2018-01-04 Hearing Transcript - Celestial Sanctum SPP 17-192

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WINDWARD PLANNING COMMISSION COUNTY OF HAWAII HEARING TRANSCRIPT JANUARY 4, 2018 A regularly advertised hearing on the application of CELESTIAL SANCTUM (SPP 17-000192) was called to order at 9:52 a.m. in the County of Hawaii Aupuni Center Conference Room, 101 Pauahi Street, Hilo, Hawaii with Chairman Joseph Clarkson presiding. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Joe Clarkson, Donn Dela Cruz, Gregory Henkel, Donald Ikeda, Myles Miyasato, and Thomas Raffipiy. 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), and Sarah Hata-Finley (Commission Secretary). And 12 members from the public in attendance. APPLICANT: CELESTIAL SANCTUM 501(C)3 (SPP 17-000192) Continued hearing for an application for a Special Permit to allow the development of a lodge and wellness retreat center, including healing workshops, wellness classes, yoga classes, a certified kitchen, and overnight accommodations for up to 21 guests on an approximately 3.926 - acre portion of a larger 25 -acre parcel of land situated within the State Land Use Agricultural District. The subject property is located at 18-4271 Luna Ikena Road, approximately 1.3 miles west (mauka) of its intersection with Volcano Road (Highway 11), Por. of Ola`a, Puna, Hawaii, TMK: 1-8-010: Por. 105. CLARKSON: The next item on the agenda is the application from Celestial Sanctum which was continued from the November meeting. You're going to make a presentation on this? KAY: Yes, Mr. Chair, thank you, and good morning, Members of the Commission. Pleasure to see you in this New Year. All right, as the Chair said, this is a continuation of our hearing that we had in November. The Applicant is Celestial Sanctum, and the application is for a Special Permit. Just to kind of reorient folks to the subject parcel, it's located in the Puna District of Hawaii Island; more specifically, in the kind of between Glenwood and Volcano area. Here we have Volcano Road running generally north -south through the slide, and Luna Ikena Road running generally east -west. The subject parcel is here outlined in red. It's a 25 -acre parcel of which the Applicant is requesting a 3.926 -acre permit area. So, since the last meeting, there was some activity that's been taking place. Like we said, pardon me, the November 2nd, 2017, the Leeward, pardon me, Windward Planning Commission voted to EXHIBIT C