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<br /> <br />WINDWARD PLANNING COMMISSION <br />COUNTY OF HAWAI‘I <br /> <br />HEARING TRANSCRIPT <br />MARCH 6, 2014 <br /> <br />Planning Director Initiated, Amendment to Chapter 25, <br />A regularly advertised hearing on the <br />Articles 2 and 5 of the Hawai‘i County Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as amended) relating to <br />golf courses and golf course uses <br />was called to order at 10:35 a.m. in the Hilo State Office <br />Building, Conference Rooms A, B, & C, 75 Aupuni Street, Hilo, Hawai‘i with Chairman Ronald <br />Gonzales presiding. <br /> <br />COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Ronald Gonzales, Charles Heaukulani, Gregory Henkel, <br />Wallace A. Ishibashi, Jr., Stephen Ono, and Raylene Moses. <br /> <br />ABSENT AND EXCUSED: Myles Miyasato. <br /> <br />ALSO PRESENT: Margaret Masunaga (Deputy Corporation Counsel for the Windward <br />Planning Commission), Daryn Arai (Planning Program Manager), Jeff Darrow (Staff Planner), <br />Maija Cottle (Staff Planner), and Sarah Hata-Finley (Secretary). <br /> <br />And approximately 13 people from the public in attendance. <br /> <br />INITIATOR: PLANNING DIRECTOR <br /> <br />Amendments to Chapter 25, Articles 2 and 5 of the Hawai‘i County Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as <br />amended), relating to golf courses and related golf course uses. Amendments will clarify that a <br />Use Permit to allow golf courses and related uses within certain zoning districts will not be <br />permitted if the property is situated within the State Land Use Agricultural District, in <br />accordance with the State Land Use Law. <br /> <br />ARAI: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The next item on your agenda hopefully will be a <br />straightforward one, but we have a request to amend the Zoning Code Articles 2 and 5 relating to <br />golf course and related golf course uses. Let me just give you a real brief history of why this <br />amendment is being offered by the Planning Director. <br /> <br />Prior to 1985, golf courses were like a permitted use on agriculturally designated lands. And that <br />was allowed by State law. In 1985, due to the concerns about golf courses being outrightly <br />permitted on agricultural lands and the potential impacts associated with golf courses, I believe, <br />if memory serves me right, the Director at that time, Duane Kanuha, I think, introduced a bill to <br />require Use Permits to allow the establishment of golf courses and golf driving ranges upon <br />agriculturally designated lands. And that has been the case ever since 1985 all the way up to <br />2005 when the State Legislature amended the State Land Use Law basically saying golf courses <br />will no longer be permitted on agriculturally designated lands, with the exception of those golf <br />courses approved by the County of, approved by the counties prior to July 1, 2005. So sort of <br />like grandfathering what was previously approved by the counties. <br /> <br />1 <br />EXHIBIT C <br /> <br /> <br />