PD RECOMMENDATION REPORT (PL-USE-2023-000010)

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RHamakuaHealthCenterUSE-4/27/2023 COUNTY OF HAWAI`I PLANNING DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION HAMAKUA HEALTH CENTER, INC., USE PERMIT APPLICATION (PL-USE-2023-000010) Upon review of the request against the guidelines for granting a Use Permit, the Planning Director recommends that the request to establish a permanent medical clinic and caretakers' residence be approved by the Planning Commission. Since this recommendation is made without the benefit of public testimony, the Planning Director reserves the right to modify and/or amend this position based on additional information presented at the public hearing. This approval recommendation is based on the following findings: The applicant is requesting a Use Permit to allow for the establishment of a permanent medical clinic and caretakers' residence including accessory structures on an approximately 1.322-acre portion of a 5.682-acre property within the State Land Use Urban District and County Single-Family Residential (RS-15) zoning district. A Use Permit is required to establish a medical clinic in the RS-15 zoning district. Additionally, the applicant has concurrently applied for a Special Permit to establish a transitional medical clinic and workforce housing on the portion of the subject property situated in the State Land Use Agricultural District. According to the applicant, Hamakua Health Center currently operates its North Kohala healthcare center in a building located adjacent to Kohala Hospital. Due to an increase in demand for community medical services, the existing facility has no additional space that would allow Hamakua Health Center to expand its operations to meet the growing patient population in the North Kohala district. The applicant is proposing to develop the Hamakua Health Center that will consist of a transitional medical clinic,permanent medical clinic and workforce housing in three (3) phases ("Project"): ■ Phase L• Phase I will consist of the construction of a transitional medical clinic, a single-story, approximately 4,153-square foot building located on the northwestern corner of the property. The existing Building C on the subject property will remain in its current condition and will be initially utilized for the 1