Developers of a contentious North Kona subdivision will once again be coming before the Leeward Planning Commission seeking an extension for their project.
The long-dormant $170 million Kona project is returning to the commission after punting the project to the county Cultural Resources Commission after a four-plus-hour meeting in December.
At issue is a requested 10-year extension to complete the proposed 450-unit Royal Vistas multiple family housing project planned mauka of Queen Kaahumanu Highway, between Kona Vistas and Pualani Estates subdivisions.
Developers KV3 LLC and Kona Three LLC purchased the 69-acre parcel from the previous owner, who had successfully built the 103-acre, 215 lot Kona Vistas subdivision.
At the December meeting, which drew over 20 testifiers, Michael Matsukawa, representing the new developers, said the developer and the county had always envisioned the single-family home and the multi-family component to go hand in hand. The projects, he said, were like twins, where one had to be born first.
“So the question before you today is whether Kona Three LLC should be allowed to complete the Kona Vistas project to fulfill what the County Council envisioned back in 1983,” Matsukawa said at the time.
The proposed development includes 174 two- and three-bedroom rental units with a manager’s unit in two-story units and an additional 274 two- and three-bedroom for-sale units in clusters of two- and three-story buildings, also with a manager’s unit. In addition there would be two community centers with a park, swimming pool and facilities for use by residents — one for the owner unit residents and one for the rental unit residents.
But those who would be neighbors to the project came out in force, detailing myriad problems they see, including the fact that the project is in a floodplain, the contention there are irreplaceable historical sites and burials on the property and reported sightings of io and pueo, the indigenous Hawaiian hawk and owl along with traffic concerns.
Residents have previously tried to get the county to purchase the property through the Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission land-buying program, but were informed by the owners the property is not for sale.
Planning Director Zendo Kern, who recused himself from December’s planning commission meeting, was previously the land-use consultant for project developers.
Kern told West Hawaii Today in 2019 he sees the property as a “perfect parcel” to support growth and development, citing its position within the urban expansion area according to the county’s Land Use Pattern Allocation Guide.
The Cultural Resource Commission came back with a negative recommendation for the project, citing numerous cultural sites and trails on the property.
The report states that after considering the cultural and historic resources on the property including the undocumented Holualoa Trail and petroglyph and how it relates to Holualoa, as well as other possible significant cultural historic features not previously identified, the CRC’s opinion of the project’s impact to historical assets is that this project will likely have a substantial impact on historic assets.
“Due to the historic and cultural significance of the property, the CRC recommends that the property be preserved in perpetuity,” the July report says.
On Thursday, Oct. 19, the Leeward Planning Commission will again take up the application for extension after receiving the report from the Cultural Resource Commission.
The meeting will be held at 9:30 a.m. at the West Hawaii Civic Center Council Chambers.
The public will have a chance to testify either in person or via Zoom, and the meeting will be live streamed on YouTube.