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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSynopsis of Initial Public Input1 General Plan Comprehensive Review Synopsis of Initial Input by Source October 2015 The Planning Director initiated a comprehensive review of the County of Hawai‘i General Plan (2005 edition, as amended) on February 6, 2015. The Action Committees for each adopted Community Development Plan (CDP), the Windward and Leeward Planning Commissions, and the general public had the opportunity to provide their initial comments and recommendations to the Planning Director by June 6, 2015. In addition, the Planning Director established September 8, 2015 as the deadline for Council-initiated amendments by resolution. Initial input was received from CDP Action Committees, their subcommittees, and CDP planners as well as from several organizations and members of the public by email and letter. The County Council also adopted Resolutions 237, 249, 250, 251, 253, 256, 257, and 258. Comments ranged greatly from general recommendations about the planning process to very specific language or wording recommendations. All of this initial input, including a comprehensive compilation of input by topic, is available at http://www.cohplanningdept.com/general-plan/. In this document, initial input is summarized by source: non-County government agencies, Community Development Plans, the general public and community organizations, and the County Council. All of the initial comments will be taken into consideration during the comprehensive review of the General Plan, as will any additional submittals during the review process. Submittals can be directed to the Planning Department, County of Hawai‘i, 101 Pauahi St., Suite 3, Hilo, HI 96720 or via email at generalplan@hawaiicounty.gov. 2 Government Agency Submittals (Non-County) National Park Services, Kaloko-Honokōhau The Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historic Park submitted recommendations for consideration via a letter from its Superintendent, Tammy Ann Duchesne, dated June 6, 2015. The letter provides some background on the founding of the Park and suggestions of ways to achieve the goal of meeting the needs of economic growth and protecting Kona’s cultural and natural resources. Emphasis is placed on preserving groundwater resources important to natural habitats within the park boundaries. State Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) The Office of Hawaiian Affairs submitted recommendations for consideration via a letter from its Chief Executive Officer, Kamanaʻopono M. Crabbe, dated June 5, 2015. OHA recommends that any plans for the physical development of Hawaiʻi County endeavor to facilitate the continued exercise of traditional and customary practices, including through the protection of the natural and cultural resources upon which they rely, as an essential component of perpetuating Hawaiʻi’s host culture. State Senate The Senate of the State of Hawaiʻi submitted recommendations for consideration through Senate Resolution Number 121, dated April 6, 2015. The resolution recommends that the County of Hawaiʻi adopt and implement the twenty- one recommendations highlighted in the Building Healthy Places Toolkit report by the Urban Land Institute (http://uli.org/wp-content/uploads/ULI-Documents/Building-Healthy- Places-Toolkit.pdf), or similar policies that provide a comprehensive approach to land use and development that strengthen community health and smart growth principles. 3 Community Development Plan Submittals Kona Community Development Plan (KCDP) The KCDP provided minutes of their April 15, 2015 and April 29, 2015 subcommittee meetings. Initial recommendations were developed through the subcommittee. The subcommittee felt that with respect to the General Plan, the Planning Department needs to ensure that the key goals, policies, and actions identified in the Kona CDP are either incorporated in or acknowledged by the General Plan. Comments included general format recommendations and more specific CDP implementation recommendations. North Kohala Community Development Plan (NKCDP) The Action Committee (AC) of the NKCDP submitted recommendations for consideration via the Committee Chair, John Winter, dated May 11, 2015. Initial recommendations were developed through an investigatory subcommittee. All AC members had the opportunity to provide additional comments and recommendations before the report was approved by the Action Committee. The AC highlighted several over-arching issues on energy sustainability, solid waste, water supply, public access, high-speed internet, and pest control that they felt are applicable County-wide. Additionally, detailed comments and proposed courses of action were recommended in alignment with chapters of the current General Plan. Puna Community Development Plan (PCDP) The Action Committee (AC) of the PCDP submitted recommendations for consideration via the Committee Chair, Patti Pinto, dated June 9, 2015. Recommendations were developed through a collaborative effort of an investigatory subcommittee, the CDP Planner, and the Planning Assistant. All AC members had the opportunity to provide additional comments and recommendations before the report was approved by the Action Committee. The AC provided detailed comments and recommendations aligned with the various chapters of the current General Plan. South Kohala Community Development Plan (SKCDP) The Kawaihae subcommittee of the SKCDP Action Committee shared information via the subcommittee minutes dated July 6, 2015. The subcommittee stated overall support for some sections of the General Plan and discussed several topics including shoreline trails, the Old Puako Road, housing, infrastructure, solar, historic sites, and sea level rise and its effects on wastewater systems. 4 General Public and Community Organization Submittals Individual Comment - Email dated February 2, 2015 The email highlighted the need to protect forests. It further provided specific recommendations to better manage the current eucalyptus forestry operations. Individual Comment - Email dated February 18, 2015 The email stated overall support for the General Plan process. It also recommended applying for an Orton Family Foundation grant (http://www.orton.org/). Individual Comment - Emails dated March 25 & 27, 2015 The emails provided general personal insights about the General Plan and Puna Community Development Plan as they pertain to the Hawaiian Acres Community. Individual Comment - Email dated April 15, 2015 The email provided general personal insights about the General Plan and Puna Community Development Plan as they pertain to the Hawaiian Acres Community. Waikoloa Village Community - Preliminary Report transmitted on May 28, 2015 The report touched on six topic areas regarding sense of place, affordable housing, emergency preparedness, traffic and transportation, and environmental stewardship and sustainability. Discussion and comments included development of a community center, recreational trails, alternate ingress/egress routes, and waste management. Individual Comment - Letter dated June 1, 2015 The letter contains suggestions on various topics including transportation issues, environmental issues, and urban/community issues. Some suggestions were to celebrate and publicize each unique community/neighborhood, develop mixed use neighborhoods, create vibrant street life, create major and minor transit hubs, improve recycling, and provide permeable surfaces to improve water infiltration and reduce runoff. Individual Comment - Email dated June 3, 2015 The email expressed the need to codify native tenant rights. It further provided recommendations for protecting specific aspects of the natural and cultural resources as they pertain to native tenant rights. Queen Liliʻuokalani Trust (QLT) - Letter dated June 5, 2015 The letter provided proposed language for specific analyses, goals, and policies within the General Plan. Recommendations were made for various aspects of the plan including housing, education, wastewater, and land use. 5 Individual Comment - Email dated June 9, 2015 The email stated overall satisfaction about the format of the General Plan. It further suggested that multi-use paths be a top priority for recreational purposes and also serve as an alternate transportation option. Individual Comment - Email dated July 10, 2015 The email provided personal insight about the perceived requirements for effective long term planning, specifically mentioning the need for valid demographic data. It was also suggested that the roles of government agencies be clarified and that the General plan promote collaboration between private businesses and organizations. Individual Comment - Email dated July 26, 2015 The email highlighted the general need for planning and preparation to deal with future sea level rise based on global warming projections. Individual Comment - Letter dated September 24, 2015 The letter requests a change in LUPAG designation for three parcels that comprise the Kona Country Club Mauka Golf Course. Using other golf courses as examples of LUPAG designations, the letter is requesting that the current “open” designation be changed to “urban expansion” or “low density.” 6 County Council Resolutions Resolution Number 237-15 The County Council resolved the following: 1. If the Mass Transit Master Plan for Hawai‘i County is completed in sufficient time, incorporate it into the General Plan update; and 2. Incorporate provisions into the General Plan to assure that Mass Transit policies and facilities are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Resolution Number 249-15 The County Council resolved the following: 1. Subject to the requirements of state law, the relevant Hawai‘i County Planning Commission should have the authority to regulate future geothermal development in Hawai‘i County; 2. Additional development of geothermal resources should mitigate impacts to people by the use of best available control technology; 3. Additional development of geothermal resources that are not part of the previously approved Geothermal Resource Permit 2 production facilities should, to the extent possible, avoid inhabited areas; 4. Enhanced monitoring measures should continue to be conducted; and 5. Health impact studies should continue to be conducted and the findings and recommendations from those studies be made available to the public and implemented. Resolution Number 250-15 The County Council resolved the following: 1. Mass Transit: The comprehensive review should include an island wide analysis of the County’s existing mass transit system. 2. Open Spaces: The comprehensive review should include compilation of an island wide inventory of open space and parcels of open space purchased with Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation funds. 3. Sensitive Natural and Cultural Resources: Planning, policies, and action steps included in the General Plan should reflect traditional and customary practices of native Hawaiians as well as the protection of public trust resources. 4. Historic Trails: Appropriate General Plan policies should include requirements that the County develop a formal public access program Resolution Number 251-15 The County Council resolved the following: 1. Remove section 14. 3. 5. 2. 2 of the General Plan (2005 Edition, as amended), relating to South Hilo, that recommends focusing commercial development in the Waiākea Houselots area along Kekūanāo‘a, Piʻilani, Manono, and Lanikāula Streets; and 7 2. Remove the following future collector roads shown on the South Hilo District Transportation-Roadways map, currently included as Figure 48 in the General Plan 2005 Edition, as amended: A. Saddle Road/Flume Road to Puainako Street B. Kipuni Street to Kūkūau Street C. Komohana Street to Pōhakulani Street D. Railroad Avenue to Kekūanāo‘a Street E. Kipuni Street to Kupulau Road F. Puainako Street to Hoaka Road G. Waikahe Road to Alaloa Road H. Alaloa Road to Haihai Street I. Waikahe Road to Kanoelehua Avenue J. Kupulau Road to Railroad Avenue. Resolution Number 253-15 The County Council resolved the following: 1. The County should consider establishing and promulgating ordinances, rules and regulations relating to medical marijuana production centers and medical marijuana dispensaries that are consistent with applicable State law. 2. Lands where licensed medical marijuana production centers or licensed medical marijuana dispensaries may be permitted, under applicable State and County laws, should be identified within Hawai‘i County. Resolution Number 256-15 The County Council resolved the following: 1. Sec. 1. 1: Utilize the geographical features of the ahupuaʻa land divisions and the historical use of the ahupuaʻa land divisions as the basis for identifying important values and priorities and for developing and applying appropriate regulatory decisions and other government programs in this County. 2. Sec. 1. 3: Recent studies have revealed that the use of the ahupuaʻa as the basis for land use as a model is relevant to the County of Hawai‘i’s desire to achieve sustainability goals. For this reason, when reviewing and implementing the Goals, Policies, and Courses of action set forth in each of the fourteen (14) study elements, the County of Hawai‘i shall require that each study element be analyzed, studied, and implemented in context of the ahupuaʻa as a land use model. 3. Sec. 14. 1. 3: Incorporate the values and philosophy of the ahupuaʻa land division resource management system into land use policies and develop and apply regulatory decisions and other government programs, as appropriate. Resolution Number 257-15 The County Council resolved the following: 1. Retain Sections 1. 1 and 1. 2 of the 2005 General Plan as Chapter 1 of the Revised General Plan; 8 2. Insert the attached Exhibit A “GENERAL PLAN POLICIES AND PRINCIPLES” as Chapter 2 of the Revised General Plan; 3. Insert the attached Exhibits B through Exhibit O, “GENERAL PLAN CATEGORIES” as Chapter 3 of the Revised General Plan… 4. Retain Chapters 15 and 16 of the 2005 General Plan as the final Chapters in the Revised General Plan; 5. Place the 2005 General Plan Sections 1. 6, 1.7, and 1.8, as appropriately updated, in the Appendices to the Revised General Plan; 6. Place all statistical analysis and background research in the Appendices to the Revised General Plan appendices; and 7. Place the Strategies and Action Plan Sections in a separate Chapter or in the Appendices to the Revised General Plan as the Planning Director deems appropriate. Resolution Number 258-15 The County Council resolved the following: 1. Amend sec. 5. 5. 9. 2(c) as follows: “(c) Investigate potential solutions to prevent the closure of the Hawaii Belt Road due to flooding, including improving, acquiring, and maintaining alternate routes.”