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PLAN •H I. . 'ENT
KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS COol'I I Y ur HAWAII
November 2, 2016
Brad Kurokawa, Chair ti•
Hamakua Community Development Plan
Steering Committee
County of Hawai'i, Planning Department
101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Subject: Land Use Pattern Allocation Guide (LUPAG) map for TMK Nos. 327-003-024 and
327-003-025; Pahoehoe,South Hilo, Hawai'i
On behalf of Kamehameha Schools (KS), I am submitting testimony on the Pauka'a Map
Adjustments. This written testimony is a follow up to our verbal testimony submitted at your
September 10, 29, and October 21, 2016 Steering Committee meetings.
I will not be reiterating points made in earlier testimony; however, I would like to provide this
new information for your consideration:
• I would like to address the concerns of the steering committee that KS could potentially
develop these lands and sell them. KS' lands at Pahoehoe are "legacy lands" for our
trust. They are lands originally bequeathed to Princess Pauahi by Victoria Kamamalu. It is
our practice to keep our legacy lands in perpetuity, for the future benefit of our lahui. If
KS were to pilot an affordable farm-worker housing project,the units would be for
rent/lease and not for sale in fee.
• At your last meeting, some of your steering committee members as well as staff planners
asserted there are existing tools that would allow KS to accomplish its agricultural
support infrastructure goals, such as affordable farm-worker housing. In a follow up
meeting with the County Planning department on October 25, 2016, we were able to
determine the following problems with the existing tools:
o Agriculture Project Districts(APD): APD is not an appropriate tool because it is
limited by State Land Use law,which dictates that the density is no less than one
(1) residence per one (1) acre. The APD essentially supports more sprawl.
895 KAUHIULA ROAD,HILO,HAWAI'I 96720 TELEPHONE(8o8)982-0830 FAx(8o8)982-0845
Founded and Endowed by the Legacy of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop 10 8 4 5 0
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o Planned Unit Development(PUD): PUD is not an appropriate tool because it is
v limited by State Land Use law, which dictates that the density is no less than one
00 (1) residence per one (1) acre. The PUD essentially supports more sprawl.
o Additional Farm Dwelling Unit: The current ordinance is vague around whether or
o • not the labor that justifies the additional farm dwelling needs to come from that
o .
o same parcel or if the labor can be tied to a nearby farm on a separate parcel.
o Additionally,there is no clear definition of employee housing, which is further
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complicated by the fact that KS would likely not be the employer of farm workers.
ow— A KS lessee would employ the farm workers. Finally,the additional farm dwelling
unit does not support a clustered model of multiple housing units.
o Agricultural Farm Lot Subdivisions: Residential use is strictly prohibited on
Agricultural Farm Lot Subdivisions.
Based on the above information, it is clear that there are no existing tools that would allow KS, or
any other landowner, the ability to provide clustered, affordable, farm-worker housing, which
enables larger landscapes to be preserved.
In conclusion, we ask that you consider our intentions, our track record in Hilo and Hamakua,
and the lack of existing tools to provide agricultural support infrastructure such as affordable
farm-worker housing. Please support our request to either leave the current Low Density Urban
(LDU) Land Use Pattern Allocation Guide (LUPAG) map designation in place or find another
solution that would allow this type of agricultural support infrastructure to be created at
Pahoehoe.
Should you have any questions I can be reached at 982-0833 or maharman@ksbe.edu.
Mahalo,
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Marissa Harman, Director
Asset Management—Hawai'i Island
Community Engagement& Resources