Kona Vistas (aka Royal Vistas)
"Kona Three LLC" is asking for ANOTHER 10-year extension
on a development originally approved in 1984.
BILL 169, Draft 3, KONA THREE LLC returning to County Council
Wednesday, November 20, 2024 at 9 AM
* KONA THREE LLC DOES NOT WANT THIS MEETING TO OCCUR! *
It is imperative that your voice be heard in opposition to extending this 40-year-old project,
and be heard prior to developer-friendly council members being seated in December.
You can make your thoughts known in a number of ways:
Attend in Person and speak to the Council for up to 3 minutes: West Hawaiʻi Civic Center,
74-5044 Ane Keokokālole Hwy, Bldg A. No reservation needed!
Attend via Zoom: send an email request to councilremotetesitmony@hawaiicounty.gov with "Oppose Bill 169, Kona Three LLC" in the subject line or call (808) 961-8255 by Tuesday, November 19, 2024 at 12 noon to receive login instructions.
Send an email to counciltestimony@hawaiicounty.gov no later than Tuesday, November 19, 2024 at 12 noon with "Oppose Bill 169, Kona Three LLC" in the subject line. State your reasons for opposing in the body of the email. This can be as short or detailed as you like. (See below for suggestions.)
Attend in-person / remotely via Zoom, no reservation needed:
Hilo Council Chambers, Hawaii County Building, 25 Aupuni Street, Room 1401
Old Kohala Courthouse, 54-3900 Akoni Pule Highway, Kapaʻau
Pāhoa Council Office, 15-2879 Pāhoa Village Road
Lily Yoshimatsu Senior Center,67-1199 Māmalahoa Highway, Waimea
Ocean View Community Association, 92- 8924 Leilani Circle
DEFEATED!
County Council voted "NO"
on Bill 169.
YOU DID IT!
FACT: This is NOT an affordable housing project and will NOT add any additional affordable homes to the county's net inventory of affordable housing.
A study by Keyser Marston Associates shows that each new development creates a demand for additional affordable homes. 20% affordable to a project (as the developer now promises) ONLY just meets the number of inclusionary affordable units needed to accommodate the 80% market rate homes FOR THAT PROJECT.
Nothing additional.
Some Council members mistakenly continue to put forth political and/or economic justifications for the project, wanting to believe it will help alleviate our current affordable housing crisis. It does not.
FACT: This project is OPPOSED by:
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County of Hawaiʻi Cultural Resources Commission
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County of Hawaiʻi Kona Community Development Plan Action Committee
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County of Hawaiʻi Leeward Planning Commission
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County of Hawaiʻi Public Access, Open Space, & Natural Resources Preservation Commission (PONC)
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Kona Soil and Water Conservation District (funded by the County of Hawaiʻi R&D Department)
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Nā Ala Hele Hawaiʻi Trail and Access Program (DOFAW, DLNR)
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Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi
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Volunteer, Unpaid Archaeologists
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Hundreds, if not thousands, of residents living and working in this area.
FACT: Reasons to OPPOSE:
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Other major developments - over 750 multi-family units, including workforce housing - have already been approved in the immediate area.
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Development is in a floodplain, with the applicant intending to place the lowest-income area at the bottom of the runoff, and providing no mitigation for the many living makai. The Council recently conducted a site visit to see the terrain for themselves.
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The supportive testimony heard was almost exclusively given by those who already have or who will make money off this application.
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Testimony has been given regarding pre- and post-contact archeological and cultural significance, habitat loss, ongoing water shortages, and drought.
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Parcels have been added to HECO's power shut-off wildfire area.
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Lack of concurrency required by the KCDP, putting additional strains on infrastructure, including the "Kona crawl."
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Impact on the Kealakehe Wastewater Treatment Plant, which is already violating the Clean Water Act by dumping effluent into nearshore marine waters.
The owners have now stated they intend to begin negotiations with the County for a possible PONC purchase.
This is great, but may take years and may not happen at all.
THIS IS NOT A REASON TO CONTINUE THIS EXPIRED APPLICATION.
If a PONC purchase doesn't go through, the owners can still apply for rezoning or sell to someone else.
It appears they want to have their cake and eat it too. Insultingly, they stated further hearings on Bill 169 are "distracting."
Recent History
On May 8, 2024, at the request of the developer, this application was forwarded with a negative recommendation to the County Council for their consideration.
The application folder also was removed from the "Other Pending Applications of Interest" folder on the Planning Commission website. Here is the link to the Kona Three LLC application.
2022 Hearings:
In December of 2022, after a well-attended meeting filled with passionate testimony, the Leeward Planning Commission voted to request guidance from the Cultural Resources Commission prior to further consideration of the application. The CRC held meetings and conducted a site visit.
In July 2023, the CRC's conclusion was,
2024 Referral to County Council by Applicant:
Following the Cultural Resources Commission's preservation recommendation, Kona Three LLC repeatedly deferred planning commission hearings — from October 2023 to November 2023, from November 2023 to January 2024 (to "continue its efforts to prepare"), then from January 2024 to "further notice from the applicant," then requesting to be placed on the agenda for March, 2024. The March 2024 meeting was canceled due to lack of quorum.
Six days later, Kona Three LLC asked the application be forwarded directly to the County Council, stating: "Based on this meeting cancellation, and with no assurance that the Leeward Planning Commission will be able to offer a timely rescheduling of this particular agenda item due to continuing issues regarding quorum..."
In fact, the Leeward Planning Commission DID meet in April 2024 as scheduled.
The applicant asked the planning department to bypass the Planning Commission and forward the application directly to the County Council, citing a rule of sending a negative recommendation when an application cannot be heard within 90 days — even though 90 days has NOT elapsed.
This deprives the Planning Commission of the opportunity to thoughtfully consider the CRC's recommendation.
Additionally,
In January 2024 the applicant argued his case before the State Land Use Commission, detailing his view of how the County and others are responsible (not Kona Three LLC!) for the lack of on-site affordable housing over the history of this proposed development. He warned that a separate affordable housing project above Lowe's "may be in jeopardy" if previously claimed credits weren't allowed.
However: Āhē Group, the developer of this affordable housing project ("Kuakini Heights") testified before the Council in February 2024 that these two projects (while having the same landowner) are not linked. (Update: At the June 4, 2024 LAAC hearing, the applicant stated they are no longer working together.)
The latest application appears to now include the legally required 10% on-site affordable housing. Additional affordable housing owed under County Chapter 11 rules continue to be at-risk for a shell game of "credits." This leaves the bulk of the project for "market rate" (likely over $1M) and possible Short Term Vacation Rental units. (Update: at the July 10, 2024 meeting, under pressure, the applicant offered language to prohibit STVRs. Whether this language would carry over if HOA language changed is unknown.)
Continue to visit this website -- and subscribe by email to stay informed!
per the KONA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN
4.1.1 Existing Conditions
Traffic congestion in Kona is bad and grows worse with time. The congestion is fueled by the rapid growth and exacerbated by the road network, land use patterns and dependence on the automobile. Road improvements have not kept pace with development. Poor management of past development has eliminated or compromised future roadway corridor options.
