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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-11-07 Hearing Transcript - Friends of the Volcano School of Arts & Sciences USE 18-077WINDWARD PLANNING COMMISSION COUNTY OF HAWAII HEARING TRANSCRIPT NOVEMBER 7, 2018 A regularly advertised hearing on the application of FRIENDS OF THE VOLCANO SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES (USE 18-000077) was called to order at 9:03 a.m. in the County of Hawaii Aupuni Center Conference Room, 101 Pauahi Street, Hilo, Hawaii with Chairman Joseph Clarkson presiding. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Gilbert Aguinaldo, Joseph Clarkson, Donald Ikeda (from 9:17 a.m.), Thomas Raffipiy, John Replogle. ABSENT & EXCUSED: Donn Dela Cruz. ALSO PRESENT: Michael Yee (Planning Director), Malia Hall (Deputy Corporation Counsel for the Windward Planning Commission), Jeff Darrow (Planning Program Manager), Maija Jackson (Planner), Christian Kay (Planner), Sarah Hata-Finley (Commission Secretary), and Kim Tanaka. And 21 members from the public in attendance. APPLICANT: FRIENDS OF THE VOLCANO SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES (USE 18-000077) Application for a Use Permit to allow the establishment of a public charter school and related improvements for grades pre -K to 8 for up to 250 students, and to provide afternoon and evening adult education and post -secondary classes on 3.15 acres of land, known as the historic Keakealani School property, within the Single -Family Residential -20,000 square foot (RS -20) zoning district. The property address is 19-4024 Haunani Road, which is about 500 feet northeast of its intersection with the Old Volcano Road in Volcano Village, Puna District, Hawaii, TMK: (3) 1-9-004:019. CLARKSON: And with that, we will proceed to the first item on today's agenda which is an application from Friends of the Volcano School of Arts and Sciences. JACKSON: Thank you, Mr. Chair. Good morning, everyone. The first item on the agenda is a request from Friends of the Volcano School of Arts and Sciences for a Use Permit. The subject property—give me just a minute here. There we go. All right. The subject property is located in the Puna District in Volcano Village. It's shown generally in a location of the red dot in the middle of the slide, and you can see the Volcano Highway running east -west through the middle of the slide. You have Haunani Road just to the west of the property and then the Old Volcano Highway in this location here. Sorry, I'm having some technical difficulties on the remote. Okay, the Applicant is requesting a Use Permit to allow the expansion and establishment of a public charter school and related improvements on 3.15 acres of land within EXHIBIT A the Single -Family Residential zoning district. The school will consist of a maximum of 250 students in grades pre -K through 8 and 40 faculty staff In addition, the Applicant is requesting to allow temporary portable classrooms for teaching and some administration functions during the construction period of the permanent classroom buildings. They're also requesting to allow the use of a State Department of Health certified mobile kitchen on the property to prepare and serve hot and cold meals during the construction of the main school kitchen. And, the Applicant is also requesting to provide afternoon and evening adult education and post -secondary classes. I'm just going to take a quick minute to move the batteries around. [Referring to the batteries in the laser pointer.] Better, okay. This is the Applicant's proposed site plan. It's a little blurry, so I will just walk you through it. On the bottom of the plan is Haunani Road, and then you have the entrance into the campus in this location here. There will be like a loop driveway with parking in this area and then this, this will be the primary drop-off/pick-up area for the school. Then, folks can loop back around here and exit the property. This will allow traffic to move smoothly and not back up onto Haunani Road. There will also be the main parking lot in the back corner of the property here. This structure is an existing structure that will be reused, and then this large structure here is a main administration building that would be new. Gymnasium, cafeteria in this area here. And, then along the eastern property boundary and the northern property boundary are classroom buildings, and this is an open area. And, so I'll just zoom in a little bit more. Okay, so I zoomed in on that site plan. You can see we're generally looking towards the east end of the property. Again, you have about 16 classroom structures on the north and east side of the property. You have the gymnasium/cafeteria, a large parking lot over on the south side of the property, and then this portion of the site plan is where this green dot is so it's more towards the road, and then this is a close up of the loop driveway for an entrance and exit for student pick-up and drop-off This is the main administration building and then you have an existing building that will be reused and a new preschool building in this location here. Okay, this is a site plan that shows the roadway improvements on Haunani Road that the Applicant is proposing to do. So, here's that entrance into the property. They will be adding a crosswalk across Haunani. They're going to be adding things like a stop bar on both sides and some flashing lighting warning drivers that this is a school area. They're also going to put in a sidewalk from the school entrance here up to the Old Volcano Road intersection, and that's shown in the dark gray color here. This is one of the proposed elevations. This is for the administration building, so generally looking at one-story structures. And, the County zoning of the property is as I said RS -20, Single -Family Residential. Most of the properties around there are also Residential zoning which is shown in the yellow. There are some Commercial properties in pink that are located along Old Volcano Road. EXHIBIT A 2 The State Land Use designation for the property is Urban which is shown in the pink, and the General Plan designation for the property is Medium Density Urban which is shown in the orange. School facilities are a consistent use for Medium Density Urban areas. And, this is an aerial photo of the property. Haunani Road on the left side of the slide and then the existing entrance here. This is that existing building that I mentioned that will be reused and then the new loop driveway would generally go around in this area here and then back out in this location. So, you'll have your main admin building in this general location, classroom structures along the north and east side of the property, that main gymnasium building generally here, and then the bulk of the parking lot in this area here. And, this is a site photo showing the existing entrance with the current Keakealani school building. More site photos. That lawn area in the back that you saw in the aerial photo which is where the majority of the new buildings and the parking lot will be situated. And, these are views of Haunani Road. The first one on the left side is looking south. It's a little dark, but it's looking towards the commercial area of Volcano Village, so the proposed sidewalk would be located in this general area here. And, then this is a view of the Haunani Road looking north, and the school campus entrance is generally in this location here. So, the crosswalk would be located about in this location here. The Planning Director is recommending approval of the Use Permit with conditions that have been provided to the Commission, and since we sent out your Background and Recommendation Reports, you should have also received in your packet today or by email two letters of support. One was from Lynn Melena dated October 29th and another was from Lorna Larsen-Jeyte dated October 29th. And then this morning, we just received a new letter that was passed out to you from Alan McNarie. And, that concludes my presentation. I'd be happy to answer any questions that the Commission has. CLARKSON: Any questions from the Commission? I have a question. If you would please go back to the aerial photograph. Yeah, I was wondering what the structures are to the east of the proposed facility. There are two small buildings and then there are two large buildings. JACKSON: This ones? CLARKSON: Are those residences, the little ones? OrI'm just curious what those are. JACKSON: I believe they are, if you can give me just a minute, I can let you know here. The Background Report says to the east is a parcel that consists of a single-family dwelling operating as an approved bed and breakfast approved with a Use Permit, and a wellness center approved with a Use Permit. EXHIBIT A 3 So, those larger structures may be beyond that project description area or they may be part of that wellness center. I'm not exactly sure. CLARKSON: Thank you. Will the Applicant or their representative please come forward? KERN: Good morning, Mr. Chair. CLARKSON: Yes, good morning. Would you please raise your right hands? Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth on this matter before the Planning Commission today? KERN: Yes. KINNEY: Yes. CLARKSON: Please proceed. KERN: Good morning, Mr. Chair, Members of the Windward Planning Commission, Mr. Director, all wonderful staff, Corporation Counsel. To my right, I have Kalima Kinney. She is the person in charge basically of the operations at Volcano School of Arts and Science. This has been a project in the works. How many years has this been in motion? We're close to eight. Yeah, close to eight years, so this has been a long time coming just to get to this place. We, they have done the EA, TIAR, which comes out with a great, you know, LOS, level of service of B, which is fantastic. They have a traffic management plan in place to make sure there is no queuing onto the County road there. Really, they've done everything in their power to mitigate any potential issues that would be affected. One of the neighbors did contact us regarding a fence around the property just to make sure that it was, you know, so kids didn't, you know, run through the bushes and what not, and the Applicant agreed to do that. So, there will be a 6 -foot fence constructed around that which is part of the conditions in here. The Applicant, we've reviewed the recommendation and the conditions, and we're agreeable to that, correct? KINNEY: Yes. KERN: So, there's really no, no major problems there. Like I said, it's been a long time coming. The community needs this very, very much. They're doing a great job up there with what they have, but with the ability for them to expand and serve the community would be paramount. I know Kalima does, we do have a question regarding the possibility or a little bit of flexibilitiy for them to allow maybe a couple other grades in there in the interim. Right now, it's pre -K through eighth, and so we just wanted to discuss that slightly. Not to change the student count, faculty count. Just more of an interim. They have a separate campus for the, for the ultimately for the high school. Just potentially to see if we could have a little bit of flexibility in that. Again, it wouldn't change student count, faculty count, or anything like that. Would you like to explain that, Kalima? EXHIBIT A 4 KINNEY: Sure. We are planning to expand a high school beginning in, well, the planning year of 2021, so it would start in, the first year would be 2021, and we are, we know that we need two sites in order to grow to high school, and so we weren't—the plan for this campus ultimately is to house the pre -K to eight and potentially even only pre -K to six as we might move them, the intermediate, to be with the secondary students. We just thought it in terms of making that transition if we could have some flexibility as we're growing that, to start our ninth grade. For example, there, we'd have some flexibility in the grade levels not to exceed that maximum of 250 students. KERN: Thank you very much. So, we'll leave that to you folks to discuss and consider. We do have some renderings here, what it's potentially going to look like. [Referring to three visual renderings they had put up behind them.] It's beautiful. The late Boone Morrison actually worked on this project, and he put a lot of time and intention into drafting these plans and what not. So, we're happy to answer any questions you folks have. CLARKSON: Any questions for the Applicant? REPLOGLE: Yes, I have one. So that field in the middle. Is that going to be for, just to look at or isI know it rains a lot up there, but is physical education going to be part of this school? KINNEY: Absolutely. So, the field is definitely a play field, and it's quite large actually, and will also be for, you know, P.E. activities. We want to keep it open as much as possible. We'll probably put some play structures up that will be over at the pre -K building which is up in the front up here and then some other play structures nearby where the younger students are on the inside, but most of it will be open for the open free play. And, regarding flooding, you know, we have been so far working with Engineering Partners, and they are, they've been really excelling on working on the, you know, the drainage and making sure that we're not going to have a flooding problem in that field. REPLOGLE: So, if sixth grade was out playing soccer for physical education in that field, that's not going to be disruptive to math class going on right— KINNEY: —Well, so one thing I want to point out, too, is that cafeteria, multi-purpose center will also be an indoor opportunity REPLOGLE: In the front? KINNEY: as well, but that was a question that was brought up by teachers when we were in our planning phase and the—the, you know, Boone and the architects addressed it as that, I can't explain it I'm sorry to say, but like the, because of the way the elevations work, that they're not expecting that sound to carry. So, it's quite a good distance, so we did address that, yeah. EXHIBIT A 5 REPLOGLE: Okay, I ask because I realize students are better now than I was but, at Na`alehu School, we used to sit and watch the fertilizer plane go back and forth, and that was way up on the hill. I just wondered about that field and how it might— KINNEY: —Well, and actually, as it is now, we currently have a play field right outside of three classrooms, and because of the way the building is, the elevation and the building is raised up, it doesn't create very much of a disruption for those classes. REPLOGLE: Okay, thank you. AGUINALDO: I have a question to Mr. Zendo here. That site here, was that the old KMC? You know, my—it wasn't? KINNEY: Not KMC, KOEC. AGUINALDO: Yeah, KOEC. Correct. KERN: Yes. AGUINALDO: So, kind of like when I was growing up maybe many of you know or don't know, we used to go up there overnight. We did curriculums from school, public school. We did archery, and we had way in the back, we used to have a bon fire. So, I just think the location and size of that property, you know, especially for education that's why, as well, you know, you picked the right spot. You know, because a lot of kids go through there. You know, we used to call that house too right behind, more mauka with the turquoise or kind of greenish roof, we used to call `um something but I not going to say it over here. And, we didn't want to go over there at night. We just, you know, used that, but it's a great location. You know, I just remembered growing up that a lot of kids go through that area year after year after year after year, so, yeah, I just wanted to make note if that was the place. KERN: Yeah, it's been, it's been there for a long time, and they've been a great steward taking it over and doing a really good job with what they have there. RAFFIPIY: Mr. Chair, I have a question and a comment. You the question that they were asking about the flexibility, will that—will that have, Mr. Director, will that have anything to do with our discussion today? The flexibility that they were asking for? CLARKSON: I believe that we would have to modify, make an amendment, or a motion to modify the conditions to allow that. RAFFIPIY: Okay, yeah, that's the CLARKSON: —But, we can do that later when the time for action comes. RAFFIPIY: Okay. And, I want to make a comment. When the school decided to move, you know, you're talking about eight years ago, I just want to let you know that I was one of those EXHIBIT A 6 volunteers that came in and Ime and some friends came in and designed with the assistance of the County Fire Department, came in and designed the fire alarm system, the communication system in that building. No pay, nothing, it was all volunteer work just because we heard that they were gonna, they were gonna make a, make that into, used for children. And, here they are. They're here. [Referring to the approximately 18 children who arrived at 9:15 a. M. and were lined up in the back of the meeting room.] Also, help remove that, that little but in the back. It used to be a generator in there. We moved that generator because DOE wanted the generator. We were hoping that DOE would give it to the school, but they wanted the generator back, but yeah, it's good to see that there's going to be, that you're going to transform it into a better facility for the children, so I'd like to just want to say that I'll support this effort. KERN: If I could make a quick comment. Regarding the question about the flexibility there. In my reading of the conditions, there's nothing in the conditions that specifically say pre -K through eighth. It's more the intent, within the intent of, at the beginning of the Recommendation and the Background Report. It's pre -K through eighth, so I'm not sure how you guys want to deal with that. But, just to point out, within the actual specific conditions, I did not see anything that, that limited it to that. CLARKSON: Any further questions from the Commission? I just have—on the acoustics issue. There will be no air conditioning or presumably central heating. Maybe there should be. So, on hot days, will there be open windows on the east and north sides of those classroom buildings? I'm wondering about the sound carrying over into the residential areas immediately adjacent to the school. Or will—or will there be any way to mitigate that with landscaping or other facilities? KINNEY: So, definitely mitigating with landscaping and, yes, windows will be open. It doesn't—the thing, the way that the buildings are structured is very similar to a design that we, that Boone Morrison had designed for us that we're using right now, and they are very, it's a very simple design but it allows for really nice control temperature inside. Just by the design of the building itself. And, then, I don't just from, you know, seeing, I mean, we aren't, I wouldn't say that we're a quiet school, because we don't necessarily want students to be quiet, but it hasn't really been a problem with the noise currently. And, we have our middle school already there now, and although it's not that many students, they still do go, it's about 50 students, 50-60 students, and they still play out on the field, and we haven't had any complaints. We have good relationships with our neighbors as well. CLARKSON: Well, and the new playground area will be completely surrounded by buildings. KINNEY: Correct. CLARKSON: So, that would mitigate things quite a bit. If there are no further questions, we'll proceed with public testimony. KERN: Very good. EXHIBIT A 7 CLARKSON: You maybe seated. KERN: Thank you very much. CLARKSON: At this time, we have two members of the public who are wishing to testify, Lorna Larsen-Jeyte and Sophia McQueen or Sophia McQueen? Excuse any mispronouciations, please. Would you please come forward if you wish to testify? Please raise your right hand. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth on this matter before the Planning Commission today? LARSEN-JEYTE: I do. MCQUEEN: [Nodded yes. ] CLARKSON: Please introduce yourself, and when you begin speaking. LARSEN-JEYTE: Okay. Hi, I'm Lorna Larsen-Jeyte, and my husband and I have lived in Volcano for 32 years. We started Kilauea Lodge 32-33 years ago, and we just recently retired. And, I'm a former school teacher from Oahu, public high school. And, it's a comment, I lived across from Koko Head School when I was raising my children on Oahu, and I could hear those children, and it was happy sounds. It was, it filled our house with joy. Anyway, my testimony. This letter is in full support of obtaining a Use Permit for the Keakealani School Campus located in Volcano Village. Up to now, the school has been using the Old Volcano Road Campus, which is deteriorating, because it was never intended to be a permanent site. It makes total sense to build a new facility at Keakealani as that site was donated by Peter Lee decades ago to be used as a school and, in fact, was used as such for many, many years. From the thirties, I believe. The community, our community in Volcano, recognizes and supports the need for a school to service the upper Puna area and Ka`u, as well as Volcano residents. Volcano School is a successful school in terms of student and parent satisfaction. Learning through Volcano's unique nature and cultural resources, through the participation of our community artists and scientists, inspired by the volcano and the flora, and the bird life of the region, I have never seen in all my years of teaching, I have never seen a faculty so fired up about teaching, and I am a 25 -year school veteran as I say. Please consider a yes to granting this Use Permit. Mahalo. CLARKSON: Thank you. Any questions for this testifier? No? Would you proceed, young lady? MCQUEEN: Hello, my name is Sophia McQueen. I am nine years old, and this is what I have to say. Dear Planning Commission, we are here today because we want a school that was designed to be a school. We want to be able to build some new buildings so that we can all be together as one school on one campus. We want to play [inaudible] on the basketball court. We EXHIBIT A 8 want restrooms that are near to our school, that are near to our classrooms. Please let us [inaudible] our school. Mahalo. Fourth grade students of the Volcano School of Arts & Sciences. CLARKSON: Thank you. Any questions for this testifier? RAFFIPIY: I don't have a question, but I want to comment. I'm really glad that she talked about the bathroom `cause I went to that site where they have tents, porta johns, and I can just imagine when it's raining and it's really cold up there, and the kids have to run across the field or at the grass to go use the porta johns, so you know, I really commend you for making that point and hit a home run. Thank you. CLARKSON: There being no further questions, we'll proceed. You may be seated. We'll proceed with the next two testifiers, Julia Williams and Star Carlin. Would you please come forward? CARLIN: Julia is not here, but I could read her written testimony. HALL: No, it's okay. We have it. CLARKSON: Yeah, we have it. We have it. CARLIN: You have it, okay. CLARKSON: Would you raise your right hand, please? Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth on this matter before the Planning Commission today? CARLIN: I do. CLARKSON: Please introduce yourself and then proceed. CARLIN: Aloha, my name is Star Carlin. I have been a teacher at the Volcano School since it first began in 2001. When we began, we were in rental housing, and our children sat on carpet squares on the floor and they wrote on clipboards, and that was until we could get into our facility at the Old Volcano Road. Facilities have been a long and constant struggle for our school, and it's not really where I'd like our administrators to have to put their attention. It's not where I'd like to have teachers to put their attention. Some teachers have to keep things in plastic boxes because of their classroom floods on a regular basis. It's, it's time for our students to have a real school, and please do what you can to make that happen for us. Mahalo. CLARKSON: Any questions? If not, thank you. Is there anyone else who would like to testify on this agenda item? If not, Commissioners, I need a motion to close public testimony. RAFFIPIY: I move, Mr. Chairman, that we close the public testimony. EXHIBIT A 9 REPLOGLE: I second. CLARKSON: It's been moved and seconded that public testimony be closed. All those in favor? COMMISSIONERS: Aye. CLARKSON: Opposed? Motion carried. Public testimony is closed. So, at this time, we would entertain a motion for action. RAFFIPIY: Mr. Chairman, I'll make a motion. CLARKSON: Oh, wait a—hold on, please. The Applicant would like to add something further. KERN: Thank you, Mr. Chair. To—just to discuss the possibility of a little latitude with the high school side of it. We could proposed a condition that would say something to the effect that the Applicant would have the ability to have some high school activities on the campus for noa period of no greater than five years and which would not exceed student count or faculty count. That would be our hope. CLARKSON: Okay, thank you for that recommendation. KERN: Thank you very much. RAFFIPIY: Mr. Chairman, do we need to make a motion on the condition, to add it tono need? Okay, thank you. Can I continue to make a motion for action, Mr. Chairman? CLARKSON: Please proceed, yes. RAFFIPIY: Mr. Chairman, I move that the application for the Use Permit Docket No. 18- 000077 be approved based on the Planning Director's recommendation and proposed conditions which shall be adopted. AGUINALDO: I second. CLARKSON: It's been moved and seconded and the, I just wanted to verify for the Applicant that the Planning Director has indicated that no separate amendment to the conditions will be required. Would you poll the Commission, please? HALL: Why is it okay to not have an amendment? YEE: No, 1-1 think that might have been a misunderstanding. I didn't think we needed a motion to add a condition. Just make the motion that included the additional condition. RAFFIPIY: So, do I need to modify my motion? EXHIBIT A 10 YEE: Please. HALL: Well, just to clarify, sorry. Are you including? So, yeah, I guess when you modify your motion, are you including the proposed amended condition from the Applicant or not? RAFFIPIY: Yes, to include that as stated. HALL: Okay. CLARKSON: All right, so now the motion includes an amended condition to allow high school students and activities as long as the total number of students remains the same. Is there still a second? AGUINALDO: I second. CLARKSON: May we proceed with the vote now? JACKSON: Yes. Commissioner Raffipiy? RAFFIPIY: Aye. JACKSON: Commissioner Aguinaldo? AGUINALDO: Aye. JACKSON: Commissioner Ikeda? IKEDA: Aye. JACKSON: Commissioner Replogle? REPLOGLE: Aye. JACKSON: And, Chair Clarkson. CLARKSON: Aye. JACKSON: All right, the motion carries five, zero. CLARKSON: So, you will be notified in writing of the action of the Commission today. EXHIBIT A 11 The discussion ended at 9:37 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Sarah Y. Hata-Finley, Secretary Windward Planning Commission 12 EXHIBIT A