Keaau Development Meetings

[Carey]

7 people attended (one public notice was published 2/3/15 in the HTH, that is all of the public notice for this "workshop"... )
BE AWARE this is on a very fast track, after the "workshop" meeting in West Hawaii tomorrow there are hearings on this planned for West Hawaii next week & East Hawaii (in Hilo) on March 5th. The planners stated that they would really like input, if you have ANYTHING to say on this, please email them & your council member! Either email planning @co.hawaii.hi.us or you can also get to Daryn by typing darai instead of planning

The COH Planning Program Mgr. Daryn Arai, kept stating that this was his interpretation of what was needed to align the county General Plan with the Puna CDP, yet there were 2 in the audience that were a part of the Puna CDP, and they did not seem to agree with the UE designation for most of the properties in question.

Both of the members that had been a part of the Puna CDP questioned multiple times why there was not a med or high density urban designation around the town center & within the low density urban areas & only have the UE designation on the area Makai of the Keaau Bypass HWY- they had the PCDP documents, with the original pages (that were horribly copied map of Keaau Town Center as fig 5.1 on page 12 of the packet in the first post) that fig. 5.1 was from the Puna CDP, and the paragraph above that figure states that industrial should not be within the boundary of the Keaau Town Center!

From the input, it did not seem that anyone seemed to think that UE rating allowing the potential for light industrial or industrial zoning to abut low density urban (residential zoned) properties in an area that has limited road egress, waste handling and other services was a sign of "good planning".

The interesting thing is that the package link in the first post highlights a number of desirable attributes of UE designation, but does not mention ALL of the zoning that is allowed in UE, including light industrial and industrial zoning (of course that will still need zoning changes, but the framework in the county General Plan would allow just about anything within UE designated areas...)

It truly seems that someone on the County Council drafted the resolution that on July 18, 2014 was adopted by the County Council (Resolution No. 464-14, Draft 2), it does not seem that this resolution, nor the County Council, not even the Planning Program Mgr. seems to have consulted the Puna CDP (at least the 2 representative that were at the seemed to have an entirely different reading of the Puna CDP section that included the image on page 12 (Fig. 5.1 of the Puna CDP) of the packet in the 1st post of the thread (OP) even though this resolution (within the packet above) states "the County Council, through this resolution, expressed its support of
"these amendments because it supports the Kea' au Regional Town Center principles and designation
adopted in the Puna CDP and determines the development of the Kea`au Regional Town Center
will serve the interest of the public by stimulating growth through sustainable principles that will
provide for improved public infrastructure systems and facilities, direct and indirect
employment, and a continued sense of place outlined herein, in the Puna CDP, and in the
General Plan.”

[ironyak]

Thanks for these great details!
It sounds like the main issue was the allowing of industrial zoning in the Town Center area. Were there other concerns regarding the enabling of development more generally or other nuances of the zoning / areas?

I will ask this of Planning as well, but does anyone know if Medium Urban differs from Urban Expansion only by not allowing industrial zoning? Is there a good source on how the zoning codes are packaged together into these different area designations?

[kalakoa]

I've said before and will repeat here: PCDP is always cited as the reason we must, or the reason we cannot, do any particular thing, depending on what that thing is and who wants it. County is already on record with the opinion that CDPs "have no legal merit".

To my knowledge the State LUC recognizes four types: Conservation, Agricultural, Rural, and Urban, where Urban allows any of the County zoning (Residential, Industrial, Commercial) at County's sole discretion.

There are already industrial uses makai of the bypass.

My version of the plan would work this way:

1. Extend Ulupono St through to Keaau Rd
2. Traffic signal at Keaau Rd/130
3. Commercial-retail uses near 130
4. Light-industrial further makai
5. Residential infill (at density RS-10 or lower) between bypass and Keaau-Pahoa Rd
6. Office uses on Keaau-Pahoa Rd and Kukula St

Once the "new town center" is established along Ulupono (with a Long's and a new Foodland, etc) the existing shopping center can be backfilled with eateries and boutiques. Not only does this fit the Pahoa model (new medium-box shopping center, quaint old-town), it's somewhat realistic considering that the current Foodland is inadequate, there's nowhere to expand, and even if there were, the existing road access simply isn't enough.

Saving the best for last: if Railroad were extended up into the new Commercial sector, shopping would be incredibly convenient for HPP residents (especially if there were a Lowe's or HD), and we could save some congestion on 130. The traffic pattern could be shaped so that RR isn't a convenient bypass for 130, but it would always be there for emergencies.

[ironyak]

Overall, I like the ideas here - hope you send them to Planning.

Strongly agreed about the residential infill (only) between bypass and Keaau-Pahoa Rd. Allow for more kids to live nearby and walk to school without increased commercial traffic.

A different commercial option would be to develop the area mauka of 11 between the intersection at 130 and the Shipman playground and utilize these two existing intersections for access. Lots of Shipman acreage, could keep a good buffer from the highway and allow for walking/biking after soccer/playground/school to dining/shopping/entertainment at both the new and current shopping centers.

With the mothballed power plant, makai of 130 might be better for more light industrial and related commercial IMO.

[kalakoa]

mauka of 11 between the intersection at 130 and the Shipman playground

That area is also already identified on the PCDP and includes some C-zoned land (per the PCDP, haven't checked otherwise).

Extending Kipimana through to the 11/K-P Rd intersection would create a natural "bypass corridor" that would be incredibly convenient for people commuting mauka from Hilo.

[pahoated]

quote:

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Originally posted by ironyak
With the mothballed power plant, makai of 130 might be better for more light industrial and related commercial IMO.

---

The deactivated Shipman power plant is not in Shipman. The plant you are looking at is active and there are no plans to mothball it.

"Mahalo nui Pele, 'ae noho ia moku 'aina" - kakahiaka oli

[wax]

wrong. the Keaau Power Plant is on reserve and not typically in operation.

[kalakoa]

the Keaau Power Plant is on reserve and not typically in operation.

Wouldn't matter if it were fully shut down, the NIMBYs wouldn't want to look at it, even though it was there before their 1300sf split-level ranch.

[rainyjim]

Would it be nuts to suggest:

A state library in Keaau with wifi that would be open late on weekdays to allow for people to stop in who have to work during the day.

Being open on the weekend also since that's when kids aren't in school.

Maybe it could also have some type of auditorium / meeting hall attached for random events like civil defense meetings, or maybe public educational efforts for eliminating fire ants and albizia.

[Hapahaole]

Nobody was consulted or knew about the constantly changing Cdp plan ? It's blocked to most landowners . if planning dept and Dpw are the only authors . Who is making this stuff up ? How does a county council vote yes on something they know noting about ? . The little agricultural land left will be geothermal and GMO . As all money leaves the island we still import food to make money for mad land companies . Less urban zoning more conservation and farming . We see only volcano and Hpp being paid .