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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-09-04 Hearing Transcript-Sure Foundation USE 14-050 WINDWARD PLANNING COMMISSION COUNTY OF HAWAI‘I HEARING TRANSCRIPT SEPTEMBER 4, 2014 Sure Foundation (USE 14-050) A regularly advertised hearing on the application of was called to order at 12:55 p.m. in the County of Hawai‘i Aupuni Center Conference Room, 101 Pauahi Street, Hilo, Hawai‘i with Chairman Myles Miyasato presiding. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Myles Miyasato, Charles Heaukulani, Gregory Henkel, and Raylene Moses. ABSENT AND EXCUSED: Stephen Ono. ALSO PRESENT: Duane Kanuha (Planning Director), Margaret Masunaga (Deputy Corporation Counsel for the Windward Planning Commission), William Brilhante (Deputy Corporation Counsel for the Planning Director) from 1:02 p.m., Daryn Arai (Planning Program Manager), Jeff Darrow (Staff Planner), Maija Jackson (Staff Planner), to 6:30 p.m., Christian Kay (Staff Planner), Sarah Hata-Finley (Commission Secretary), Kim Tanaka (Secretary), to 4:30 p.m., and Melissa Dacayanan (Planning Commission Support Technician), to 4:30 p.m. And approximately 40 people from the public in attendance. APPLICANT: SURE FOUNDATION (USE 14-050) Application for a Use Permit to allow the establishment of a church and related facilities and improvements on 2.175 acres of land zoned Agricultural-1 acre (A-1a) and situated within the State Land Use Urban district. The property is located along the northwest side of Ponahawai Street, immediately adjacent to and east (makai) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Ponahawai, South Hilo, Hawai‘i, TMK: 2-3-036:022. MIYASATO: Item number three on the agenda--on the agenda is Sure Foundation. Use Permit application. DARROW: Thank you, Mr. Chair. Our next applicant is Sure Foundation Hilo, and they are requesting a Use Permit for a church and related improvements. The area of this subject application is within the South Hilo District of Hawai‘i. More specifically, we’re looking in the area of Ponahawai Street, which is running through the middle of the map, as well as Komohana Street for reference. On the upper portion, you have Waiānuenue. As Maija said previously, this is in the similar location of our last application--that this area is in transition from Agricultural, Residential to more Commercial type uses, as well as different types of facilities such as churches and medical facilities. There is a church directly mauka of this particular request, and it was approved back in 2004 for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and they went through the similar process through a Use Permit. 1 EXHIBIT C The property is identified with a subject outline and again they’re right in the middle of Ponohawai Street, very close to our last application. Just for reference, this entire area is basically within the State Land Use Urban District, and this area again is transitioning from Low Density and agricultural uses to Medium Density and High Density type uses. The orange represents Medium Density or Commercial type uses, and your red represents higher Residential as well as higher Commercial uses. This is a close-up view of our location with Ponahawai Street running through the middle of the map. The subject application, or the subject property is identified with a black outline. The color represents the zoning, which is Agricultural – 1 acre. Across the street, you can see that there was a previous Change of Zone to Commercial. More towards the ocean, you have residential. This particular area located just north of the subject property is actually the cemetery, and you can get a better view of that with this aerial. As mentioned previously, you have the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints that was approved back in 2004. You have the cemetery just north. Currently, the areas across the street have not been, there’s been a little bit of construction going on there, but eventually this should be built out. You’ll notice that just to the east of the property you see some residential and agricultural structures. That is the residence of David Matsuura and since the application was submitted, he had submitted a letter of support that the Planning Commission might have received this morning. The Applicant is requesting a Use Permit to allow the construction of a church and related facilities and improvements on 2.175 acres of land. At this Ponahawai Street facility, there will be classes, fellowship, and three services on Sunday mornings. There are 338 seats proposed within the sanctuary. This will take care of the three services that will be occurring. During the week, there may be some classes beginning at 7 p.m. which will consist of between 20 to 40 persons. The request includes a 2-story building consisting of approximately 22,150 square feet. The ground floor will consist of approximately 6,000 square feet of sanctuary, for the sanctuary and approximately 8,150 square feet for classrooms, office, storage, and the breezeway. The second level will consist of approximately 8,000 square feet for more classrooms, office, and storage space. There will be two driveway accesses. One of which will be for in only, and the other will be for out only. And this is subject to the Department of Public Works approval. There will be 161 parking stalls, of which five would be for handicapped stalls. Currently, the Sure Foundation Hilo meets at the Prince Kuhio Shopping Center, so this would be their new location. This is the site plan that was submitted. For reference, Ponohawai Street would be on the left side of your map, and again as we were mentioning, you have a left--an in only, as well as an out only, for the facility. You can, it will be, the layout is very similar to the church to the east. This is an elevation of the structure, two-story. These are some site photos. Currently, there is no improvements on the property. This is on Ponohawai looking directly at the property. This is looking towards the east on Ponohawai Street again, the subject property. This is looking further 2 EXHIBIT C east. You can see the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, as well as the improvements on Ponohawai Street. And this is looking to makai, and again you can see the improvements on Ponohawai Street. The Planning Director is recommending that the Planning Commission approve this request with conditions. That concludes our presentation. Thank you. MIYASATO: Any questions, Commissioners? Thank you. Would the Applicant or representative please come forward? Could you please raise your right hand? Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth on this matter now before the Hawai‘i County Planning Commission? FUKE/CARMICHAEL: I do. MIYASATO: Could you please state your names and residence? CARMICHAEL: Loren Evan Carmichael. MIYASATO: Could you speak a little louder for the recording please? CARMICHAEL: Loren Evan Carmichael, Hilo, Hawai‘i. FUKE: And again, Mr. Chairman, for the record my name is Sidney Fuke. And the reason why I brought up Pastor Carmichael is that so as to give the appearance that I don’t want to monopolize--but this is my last one, I promise, for today. The staff’s report and Background Report, and the proposed recommendations are accurate. The conditions have been reviewed by the Applicant, Pastor Carmichael, and they found them to be acceptable. The, just to give you a little added background, which is already contained in your written report, but the property--they purchased the property back in 2008, you know, in anticipation of eventually finding a permanent home away from the hustle and bustle of the Prince Kuhio Shopping Center. And their membership has increased, finally to the point where they found it more suitable to make the plunge. So they would hope to, if this permit is approved, they would hope to secure all of the necessary permits, construction permits, by the end of this year and hopefully next year by this time or shortly thereafter, welcome their new parishioners into the facility. MIYASATO: Any questions, Commissioners? Thank you. FUKE: Thank you. MIYASATO: We have no public testimony on this application. Any discussion, Commissioners? If not, we can move for a motion. MOSES: I’d like to make a motion. I move that the application for a Use Permit 14-000050 be approved based on the Planning Director’s Recommendation and proposed conditions. HENKEL: Second. 3 EXHIBIT C MIYASATO: Moved by Commissioner Moses and seconded by Commissioner Henkel. Any discussion? DARROW: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. With that, we’ll take the roll call. Commissioner Moses? MOSES: Aye. DARROW: Commissioner Henkel? HENKEL: Aye. DARROW: Commissioner Heaukulani? HEAUKULANI: Aye. DARROW: And Mr. Chairman? MIYASATO: Aye. DARROW: The motion passes four to zero. The discussion ended at 1:04 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Sarah Y. Hata-Finley, Secretary Windward Planning Commission 4 EXHIBIT C