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KTA looking to place a new market at Auli`i Dr.
#1
A Special Use Permit application has been submitted by Gerald and Wendy Yamada to allow for the development of a supermarket & small commercial personal services development project on the NW corner of Auli'i Drive and Highway 130.

In five years we may not recognize Puna.

I am all for business development and growth in Puna. I do think we all need to watch and participate in promoting smart growth.

A KTA would be good for us. I would rather see it in a Village Center location than encouraging lengthwise commercial development on the highway. I know what the San Fernando Valley looks like. Hwy. 130 could become a clone of Kanoeluhua if we aren't careful.

The Puna Community Development Plan (http://forum.punacdp.info/) will be involved as will Friends of Puna's Future (www.fopf.org). Everyone should be too.

The Planning Commission denied a similar application from the same applicants in 2005. The PC seemed to imply that what now is the Orchidland Village Center is a better location.

Documents are located here:

http://www.hawaiicountycdp.info/puna-cdp...spp-11-117
Assume the best and ask questions.

Punaweb moderator
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#2
It will probably work out so the 4 lane is past there when it opens also. I bet this would not have happened if Target hadn't built a superstore in Hilo. KTA is hoping to cut the flow to target and the super safeway by putting a supermarket in lower punas large population center!
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#3
Rob, do you have the Special use Permit app # for this?

Is this still the the same one they were working on in 2005? (SPP 04-018)

http://www.co.hawaii.hi.us/planning/comm...YAMADA.pdf


I would love to hear from someone in the Orchidland Assoc and what their position is on it? And also Rene as she was a commissioner at the time it originally came up if she has any thoughts.
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#4
There is a link in my post.
Assume the best and ask questions.

Punaweb moderator
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#5
Orchidland already has a commercial area already. Smart growth would be utilizing and building on existing development.

Jeffrey Krepps
jevkreppsz@juno.com
Kurtistown, HI
Jeffrey Krepps
jevkreppsz@juno.com
Hawaiian Acres
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#6
The association has always been anti anything in regard to commercial development. Look at the Samoan church? Even they had an incredible fight on their hands. If KTA were smart they would offer the members a new community building with tennis courts and a swimming pool. If KTA lowers the "quality of life" for the members, they need to mitigate that result. The association has struggled for years to develop the community lot, here is a great chance. They should also pay for some sort of traffic control device at 130&Aulii. Is this the same " Yamada" from the paving company of the same name?if so? They have Paved most of OLE. Hmmmm? Fail to plan?? Is a plan to fail...this project is a game changer for sure....
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#7
The Yamadas gave a presentation to the last Orchidland board meeting and were invited to give a presentation to the general membership meeting which will be held April 30.

Like last time, this will be a contentious issue. I have no idea what the majority opinion is and the board did not take a position at that time. Last time this was viewed as the right project in the wrong location. One idea was to put the store where the current Orchidland Trade Center is going in (Orchidland Drive and 35.) It was rejected because the lot was too small and was not on the highway. KTA (or whoever) wanted good highway visibility and access.

Orchidland has also been severely burned by the Wiki Wiki development, which managed to get out of the requirements of the original special use permit. They provide no infrastructure support for increased road usage or a signal at the corner of Orchidland Drive and 130. So many people are justifiably gun shy.

I think the Yamada's special use permit will include a requirement to put in a signal at the corner of Auli'i and 130 as well as the maintenance of the first block of Auli'i.

Driving back from Pahoa today I tried to envision this corner with a large supermarket development. It would be a major change.

Rene, I like your idea of the Orchidland community trying to get assistance for a community building.

There are some people who are opposed to any and all development, including road maintenance. But there are many who are not. The real problem with putting a store here would be how to stop this from becoming the corner of a development strip from there to Pahoa.

Regarding the Samoan church, their plan was to put it on a narrow unpaved side road. The immediate neighbors hated the idea.

Jerry
Orchidland Board President
Jerry
Art and Orchids B&B
http://www.artandorchids.com
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#8
Malama Markets are cashing in (with high prices)on Puna's unwillingness to build for long-term growth. It is absurd to look at lower Puna's future build-out population and the fact that there seems to be no inclination to accomidate a major retail center in lower Puna. The notion of "keep Puna rural" is long gone and planning for smart long-term growth just seems too much of a burden for many to handle.

Dan
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#9
quote:
there seems to be no inclination to accomidate a major retail center in lower Puna

Having been through the early PCDP process including the Growth Management committee, I have no idea what you are talking about. Of course there are some who don't like development and some who will accept anything. But as far as the PCDP community process goes, there was a great deal of desire for significant commercial buildout in Puna. But the final policies gave greatest weight to where and how development is to occur. There was a great deal of concern that development would be spread out all over the district, the piecemeal development in the strip mall pattern that characterizes so many dreary suburban and rural areas. Or industrial operations next to residences. The final PCDP policies proposed were generally that retail/commercial development was to be consolidated in "Village Centers" and industrial development in industrial parks. I'll let others more familiar with the current status of the PCDP fill in, but I can assure you that there is plenty of "inclination" for lower Puna development. Done right, of course.
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#10
Glad to hear that, Pete
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