AGENDA
LEEWARD PLANNING COMMISSION
COUNTY OF HAWAII
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN of the following matters to be considered by the Leeward Planning Commission of the County of Hawaii in accordance with the provisions of Chapters 91 and 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes, Section 6-7.5(a) of the Charter of the County of Hawaii and Planning Commission Rules of Practice and Procedure.
DATE: Thursday, March 21, 2024
TIME: 9:30 a.m.
LOCATION: West Hawaii Civic Center, Council Chambers, Building A
74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Public Participation: This is an in-person meeting, and the Leeward Planning Commissioners will participate in person. The primary way to view or testify at this meeting is in-person; however, as a courtesy to the public, the Commission provides the following additional ways to view or testify remotely at this meeting.
Optional Alternative to Provide Remote Oral Testimony: The public has the option to provide verbal testimony at the meeting by joining Zoom. To provide verbal testimony via Zoom, please use the link below to register, no later than noon on the day prior to the meeting:
https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItduutrTsqHVbqF2jFnjQsA_zW- cbyk-E
Optional Alternative to View Meeting:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAFoRMb3rfWLQMPd6TAkEGA?view_as =subscriber
(Please note, as this is an in-person meeting, the hearing will proceed if the Zoom and/or YouTube connections fail.)
The Planning Director’s background report (including application) and recommendation report for each agenda item will be available for review at www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov prior to the meeting. This information can also be requested by sending an email to LPCtestimony@hawaiicounty.gov or by calling (808) 961-8288.
CALL TO ORDER
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Review and Approval of the February 29, 2024 Leeward Planning Commission Minutes.
STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS
Members of the public may provide public testimony regarding any agenda item now or at the time the agenda item is called to order.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
1. PETITIONER: WILLIAM N. MELTON (PL-CCH-2023-000014)
Consideration of a Petition for Standing in a Contested Case Hearing filed by William N. Melton to contest applications submitted by Ahu Pohaku Hoomaluhia LLC (formerly Robert Watkins and Jean Sunderland) to amend Special Permit No. 1117 and Special Management Area Use Permit No. 417 to increase the number of guest rooms from sixteen to thirty-six by constructing twenty additional guest rooms at Hawaii Island Retreat, on an approximately 5.0-acre portion of a 14.5-acre parcel of land situated in the Special Management Area and the State Land Use Agricultural District.
2. PETITIONERS: DALE AND DON FRANZEN (PL-CCH-2023-000016)
Consideration of a Petition for Standing in a Contested Case Hearing filed by Dale and Don Franzen to contest applications submitted by Ahu Pohaku Hoomaluhia LLC (formerly Robert Watkins and Jean Sunderland) to amend Special Permit No. 1117 and Special Management Area Use Permit No. 417 to increase the number of guest rooms from sixteen to thirty-six by constructing twenty additional guest rooms at Hawaii Island Retreat, on an approximately 5.0-acre portion of a 14.5-acre parcel of land situated in the Special Management Area and the State Land Use Agricultural District.
3. APPLICANT: AHU POHAKU HOOMALUHIA LLC (FORMERLY ROBERT WATKINS AND JEAN SUNDERLAND) (PL-SMA-2022-000018)
Application for an amendment to Special Management Area (SMA) Use Permit No. 417 to increase the number of guest rooms from 16 to 36 by constructing 20 additional guest rooms at Hawaii Island Retreat, on an approximately 5.0-acre portion of a 14.5-acre parcel of land situated in the Special Management Area. The subject property is located at 54-250 Lokahi Road, approximately 1.2 miles northeast (makai) of Akoni Pule Highway, Hanaula and Honopueo, North Kohala, Hawaii, TMK: (3) 5-4- 009:014 (por).
4. APPLICANT: AHU POHAKU HOOMALUHIA LLC (FORMERLY ROBERT WATKINS AND JEAN SUNDERLAND) (PL-SPP-2022-000018)
Application for an amendment to Special Permit No. 1117 to increase the number of guest rooms from 16 to 36 by constructing 20 additional guest rooms at Hawaii Island Retreat, on an approximately 5.0-acre portion of a 14.5-acre parcel of land situated in the State Land Use Agricultural District. The subject property is located at 54-250 Lokahi Road, approximately 1.2 miles northeast (makai) of Akoni Pule Highway, Hanaula and Honopueo, North Kohala, Hawaii, TMK: (3) 5-4-009:014 (por).
5. APPLICANT: KONA THREE, LLC (PL-REZ-2022-000033)
Application for a ten (10)-year time extension to Condition I (Complete Construction of the First Increment on RM Zoned lands) and an amendment to Condition N (Roadway Standards) to clarify which roadways within the subdivision are subject to the County Dedicable Standards, of Ordinance No. 02 131. Ordinance No. 02 131 was a successor ordinance to Ordinance No. 84 23, which reclassified two (2) parcels of land totaling 68.837 acres of land from an Unplanned to a Multiple Family Residential- 5,000 square feet (RM-5) zoned district. The subject properties are located along the east (mauka) side of the Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway at its junction with Kuakini Highway and between Pualani Estates subdivision to the north and Kona Vistas to the south, por. Holualoa Hui Lands, Holualoa 1, 2, & 3, North Kona, Hawaii, TMKs: (3) 7-6-021:016 & :017.
NEW BUSINESS
6. APPLICANT: RYAN LEESE (PL-REZ-2023-000055)
Application for a Change of Zone from an Agricultural-20 acre (A-20a) to a Family-Agricultural-5 acre (FA-5a) zoning district for 21.942 acres of land. The subject property is located at the southwest corner of the Kaloko Drive/Hao Street intersection, Kaloko Mauka Subdivision, Kaloko, North Kona, Hawaii, TMK: (3) 7-3-024:003.
PLANNING DIRECTOR’S REPORT
1. Report on Hawaii County Council Resolution No. 203-23 adopting the County of Hawai’i Integrated Climate Action Plan.
2. Presentation by the Planning Department on next steps that will be taken to develop strategies, ideas, and a plan to evaluate cumulative impacts of single-family dwelling development on the overall character of the Puako community.
3. Report on Special Management Area (SMA) determinations and minor permits issued by the Planning Director for the month of February 2024.
AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING
The Commissioners will comment on matters not on the current agenda, for consideration for the Commission’s next meeting.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Leeward Planning Commission’s next monthly meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 18, 2024 at the County Council Chambers in Kona and the public can also testify via Zoom. The date and venue of the meeting are subject to change.
ADJOURNMENT
Board Packet: Pursuant to Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 92-7.5, the board packet provided to members of this board for this meeting is available for public inspection forty-eight (48) hours before the meeting date during regular business hours at the Hilo office of the Planning Department, Aupuni Center, 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3, Hilo, Hawaii and at the Kona office of the Planning Department, West Hawaii Civic Center, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway, Building E, 2nd Floor, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.
Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service, or other accommodation due to a disability, please contact the Planning Department at (808) 961-8288 or LPCtestimony@hawaiicounty.gov as soon as possible. If a request is received later than five working days prior to the meeting date, we will try to obtain the auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation, but we cannot guarantee that the request will be fulfilled.
Upon request, this notice is available in alternate formats such as large print, Braille, or electronic copy.
Hawai County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer
LEEWARD PLANNING COMMISSION
Barbara DeFranco, Chair
(HTH/WHT1444697 3/01/24)
