorrectly located on the handout map. 2 Mike Fischer stated that the AC will have its land use planning briefing session on July 7, when members can learn more. Fran Tabor reported that Verizon’s cell tower will be camouflaged with Norfolk pine. Allen noted that the cell tower is not in the Planning Department’s purview, although the department does have height restrictions. 3. Liaison Report from Meetings and Events Fran Tabor: At the North Kohala AC meeting in May, the AC felt its hands were tied and had proposed to meet with the Planning Director. Their committees included public access and infrastructure, among others. Fourteen members of the public had attended; announcement banners had been hung in town in advance of the meeting. Nancy Alvord: The Hawaii Leeward Planning Conference, of which she was considering becoming a member, meets monthly. In May they heard a presentation by Big island Carbon. She attended the Mayor’s Talk Story event and although the AC was supposed to be discussed, it was not. Mike Fischer: At a Representative Cindy Evans meeting, the topic was mostly the budget. Leonard Librizzi: At a meeting of the Kawaihae Local Resource group, liability resulting from neighbors who do not upkeep their property was a concern, due to fire hazard. From a traffic safety meeting, he reports that there is no standardized driver education program. Also, regarding passengers in the back of pickup trucks, the law does not apply in communities with a small population. Regarding Waikoloa, an onsite book mobile will be promotion for getting a real library in Waikoloa. NEW BUSINESS 4. Proposed South Kohala CDP Website A CDP website needs to be productive in terms of communicating with the community. Allen Salavea said the existing County Resource Center website is transitioning to Planning Department sponsorship. The County cannot allow open access because if input is inappropriate, the County would incur liability. The AC would need a separate site if such input is allowed. Kona and North Kohala now use the County site. Puna also uses it, plus other existing community sites. Margaret Horwatt recognized the liability concern, but had found it hard to navigate the County site. Mike Fischer felt liability issues might apply to either the County site or an independent site because the AC is a County entity. According to Leonard Librizzi, a separate site would be ambiguous: Which is the official voice of the AC? Requests could be given to Allen Salavea to enter information—to include more than just minutes and 3 agendas. However, this might be time consuming because the South Kohala AC does not have a planning assistant, like some other AC s. Mike Fischer: If the AC is identified with the County it will have more clout; otherwise the AC is just another community group. It is important for the AC to be as official as possible. Nancy Alvord agreed the AC is a County group and should be found on the County site. Leonard Librizzi: The AC needs to hear from the community. A function of the website would be to take community feedback. Allen Salavea noted that the County website does not allow that option now, yet the software is flexible. Margaret Horwatt and Jeannie Palermo: For examples of content, a website could include information on the pu‘u project, updates on subdivision applications, and requests for help. It could notify the public about subcommittees and provide contact information. Robin Inaba suggested starting and linking to various community sites. In conclusion, Jeanni Palermo and Mike Fischer will look into domain names and may contact schools about assistance with a website. Nancy Alvord noted that the work and agenda of a meeting changes if numerous members of the public are present. OLD BUSINESS 5. Develop 2010/2011 Implementation Work Plan for SKCDP Allen Salavea said the County wants work plans created. The subcommittees can work on this and submit their proposals to Allen. Allen can compile information on the work plans and report to the County. Work plans also serve as a measuring tool. He would like to set a date for completed work plans. 6. Subcommittee Reports and Updates The South Kohala AC subcommittees are not standing committees but are flexible. a)Puako Evacuation Route at Paniau: Jeannie met with the Puako Community Association on June 2. They have already finished an evacuation route; a firebreak is now their highest priority. Ocean water quality issues are also important. The AC can check off the evacuation route matter, and replace it with a topic of a firebreak behind the mauka houselots as a priority. The Association meets the first Wednesday of the month, 6:30 pm, at a real estate office in the General Store. 4 Leonard Librizzi: A big issue for Puako is the Ainalea project. Residents believe Puako will be a recreation area for Ainalea with impacts on water quality, trash and traffic. Further, the required affordable housing units may have been built but they are not habitable without water and electricity. The project has dragged out for a long time, and requirements may not be met. Jeannie Palermo: The Puako Association submitted a comment letter in the EIS process. It said Ainalea’s impacts are not fully addressed in the EIS, and water and sewer are not in place for the new development. Allen Salavea: Their EIS was not created recently. A court ruling has found a 9 to 10 year old EIS for whatever project will not be adequate. Ainalea may be required to re-do or supplement. It is crucial that we note community concerns to modify the South Kohala CDP.Concerns are touched on in the CDP but not to the current extent. The concerns can be highlighted so that when the Planning Department does an Environmental Assessment review, language can come verbatim from the CDP. It would help to note in the CDP that there will be impacts on Waikoloa and the north of Puako due to ocean resources there. If the applicant has received a FONSI, it has already met a certain level of no impact. Action: A copy of the Puako Association’s EIS letter will be sent to the Planning Director from the AC, requesting that she forward it to the State Land Use Commission. b) Trails and Bikeways: Leonard Librizzi reported that the project has been delayed by an issue about eucalyptus trees alongside Waimea Stream because some are opposed to cutting the trees. Fran Tabor advised that eucalyptus robusta had been planted by the Army Corps of Engineers for flood control and watershed management; the trees are also habitat for birds. She lives along the stream and mentioned indemnity and title issues. She will provide Leonard with research she has done. c) Kawaihae Marine Water Quality: Margaret Horwatt and Robin Inaba will not be able to submit a work plan at this time. d) Waikoloa Evacuation Road: Mike Fischer said that Ainalea proposes to connect its main paved thoroughfare to Hulu Street, and that can serve as an evacuation route. This contradicts what the CDP calls for. Mike proposes keeping the access as specified in the CDP and keeping the Hulu Street gate locked. It is a dead end residential street not suitable for a thoroughfare. The land is owned by the Villages of Waikoloa; a few entities have keys. Hulu Street is not engineered to play a through street role. He will draft a letter for the AC’s consideration, requesting to keep the gate locked and to consider the street solely as an emergency road. The CDP map designation appears on page 95. 5 7) Review Draft Operating Guidelines Some AC members have already sent comments to Allen Salavea. If others have recommendations, they will send them to Allen, who will route them to the group before the next meeting. Mike Fischer noted that once the guidelines are adopted, the AC is bound by them. 8) DLNR Lease of 420 Acres within the Protection Zone Pu‘u Margaret Horwatt had requested a copy of the leases. The Pu‘u Protection Zone is found on the CDP’s page 65. The leases are in the protection zone around Buster Brown hill. Once Parker Ranch and the Department of Land and Natural Resources re-do the leases, the opportunity to move on public access will be gone for 30 years. This is high priority. Margaret suggested that the AC create a petition to the DLNR to ask for a six-month period to explore options to create public access, i.e., to delay signing the lease. This State land is actually publicly owned; now only hunters have access. On August 7 Deborah Chang will give a presentation on open land access at Thelma Parker Library. Motion: Margaret moved that the AC create a petition in letter form to the DLNR asking for a six-month extension before the State enters into a new 30-year lease. Discussion: Options need to be reviewed before the request can be more specific. Mention was made of a pedestrian perimeter trail around all three lots. Jeannie Palermo asked for a better map from Allen Salavea. Clearly, communication with Parker Ranch would be preferable at this stage. Parker Ranch, further, cannot unilaterally grant the public access. Liability is also an issue. Leonard Librizzi may informally contact a Parker Ranch executive about the matter. Vote: By unanimous vote the AC agreed that Margaret Horwatt will prepare the letter s subject to approval of itwording by the chair and co-chair. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC Anne Field-Gomes made two points. She lives near the leased areas and hikers do go through there. There is some poaching at night. She also advised the AC to ensure its letters come through the whole AC because in one instance a subcommittee of the Waimea Community Association had sent out a letter without the board’s knowledge. Announcements The AC will receive a presentation about the land-use approval process from Bill Moore on July 7, 3 to 6 pm, at Waiulaula. 6 Date, Time, and Location of Next Meeting The next meeting will be on Monday, July 26, 5 pm, at the senior citizen center. Set Agenda for Next Meeting Mike Fischerasked AC members to send him agenda items at least two weeks in advance. The meeting adjourned at 7:15 pm.