Hawaii County Council’s Planning Committee will meet Tuesday at 9 a.m. to consider bills asking classification and zoning changes to allow for a new development just north of Pualani Estates in Kailua-Kona. Hualalai Partners of Kona, LLC is requesting the classification be changed from agricultural to urban. And they’re requesting the zoning be changed from 5 acre lots to 10,000-square-foot lots. The property is 14,968 acres just north of Puapua’anui Road, the main road up through Pualani Estates, going up to Hualalai Road.
The proposed zoning and district classification changes were considered by the Leeward Planning Commission in October, 2010. The Commission gave an unfavorable recommendation. The change would result in around 150 house lots being available. In a County Council meeting in June, Council member Brenda Ford pointed out that by keeping the project just under 15,000 acres, the developer was avoiding going before the Land Use Commission.
If the Planning Committee (which includes all 9 Council members) approves the bills, they will move forward to the County Council. The meeting starts Tuesday August 16 at 10:30 a.m. at the West Hawaii Civic Center, with public testimony taken in person, and by video conferencing from the Hilo County Council Chambers and the Waimea Council Chambers.
