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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-10-06 Hearing Transcript - Paul Ogasawara REZ 16-207WINDWARD PLANNING COMMISSION COUNTY OF HAWAII HEARING TRANSCRIPT OCTOBER 6, 2016 A regularly advertised hearing on the application of PAUL OGASAWARA (REZ 16-207) was called to order at 9:01 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, Donald Ikeda, Myles Miyasato, and Raylene Moses. ABSENT & EXCUSED: Donn Dela Cruz. ALSO PRESENT: Duane Kanuha (Planning Director), Molly Stebbins (Corporation Counsel for the Windward Planning Commission), William Brilhante (Assistant Corporation Counsel for the Planning Director), Malia Ho (Deputy Corporation Counsel), Jeff Darrow (Staff Planner), Maija Jackson (Staff Planner), Christian Kay (Staff Planner), and Sarah Hata-Finley (Commission Secretary). And 9 members from the public in attendance. APPLICANT: PAUL OGASAWARA (REZ 16-207) Application for a Change of Zone from a Single -Family Residential — 10,000 square feet (RS -10) to a Village Commercial — 10,000 square feet (CV -10) zoning district for approximately 29,837 square feet of land. The subject property is located on the south side of Pahoa Village Road, about 320 feet southeast of Akeakamai Loop, Pahoa Village, Puna, Hawaii, TMK: 1-5-002:027 and 1-5-114:020 (portion). HENKEL: So, we'll go right to Number 2, Paul Ogasawara, REZ 16-207, and Maija will be giving the presentation. JACKSON: Thank you, Mr. Chair. Can you hear me? Yeah? Okay. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Good morning, everyone. MIYASATO/MOSES: Good morning. JACKSON: Can you hear me through the microphone? MOSES: Yes. MIYASATO: No. JACKSON: Okay. How about now? Now? EXHIBIT A MOSES: Better, yes. JACKSON: Now? Okay, great. Thanks. Okay, the first application on your agenda is a rezone request. The Applicant is Paul Ogasawara, and the subject property is located in the Puna District right near Pahoa Village. You can see the property outlined in red towards the bottom of the slide. You have Pahoa Village Road running in a north -south direction on the left side of the slide, and then the Pahoa Bypass. And then Pahoa Village is right around here in the center of the slide. The property actually consists of two parcels. There's one "L" shaped parcel that you can see outlined in black. It's a split -zoned parcel. The north side of the parcel is already zoned CV -10, and the south side of the parcel is currently zoned RS -10. And, then also part of the request is a triangular-shaped parcel that is outlined in red here that's currently zoned RS -10. The surrounding zoning in Pahoa Village is all Village Commercial, and then across the street, you have the Catholic Church on land that's zoned Agricultural – 1 acre. And, then to the south is land that's zoned RS -10, and the Pahoa High School is actually in this area here on lands zoned RS. The General Plan designation for the property as well as the surrounding area is Medium Density Urban which allows Commercial zoning and a little bit higher density Residential. And, this is a map of the Puna CDP Pahoa Regional Town Center. You can see the general location of the properties is where this green dot is located so it's just outside of Pahoa Village, but still within the area designated for commercial community uses that's shown by the black dotted line here. And, this is an aerial photo of the property and surrounding area so the existing commercial portion of the lot has Paul's Gas Station. You may be familiar with Paul's Gas Station. That's been there a long time, and the gas station is right here. Then there's also like a little mini -mart in this structure here, an office building, and then an auto repair area in the back. So, the requested area to be rezoned is this strip of land to the south which is currently being used kind of as a driveway and for parking. And then, this triangular shape in the back here. Again, you have the Catholic Church to the east of the property. Pahoa Village to the west. The Applicant is requesting a Change of Zone from Single -Family Residential – 10,000 square feet to Village Commercial – 10,000 square feet for about 30,000 square feet of land. He's requesting the Change of Zone in order to confirm the existing gas station and auto repair activities that are already occurring on that strip of land that's zoned RS. It's—and, he's also requesting the Change of Zone to eliminate the split zoning of Parcel 20, as well as to be able to increase the auto repair area by expanding an existing open structure onto that triangular-shaped property to the south. 2 EXHIBIT A This is the Applicant's site plan. Again, you can see the gas station, the mini mart, his office building, the auto repair structure. He wants to be able to expand the auto repair structure into a new area here and then use this property for parking and for part of the driveway back to the auto repair area. And these are some photos of the property. You can see Pahoa Village Road. This is looking back towards Pahoa Village, so you have the mini mart, the office structure, the gas station. And then, you can see the gas station here. This is looking straight into the property. It's an existing driveway back to the auto repair area. And, going further in, this is looking back towards the triangular-shaped property. You can see there's vehicles stored there, and you can see the auto repair area to the right of the slide. And, then this is a view of Pahoa Village Road looking towards Kalapana. The high school is further down the road here, and so the driveway into the properties is just in this general location on the right side of the slide. The Director is recommending a favorable recommendation be sent to the County Council for this rezone request, and that concludes my presentation. HENKEL: Thank you, Maija. Commissioners, any questions of staff? MIYASATO: I have one. HENKEL: Yes. MIYASATO: Maija—it's on? You know, when we make our motion, we take—thank you we take this as one being two parcels then? JACKSON: Yes. MIYASATO: Okay, thank you. HENKEL: Thank you, Commissioner. Any other questions of staff? Will the Applicant or their representation please come forward? Good morning. Would you raise your right hand? Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth on this matter now before the Planning Commission? FUKE: Yes, I do. HENKEL: Thank you. State your name, the area you reside, and speak directly into the microphone. FUKE: Sure. Good morning, Mr. Chairman and Members of the Commission. My name is Sidney Fuke. I'm a planning consultant. My residence, excuse me, my business address is 100 Pauahi Street. I'm here assisting Mr. Ogasawara who is seated in the audience. 3 EXHIBIT A The staff's report, as always, is very comprehensive. I really don't have much more to add except just to say that the Applicant has had a chance to review the Background Report and the proposed conditions to the rezoning request and have found them to be acceptable. So, any questions that the Commissioners may have, me or the Applicant would be more than willing to answer. HENKEL: Thank you, Mr. Fuke. Do any of the Commissioners have questions for Mr. Fuke? CLARKSON: Yes, I do. HENKEL: Go ahead, Mr. Clarkson. CLARKSON: I noticed that one of the conditions was a, I believe, 25-foot— FUKE: —from the centerline? CLARKSON: —from the centerline. FUKE: Yes. CLARKSON: There's an existing 15 -foot setback on the property. Is there any concern with having both of those in effect at the same time? FUKE: No, it would be like 25 feet from the centerline, so it's a question of like the distance between the centerline and the edge of pavement, and beyond that point like what exactly, how many additional feet beyond that point, you know, still remains to be seen right now because while the metes and bounds description of this parcel was taken relative to where the actual centerline is, is still questionable. But, getting the additional five or ten or fifteen feet, you know, should not be a problem. You know, from the subject property. You know, within the subject property `cause I think as the photo clearly indicated, the, that section fronting the Pahoa Village Road is essentially open, and beyond that point, you have the gas station and the—and the proposed rezone area is basically all vacant. HENKEL: Does that answer your question, Mr. Clarkson? CLARKSON: Yes. HENKEL: Anymore questions of the Applicant? Thank you. You maybe seated. FUKE: Thank you. HENKEL: Sarah, has anyI don't have a sheet. No one has signed up to testify? Okay, then, I need a motion to close the portion for public testimony. 4 EXHIBIT A MIYASATO: I make a motion to close public testimony. IKEDA: Second. HENKEL: It's been moved and seconded. All in favor say, "aye?" COMMISSIONERS: Aye. HENKEL: Opposed? Okay, the public testimony is seconded [sic]. Now, I look for a motion for action. MIYASATO: Chair, I'd like to make a motion. I move that a favorable recommendation be forwarded to the County Council on the application for Change of Zone Docket No. REZ 16-207 based on the Planning Director's recommendation and findings which shall be adopted. IKEDA: Second. HENKEL: It's been moved and seconded for approval. We'll do a roll call vote. JACKSON: Okay, Commissioner Miyasato? MIYASATO: Aye. JACKSON: Commissioner Ikeda? IKEDA: Aye. JACKSON: Commissioner Clarkson? CLARKSON: Aye. JACKSON: Commissioner Moses? MOSES: Aye. JACKSON: And Chair Henkel. HENKEL: Aye. JACKSON: Okay, the motion carries five, zero. 5 EXHIBIT A The discussion ended at 9:12 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Sarah Y. Hata-Finley, Secretary Windward Planning Commission EXHIBIT A