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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-05-03 Windward Transcript Ag Tourism PLANNING COMMISSION COUNTY OF HAWAI‘I HEARING TRANSCRIPT MAY 3, 2012 PLANNING DIRECTOR INITIATED AMENDMENT TO A regularly advertised hearing on the CHAPTER 25 (ZONING CODE) RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL TOURISM was called to order at 3:22 p.m. in the County of Hawai‘i, Aupuni Center Conference Room, 101 Pauahi Street, Hilo, Hawai‘i, with Vice-Chairman Dean Au presiding. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Dean Au, Ronald Gonzales, Wallace Ishibashi, and Raylene Moses STAFF PRESENT: Molly Lugo (Deputy Corporation Counsel), B. J. Leithead Todd (Planning Director), Daryn Arai (Planning Program Manager), Phyllis Fujimoto (Staff Planner), Maija Cottle (Staff Planner), Jeff Darrow (Staff Planner), Sarah Hata-Finley, (Staff Member) and Sharon Nomura (Secretary) And three people from the public in attendance. ABSENT AND EXCUSED: Stephen Ono and Zendo Kern APPLICANT: PLANNING DIRECTORINITIATED Amendment to Chapter 25 (Zoning Code) of the Hawai‘i County Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as amended) relating to Agricultural Tourism. The proposed amendment will specifically amend Sections 25-1-5(b), 25-2-71, 25-2-75, 25-2-76 and 25-4-15 relating to definitions, plan approval requirements, and use regulations, respectively, as they are related to agricultural tourism. AU: Next applicant is the Planning Director. ARAI: Okay, I’ll provide you a very brief update. This particular bill was heard by you back in March. And at that particular hearing the bill itself was continued to today in anticipation that there could be additional changes to the bill, as well as based on testimony at that meeting, as well as the upcoming Leeward hearing. Well, the Leeward hearing on this particular bill was heard last month, and no additional changes to the bill were made. So what you have present before you today, and hopefully you’ll take action on it today, is the same bill that was presented to you back in March. There have been no subsequent changes. And the Planning Director did provide you an overview of the purpose of the bill at your March hearing. If necessary, if you want her to go through that again, by all means let us know. We’d be happy to do it for you. But with that I stand ready to answer any questions that you may have. AU: Okay. Any questions for staff, Commissioners? So, Madam Director, do you have anything to add to that? 1 EXHIBIT C LEITHEAD TODD: You know, just that we may propose when it gets to the Council some amendments to definitions and stuff, but that the basic format of the bill will remain the same. And it’s basically to try and make it easier for the smaller farms to do ag tourism without having to expend money to do drainage studies and, because those, you know, will run you $5,000-$6,000. And for a small operation that’s a lot of money for somebody to come up with, especially for some of the, the guys that are just kind of going month-to-month. And, again, the ag tourism, the idea is to try and help supplement agricultural income, and especially on a monthly basis, as opposed to, you know, normally you’re waiting for your crop to come in. And so for a lot of farmers their big income is seasonal. But by allowing some small scale agricultural tourism it will help them supplement their income on a monthly basis and help meet their monthly operating expenses, without having to go out and do more loans. AU: Okay, thank you. We have one person to testify. So please come up, Lani Weigert. Please raise your right hand, and swear yourself in. WEIGERT: Yes. AU: You can state your name and your address. WEIGERT: My name is Lani Weigert and I live in Kaumana. AU: Yes. So you have three minutes, go ahead. WEIGERT: So I’m in favor of the changes that were proposed by the Director. My position is I’m president of the Hawai‘i Agri Tourism Association, which is a statewide nonprofit association; and we have 125 farms on it right now. I’m also owner of the Lavender Farm in Maui so I am very aware of the ag tourism activities. And I think that these revisions would be very, very helpful for many farmers to gain supplemental income and diversify their revenue stream right now coming into their farm. So I am for the revisions, and I hope that you folks will approve to send IT on to the Council. Now I don’t know if I feel really special or really insignificant but (laughter), but after that huge crowd (crowd for prior agenda item) I’m just so glad that you folks are still here. I really appreciate it. Thank you. AU: Okay, thank you for your testimony. Any questions for the testifier? Okay. Well, thank you very much. WEIGERT: Thank you. You may have a seat. ISHIBASHI: Chair, one question. Excuse me, sister, you say you have 125 members. Is that statewide or just on this island? WEIGERT: Statewide. ISHIBASHI: Oh, statewide. 2 EXHIBIT C WEIGERT: So, yes, we have them on this island all the way to Kauai. ISHIBASHI: Thank you. WEIGERT: Yeah, thank you. AU: Thank you. Okay, Fellow Commissioners, I’m happy to entertain a motion -. ISHIBASHI: I make a motion that we send a favorable recommendation to accept and pass the Planning Director’s initiated amendment to Chapter 25 (Zoning Code) of the Hawai‘i County Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as amended). AU: Thank you. Can I get a second, please? GONZALES: Second. AU: Open for discussion. Okay, with no discussion -. ISHIBASHI: I got one comment. And I believe THIS is one step in the right direction, moving forward. Cause that’s true what BJ said about seasonal crops, and this is going to help the farmers in some way with this ag tourism. Farming and tourism, that’s all part of a good program. So we’re thinking forward here. Thank you. AU: Okay, thank you. Go ahead. WEIGERT: I did just want to say thank you. I know you were here earlier this morning, and then you left and then you came back, so thank you so much for that, too, letting me testify. AU: Okay, we got a second so go ahead Daryn. I guess we’ll just go take a vote. ARAI: Okay, taking the vote. Commissioner Ishibashi? ISHIBASHI: Aye. ARAI: Commissioner Gonzales? GONZALES: Aye. ARAI: Commissioner Moses? MOSES: Aye. ARAI: And Mr. Chairman? KERN: Aye. 3 EXHIBIT C ARAI: Mr. Chairman, motion carries with four aye votes The discussion ended at 3:29 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Sharon M. Nomura, Secretary Windward Planning Commission 4 EXHIBIT C