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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-05-04 Hearing Transcript - Hilo Lagoon Centre (SMA 17-067)WINDWARD PLANNING COMMISSION COUNTY OF HAWAII HEARING TRANSCRIPT MAY 4, 2017 A regularly advertised hearing on the application of HILO LAGOON CENTRE (SMA 17-067) was called to order at 9:02 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, Gregory Henkel, Donald Ikeda, and Myles Miyasato. ABSENT & EXCUSED: Donn Dela Cruz. ALSO PRESENT: Michael Yee (Planning Director), Malia Ho Hall (Deputy Corporation Counsel for the Windward Planning Commission), Jeff Darrow (Planning Program Manager), Maija Jackson (Planner), Christian Kay (Planner), Shancy Watanabe (Planner), and Sarah Hata-Finley (Commission Secretary). And 8 members from the public in attendance. APPLICANTS: HILO LAGOON CENTRE (SMA 17-067) Application for a Special Management Area (SMA) Use Permit to allow the installation of a solar photovoltaic system on the existing building roof and on four proposed shade structures in the parking lot at the Hilo Lagoon Centre, which is on approximately 4.3625 acres of land situated within the Special Management Area. The parcel is located at 101 Aupuni Street approximately 480 feet from the intersection with Kilauea Avenue, Waiakea, South Hilo, Hawaii, TMK: 2-2-014:010. HENKEL: With that, we'll move to the first agenda item which is the Hilo Lagoon Centre, SMA 17-067, and it looks like Shancy will be making the presentation. WATANABE: Thank you. Good morning, everyone. The landowner is the Hilo Lagoon Centre. The application is for an SMA Permit. This is the location map. The subject property is outlined in black and located just off Aupuni Street in the South Hilo District. For orientation, the Kilauea Avenue runs in the north -south direction; Pauahi Street runs in a northeast direction from Kilauea Avenue, and the subject property curves around along Aupuni Street which joins up with Pauahi Street and Kilauea Avenue. To the north, we have the Hilo Bay, and to the east, we have the Waiakea Fishpond. This is the County zoning map. For orientation, there's Kilauea Avenue in the north -south direction, and here's Aupuni Street curving from Kilauea to Pauahi Street. The subject property EXHIBIT A is zoned CG -7.5, also known as General -Commercial District, as well as adjacent properties in this salmon pink color. To the east, we have the Open zoning which is consistent for the Waiakea Fishpond area and for the Wailoa State Park. The area to the southwest is zoned Residential. Here's the State Land Use map. The pink is the State Land Use Urban District, and the blue is the State Land Use Conservation District, which is also consistent with the Waiakea Fishpond. This map identifies the General Plan also known as the Land Use Pattern Allocation Guide or LUPAG. The bright red is the High Density Urban. The subject property is in the High Density Urban classification which is consistent for commercial offices and that's where we have the State offices as well. The Wailoa State Park LUPAG designation is consistent as being Open, and the Waiakea Fishpond as Conservation. This map indicates the Special Management Area or SMA in the red -hatched coloring. In this picture, the SMA covers only a sliver of the subject property, and that's in this area here. So, here's an aerial photo of the subject property. In the left side, we have a farther out view which you can see that the property curves around AupuniAupuni Street here. And, we've got the County Building here. We're in this building right here. We've got the State offices, the Judiciary building is here, and the other State offices are here. Okay, on the right side photo, this is a closer -up view of the same property. We can see that there's already existing PV panels on the rooftop of the Hilo Lagoon Centre, and in this area here, they're gonna be building the new, the proposed PV systems. And, here on this left side in the yellow, we have the four proposed shade structures that will have rooftop PV on it. The Applicant is requesting a Special Management Area Use Permit to install a solar photovoltaic system on the existing building roof and on four proposed shade structures in the parking lot at the Hilo Lagoon Centre on approximately 4.3625 acres of land where a sliver of the subject property is situated within the Special Management Area. The Applicant is proposing to install a total of 848 solar modules; 98 of which will be installed on the rooftop of the existing Hilo Lagoon Centre covering an area of 2,068 square feet. The remaining 750 modules and related electrical equipment improvements will be distributed on the four new shade structure rooftops, covering an area of about 15,824 square feet. The Applicant has provided this site plan of the subject property showing the existing and proposed structures. The proposed rooftop solar PV panels and related electrical equipment will be located here as shown on the previous map as well. And, here is where the four proposed shade structures with the rooftop will be located on that same property. The Applicant has provided this elevation plan which depicts the height of the shade structure relative to the height of a car parked underneath. The approximate height of the shade structure will be 14 feet. EXHIBIT A 2 This is the Hilo Lagoon Centre with the existing PV modules shown here. There—you can see some there and some just about here. The new PV panels are going to be in this area here, which would be about 18 inches above the existing elevation. This is a picture of the Hilo Lagoon Center parking lot The four proposed shade structures will be located in this area here so it's going to be a little bit hard to see, but there's going to be one row in the very back by the swimming pool in the back there, and then, we have one that's go there, on the left side, here in the middle, and then here on this right side here. And, we're looking at about 14 feet above existing grade for the height. The Planning Director recommends approval with conditions. In your packet, you would have received comments from the Department of Environmental Management. Initially, they were requiring a condition to install a sewer manhole on the lateral at the property line. However, this morning we received revised comments because they were able to locate another sewer manhole in the nearby vicinity, and they are withdrawing their, their comments. So, that's why you have the duplicate, it's there. And, we also received a letter in favor of the proposed project from Mary Begier, and this is also in your packet this morning. This concludes my presentation, and I'm happy to answer any questions that the Planning Commission may have. Thank you. HENKEL: Thank you, Shancy. Is there any questions from the Commission for staff? Okay, will the Applicant and/or their representative please come forward? Would you raise your right hands, please? Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth to the Commission on this matter? MCCAULEY/HEBBLETHWAITE: I do. HENKEL: Thank you. Please state your name, the area that you reside, and proceed. Speak directly into the microphone, please. MCCAULEY: I'm Ryan McCauley. I'm CEO for Tritium 3, representative for the application for the Hilo Lagoon Centre. HEBBLETHWAITE: I'm Walter Hebblethwaite. I also am the operation coordinator for Tritium 3. We represent Hilo Lagoon Centre. HENKEL: Proceed. Do you have any comments? MCCAULEY: I was just going to thank you Chairman Henkel and Commissioners for consideration of the application. We've been working on this project for a little while and we're happy to be at this point. We've read through what's been presented, what's been recommended. We agree with all of the recommendations and conditions that were placed on this. HENKEL: Okay, that was going to be my next question. Thank you. So, did you have any other comments about the recommendations? EXHIBIT A 3 MCCAULEY: No, sir. HENKEL: Okay. You may be seated then. MCCAULEY: Thank you. HO: Did anybody have questions? Questions. HENKEL: Oh, I'm sorry. Are there any questions from the Commission to you guys. CLARKSON: I just— HENKEL: Mr. Clarkson. CLARKSON: In looking over the background information, from the application, I'm just curious what color the painted and galvanized steel construction will be. MCCAULEY: That has not been final—has not been determined. I think they're being—we have not figured that yet for what that would be. It would probably be a typical color of like the green or a light beige or something. Nothing of bright—it would be something that would fit with the background and would fit with the overall view. CLARKSON: Okay. And, on Page 3, there's an indication that the elevation of the site is five feet above sea level. I'm surprised at that. MCCAULEY: I'mI'm not aware, for that, I'm not, for the source of the data, we'd have to back and verify the source for the data. What it, what the reference was. We did not have a topographic survey for it, so it was not based upon recent topo, so. CLARKSON: That's all I have. HENKEL: Any other questions? Yes. MIYASATO: I just have a question. So, these panels, will they be mounted on the rooftop or are they the rooftop material? MCCAULEY: Oh, no, they'd be mounted on top of the rooftop. MIYASATO: Okay, thank you. HENKEL: Anything else? Thanks, now you may be seated. I have two people signed up for public testimony. If there is anybody else that wants to testify, please sign up, but Andy Wilson and Mary, looks like Belgin? BEGIER: Begier [from audience]. EXHIBIT A 4 HENKEL: Begier. Please come forward. Would you raise your right hands, please? Do you swear to tell the truth on this matter before the Planning Commission? WILSON/BEGIER: I do. HENKEL: All right, please state your name and where you reside and proceed. You have three minutes. Speak into the microphone. WILSON: Okay, good morning, Mr. Chairman. I'm Andy Wilson. I have a unit at the Hilo Lagoon Centre, and I've had my unit there for over 30 years. I think we were, my former law partner and myself, were one of the first people to buy a commercial unit when it converted from the hotel. As a result of owning a unit, I've served on the board of directors for over 30 years. Not continuously, but every other term generally. And, in addition to buying the unit in 1986, my mother also bought a residential unit at the same time. I'm here really to speak on behalf of the kupuna and my experience with them living in the Hilo Lagoon. Because, when we first started out, we had a, I would say, reasonable assessment fees that each unit had to pay. When we went through the oil crisis, and our Helco bills started exceeding 50 percent of our budget, we had to increase our maintenance fees annually in order to cover the increased electrical cost. And, in one elevator ride I had with a senior citizen, a friend of my mom at the timeexplaining, she's a retiree, County, State worker retiree, and there were a number of them that lived in the building. And, as our fees increased, their retirement didn't increase, and they found it harder and harder and harder to live in that building. And, as I was talking to this lady going up, her voice started to crack. She had tears in her eyes talking about how she's going to barely be able to meet the last increase in fees that we had. And, I told myself right then we have to do something to get our cost of electricity down. We can't continue to do this to our retirees and the elderly people that live in that building on a fixed income. We can't do it. So, we have been working on a project like this for 20 years at least, probably. Finally, we're at an area of fruition. We're able to do something about it, and we really appreciate your folks concern and willingness to allow us to submit this application to you `cause it's going to really, really help, especially the retirees that live in our building. That's all I wanted to say. HENKEL: Thank you a lot, Mr. Wilson. Ms. Begier? BEGIER: Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today. I'm Mary Begier. I own three units that comprise a commercial space where I hold my office. I also serve on the board of directors. I'm currently the vice-president. Our president apologizes that she was unable to be here this morning, and I would just second what Mr. Wilson has had to say. EXHIBIT A 5 Our real goal is to be able to reduce the costs of operating this building as well as to be more environmentally friendly to the community, so thank you for your service. HENKEL: Thank you, too, for testifying. Are there any questions from the Commissioners? CLARKSON: I do. HENKEL: Yes, Commissioner Clarkson. CLARKSON: I'm just curious. I didn't see any comments from the utility in this package we received. Are there going to be any electrical exports from this project or is this entirely off setting on-site consumption? HENKEL: You can respond. MCCAULEY: No, this is entirely within the property and maintained within that. And, we have received utility comments so we've already got SCADA and some other requirements to go with it on the utility side, so now it's planning and building approval. HENKEL: Thank you. Any other questions for the testifiers? WILSON: Thank you. HENKEL: Thank you. You may be seated. Is there anybody else in the audience that would like to testify? If not, we would look for a motion to close public testimony. MIYASATO: I make a motion to close public testimony. CLARKSON: Second. HENKEL: It's been moved by Commissioner Miyasato; seconded by Commissioner Clarkson. All in favor say "aye?" COMMISSIONERS: Aye. HENKEL: Opposed? Public testimony is closed. Now, I'll look for a motion for action and discussion on the matter. MIYASATO: Chair, I move that the application for Special Management Area Use Permit Docket No. SMA 17-067 be approved based on the Planning Director's findings and recommendations which shall be adopted. IKEDA: Second. HENKEL: It's been moved by Commissioner Miyasato; seconded by Commissioner Ikeda. We'll do a roll call vote, please, Shancy? EXHIBIT A 6 WATANABE: Thank you. Commissioner Miyasato? MIYASATO: Aye. WATANABE: Commissioner Ikeda? IKEDA: Aye. WATANABE: Commissioner Clarkson? CLARKSON: Aye. WATANABE: And Chair. HENKEL: Aye. WATANABE: The motion carries four, zero. HENKEL: Thank you. You'll be notified in writing of the findings. Thank you. The discussion ended at 9:19 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Sarah Y. Hata-Finley, Secretary Windward Planning Commission EXHIBIT A 7