HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-11-05 Hearing Transcript - Milo Street Ventures REZ 671
WINDWARD PLANNING COMMISSION
COUNTY OF HAWAI‘I
HEARING TRANSCRIPT
NOVEMBER 5, 2015
MILO STREET
A regularly advertised hearing on the revocation of Special Permit No. 671 for
VENTURES, INC.
was called to order at 9:11 a.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, Donn Dela Cruz, Charles Heaukulani,
Gregory Henkel, Donald Ikeda, and Raylene Moses.
ALSO PRESENT: Duane Kanuha (Planning Director), Danny Patel (Deputy Corporation
Counsel for the Windward Planning Commission), Daryn Arai (Planning Program Manager),
Jeff Darrow (Staff Planner), Lucas Mead (Staff Planner), Maija Jackson (Staff Planner),
Christian Kay (Staff Planner), and Sarah Hata-Finley (Commission Secretary).
And approximately 22 people from the public in attendance.
APPLICANT: MILO STREET VENTURES, INC. (REVOKE SPP 671)
Request for the revocation of Special Permit No. 671, originally approved by the Planning
Commission on August 15, 1988 and issued to Hawai‘i Anthurium Growers Cooperative to
allow for the establishment of a processing and packing facility for anthuriums and other flowers
and foliage on 2.082 acres of land situated within the State Land Use Agricultural District. The
property is located on the south side of Milo Street, approximately 500 feet east of the Milo
Street–Kea‘au Bypass intersection, Kea‘au, Puna, Hawai‘i, TMK: 1-6-152:020 (formerly
TMK: 1-6-003:021).
MIYASATO: Second item on today’s agenda, Milo Street Ventures, Inc.
JACKSON: Staff didn’t prepare a presentation for this next item because it’s fairly
straightforward. The applicant sent in a letter to the Planning Department requesting that their
Special Permit 671 be revoked. The permit was issued in 1988 to Hawaiʽi Anthurium Growers
Cooperative, and the purpose of the permit was to establish a processing and packing facility for
growing anthu—for packing anthuriums and other flowers. They established the facility back in
the 1990’s, and they’ve been operating in there since then.
What--what’s happened is the State law recently changed in 2012, and it made it less restrictive
for a lot of uses to occur in the Ag District. So, a packing facility for flowers and anthuriums is
currently permitted in the State Land Use Agricultural District. So, the applicant is requesting to
be released from their permit so that they can pursue either other Ag opportunities or continue to
do the packing plant as it is occurring now.
And, the Planning Director supports their request to revoke the permit.
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EXHIBIT B
MIYASATO: Commissioners, any questions for staff? Thank you. Do we have the applicant or
a representative present today? Good morning. Could you please raise your right hand? Do you
swear or affirm to tell the truth on this matter now before the Hawaiʽi County Planning
Commission?
NISHIMURA: I do.
MIYASATO: Could you please state your name and residence?
NISHIMURA: Brian Nishimura, 1174 Awiki Place, Hilo, Hawaiʽi, and I’m here as a
representative for Milo Street Ventures.
MIYASATO: Do you have any comment or anything to add?
NISHIMURA: Just for full disclosure purposes, I wanted to let the Commission know that the
applicant has also filed a rezoning application from Agriculture to Industrial, and this application
was submitted in September and is being processed by the Planning Department, so at some
point in the future, this matter will be coming before you for your consideration.
MIYASATO: Okay, Commissioners, any questions? Okay, thank you. Is there anyone wishing
to testify on this matter? If not, Commissioners, can I have a motion to close public testimony?
IKEDA: I move to close public testimony.
DELA CRUZ: Second.
MIYASATO: All in favor?
COMMISSIONERS: Aye.
MIYASATO: Any opposed? I call a close to the public testimony on this application.
Commissioners, any discussion? If not, I’ll accept a motion.
IKEDA: Mr. Chair, I have, I move that the application to revoke Special Permit, Docket No.
SPP 671 be approved based on the Planning Director’s recommendation which shall be adopted.
MOSES: Second.
MIYASATO: I have a motion by Commissioner Ikeda and a second by Commissioner Moses.
Any discussion on the motion? If not, you can call the roll.
JACKSON: Okay, Commissioner Ikeda?
IKEDA: Aye.
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EXHIBIT B
JACKSON: Commissioner Moses?
MOSES: Aye.
JACKSON: Commissioner Dela Cruz?
DELA CRUZ: Aye.
JACKSON: Commissioner Heaukulani?
HEAUKULANI: Aye.
JACKSON: Commissioner Henkel?
HENKEL: Aye.
JACKSON: And Chair Miyasato.
MIYASATO: Aye.
JACKSON: Okay, the motion passes, six-zero.
MIYASATO: You’ll be notified in writing.
The discussion ended at 9:15 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Sarah Y. Hata-Finley, Secretary
Windward Planning Commission
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