HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-06-15 Leeward Planning Commission Minutes
LEEWARD PLANNING COMMISSION
COUNTY OF HAWAI‘I
MINUTES
JUNE 15, 2017
The Leeward Planning Commission met in regular session at 9:30 a.m. in the West Hawai‘i Civic
Center, Community Center, Building G, 74-5044 Ane Keohokālole Highway, Kailua-Kona,
Hawai‘i, with Chairman Keith F. Unger presiding.
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Keith F. Unger, Nancy Carr Smith, Scott Church, Collin Kaholo,
Perry Kealoha and Sonny Shimaoka
ABSENT AND EXCUSED: Barbara Nobriga
ALSO PRESENT: Malia Ho Hall (Counsel for the Commission), Michael Yee (Planning
Director), Maija Jackson (Planner), Christian Kay (Planner) and Noriko Sauer (Commission
Secretary)
And seven people from the public in attendance.
A quorum was present. Chairman Unger called the meeting to order, and introduced the
Commissioners and staff to members of the public. He explained the procedure for public
testimony.
STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
No statements were presented under this section of the agenda.
NEW BUSINESS
1. APPLICANT: VERIZON WIRELESS (USE 17-000068)
Application for a Use Permit to allow the construction of a new, non-manned
telecommunication facility, consisting of a 60-foot tall steel “monopalm” telecommunication
tower and related facilities within a 750-square foot portion of a 11.325-acre parcel of land
situated in the County’s Single-Family Residential (RS-10) zoning district. The property is
located within Waikoloa Village at 68-3670 Paniolo Avenue situated at the northwest corner
of the Paniolo Drive and Puʻu-Nui Street intersection, Waikoloa, South Kohala, Hawai‘i,
TMK: 6-8-002:031.
The Commission took up this item at 9:32 a.m., with six people from the public in attendance.
Action: It was moved by Commissioner Shimaoka and seconded by Commissioner Church that
the application for Use Permit, Docket Number USE 17-068, be approved based on the Planning
Director’s findings and recommendations, which shall be adopted. A roll call vote was taken and
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the motion carried with six ayes (Shimaoka, Church, Carr Smith, Kaholo, Kealoha and Unger) and
one absent and excused (Nobriga).
\[SEE HEARING TRANSCRIPT – EXHIBIT A\]
2. APPLICANT: HAWAI‘I ISLAND HUMANE SOCIETY (SPP 11-000120)
Request to amend Special Permit No. 11-000120 by enlarging the size of the proposed
veterinary clinic building from 1,500± square feet to approximately 16,670 square feet and to
include additional stray dog and cat housing. Special Permit No. 11-000120 was originally
approved to allow the establishment of an animal sheltering facility and related uses on
approximately 12 acres of land within the State Land Use Agricultural District. The property
is the former Fuku-Bonsai site and is located on the mauka side of Māmalahoa Highway,
northwest of the Ha‘awina Street-Māmalahoa Highway intersection, mauka portion of
Keauhou 1st, North Kona, Hawai‘i, TMK: 7-8-006:065.
The Commission took up this item at 9:46 a.m., with three people from the public in attendance.
Action: It was moved by Commissioner Shimaoka and seconded by Commissioner Church that
the application for Special Permit, Docket Number SPP 11-000120, be approved based on the
Planning Director’s findings and recommendations, which shall be adopted. A roll call vote was
taken and the motion carried with six ayes (Shimaoka, Church, Carr Smith, Kaholo, Kealoha and
Unger) and one absent and excused (Nobriga).
\[SEE HEARING TRANSCRIPT – EXHIBIT B\]
MINUTES
The Commission took up the following minutes at 10:10 a.m., with no one from the public in
attendance:
Minutes of the April 10, 2017, Leeward Planning Commission meeting.
It was moved by Commissioner Car Smith and seconded by Commissioner Shimaoka that the
minutes be approved as submitted. The motion was unanimously carried by a voice vote.
Minutes of the April 10, 2017, Joint Planning Commission meeting.
It was moved by Commissioner Car Smith and seconded by Commissioner Kaholo that the
minutes be approved as submitted. The motion was unanimously carried by a voice vote.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
Training relating to the new Planning Commission Rule 16: Planned Unit Developments
(PUD) and new Planning Commission permit applications for PUDs.
The Commission took up this item at 10:11 a.m., with no one from the public in attendance.
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Mr. Kay provided training to the Commission regarding newly adopted Planning Commission
Rule 16 pertaining to PUD and the new proposed Planning Department applications form. \[SEE
POWERPOINT PRESENTATION – EXHIBIT 1\]
Upon inquiry by Commissioner Church, Mr. Kay clarified that the processing timeline provided in
the new Rule 16, including the 60-day decision time limit following the close of public hearing,
was consistent with the Zoning Code and all other types of applications that came before the
Commission.
Also in response to Commissioner Church’s questions, Mr. Kay stated that some of the most
common variances requested in PUD applications had been from lot size and roadway
requirements, that a variance from height requirements seemed less common, and that he was not
informed of any height variances in PUD applications that had been approved or disapproved in
the past.
Upon inquiry by Chair Unger, Mr. Kay stated that a water variance could be incorporated in PUD,
and that the Department of Water Supply would be the consulting agency for that portion of the
PUD application.
Commissioner Carr Smith commented that she was surprised to hear that the Ipu Place PUD,
which was used as an example in the PowerPoint presentation, had already been approved.
Mr. Kay responded that the project had been approved administratively in 2015 just prior to this
code amendment. He then expounded on the status of the project, and said that the State
Department of Health had subsequently found that the lot sizes would not meet its requirements
for individual wastewater systems, and that in order to satisfy those requirements, the project
would have to be a CPR \[Condominium Property Regime\] project rather than a PUD project. He
also clarified that CPR was outside the Commission’s jurisdiction.
In response to Commissioner Carr Smith’s question, Mr. Kay said that there might be a few PUD
applications that had been held in abeyance pending the adoption of this Rule. He added that the
Planning Department had been trying to educate potential applicants on the changes and new
requirements in hopes that they would submit a complete application when the time came.
Upon inquiry by Commissioner Church, Mr. Kay stated that the applicant would be required to
provide the Planning Department with the exceptions requested along with their justifications, and
that the Planning Department would then do its own analysis against the criteria and identify in its
report to the Commission the exceptions recommended to be approved or disapproved and the
reasons.
Lastly, in response to Commissioner Carr Smith’s inquiry, Mr. Kay clarified that plan details, such
as floor plans and elevations, had not been required prior to the 2015 code amendment, but that
they were required under the new code.
There being no further questions, the training ended at 10:37 a.m.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
None.
ADJOURNMENT
At 10:37 a.m. there being no further business, Chairman Unger declared the meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Noriko Sauer, Secretary
A T T E S T:
Keith F. Unger, Chairman
Leeward Planning Commission
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