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Home My WebLink About2022-08-23 1st Addition to the Agenda revised 4444 Rice Street, Suite A473 • Līhu‘e, Hawai‘i 96766 • (808) 241-4050 (b) An Equal Opportunity Employer PLANNING COMMISSION HELEN COX, CHAIR FRANCIS DEGRACIA. VICE CHAIR GERALD AKO, MEMBER DONNA APISA, MEMBER LORI OTSUKA, MEMBER KAAINA S. HULL, CLERK OF COMMISSION MEMORANDUM DATE: August 22, 2022 TO: Planning Commission FROM: Clerk of the Commission SUBJECT: 1st Addition to the August 23, 2022 Planning Commission Meeting Agenda G. NEW BUSINESS 1. Status Reports a. 2022 status report regarding Class IV Zoning Permit Z-IV-2015-8, Project Development Use Permit PDU-2015-7, Variance Permit V-2015-1, and Special Management Area Use Permit SMA(U)-2015-6 at Tax Map Key 4-1-003:004 (por.), 005, 007, 011, and 017 and 4- 1-005:014 and 017 (the “permits”), with approval conditions as set forth in letter dated December 31, 2018 from the Planning Commission of the County of Kaua‘i (the “Conditions”) with Coco Palms Hui LLC, as Applicant (“Applicant”). 1. Memorandum (8/22/2022) Transmitting Public Testimony concerning Coco Palms 2022 Status Report. To Whom It May Concern. I am a relatively recent resident of Kauai. Over the last five plus years have repeatedly driven past what remains of the Coco Palms Resort and wondered why that eyesore still blights the Wailua coastline. I appreciate that the Coco Palms Resort played a seminal role in the development of tourism on Kauai and in Hawaii, and that many harken nostalgically back to visions of Elvis punting across what used to be a fishpond. I also concede that fifty or sixty years ago the location may have been adequate for a major hotel, but as has been repeatedly demonstrated, it is no longer. A hotel at that location puts visitors and residents in harms way. The site is in a Special Flood Hazard Area, at risk from flooding from the Wailua River. (I have included a copy of the State Department of Land and Natural Resources Flood Hazard Assessment Report (FHAT) for the Coco Palms.) Photographs document several feet of flooding flowing through the hotel. (See David P. Penhallow’s book, “The Story of the Coco Palms Hotel: The Grace Buscher Guslander Years 1953-1985”). The site is also in a tsunami evacuation zone. (I have included a copy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Tsunami Aware site (NOAA:Tsunami Zone Evacuation Map) for the Coco Palms.) Fortunately, the site has been spared that destruction and potential loss of life in recent memory. It was not spared the damage from Hurricane Iniki. The impact of these hazards will only grow larger over time as climate change causes sea level rise, increases the likelihood of more frequent and more powerful hurricanes, and increases the likelihood of “rain-bomb” events, exacerbating both the riverine and coastal flooding risk as well as the high wind risk to whatever structures are on the property and to whoever happens to be there when a disaster occurs. What can be done to deal with the blight? First off, if the County were to allow some company to rebuild on the site, it should be only on the condition that the company elevates or relocates the new structures out of the flood and tsunami hazard areas and builds to the appropriate high wind sections of the building code. This would be consistent with the County’s understanding of the current risk to lives and property that the site poses. I imagine that any company, wanting to be a good neighbor and conscientious member of the Wailua community would voluntarily offer to rebuild to those higher standards to safeguard the lives and well-being of its employees, and visitors. Plus, the new hotel management would have in place clear, well publicized procedures for evacuating employees and visitors who might be on the property to higher, safer ground when disaster strikes. One alternative would be for the County to acquire the Coco Palms site, demolish the derelict structures and convert the property into open space. This would permanently eliminate the high wind, flooding, and tsunami risk and create the opportunity for recreational and cultural activities consistent with open space. Possible funding for an acquisition/open space project includes the FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Programs. The funding this fiscal year under FEMA’s two annual hazard mitigation grant programs, Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA), will be more than $2 billion for projects that reduce or eliminate the risk of natural hazards. The third program, the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), provides funding after a presidentially declared disaster for similar hazard mitigation actions. Acquiring Coco Palms and creating open space fall squarely within the eligibility of all three programs. It will not be a short, easy path to the FEMA funding, but the long-term safety and security of Kauai’s eastside communities is worth the effort. Sincerely, David Kennard Flood Hazard Assessment Report Disclaimer: The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) assumes no responsibility arising from the use, accuracy, completeness, and Ɵmeliness of any informaƟon contained in this report. Viewers/Users are responsible for verifying the accuracy of the informaƟon and agree to indemnify the DLNR, its oĸcers, and employ- ees from any liability which may arise from its use of its data or informaƟon. If this map has been idenƟĮed as 'PRELIMINARY', please note that it is being provided for informaƟonal purposes and is not to be used for Ňood insurance raƟng. Contact your county Ňoodplain manager for Ňood zone determina- Ɵons to be used for compliance with local Ňoodplain management regulaƟons. Property InformaƟon COUNTY: FIRM INDEX DATE: THIS PROPERTY IS WITHIN A TSUNAMI EVACUTION ZONE: FOR MORE INFO, VISIT: hƩp://www.scd.hawaii.gov/ THIS PROPERTY IS WITHIN A DAM EVACUATION ZONE: FOR MORE INFO, VISIT: http://dlnreng.hawaii.gov/dam/ Flood Hazard InformaƟon SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREAS (SFHAs) SUBJECT TO INUNDATION BY THE 1% ANNUAL CHANCE FLOOD - The 1% annual chance Ňood (100- year), also know as the base Ňood, is the Ňood that has a 1% chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. SFHAs include Zone A, AE, AH, AO, V, and VE. The Base Flood ElevaƟon (BFE) is the water surface elevaƟon of the 1% annual chance Ňood. Mandatory Ňood insurance purchase applies in these zones: Zone A: No BFE determined. Zone AE: BFE determined. Zone AH: Flood depths of 1 to 3 feet (usually areas of ponding); BFE determined. Zone AO: Flood depths of 1 to 3 feet (usually sheet Ňow on sloping terrain); average depths determined. Zone V: Coastal Ňood zone with velocity hazard (wave acƟon); no BFE determined. Zone VE: Coastal Ňood zone with velocity hazard (wave acƟon); BFE determined. Zone AEF: Floodway areas in Zone AE. The Ňoodway is the channel of stream plus any adjacent Ňoodplain areas that must be kept free of encroachment so that the 1% annual chance Ňood can be carried without increasing the BFE. NON-SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA - An area in a low-to-moderate risk Ňood zone. No mandatory Ňood insurance purchase requirements apply, but coverage is available in parƟcipaƟng communiƟes. Zone XS (X shaded): Areas of 0.2% annual chance Ňood; areas of 1% annual chance Ňood with average depths of less than 1 foot or with drainage areas less than 1 square mile; and areas protected by levees from 1% annual chance Ňood. Zone X: Areas determined to be outside the 0.2% annual chance Ňoodplain. OTHER FLOOD AREAS Zone D: Unstudied areas where Ňood hazards are undeter- mined, but Ňooding is possible. No mandatory Ňood insurance purchase apply, but coverage is available in parƟcipaƟng commu- niƟes. FLOOD HAZARD ASSESSMENT TOOL LAYER LEGEND (Note: legend does not correspond with NFHL) www.hawaiinfip.org Notes: BASEMAP: FIRM BASEMAP 0 400 800 ft Flood Hazard Assessment KAUAI TMK NO:(4) 4-1-003:007 WATERSHED:WAILUA PARCEL ADDRESS:COCO PALMS RESORT KAPAA, HI 96746 FEBRUARY 26, 2021 LETTER OF MAP CHANGE(S):NONE FEMA FIRM PANEL:1500020212F PANEL EFFECTIVE DATE:NOVEMBER 26, 2010 YES NO