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HomeMy WebLinkAbout 03/11/2015 Public hearing transcript on BILL#2577, BILL#2578 PUBLIC HEARING MARCH 11, 2015 A public hearing of the Council of the County of Kaua`i was called to order by Mason K. Chock, Chair, Planning Committee, on Wednesday, March 11, 2015, at 1:32 p.m., at the Council Chambers, 4396 Rice Street, Suite 201, Historic County Building, Lihu`e, and the presence of the following was noted: Honorable Mason K. Chock Honorable Arryl Kaneshiro Honorable KipuKai Kuali`i Honorable Ross Kagawa Honorable Mel Rapozo (present at 1:36p.m.) Honorable JoAnn A. Yukimura Excused: Honorable Gary L. Hooser The Clerk read the notice of the public hearing on the following: 1. "Bill No. 2577 — A BILL FOR AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ZONING CONDITION IN ORDINANCE NO. PM-31-79, AND ORDINANCE NO. PM-2009-391 RELATING TO ZONING DESIGNATION IN POIPU, KAUAI (John Horwitz, Peter Baldwin, Matthew B. Guard, and George Robinson, Successor Co-Trustees of the Eric A. Knudsen Trust under Deed of Trust dated April 30, 1922, Applicants) 2. Bill No. 2578 — A BILL FOR AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ZONING CONDITION IN ORDINANCE NO, PM-2001-354, RELATING TO ZONING DESIGNATION IN PO`IPU, KAUAI (John Horwitz, Peter Baldwin, Matthew B. Guard, and George Robinson, Successor Co-Trustees of the Eric A. Knudsen Trust under Deed of Trust dated April 30, 1922, Applicants)," which were passed on first reading and ordered to print by the Council of the County of Kauai on February 11, 2015, and published in The Garden Island newspaper on February 18, 2015. The following communications were received for the record: 1. Gampon, Chris, March 10, 2015 '2. James, Thelma, March 10, 2015 3. Johnston, Robert, March 6, 2015 4. Tallman, Jim, March 9, 2015 The hearing proceeded as follows: SCOTT K. SATO, Council Services Review Officer: We received four (4) written testimony providing comments and we have one (1) registered speaker. The first speaker is Chris Gampon representing the Association of Beach House Owners of Kiahuna Plantation and Outrigger Rental. PUBLIC HEARING 2 MARCH 11, 2015 BILL NOS. 2577 AND 2578 CHRIS GAMPON: For the record, I am Chris Gampon. I am the General Manager of the Association of Beach House Owners of Kiahuna Plantation and I also manage the Outrigger Rental program. With Outrigger, we manage the entire Association. I submitted some information in advance so that I could highlight our concerns. First, I would like to say that my coming to speak today is not really an indictment in anyway against the application per say, but for the safety that exists or does not exist within the area that is going to be affected by the road that is proposed. As you can see on my map above, there are some areas currently today that have issues both at our east and west entrances. There are crosswalks at our west entrance and a crosswalk in the center of that space that affect pedestrians and there are many vehicles that park along the roadway. We have been consistent in our effort to try to get safety measures put in. We were fortunate enough to get some setbacks at the east and west entrances and at the Kiahuna Plantation Drive, which is across from our west entrance. That gave a line of sight for the pedestrians walking there, but there are many vehicles that park in the area and it is highlighted in yellow. I am not sure if you can see it in this map, but I brought a laser pointer just so I could help you out. This area right here. This is our east entrance and this is our west entrance. What we are concerned about is that there is a lot of traffic going up and down Po`ipu Road already. The traffic, if you go out from either of our entrances, unless you are turning right, can keep you sitting in either entrance or even coming out of Kiahuna Plantation drive for quite a while. That is especially true on the west side where there is Keoki's Paradise Restaurant and the Po`ipu Shopping Village. Our concern is that adding more load to the road in that location should also be included with addressing the issues of parking and the issue of pedestrian walking up and down. There is a safety issue especially in the evening when people come out from the Waiohai, Koa Kea, or from Kiahuna Plantation and they walk through to try to get to the shopping center. They will just cross the road anywhere. The crosswalk there is helpful, but it is not meaningful because people will get to the entrance and they will cross over. Committee Chair Chock: Mr. Gampon, we have a three (3) minute time limit on our public hearings. Do you have more testimony to provide? Mr. Gampon: I just have one (1) more graph that I would like to show. Committee Chair Chock: I would like to give you that extra three (3) minutes, if possible, but I just want to ask if anyone else is here to testify on this item today? Seeing none, we will continue with your second three (3) minutes. Mr. Gampon: I am not sure if you have the other graph. In this picture it just shows Po`ipu Road, where the Village at Po`ipu will be located on the map, and where there are some other developments that would also add load. Again, it is not an indictment against this particular application, but the fact that in adding a road anywhere, there needs to be some safety concerns that are addressed as well and we would like to suggest to the Council and everyone involved with the project that if there is a way to alleviate some of those issues: the parking, the pedestrian safety, some walkways for people to get from point "A" to point "B," it would be beneficial for everyone because it is an accident waiting to happen there. Committee Chair Chock: Are there questions from Councilmembers? PUBLIC HEARING 3 MARCH 11, 2015 BILL NOS. 2577 AND 2578 Councilmember Yukimura: Thank you for being here, Chris. From this depiction that is up before us, the Village at Po`ipn is going to only have one (1) access out to Po`ipn Road? Mr. Gampon: I believe the plan had been to have one near Ho`owili Road which is the one that goes to Po`ipn Beach Park. I was recently advised that there are some issues with archeological sites or something that would deter them from using that road instead. There is also, in the original plan, an access from the Koloa side as well. Councilmember Yukimura: This is just talking off the top of my head, as I look at the map, that it would be good to have some access to Ala Kinoiki. That is what we were trying to get away from these types of developments that have a lot of density of people and there is only one (1) way out of it. Mr. Gampon: I am not sure what the plan is. Councilmember Yukimura: Because that would then pour all the traffic onto Po`ipu Road, whereas if you had another access to Ala Kinoiki then they could get out that way if all they wanted to do is go to Lihu`e. Mr. Gampon: I am not sure. I know there are Grove Farm lands in between. Councilmember Yukimura: Well that should not be a barrier. Mr. Gampon: The application was for coming to Po`ipn Road and I am aware that there was once a plan to go near Ho`owili or right across from Ho`owili Road by Po`ipn Beach Park. There was also in the South Shore Development Plan, a roundabout that was suggested for that area. I do not know if that is still in consideration. I know they are at the point right now where they are landlocked and they need some access. We do have some concerns that if there is a connection from Po`ipn Road to the full build out all the way to Ala Kinoiki that might cause more traffic to come down that way. For now, the fifty (50) lots, they are land-locked and we understand that. Committee Chair Chock: Thank you. Councilmember Kagawa. Councilmember Yukimura: Thank you. Councilmember Kagawa: In the original application, where was the road planned to be? Mr. Gampon: My understanding was there was supposed to be one by Hoowili and I am not sure if that is supposed to be a main artery and another one that was further up by the Koloa Mill Road. I am not sure what the name of the road is once you cross Ala Kinoiki. Councilmember Kagawa: Basically, you are scratching that old plan and instead asking for this? Mr. Gampon: Well no, this is not my plan. I put together this graphic just to illustrate, if you consider the full build-out and the other PUBLIC HEARING 4 MARCH 11, 2015 BILL NOS. 2577 AND 2578 developments already approved to come out from Kiahuna Plantation Drive directly onto Po`ipii Road as may be the Welk Resort Development...there is a lot of load in that area. Beyond what the Knudsen Trust is trying to do, there are issues that need to have some attention safety wise for pedestrians especially, and for vehicle safety as well. Councilmember Kagawa: I talked earlier with Rupert folks regarding Hapa Trail. Where is that located? Mr. Gampon: Hapa Trail would be at the edge of the property between Kiahuna Plantation Drive in the red portion. Councilmember Kagawa: Can you do it with the pointer? Mr. Gampon: Yes, it would be right around here and it goes up into Koloa. Councilmember Kagawa: The Hapa Trail is just abutting the upper portion of Kiahuna Plantation Drive. Mr. Gampon: Yes. My understanding is that the application has a thirty (30) foot buffer between Hapa Trail and the road that they want to put in. Councilmember Kagawa: Basically, this proposed road does not disrupt that Trail. Mr. Gampon: I do not think so. You would have to ask the applicant. I met with one of the trustees, with John Horwitz;and he showed me that it would be about thirty (30) feet from Hapa Trail. Councilmember Kagawa: Thank you for the map. I really appreciate that. Mr. Gampon: You are welcome. Committee Chair Chock: Any further clarification questions? Councilmember Yukimura: No. I think the applicants' attorney is here and maybe we can call him up. Committee Chair Chock: Would anyone else from the public like to testify on this item? Seeing none... Councilmember Yukimura: Can we... Committee Chair Chock: If he wants to provide public testimony, I am happy to receive that, if not, I am sure that he can also receive further information from the applicant and the proposed project. Councilmember Yukimura: Can we ask Mr. Graham... Council Chair Rapozo: Mr. Chair, this is a public hearing. PUBLIC HEARING 5 MARCH 11, 2015 BILL NOS. 2577 AND 2578 Committee Chair Chock: Yes, I know. Council Chair Rapozo: I agree with what you are doing and you are doing it the right way. This is a public hearing and not a Committee Meeting. We can save the questions for the Committee Meeting. Committee Chair Chock: That is what I would like to do. Unless you want to provide testimony, we will be moving this to the Planning Committee. I do have a list of questions and I am sure other Members do, so we would like to make sure that we have some time to have you back for those questions. That concludes these public hearings. There being no further testimony on this matter, the public hearing adjourned at 1:44 p.m. Respectfully submitted, A S TT K. TO Council Services Review Officer :dmc