09-02-2013 Growth Management Subcommittee Meeting Notes

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Notes from Growth Management Subcommittee Meeting September 2, 2013 Attendees: Jim Pedersen, Jeff Allen and Hermann Fernandez The subcommittee reviewed subdivision application 13-001275. The County of Hawaii is consolidating and re-subdividing two lots near the hospital to allow for hospital infrastructure improvements. We have no objections. The subcommittee reviewed subdivision application 13-001277. AMI Properties, LLC is consolidating and re-subdividing two lots along Kahei Road. This subdivision will slightly move a lot line to correct a setback violation from 1947. We have no objections. The subcommittee was unable to obtain VAR 13-000154. The file couldnt be sent in a timely manner from Hilo to the Kona Planning Office. The variance requests relief from setback requirements on a Kohala Estates lot. The next subcommittee meeting is Monday, October 7. Jim Pedersen will find a new location and set a new time after the location has been determined. The options discussed were the library, Intergenerational Center, or the old Bank of Hawaii building. We discussed the future of the Growth Management subcommittee. To date, a large majority of the land use changes in Kohala involve parcel consolidations and re-subdivisions of pre-existing lots of record. In other words, applicants are not increasing the number of lots in Kohala only moving the lot lines around. The only significant project approved in the last four years was the 10-lot 2-acre ag zoned lots on the west-side of Union Mill road. The limiting factor in all subdivision applications in Kohala is the lack of water meters from the Dept. of Water Supply (DWS), and for the foreseeable future this will continue in Hawi and Kapaau. Halaula may be getting a new well in the next five years, but the DWS is uncertain if this will allow for new water meters or will only bring redundancy to the current system. The subcommittee believes that the only new lots in Kohala will come from self- help housing (Hawaii Island Community Development Corp.) and the final purchaser of the Mahukona area, currently owed by a mainland bank. The subcommittee will continue to monitor the land use applications and pay special attention to self-help housing and any possible subdivision at Mahukona. The next meeting is Monday, October 7, 2013 location and time to be determined.