CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU
PLANNING COMMISSION
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN of a public hearing to be held by the Planning Commission of the City and County of Honolulu:
PLACE: Remote Meeting and at Mission Memorial Auditorium,
Mission Memorial Building,550 South King Street, Honolulu, Hawaii
DATE: Wednesday, January 6, 2021
TIME: 1:30 p.m.
Pursuant to Governor David Ige’s Sixteenth Proclamation, issued on November 23, 2020, and Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s Emergency Order (EO) 2020-30, effective November 20, 2020, both relating to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the January 6, 2021 meeting will be held remotely to prevent transmission of the virus causing COVID-19. Protecting the health and welfare of the community is of utmost concern. Commission members, City staff, and the agents/applicants may be participating via an online meeting venue. Information on how the public may participate in the meeting is provided below.
PUBLIC HEARING
Public hearing notice published in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Friday, December 4, 2020. The Commission will take action on each agenda item after public hearing is closed.
EWA DISTRICT – STATE SPECIAL USE PERMIT – 2020/SUP-6 (RY)
AES WEST OAHU SOLAR, LLC
Applicant: AES West Oahu Solar, LLC
Landowner: State of Hawaii (University of Hawaii)
Location: Honouliuli, Ewa District, Oahu, Hawaii
Tax Map Key: 9-2-002: Portion of 007
Existing Use: Cattle pasture and open space
Existing Zoning: AG-1 Restricted Agricultural District
Land Area: Approximately 96.353 acres
Request: Establishment of a 12.5-megawatt photo-voltaic energy generation system, an accessory 50-megawatt-hour battery storage system, and ancillary support facilities. The energy generated will be transmitted to the Hawaiian Electric Company’s energy grid to assist the State of Hawaii meet its goal of 100 percent energy generation by renewable sources.
The entire SUP application, including the Final Environmental Assessment, can be downloaded from: https://bit.ly/32ed4Jp
This hearing is to be held under the provisions of Chapters 46, 92, and 205, Hawaii Revised Statutes, as amended, Articles VI and XIII, Revised Charter of the City and County of Honolulu, 1973, as amended, Sections 2-40, 2-43 and 2-44 of the Rules of the Planning Commission, City and County of Honolulu, and Chapter 15-15 of the Hawaii Administrative Rules.
The particular sections of statutes and rules involved include Sections 205-2(d)(6)(B), 205-4.5(a)(20), and 205-4.5(a)(21) of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, as amended, and Subchapter 4 of Chapter 2 and Section 2-45 of the Rules of the Planning Commission. The issue involved relates to whether to grant a Special Use Permit pursuant to Section 205-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, for solar energy facilities on land with soil classified by the Land Study Bureau as overall master productivity rating Class B, D and E.
Any party may retain counsel if the party so desires, and an individual may appear on his own behalf, or a member of a partnership may represent the partnership, or an officer or authorized employee of a corporation or trust or association may represent the corporation, trust, or association.
Any person or agency wishing to intervene as a party in the proceeding shall file a petition with the Commission within fourteen (14) days after this notice is published in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. The petition must conform to the requirements of Subchapter 5, Chapter 2 of the Rules of the Planning Commission, which are available at the Department of Planning and Permitting. A contested case hearing may be held on the matter pursuant to action by the Planning Commission to grant the petition.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND TESTIMONY
Pursuant to the Sixteenth Proclamation issued by Governor David Ige on November 23, 2020, and Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s EO 2020-30, November 20, 2020, both relating to the COVID-19 Pandemic, public participation will be allowed as follows in an effort to protect public health.
Public attendance options:
Join from Webex via a computer: (Please mute your devices except to testify)
https://globalpage-prod.webex.com/join
Meeting Number: 146 718 0027
Meeting Password: dpp1
Join from the Webex smartphone app: (Please mute your devices except to testify)
Meeting Number: 146 718 0027
Meeting Password: dpp1
Join from a phone (audio only): (Please mute your devices except to testify. Telephone participants can press *6 to unmute and remute themselves.)
+1-408-418-9388 (USA Toll)
Access code: 146 718 0027
Numeric meeting password: 3771
Join in person: Members of the public are allowed to attend the meeting in-person in accordance with the face covering and social distancing requirements set forth in the Mayor’s EO 2020-30. Planning Commission is providing the in-person option for members of the public who are unable to attend the meeting via phone, devices, or Webex.
Only persons wearing face coverings that cover the nose and mouth will be allowed in the Mission Memorial Auditorium. Pursuant to EO 2020-30, a “face covering” means “a tightly woven fabric without holes, vents, or valves that is secured to the head with either ties or straps, or simply wrapped and tied around the wearer’s nose and mouth. It can be made of a variety of fabrics such as cotton, silk, or linen and may be factory-made, sewn by hand, or made from household items such handkerchiefs, scarfs, or shirts.” The face covering requirement does not apply to “individuals with medical conditions or disabilities where the wearing of a face covering may pose a health or safety risk to the individual.”
All people inside the Mission Memorial Auditorium must abide by social distancing guidelines and thus maintain six feet of distance between themselves and other people. EO 2020-30.
Public testimony options:
Email or fax written testimony: written testimony may be emailed to info@honoluludpp.org or faxed to 768-6743, and must be received by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, January 4, 2021.
Mail written testimony: written testimony may be mailed to the Planning Commission at 650 South King Street, 7th Floor, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813; and must be received by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, January 4, 2021.
Oral testimony via phone or Webex: to provide oral testimony during the online meeting via phone or Webex, you must register in advance by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, January 4, 2021, by emailing your name, phone number, and subject matter to info@honoluludpp.org
In-person oral testimony: Please see the aforementioned “Join in person” instructions.
To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, written testimony will not be accepted in person, except as part of oral testimony. Written testimony must be emailed, faxed, or mailed in advance, as explained above.
MATERIALS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION
Meeting materials (“board packet” under HRS Section 92-7.5) are available for public inspection at the office of the Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP), 7th Floor, Frank Fasi Municipal Building, 650 South King Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813; contacting the Planning Commission, telephone 768-8007; or DPP’s website calendar at http://www.honoluludpp.org/calendar.aspx.
If you require special assistance, auxiliary aid and/or service to participate in this event (i.e., sign language interpreter, interpreter for language other than English, or wheelchair accessibility), please call 768-8000, or email your request to info@honoluludpp.org at least three business days prior to the event.
PLANNING COMMISSION
ARTHUR D. CHALLACOMBE, Chair
By
KATHY K. SOKUGAWA, Acting Director
Department of Planning and Permitting
(SA1305174 12/4/20)
