State adds Friends of Connections group to land lease

The state Land Board approved adding Connections New Century Public Charter School’s nonprofit to its land lease Friday as the school continues to seek approval for a new location in Kaumana.

Adding Friends of Connections to the lease for the 72-acre parcel will help the school qualify for grants and other funding sources for construction in the future, Principal John Thatcher told the Tribune-Herald earlier this month.

But before the school can move out of its current location at the old Kress building in Downtown Hilo, it will need to obtain a special use permit for the site, which the Windward Planning Commission rejected in 2014.

Connections is appealing that decision to the state Intermediate Court of Appeals.

Ted Hong, attorney for the charter school, said a decision could take nine months to a year.

He said the state Attorney General’s Office is appealing the ruling, upheld by the 3rd Circuit Court, along with Connections.

The new campus, estimated in 2014 at $20 million at full build-out, has faced opposition from neighbors of the site on Edita Street because of concerns about increased traffic and other issues.

The planning commission upheld a report from a hearing’s officer, which noted concerns about whether the project would have access to enough water once fully built.

The development would include a new school with dormitory facilities and related improvements for students from kindergarten through 12th grade.

At its Friday meeting, the Board of Land and Natural Resources also approved creating an investigative committee for Banyan Drive and Kanoelehua Industrial Area redevelopment and providing Hawaii County with a right-of-way permit for construction of a park at Kamehameha Avenue and Manono Street.

Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.