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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-12-01 Hearing Transcript - Kukuihaele Plantation House LLC Revoke USE 204WINDWARD PLANNING COMMISSION COUNTY OF HAWAII HEARING TRANSCRIPT DECEMBER 1, 2016 A regularly advertised hearing on the request to revoke Use Permit No. 204 (Kukuihaele Plantation House LLC) was called to order at 9:10 a.m. in the County of Hawaii Aupuni Center Conference Room, 101 Pauahi Street, Hilo, Hawaii with Chairman Gregory Henkel presiding. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Joseph Clarkson, Donn Dela Cruz, Gregory Henkel, Donald Ikeda, and Raylene Moses. ABSENT & EXCUSED: Myles Miyasato. ALSO PRESENT: Duane Kanuha (Planning Director), Malia Ho (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 7 members from the public in attendance. APPLICANT: KUKUIHAELE PLANTATION HOUSE LLC (Revoke USE No. 204) Request to revoke Use Permit No. 204 originally approved on April 1, 2005 and issued to World Healing Institute to allow the establishment of a children's convalescent facility on approximately 31 acres of land within the Resort -Hotel -25,000 square foot per unit (V-25) zoning district. The area involves the site of the formerly proposed Trees of Kukuihaele development located within Kukuihaele and makai of the Honoka`a-Waipi`o Road (Highway 240) and the Old Government Road at Waikoekoe and Kanahonua, Hamakua, Hawaii, TMKs: 4-8-006:003, 013 & 069. HENKEL: With that, we can move on to Item No. 2, the Kukuihaele Plantation House, LLC, revoke USE 204, and Jeffrey Darrow will be presenting. DARROW: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good morning, members of the Planning Commission. If I can direct your attention to our site plan. As mentioned, this is a revocation request for Use Permit No. 204. Originally, this was approved to World Healing Institute, but as mentioned, the current applicant is Kukuihaele Plantation House, and just for reference, the location of this request is within Kukuihaele. This is in the Hamakua District of Hawaii. If we were to travel more to the east, we would be near Honoka`a. Just to the west is Waipi`o Valley. This is the Kukuihaele area, and the subject properties that are part of this request are identified with a black outline. The purple represents the zoning which is Hotel -Resort [sic] — 25,000 square feet or V-25. EXHIBIT B 1 The Applicant is requesting to revoke Use Permit No. 204, which was originally approved on April 1, 2005, to World Healing Institute to allow the establishment of a children's convalescent facility on approximately 31 acres of land within the Resort -Hotel – 25,000 square foot or V-25 zoning district. The landowner has submitted a letter requesting to revoke Use Permit No. 204, as the center ceased its operation at the end of 2011. The Planning Director is recommending approval of the revocation request. With that, that concludes our presentation. HENKEL: Thank you, Jeffrey. Are there any questions of staff from the Commission? DARROW: Just for information, our next application will also be referencing the same area and properties. HENKEL: Thank you. No questions. Is there a representative for the Applicant who would like to present? Good morning, Mr. Fuke. FUKE: Good morning. HENKEL: Do you affirm to tell the truth on this matter before the Planning Commission? FUKE: Yes, I do. HENKEL: Thank you. State your name and proceed. FUKE: Sure. Good morning, Mr. Chairman. Happy holidays to all. My name is Sidney Fuke. I'm a planning consultant. I'm here to assist the landowner, Ms. Alletta Bell, who is seated over here. She is actually requesting the revocation of the Use Permit, and as Mr. Darrow had indicated, the subsequent application calls for the downzoning of the three existing parcels. Her plan is basically to use the three existing parcels for residential purposes, but it gets a little bit frustrating because you have all of these existing entitlements that kind of confuse like how the lands can be used, and so, inasmuch as the, there are limitations in terms of water. There's actually only one water meter assigned to each of those parcels. That's the reason why the zoning change is gonna be rather unorthodox in the sense that you have like a residential five acres and a residential ten acres, and this would then prohibit the further subdivision of the property so, it's a very, very low density project, and we respectfully request your favorable consideration in, on—on this as well, the revocation, as well as the subsequent applications. Before leaving, I'd like to just kind of make a comment, and, you know, this is Planning Director Kanuha's last meeting before the Commission, and I think I speak for everyone in this room as well as many of my other friends outside there and the general community that, you know, he will be sorely missed. I think that he provided guidance to the Commission, appropriate guidance to the Commission, and we hope that whoever is going to be the new Planning Director will provide similar guidance and leadership to the Commission as well. Thank you. EXHIBIT B 2 HENKEL: Thank you, Mr. Fuke. Are there any questions from the Commission? Is thereI see that no one has signed up to testify. Thank you. FUKE: Sure. HENKEL: Is there anybody out there that would like to testify on this matter? Then, I would, we could look for a motion to close the period for public testimony. DELA CRUZ: Motion to close public testimony. IKEDA: Second. HENKEL: It's been moved and seconded. All in favor say, "aye." COMMISSIONERS: Aye. HENKEL: Opposed? The public testimony section of this meeting, of this item has been closed. I think we can—this item number three pertains to the same thing, but let's get this out of the way with a move for action, please. And discussion. This is for the revocation. MOSES: I move that the application to revoke Use Permit No. 204 be approved based on the Planning Director's recommendation and findings which shall be adopted. IKEDA: Second. HENKEL: It's been moved by Commissioner Moses and seconded by Commissioner Ikeda. Is there any discussion? With that, we'll do a roll call vote. DARROW: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. With that, we'll take the roll call. Commissioner Moses? MOSES: Aye. DARROW: Commissioner Ikeda? IKEDA: Aye. DARROW: Commissioner Clarkson? CLARKSON: Aye. DARROW: Commissioner Dela Cruz? DELA CRUZ: Aye. DARROW: And Mr. Chairman. EXHIBIT B 3 HENKEL: Aye. DARROW: The motion passes five to zero. HENKEL: And, you will be notified in writing of the decision. The discussion ended at 9:16 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Sarah Y. Hata-Finley, Secretary Windward Planning Commission EXHIBIT B 4