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 at a regular meeting 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, April 17, 2025
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 prior to the meeting:
https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsceqopzsrE7Sgir0d2Xcw426e3S8L2Yk
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 may proceed if the Zoom and/or YouTube connections fail.
Submitting Written Testimony: To ensure timely delivery to Commissioners prior to the meeting, written testimony should be submitted no later than 4:30 p.m. on Monday, April 14, 2025, by: (1) email to LPCtestimony@hawaiicounty.gov; (2) mail to the Leeward Planning Commission at 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3, Hilo, Hawaii or (3) drop-off at the Planning Department offices in Hilo at the address above or Kona at 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway, Building E, 2nd Floor, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. All written testimony, regardless of time of receipt, will be made part of the permanent record. Please submit separate testimony for each item.
Meeting Materials/Board Packet: Pursuant to Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 92-7.5, the meeting materials provided to members of this commission for this meeting is available for public inspection two business days before the meeting date during regular business hours at the Planning Department offices in Hilo and Kona and by clicking ‘Board Packets’ at the following Planning Department website link: www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov/about-us/boards-committees/planning-commission-applications. 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 November 21, 2024, November 22, 2024, December 19, 2024, January 16, 2025, February 20, 2025, and February 24, 2025, 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.
NEW BUSINESS
1. APPLICANT: NANI PANIAU ESTATE LLC (PL-USE-2024-000031)
Application for a Use Permit to allow the establishment of a 5-bedroom bed & breakfast operation within an existing dwelling on a 1.63-acre parcel of land in the Single-Family Residential zoning district. The subject property is located at 69-2014 Paniau Place, on the west (makai) side of Paniau Place, Lalamilo, Puako, South Kohala, Hawaii, TMK: (3) 6-9- 001:021 (por.).
2. INITIATOR: PLANNING DIRECTOR (PL-PDI-2025-000014)
The Planning Director has initiated an ordinance to amend Chapter 25 (Zoning), Article 1, Article 2, Article 4, Article 5, and Article 7 of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2016 Edition, as amended), relating to zoning district regulations for meeting facilities, community buildings, and churches, temples and synagogues. The purpose of this bill is to remove the definitions and references to churches, temples, synagogues and community buildings and consolidate them under meeting facilities and establish standards for their development to ensure equitable treatment in the Zoning Code.
3. INITIATOR: COUNTY COUNCIL (PL-CCI-2025-000010)
The County Council has referred a bill for an ordinance to amend Chapter 25 (Zoning), Article 3, Section 25-3-3 of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2016 Edition, as amended), relating to the establishment of zoning districts. The Zoning Code currently requires the boundaries of Special Districts to be defined with a metes and bounds description and a map. The purpose of this bill is to grant the Planning Director the authority to designate alternative methods for defining Special District boundaries, when deemed appropriate.
4. DISCUSSION ON LETTERHEAD UPDATES AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OLELO HAWAII INCLUSION
Recommendation to the Mayor by Vice-Chair Noborikawa to include Olelo Hawaii alongside English on letterheads for relevant departments and groups, such as the Planning Commission.
PLANNING DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Report on Special Management Area (SMA) determinations and minor permits issued by the Planning Director for December 2024, January 2025, February 2025, and March 2025.
AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE 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 regular meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 15, 2025, 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
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.