Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-07-07 Hearing Transcript - Berean Bible Church USE 202WINDWARD PLANNING COMMISSION COUNTY OF HAWAII HEARING TRANSCRIPT JULY 7, 2016 A regularly advertised hearing on the application of BEREAN BIBLE CHURCH (Amend USE 202) was called to order at 9:19 a.m. in the County of Hawaii Aupuni Center Conference Room, 101 Pauahi Street, Hilo, Hawaii with Chairman Gregory Henkel presiding. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Gregory Henkel, Joseph Clarkson, Donn Dela Cruz, Myles Miyasato, and Raylene Moses. ABSENT & EXCUSED: Donald Ikeda. 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), Maija Jackson (Staff Planner), Christian Kay (Staff Planner), and Sarah Hata-Finley (Commission Secretary). And 10 members from the public in attendance. APPLICANT: BEREAN BIBLE CHURCH (Formerly DEETMAN) (Amend USE 202) Request to amend Condition No. 2 of Use Permit No. 202 to remove the requirement for a 50 -foot minimum building setback from all property lines in order to accommodate the construction of five (5) 400 -square foot structures within the minimum 50 -foot building setback area. Use Permit No. 202 was originally approved to allow the establishment of a church and related improvement on 2.73 acres of land situated within the Agricultural -3 acre (A -3a) zoning district. The property is located along the south side of Lama Street, approximately 660 feet east of its intersection with Awa street, Pana`ewa House Lots, Waiakea, South Hilo, Hawaii, TMK: 2-2-051:009. HENKEL: Okay, with that, we'll move to the Item No. 2. The Applicant is the Berean Bible Church, formerly Deetman. It's USE 202. KAY: Thank you again, Mr. Chair. You get a double dose of me right off the bat. So, the next application is for an amendment of Use Permit No. 202. The subject parcel is located—where am I? Oops, sorry. The subject parcel is located in the South Hilo District of Hawaii Island. More specifically, in the Pana`ewa House Lots Subdivision. Just for reference, we've got Kanoelehua Avenue running generally north -south through the slide. Awa Street is running parallel to that. That's the closest cross street. And, then Lama Street is running generally east -west. The subject parcel is located at 420 Lama Street. EXHIBIT B Zooming in a little bit closer, we've got the zoning designation for the surrounding area. The subject parcel and much of the surrounding area is designated as Agricultural — 3 acres. There is some Residential and Agricultural — 1 acre and Residential and Agricultural half acre zoning in the surrounding area. Surrounding land uses include a County park; another church to the west of the subject parcel; vacant lands to the east of the subject parcel; and, again, some single-family dwellings around the rest of the area. The State Land Use designates the subject parcel and surrounding areas to the north as Urban, and to the South as Agricultural as indicated in the green. The General Plan Land Use Pattern Allocation Guide Map designates the subject parcel and much of the surrounding area as Low Density Urban and some Important Agricultural Lands, again, indicated in green to the south. Here are some aerial photographs of the subject parcel and surrounding area. On the left, I just wanted to show, again, some of the surrounding land uses. Outlined in yellow is the subject parcel. Again, to the west is Tenrikyo Hilo Church. To the south of the subject parcel is the Malama, the County's Malama Park, and then, again, we've got the vacant uses here to the east of the subject parcel and surrounding single-family dwelling uses. On the right-hand side a little bit zoomed in, you'll see the subject parcel again outlined in yellow. There's an existing single-family dwelling on the parcel and an existing 4,800 -square foot church building and associated parking areas for the uses. On the north side here pardon me, on the east side of the, of the parcel is vegetation that has actually since been removed. This is, again, a Google Earth photo, so it's not the most up to date. And, here, between the subject parcel and the church on the left is showing some landscaping as mitigation for noise and visual issues. Not shown again on this picture is a roughly 10,000 -square foot catchment tank that's used for fire mitigation. And, moving on, the Applicant is requesting to amend Condition No. 2 of their Use Permit to remove the requirement for a 50 -foot minimum building setback from all property lines. Removing the setback requirement will accommodate the construction of five 400 -square foot accessory structures on the north side of the subject property which will conform to the 20 -foot side yard building setback and the 30 -foot front and rear yard setbacks as prescribed by the Agricultural — 3a zoning designation. The proposed structure closest to Lama Street will be a pavilion. The next structure as proposed is a storage area, storage structure. And, the other three proposed structures will be used as additional classroom and meeting space. 2 EXHIBIT B The church currently conducts five classes on Sunday mornings—one in the chapel area and others that are scattered around the lanai, and I'll show you photos of where that is when we get, later. The proposed additional classroom and meeting spaces will provide a more comfortable environment for congregants to learn. Removing the 50 -foot building setback requirement will allow the construction of these accessory structures. And here's the Applicant's submitted site plan. Again, we've got Lama Street on the left-hand side of the screen. The existing single-family dwelling, the existing church and parking areas, again, I spoke a little bit about that, the landscaping buffer, between the subject parcel and the church—the other church which is located down here. The area toward the back of the property is where additional required parking would be provided and then just showing along the north side of the property here is where they're proposing these five structures; again, the first one being kind of a pavilion, the second one being a storage structure, and the last three here being additional classroom and meeting space. Again, not shown here, `cause it got cut off I think a little bit, is a similar landscaping along the other side of the parcel. Here's some images of this site. Here's a view of the church driveway from Lama Street. Again, you can see the existing single-family dwelling here on the left and directly ahead is the church structure. Here are generally where the proposed structures are going to be. The first pavilion kind of being more close to Lama Street and then moving back and then here's just another image looking farther back, and this is to the left of the existing dwelling where the other structures will be located along the edge, northern edge of the property. Again, much of that vegetation that you saw in the aerial photo has been removed. And, here's just an existing view of the church building, and here are the lanais on either side where the other classes take place on Sunday mornings. Additional photos showing, again, the existing boundary landscaping. You can barely see it, but in the back here is the Tenrikyo Hilo Church. According to the Applicant, these are roughly six to eight feet high, pretty quick growing. Here again toward the rear of the property is a view of additional proposed parking area. And then, again, just the catchment tank for fire suppression which is behind the existing single-family dwelling and adjacent to the church or kind of between the two. And, here are just some views of Lama Street looking west. We have the subject parcel on the left hand side, and then looking east, we have the subject parcel on the right hand side. Finally, the Planning Director is recommending approval of the request to amend Use Permit 202 with conditions. I'd be happy to answer any questions the Commission may have on the presentation. HENKEL: Any questions, Commissioners? MIYASATO: Chair, I have a question. 3 EXHIBIT B HENKEL: Yes. MIYASATO: Christian, you know, in the original application back in 2004, was there a special reason for that 50 -foot setback? Or do you, I mean, it's a while ago, so you might not know, but just curious. KAY: Yeah, you know, we did a little research. I looked at theI looked at the transcripts of the original hearing for the permit. My understanding is that's something that at the time, we kind of—we consistently added that setback requirement in areas that could transition into more residential areas to help provide mitigation for possible noise and visual impacts. We have since stopped applying a kind of, in a blanket way, those types of conditions and use this process as more kind of case-by-case basis at looking at possible impacts. So, when we looked at this one in particular, we saw that even way back when, there were no complaints about noise or visual issues and since this was approved, since 2004, there have been no complaints. Another thing to point out is that the proposed classroom spaces, they'll be no—there's a condition basically stating that they'll be no amplified voices or no music in the classroom areas. Again, it's just for teaching and learning for convenience. MIYASATO: Okay, thank you. HENKEL: Any other questions, Commissioners? Okay, thank you, Christian. KAY: Thank you. HENKEL: Will the Applicant or their representative come forward, please? Good morning. Would you raise your right hand, and speak into the microphone? Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth on this matter before the Windward Planning Commission? CORNELLA: I do. HENKEL: Thank you. Please state your name, the area you reside, and proceed. CORNELLA: Name is Roy Cornella. I reside in Hilo. HENKEL: Do you—did you get the Planning Director's Background and Recommendation Reports? CORNELLA: Yes, I did. HENKEL: And do you agree with conditions? CORNELLA: We agree with all the conditions. 4 EXHIBIT B HENKEL: Do you have further comments? CORNELLA: I do not. HENKEL: Okay. Commissioners, any questions for the Applicant? Thank you. You may be seated. CORNELLA: Thank you. HENKEL: Next is the public testimony, but I see no one is signed up. Is there anyone out there that would like to testify on this agenda item? Okay, then, I will look for a motion for action. Oh, I'm sorry, let's officially close public testimony first. I'll look for a motion for that first. MIYASATO: I make a motion to close public testimony. DELA CRUZ: Second. HENKEL: It's been moved by Commissioner Miyasato; seconded by—who seconded? DeCosta, Dela Cruz, I'm sorry. I'm a little nervous. Okay, all in favor? COMMISSIONERS: Aye. HENKEL: Opposed? The motion carries. Public testimony is closed. Now, I'll look for a motion for action. MIYASATO: Chair, I move that the application to amend Use Permit 202 be approved based on the Planning Director's findings, recommendations, and proposed conditions which shall be adopted. MOSES: Second. HENKEL: It's been moved by Commissioner Miyasato, and seconded by Commissioner Moses. Any discussion? If not, we'll do a roll call vote. KAY: Thank you, Mr. Chair. Commissioner Miyasato? MIYASATO: Aye. KAY: Commissioner Moses? MOSES: Aye. KAY: Commissioner Clarkson? 5 EXHIBIT B CLARKSON: Aye. KAY: Commissioner Dela Cruz? DELA CRUZ: Aye. KAY: And, Chair Henkel. HENKEL: Aye. KAY: Thank you very much. Motion carries five, nothing. HENKEL: And, you will be notified in writing. Thank you. The discussion ended at 9:32 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Sarah Y. Hata-Finley, Secretary Windward Planning Commission 6 EXHIBIT B