HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-03-20 Leeward Exh A (SPP 14-157)
LEEWARD PLANNING COMMISSION
COUNTY OF HAWAI‘I
HEARING TRANSCRIPT
MARCH 20, 2014
NA KĀLAI WA‘A (SPP-14-157)
A regularly advertised hearing on the application of was called
to order at 9:35 a.m. in the West Hawai‘i Civic Center, Community Center, Building G, 74-5044
Ane Keohokālole Highway, Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i, with Chair Geraldine Giffin presiding.
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Geraldine Giffin, Brandi Beaudet, Thomas Hickcox,
Barbara Nobriga and Thomas Whittemore
ABSENT AND EXCUSED: Richard Nelson, III
ALSO PRESENT: Duane Kanuha (Planning Director), Margaret Masunaga (Deputy Corporation
Counsel), Jeff Darrow (Planner), Maija Cottle (Planner), Ron Whitmore (Planner),
Bethany Morrison (Planner) and Noriko Sauer (Commission Secretary)
And five people from the public in attendance.
APPLICANT: NA KĀLAI WA‘A (SPP-14-157)
Application for a Special Permit to allow educational uses and special events including, but not
limited to, classrooms, camping, meetings, seminars, community gatherings and related activities,
and activities in conjunction with the ethno-botanical garden on 10 acres of land situated within the
State Land Use Agricultural District. The subject property is located on the west side of Hawi Road
approximately 2,200 feet makai (north) of Akoni Pule Highway (State Highway 270)-Hawi Road
intersection, Ka‘auhuhu Homesteads, North Kohala, Hawai‘i, TMK: 5-5-008: 044.
GIFFIN: So then, without any further ado, let’s go onto our first agenda item. The applicant is Na
Kālai Wa‘a. They are requesting a Special Permit, and it is to allow educational uses and special
events including, but not limited to, classrooms, camping, meetings, seminars, community
gatherings and related activities, and activities in conjunction with the ethno-botanical garden on ten
acres of land situated within the State Land Use Agricultural District. Jeff?
DARROW: Thank you, Madam Chair. Good morning, Members of the Planning Commission. It’s
been a long time; we were discussing, it’s been since November, since we last met. It’s great to be
back. If I can direct your attention to our presentation this morning. As mentioned, the applicant is
Na Kālai Wa‘a, and they are requesting a Special Permit. For reference this application property is
located within the North Kohala District of Hawai‘i. More specifically, we are looking in the area
of Hawi Town that’s in the center of the map. Running from an east-west direction through the
middle of the map is the Akoni Pule Highway, and running in a north-south direction is Hawi Road.
The subject property is identified with a black outline in this general area. The State Land Use
Boundary Map identifies the subject property as Agricultural, which is the area on the map
identified in green. Your pink areas are identified as Urban Development. The General Plan Land
Use Pattern Allocation Guide Map, or the LUPAG Map, identifies this area for Low Density Urban
uses. This is actually where they would like to see the commercial core in the orange areas in the
middle of Hawi Town, and the outskirts are set aside more for residential and community type
activities. This is a closer view of the location map. Again, for reference, we have the Akoni Pule
1
EXHIBIT A
Highway running at the lower portion of the map, and running mauka-makai we have Hawi Road,
and the subject property is identifies with a black outline. For reference, the different colors on the
map represent zoning; your darker green represents Agricultural 20-acres, your lighter green,
including the subject property, is Agricultural 5-acres, we also have Agricultural 1-acre up on the
top of the map, your darker yellow colors represent Single-Family Residential, and your pink
represents commercial-type uses. This is an aerial photo. For reference, on the right side of the
map we have Hawi Road, and outlined with the red, outlined is the subject property. They will be
accessing through Hawi Road, and the subject property is ten acres in size. As you can see, there
are several existing structures on site, as well as a gulch on the western portion of the property.
The applicant is requesting a Special Permit to allow cultural education-type uses and special events
including, but not limited to, classrooms, camping, meetings, seminars, community gatherings and
related activities in conjunction with the ethno-botanical garden as well on ten acres. This is
situated within the State Land Use Agricultural District, and therefore requires a Special Permit.
The uses will include the construction of an approximately 2,400-square foot covered deck area to
be used for meetings, gatherings and cultural activities; camping facilities including three yurts,
approximately 30 feet in diameter, up to five smaller tent-like structures and designated areas for
tents to accommodate staff and students utilizing the facilities; the construction of a commercial
kitchen and certified imu; construction of a restroom facility, which will be in the future; use of the
existing residence for offices, as well as for overnight accommodations; use of the existing
warehouse as a canoe construction and boat maintenance facility, as well as for woodcarving
activities; conversion of an existing structure to a caretaker’s house; and an ethno-botanical garden.
During the times that the facility is not being used for its primary activity, the cultural activities
relating to the canoe, the facility will be rented out for special events and community uses.
Hours of Operation and clientele: The proposed education cultural activities would be limited to a
maximum of 60 students on the property at any time; camping would be limited to approximately
30 students plus faculty and staff; the proposed special event activities on the property would be
limited to a maximum of 100 guests and would be limited to between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and
10:00 p.m. – these are conditions within the recommendation. When not being used by Na Kālai
Wa‘a, the larger buildings are proposed to be available for outside use, and camping facilities and
bedrooms within the existing residence will be available for rent.
The applicant’s mission statement: They have a mission to honor, protect and perpetuate Hawaiian
traditions for the practice of wa‘a, canoe, culture through the Makali‘i voyaging programs for past,
present and future generations. Their mission statement is “He wa‘a he moku, he moku he wa‘a,”
which translates “The canoe is our island, the island is our canoe.”
This is the applicant’s site plan that was submitted. Again, for reference, on the right side of the
map is Hawi Road. You have access on the top portion of the map, coming to a majority of the ten
acres located on the left side of the map in the middle. Again, you have existing structures that are
identified in the upper and lower portions of the map, and then you have the future camping area, as
well as the future bathrooms, and then the existing work shed that will be used for the canoe
construction and boat maintenance facility will be in the upper top portion. A majority of this area
will be used for the ethno-botanical gardens, as well as existing pasture area.
This again is the aerial photo so that you can kind of reference where these structures will be
located on the property. Again, as you notice, too, around the particular property, you do have a
2
EXHIBIT A
number of residential uses on smaller Agricultural lots on the east side of Hawi Road. The lots that
are adjoining to the east of the subject property are identified as Residential-Agricultural lots, which
some do have constructed dwellings, as well as on the south side of the property.
These are site photos. This is on Hawi Road, looking mauka, or south; the subject property is on
your right side that would be where the entrance is located. This is looking makai, or north; the
subject property is on, the entrance is on your left side of the map. And then this is looking straight
on at the entrance from Hawi Road.
The Planning Director is recommending that the Planning Commission approve this Special Permit
request, with conditions. It is my understanding that the applicant had requested a simple change
within the recommendation under Condition No. 4, and if we can take care of that before we
conclude the presentation. Instead of, this is a condition that requires the applicant to secure or
finalize any required change of use building permits. What happens is when you change the use of
the property, sometimes it changes the use of the structure and building; we’d like a permit to be
able to change that use. Because there are existing structures that will be used in different uses, this
condition will be a requirement. The applicant is requesting that, instead of it be six months from
the effective date to effectuate, this time be one year. And the Planning Director is okay with that
change. With that, that concludes our presentation. Thank you.
GIFFIN: Thank you, Jeff. Commissioners, any questions of staff? Seeing none, Jeff, I do. In the
background report there is reference to a gulch, Lipoa Gulch.
DARROW: Correct.
GIFFIN: It’s on the property, right? Part of the gulch is on the ten acres?
DARROW: This would be the area identified as Lipoa Gulch, and then again you can see it -.
GIFFIN: Yeah, I thought so.
DARROW: Clear over the area.
GIFFIN: So it is part of their ten acres.
DARROW: Yes.
GIFFIN: Okay, and that’s where they plan to do the garden.
DARROW: I believe, looking at this reference, that this area is actually identified for the botanical
garden area. I’m, they possibly could utilize a portion of the gulch for that as well. If we could
direct that to the applicant.
GIFFIN: Okay.
DARROW: Thank you.
3
EXHIBIT A
GIFFIN: You’re welcome. Commissioners, any other questions of staff? Hearing none, I’d like to
call the applicant forward, please. Jeff, we need one more chair. She got it, they got it. Good
morning. Starting from, oh, before we go any further, I think it’s appropriate for me to disclose that
the young man sitting on the left, or the right of Billy Moore, is a distant relative of mine; his
mother, Lei, and I were first cousins. So I just thought I would bring that out and put it on the
record. Starting with you then, Norman, will you please identify yourself, and then I’ll have all of
you swear.
PIIANAIA: Good morning, Madam Chair. Aloha, everybody, Members of the Planning
Commission.
GIFFIN: Good morning. Aloha.
PIIANAIA: My name is Norman Piianaia. I am the chairman of the Board of Na Kālai Wa‘a, this
501(c)(3).
GIFFIN: Thank you.
DIRCKS AH SAM: Aloha mai kākou. My name is Lehua Dircks Ah Sam. I am the program
coordinator for Na Kālai Wa‘a.
GIFFIN: Good morning.
CASE: Aloha mai. I’m Keōmailani Case, and I’m the secretary of the Board. I’m also the senior
resource manager for Na Kālai Wa‘a.
GIFFIN: Good morning. Bill?
MOORE: My name is Bill Moore. I’m the paid consultant on this. I want you to know, I haven’t
been paid yet, but my payment is a crew T-shirt. I’m waiting.
GIFFIN: And my cousin?
BERTELMANN: My name is Milton Bertelmann, and I’m the vice president for Na Kālai Wa‘a.
GIFFIN: Thank you. I need you all to swear. So please raise your right hands. Do you swear or
affirm to tell the truth on this matter now before the Leeward Hawai‘i County Planning
Commission?
REPRESENTATIVES: I do.
GIFFIN: Thank you. Bill, are you going to be the lead, or Norman?
MOORE: I think Norman, just a -.
GIFFIN: Norman. You may want to give us some more background information that Jeff perhaps
did not cover in his presentation. And, see, it’s my understanding that the gulch was going to be
used for part of the ethno, the garden. Not?
4
EXHIBIT A
PIIANAIA: There may be some trees that we saved in there, kukui and the native plants, but
basically, we are not planning a development down there.
GIFFIN: So you are not going to touch that area.
PIIANAIA: Basically not. But perhaps Lehua or Shorty can explain more or the reasons why.
GIFFIN: Okay. Lehua?
DIRCKS AH SAM: Yeah, as indicated on the site plan, we are hoping to use the kula plains above
the gulch area to focus most of our ethno-botanical activities, because it does make for the best
facilitation with the proposed facilities that we are building there. Within the gulch area itself there
are some trees that we identified as being there for a pretty long time, and so our intent is to keep
this gulch area in as pristine condition as we can, perhaps returning it to where it may have been
cultivated, so simple taro patches, but nothing permanent. It’s just all agriculture focusing on
maintaining the existing kukui grove that is within the area for cultural purposes.
GIFFIN: Okay. So then it’s to the right then where the garden mainly would be.
DIRCKS AH SAM: Yeah, the, where the gulch ends here and then comes into what we call, refer
to it as the kula area, we are planning on developing our ethno-botanical gardens more in the area.
We do want to include the existing kukui grove. There’s a couple of coconut trees of Hawaiian
origins on this edge. And so the hope is to use the gulch and the existing resources. We’ll probably
be taking out some of the more invasive species that are hindering the natives’ growth down there.
But because of this valuable resource in the gulch area, and knowing Kohala’s limited access to
those gulch areas, it is our intent to keep the integrity there.
GIFFIN: Great, thank you. Shorty, did you want to add anything else?
BERTELMANN: Yeah, culturally the gulch is very important, because it’s just part of the system
that worked before and we are just a part of it. And so keep it, like what Lehua was saying, keep it
pristine and make sure that we make the right choices about how we proceed with plans; evasive or
non-pervasive or whatever that is, is pretty much what we do. We had bought into this and other
people come and kind of take a look at that area to see what that would be like. But, as of right
now, the gulch drops off pretty fast, and the right to the right of that whole clear area up there is
pretty, kind of flat land for Kohala, and so it would be more feasible for us to stay more to the right
than inside the gulch. But, no, no permanent plans to develop the gulch.
GIFFIN: Commissioners, any questions for the applicant? Director.
KANUHA: Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. Perhaps somebody could explain for the
Commission what the reason is for the request to amend Condition 4 to have a longer time period, a
year instead of six months, to do their required work to the existing structures.
GIFFIN: Norman?
5
EXHIBIT A
PIIANAIA: Yeah, our group is basically an educational group. We work with kids, trying to
introduce them to the canoe and the cultural aspects of the canoe. And we operate with a little
money. And we need more time because we’ll be running our programs and doing, trying to get the
planning process, permitting and everything else done. Most of our help is volunteer; we do have
some people that are working, Lehua and Lani, in the office. But to get things done, we need more
time.
MOORE: Yeah -.
GIFFIN: Bill.
MOORE: If I can. Yeah, and, you know, the six months hopefully is going to start soon. And the
heart of their program is in summer, and so their staff is going to be doing their mission during this
first period. So that’s really part of it is, you know, they are going to get focused on this project, but
their real mission is to educate, and that’s summer, that’s when everybody is just busy. So just, the
extra time to allow them to survive this summer and then really get focused on implementing this
plan.
GIFFIN: Thank you. Duane, does that satisfy your question?
KANUHA: Yes, that was my understanding; they would be right in the midst of their training and
educational programs, and so they requested the extra time so that once they get through that
session, then they will be able to do what they need to do. And again, this is just with permitting
and validation requirements for the existing buildings that are already there.
GIFFIN: Right. Brandi.
BEAUDET: So this wouldn’t impede their applications for new building permits then. The change
of use permits doesn’t impact them securing other building permits.
KANUHA: No, not this condition.
GIFFIN: Okay. Any other questions? Did I read somewhere that there were some grazing cattle
on the property? I did, right?
DIRCKS AH SAM: Currently, in our pasture area indicated in this lighter green area, we had
horses that where community members that were looking for pasture land because of the limited
access to pasture lands out there for that type of use by the general community. They are no longer
on property; they found better pasture, greener pastures to be in. But our hope is to be able to run
livestock, one or two heads according to what’s appropriate for the size of the acreage, just to be
able to support our programs, because we are so grassroots and our hope is to be able to eat off the
land, as well as this ethno-botanical project.
GIFFIN: For sustainability.
DIRCKS AH SAM: Definite sustainability.
GIFFIN: Okay, great. Any other questions? Hearing none, Bill? Norman?
6
EXHIBIT A
PIIANAIA: Yeah, Madam Chair, just some background on our presence on this property and what
we are trying to do. This property was a gift to Na Kālai Wa‘a from Kimble Smith who used to live
on the property. He’s a Kohala resident. And basically, he wanted this property to go to a,
basically to help Hawaiians; he was, I think, into rehabilitating Hawaiian people through whatever
ways we could, so he gave the property to us. And what we try to do, we’ve just gotten to it within
perhaps a last year or two, is to take this property and try to use it, and to use it to sustain ourselves
rather than as a nonprofit going out with our hand out looking for money all the time, to try to use
this property to sustain ourselves as an organization. And even though we are a voyaging canoe
group, and this land is situated well inland, as our statement says, “He wa‘a he moku, he moku he
wa‘a,” we believe that as it is on the ocean, so it is on land. And the land is a very important part of
our operation. We hope to look at our canoe plans, not only to build canoes, to sustain us while we
are on the ocean voyaging, to feed us, as well as for our health, as well. So that’s what we are
trying to do here.
And we have 20-year history already of working with kids in the community, as well as having
voyaged to Tahiti, as well as to Saddleworld, on the canoes that we’ve built. The first canoe that we
built was actually hewn from the Keauhou Forest, using adze made from the adze quarry up in
Mauna Kea; so the tree was cut down by hand and carved by hand. And the reason that happened
was because our, basically, our kūpuna said, “If you guys are going to be a voyage canoe operation,
then you should do things traditionally to start off with.” So we rooted in our kūpuna, and this is
just the next step for us. And when we came to Kohala, we talked to our elders first – believe it or
not, there are elders beyond us, or beyond me and Shorty. We talked to them first, and essentially
we got their blessing. And I think if we didn’t get their blessing, we wouldn’t be doing this. So we
want to be consistent, and we want to feel like what we are doing is essentially pono for lack of a
better English word. So we talked to them, and after we talked to our kūpuna, we talked to senior
citizens before we talked to anybody else. And we feel like we had their blessing. So our bottom
line is taking this gift, putting it to use to sustain ourselves, and to be consistent with our mission as
well.
GIFFIN: Thank you, Norman. Bill, did you want to say something?
MOORE: No, I’m trying to say as little as possible.
GIFFIN: Okay. Director.
KANUHA: Thank you, Commissioner Giffin. A little more background in terms of how their
programs have gone. My understanding is that over the years they’ve done a lot of educational and
cultural outreach programs in conjunction with the Kamehameha Schools, and those programs
during the summer took place down in Keauhou, in the vicinity. So at that time there were facilities
to accommodate some of the students, you know, in the area, primarily the Keauhou Hotel, which
has since been closed. And my understanding is that’s what led to this transition to, you know, out
facility that they could continue doing these programs in behalf of Na Kālai Wa‘a.
GIFFIN: Thank you. Any other comments or questions of the applicant? Then I’m going to ask
you to please step back, because Arthur Jensen has signed up to testify. I don’t know who Arthur
Jensen is. Will you please come forward? Thank you for signing up. Arthur, will you please raise
7
EXHIBIT A
your right hand. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth on this matter now before the Leeward
Hawai‘i County Planning Commission?
JENSEN: I do.
GIFFIN: Thank you. You may proceed.
JENSEN: Okay, this -.
DARROW: Mike, please.
GIFFIN: Oh, the mike. Sorry.
JENSEN: This is, I’m 95 percent with this project, but I have a concern. My concern has to do
with the imu. They said they had a certified imu. My concern is an open pit system. If they have
an open pit system, which is culturally how it’s done, my concern is if there is the smoke. And that
is my concern, the smoke, because when you are burning the kiawe, bringing the stems up to a
bright red orange color, then you have the banana, you have the ti leaves on there, and then you
place the taro and stuff on it, including the pig, then what it does is start smoldering. It’s not the
beginning fire that I’m concerned about; it’s after the pig comes out of the imu, and people just let
the unburned materials keep smoldering. And sometimes, because my neighbor has done that for a
couple of, several years until recently I finally got his attention. And when somebody who is like
350 pounds standing six-three above you, right, trying to push his issue, but I’m inhaling the smoke,
and this is in Waimea. Now, I finally had to talk to my neighbor and tell him, says, “You know,
you are stealing my health, you are stealing my life, you are stealing my wellbeing.” And what I
don’t want to see is the same thing happen, because I live, my property is downwind of this place.
It’s not directly, the smoke, the smoke doesn’t come directly, but because when the wind hits, or the
smoke hits, the bottom of the hill, gulch, it goes up and then disperses to the trees, and then the
upper wind gets it and pushes onto the land, and then afterwards, you know, to me that will be a
problem. Because then I’ve suffered one place, then I’m now If I’m going to another place, it
bothers me. Because my, the smoke can be smelled, you can smell it three miles away. And to me
it’s a health issue. But if you are talking about a certified imu and you are using propane, I have no
problem. Now, the second thing is that the problem is burning off the aftermath. If they, you know,
like you got a brush burner, which is a propane torch that can burn the thing, you know, after all the
aftermath is bound, you take it and just burn the trash, there is no problem, because then the
smoldering is what I’m concerned about. But other than that, I think it’s a good project, I back it,
but my concern is smoke.
GIFFIN: Commissioners, any questions of the testifier? I have a question, Mr. Jensen. I gathered
from your testimony, and correct me if I’m wrong, that you live beyond the Lipoa Gulch?
JENSEN: Yeah, I’m on the Hoea Road.
GIFFIN: Okay. And in -.
JENSEN: I have a farm there.
GIFFIN: In relationship to the map that you see up there, where are you?
8
EXHIBIT A
JENSEN: Where is the property at?
DARROW: Right here is the subject property.
JENSEN: Okay, I’m on the south side of that.
DARROW: Over here?
JENSEN: This other road, there is, the Hoea Road is on this side.
DIRCKS AH SAM: He is on the left side.
DARROW: Makai is upside.
JENSEN: Okay, you know they have that, let’s see, they had the, they used to have the cane road,
they have a cane road, below that.
GIFFIN: You know, Mr. Jensen, I’m not kama‘āina to this area, so I’m not familiar.
JENSEN: Yeah, below, okay, you go down this road, yeah. I’m located right about here.
GIFFIN: Okay. And, Mr. Jensen, in your testimony, you said that the smoke can affect, be affected
from three miles away. And your property is within the three-mile distance?
JENSEN: From my experience in Waimea, right, I’m using my Waimea experience, because my
sister them live about almost three miles away from where I live and where the fire smoke is, and
they can smell it, faintly, but they can smell it.
GIFFIN: I see.
JENSEN: But to me, if you, it’s the remnants that I’m concerned about. So I had to approach my
neighbor and ask him, and said, “Well, I’m inhaling your smoke, I don’t mind that, but if you could
take the trash and compost it, I don’t have any issue.” But he says, he told me at that time, he says,
“So you want me to go in there, pick up all the rocks and everything else?” I said, “Well, you put it
in there, I guess you can take it out.”
GIFFIN: Thank you.
JENSEN: And if, and then, but the thing about this is it’s just the debris; you can compost it, you
can put into plants, and stuff like that. And it’s part of the culture you cleaning up the mess, right?
GIFFIN: Mr. Jensen, thank you very much. Commissioners, do you have any other questions?
Thank you. I’m going to ask the applicant to come back up and address some of your concerns.
Bill? Norman? Whoever feels they can, go ahead and answer the concerns of Mr. Jensen.
DIRCKS AH SAM: Mahalo, Uncle, for bringing that up. I live in Kohala, Kohala resident. I know
exactly what you are talking about because that’s how Grandpa takes care of his imu afterwards;
9
EXHIBIT A
“Why are you going to clean them up? Just let it burn.” But what the other issue, or the reason why
I don’t think that would be something we would encourage, we would look at composting and
taking care of the hāli‘i afterwards in appropriate manners, one, because of the ethno-botanical
gardens there and a need to produce healthy composting. And so rather than creating an additional
fire hazard as well, which for us in Kohala is an issue because of the drought that we are going
through, we would be looking at taking care of our hāli‘i in a better way where we would look at
composting it or, as you were saying, burning it on site and not letting it smolder for days and days
and days and days.
MOORE: This is also certified.
GIFFIN: Yeah, I was just going to -.
DIRCKS AH SAM: It is also a certified imu which -.
GIFFIN: I was just going to get into that. For the record -.
BEAUDET: Could you explain what -.
GIFFIN: For the record, you are Lehua, right?
DIRCKS AH SAM: Yes, I am. Sorry.
GIFFIN: Okay. Brandi.
BEAUDET: Can you describe a certified imu? I don’t -.
DIRCKS AH SAM: Certified imus typically are not made of dirt. They are not typically made of
dirt; they are normally concreted in because of the health issues related with exposure to the dirt
area. You do still have the option to do pōhaku ‘eho, or the imu stones, with the hāli‘i inside of it,
and so the concrete just creates the air seal around it. So, and I don’t think we’d be looking at doing
propane for the imu because we like the smoky smell, which makes kālua what it is. But the
concerns of taking care of the hāli‘i, the vegetation that is used to steam the food and keep the rocks
from burning our food, definitely we are taking into consideration his testimony, as well as our
practices for the area, because, he is right, in Kohala with all the gulches that we have there, the
prevailing trade winds come from the northeast and they will be blowing across our property. We
are hoping, we are planning on putting the imu on the downwind area of our portion to avoid smoke
issues with other closer residents, but seeing where he is, he will have the potential of smoke
coming into his area because of the gulch and being right downwind of us. But just so you know
that it’s not good practice to smolder for days and days and days, and so I don’t, you know, like, we
want to do pono by our community.
GIFFIN: Thank you. Director.
KANUHA: Lehua, how often are you folks going to be doing the imu?
DIRCKS AH SAM: Probably not very often. Program-wise, we do an imu once a year, maybe
twice. It could be something that, if the gardens get further developed, that we would build into
10
EXHIBIT A
programs, but, and as well as looking at community needs, because right now David Fuertes and
their program do have certified kitchens out there, but, being in the community, it’s hard to get
access to these types of areas. But not on a weekly, not on a daily, maybe way down the line
monthly, but, yeah, it’s not the primary function of that site.
GIFFIN: Good. Any other questions of the applicant? Hearing none, thank you. Mr. Jensen, you
are welcome to come back up.
JENSEN: From what I heard here, I don’t have the concern anymore.
GIFFIN: Thank you, and aloha. Commissioners, any last comments regarding this agenda item?
And before we do that, I just wanted to acknowledge that Bobby Command has arrived; he has been
in and out, but I wanted to make sure we acknowledged his presence, Deputy Planning Director.
So, Commissioners, any comments? Questions? Do I hear a motion?
NOBRIGA: I so move.
GIFFIN: Okay, but we need to have the whole statement of a motion.
NOBRIGA: I so move this Na Kālai Wa‘a permit application, SPP 14-000157, be approved by our
group.
GIFFIN: Hang on.
DARROW: I do have a clarification, if I could ask that; we do have the one change to Condition 4
that we were -.
GIFFIN: Four, yeah, I was going to add that -.
DARROW: Thank you.
GIFFIN: Into her motion. I don’t think this goes to the Council, so, Barbara, you were correct. Do
I hear a second?
HICKCOX: Second.
GIFFIN: It’s been moved by Commissioner Barbara Nobriga, seconded by Tommy Hickcox, that
the Special Permit application, SPP 14-000157, which is a request to allow educational uses and
special events including, but not limited to, classrooms, camping, meetings, seminars, community
gatherings and related activities, and activities in conjunction with the ethno-botanical garden on ten
acres of land situated within the State Land Use Agricultural District. This approval will go along
with the conditions that were proposed by our Director, beginning on Page 9 and continuing on to
Pages 10 and 11. Located on Page 10 is a change that was requested by the applicant and agreed to
by the Director regarding the length of time from six months to one year for any changes that were
proposed. Jeff, did you want me to include any other dialogue or verbiage? Okay. So any more
discussion? Tommy?
HICKCOX: No.
11
EXHIBIT A
GIFFIN: Are you ready to vote?
HICKCOX: Aye.
GIFFIN: Jeff?
DARROW: Thank you, Madam Chair. With that, we’ll take the motion. Commissioner Nobriga?
NOBRIGA: Aye.
DARROW: Commissioner Hickcox?
HICKCOX: Aye.
DARROW: Commissioner Beaudet?
BEAUDET: Aye.
DARROW: Commissioner Whittemore?
WHITTEMORE: Aye.
DARROW: And Madam Chair?
GIFFIN: Aye.
DARROW: The motion passes, five to zero.
GIFFIN: Congratulations. And thank you very much.
REPRESENTATIVES: Thank you very much.
GIFFIN: You’re welcome.
The discussion ended at 10:15 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Noriko Sauer, Secretary
Leeward Planning Commission
12
EXHIBIT A