HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-04 AC-G70 Pahoa Public Library,DRAFT with watermarkHarry Kim
Mayor
West Hawaii Office
74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740
Phone (808) 323-4770
Fax (808) 327-3563
March 6, 2018
Ms. Christine Mendes Ruotola
G70
925 Bethel Street, 5th Floor
Honolulu, HI 96813-4307
Aloha Ms. Ruotola,
County of Hawaii
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
Comm. No. 2018-04
Michael Yee
Director
Daryn Arai
Deputy Director
East Hawaii Office
101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Phone (808) 961-8288
Fax (808) 961-8742
RE: Pre -Consultation for Draft Environment Assessment
Pahoa Public Library Site Selection (Puna, Island of Hawaii, Hawaii)
Thank you for your letter dated January 5, 2018, requesting comments from the Puna
Community Development (CDP) Action Committee regarding the preparation of a Draft
Environmental Assessment (DEA) for the subject project.
Based on a range of criteria, the State of Hawaii is considering three sites for the Pahoa Public
Library. For the reasons stated below, the Puna CDP Action Committee would like to
respectfully submit Site #2 [Pahoa District Park — TMK (3)1-5-002:020] as the preferred site.
Site 1 — Pahoa Fire Station/Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) — TMK (3)1-5-007:017. A
2005 Environmental Assessment and Environmental Impact Study for the Pahoa Fire Station and
Police Sub -station articulated the following information for the area being proposed:
"... the son of the original lessee of the property related that wen the initial grading was
done the bulldozer broke into a lava tube along the northeastern parcel boundary in the
southeastern portion of the property. The tube appeared to project in mauka/makai
direction, and it was known at the time that a tube entrance was situated in a due mauka
direction on another agricultural lot on the other side of Highway 130. As such, a decision
was made to not bulldoze a roughly 30 -foot -wide corridor thought to correspond to the
course of the tube as it ran beneath the property. This is evident today as a swath of
natural terrain and vegetation within an otherwise completely altered parcel.
www.hiplanningdgpt.com Hawaii County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer planning&a hawaiicountygov
Ms. Christine Mendes Ruotola
March 6, 2018
Page 2
On two separate days (October 18 and November 29, 2004) Matthew Clark, B.A., Dave
Nelson, B.A., Christopher Hand, B.A., Michael Rivera, B.A., and Oliver Bautista, B.A.,
under the direct supervision of Robert Rechtman, Ph.D. carried out both a surface and
subsurface reconnaissance of the property. The surface survey included pedestrian
transects using a five meter spacing interval across the previously bulldozed portions of the
parcel and an intensive 100% survey of the previously unbulldozed swath. At the Makai
end of the swath Makai of the property boundary (off the parcel) a series of interconnected
lava tube entrances were identified. The tube was explored in both mauka (on property
and Makai directions as far as humanly possible. "
'L A%
V&
[Portion of Tax Map (3)1-5-007:017 showing the approximate location of the Fire Station and Police Sub
Station, the unbulldozed swath, and lava tube entrances]
Although there were no historic features identified on the property nor any ancient or historic
cultural materials or skeletal remains observed within the lava tubes, the EA goes on to
recommend that `for safety reasons... the existing entrances to the lava tube be barricaded and
that the previously unbulldozed area remains in its current state. " It appears that the identified
lava tubes traverse an area within the identified 5 -acre site.
Access to the Pahoa Public Library on this site would be mostly vehicular. The assumed entry
would be off the main highway possibly increasing traffic and slowing traffic flow in and out of
Pahoa Town. Pedestrians would need to traverse the limited shoulder of Highway 130 to access
this proposed site, which could prove especially dangerous for school aged children.
The Puna CDP sites the following:
• Goal 4.3.1.d Traffic congestion and traffic -related health risks are reduced.
• Goal 4.4.1.a Highways have design features that improve traffic safety and reduce
collisions particularly at intersections.
Ms. Christine Mendes Ruotola
March 6, 2018
Page 2
Site 2 — Pahoa District Park — TMK (3)1-5-002:020. The subject property is located in the heart
of Pahoa Village. The Puna Community Development Plan notes that this parcel "presents a
good opportunity to expand the regional park and provide other facilities to stimulate the
development of the town core. " The Planning Department is currently in the process of selecting
a consultant to develop a Regional Town Center Master Plan and Wastewater Feasibility Study
for Pahoa. Should the Pahoa Public Library be located on this property, it would mean safe
walkable access for two Public schools: Hawaii Academy of Arts & Science Public Charter
School and Pahoa Elementary, Intermediate, and High School. While the Puna CDP does not
speak directly to libraries, it is clear that the intent of the CDP is to encourage development of
public facilities within village/town centers. This type of development brings the public and
traffic into areas that are specifically intended for that level of use, thus preserving the
countryside and surrounding natural resources.
The Puna CDP sites the following:
• Action 3.1.3.c Facilitate land use entitlements and other tools for the development of
existing and future village/town centers and special design districts by:
1) Recommending approval of applications for commercial zoning or use permits
for existing commercial uses in designated village/town centers that do not
presently have appropriate entitlements, and for proposed uses at appropriate
nearby locations, provided that the size and use of the expansion area conforms
to the criteria applicable to the type of village/town center at that location; and
2) Recommending denial of applications for zone changes for commercial or light
industrial use on sites
Site 3 — Highway 130 Mauka (DLNR) — TMK (3). This site poses the same access and traffic
concerns as Site 1.
As previously stated, Site 2 [Pahoa District Park] TMK (3)1-5-002:020 is the Puna CDP Action
Committees preferred location for the Pahoa Public Library.
Again, we thank you for allowing the Action Committee the opportunity to comment on the
preferred site for the Pahoa Public Library and we request that you provide us with a copy of the
Draft Environmental Assessment for our review and comment.
Sincerely,
Larry Brown
Chair, PCDP Action Committee