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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-10-04 Windward Transcript PD Puna PLANNING COMMISSION COUNTY OF HAWAI‘I HEARING TRANSCRIPT OCTOBER 4, 2012 PLANNING DIRECTOR INITIATED AMENDMENT TO A regularly advertised hearing on the THE ZONING CODE REGARDING ROADWAY ALIGNMENTS WITHIN THE SOUTH HILO-PUNA DISTRICT BOUNDARY was called to order at 9:45 a.m. in the County of Hawai‘i Hawai‘i, with Chairman Zendo Kern presiding. Aupuni Center Conference Room, 101 Pauahi Street, Hilo, COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Zendo Kern, Dean Au, Ronald Gonzales, Wallace Ishibashi and Raylene Moses STAFF PRESENT: Ivan Torigoe (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), and Sharon Nomura (Secretary) ABSENT AND EXCUSED: Stephen Ono And 21 people from the public in attendance. INITIATOR: PLANNING DIRECTOR Amendment to Section 25-8-33 (City of Hilo Zone Map), Article 8, Chapter 25 (Zoning Code) of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2005 Edition) by relocating the easterly portion of the proposed 80-foot wide right-of-way connecting Stainback Highway to that proposed alignment between ‘Auwae Road and Lama Road to an alignment following Māmaki Street and then adjusting the proposed alignment to the southeast that terminates at the South Hilo-Puna District boundary at Waiākea, South Hilo, Hawai‘i. KERN: Item No. 2, Planning Director initiated amendment to Section 25-8-33 of the City of Hilo Zone Map, Article 8, Chapter 25 of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2005 Edition) by relocating the easterly portion of the proposed 80-foot wide right-of-way connecting Stainback Highway to the proposed alignment between ‘Auwae Road and Lama Road to the alignment following Māmaki Street and then adjusting the proposed alignment to the southeast that terminates at the South Hilo-Puna District boundary at Waiākea. Daryn. ARAI: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good morning, Commissioners. COMMISSIONERS: Good morning. ARAI: If I may direct your attention to the presentation screen, the amendment before you today is a proposal to amend the City of Hilo Zone Map which is a part of the County Zoning Code, by relocating an easterly portion of a proposed 80-foot wide right-of-way connecting Stainback Highway to the proposed alignment between ‘Auwae Road and Lama Road to an alignment following Māmaki Street, and then adjusting the proposed alignment to the southeast that terminates at the South Hilo-Puna District boundary. I know that was a mouthful but I’m going to show you a map right next. This is the, and we are looking at Panaewa in SouthHilo. To the right is Highway 11 in this direction toward the top running back toward Hilo, on the bottom running toward Keaau. As a point of reference the green line colored area here is Nani Mau Gardens. 1 EXHIBIT A The dotted line you see here on the mauka side of Highway 11 is the current alignment of Stainback Highway as proposed on the City of Hilo Zone Map, and, I’m sorry, Stainback Highway actually exists in this portion as well. But the proposed, the proposed alignment shown on the current City of Hilo Zone Map shows it crossing Stainback Highway, and then going through basically in between lots in the Panaewa Subdivision, and extending all the way down toward the end of the makai end of the Panaewa Homestead Subdivision, and then heading southeast toward the Puna district boundary. The proposal is to adjust that alignment going through, basically, a lot of people’s back yards and taking it along existing Mamāki Street, large portions of which are already constructed, already exists on the ground. There is just a small portion here that is yet to be constructed. So as you can imagine, by following an existing alignment or network of streets you minimize the potential impact to landowners in a particular area. This is an aerial photo showing the same alignments. Again, the existing proposed alignment is here with the readjusted alignments shown in blue, extending down to Lama Street, and then following the Lama Street alignment to the Puna District boundary. This is another aerial photo, again, depicting where the proposed alignment, the current alignment is shown in yellow, the proposed alignment is shown in blue. LEITHEAD TODD: Daryn, is that alignment Lama or is that alignment Railroad? ARAI: Lama Street. Let me back up to a better map. Railroad Avenue is right in this vicinity here. There’s an ordinance map later in the presentation, and that will help highlight the location of the streets. Again, the purpose of the amendment is to adjust the Stainback, easterly portion of Stainback Highway to follow the existing portions of Māmaki Street, thereby minimizing impacts to lots within the Panaewa District. And this is the ordinance map showing how it will be adjusted from this alignment here to the proposed alignment shown by the heavy dash line, which follows, again, the alignment of the existing Māmaki Street. Railroad Avenue is located right where my pointer is showing, and Lama Street is at the very end here, off to the right. And now I’m going to show you a series of photographs to kind of give you an idea of what’s actually on the ground. This is the extreme mauka end of Stainback Highway where Stainback Highway comes from mauka and then sort of does a dogleg left and then heads down towards Highway 11. As it continues on, Stainback Highway turns into Māmaki Street heading all the way down toward Highway 11. And as you can see the improved nature of both Stainback Highway and Māmaki Street alignments. This is heading further makai along Mamaki Street as it intersects with Highway 11; and you can, again, note that it is a fully stopped controlled intersection. And this is a shot on the makai side of Highway 11 along Māmaki Street looking makai. Where you saw Stainback Highway do a dogleg left, if you follow it all the way down to Highway 11, this is where you end up, which is basically right-in and right-out only. This does not extend across Highway 11, as you can see. Now the Director is recommending a favorable consideration of this request; however, we are asking that the Commission consider continuing this particular matter. We feel, as we prepared and analyzed this request, we feel maybe there’s a need to make more direct contact with affected owners along these alignments, and we’ll be, probably making, coordinating with the Councilman for that district, Councilman Onishi. But we believe the continuance would probably be the prudent thing to do at this point in time. With that I stand ready to answer any questions. KERN: Thank you, Daryn. Any questions for staff? I have a quick question. How are you going to make contact with the property owners if this is continued? What’s the method? ARAI: We’re envisioning sending direct notices, as well as the proposal that you have before you, directly to all of these landowners; and we’ll be talking with the Councilman about possibly doing a community meeting, if he sees fit. 2 EXHIBIT A KERN: Okay. And how much time would you need if this is continued? ARAI: I’m not exactly sure. KERN: You want to leave it open? ARAI: It’s at the call, you know, I need to coordinate with the Councilman. Knowing, I would say leave it to the call of the Director to reschedule this back before you. KERN: Okay. Is there anybody from the public signed up to testify on this? NOMURA: No. KERN: No, okay. Seeing none, so nobody signed up to testify from the public. I’m willing to entertain a motion. Anyone? AU: Mr. Chair? KERN: Commissioner Au? AU: I move to continue amendment of Section 25-8-33 to a future meeting. KERN: At the call of the Director? AU: To the discretion of the Director, yes. KERN: Okay, very good. Is there a second? GONZALES: Second. KERN: Any discussion? Seeing none, this seems like it would make sense. I think it’s a really good call to get more community input and feedback on that. Let’s see what happens there. So with that, Daryn, take the vote. ARAI: Commissioner Au? AU: Aye. ARAI: Commissioner Ishibashi? ISHIBASHI: Aye. ARAI: Commissioner Gonzales? GONZALES: Aye. ARAI: Commissioner Moses? MOSES: Aye. ARAI: Mr. Chairman? 3 EXHIBIT A KERN: Aye. ARAI: Mr. Chairman, motion to continue carries with five aye votes. KERN: Very good. Thank you. The discussion ended at 9:52 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Sharon M. Nomura, Secretary Windward Planning Commission 4 EXHIBIT A