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Committee backs rezoning to let Kua O'Ka La charter school buy its campus
Summary
The committee unanimously forwarded Bill 40 to council to rezone about 12.043 acres at 345 Makalika Street from Agricultural-10 to Agricultural-5, enabling subdivision and a fee-simple transfer that would allow Kua O'Ka La Public Charter School to secure a permanent campus.
The Legislative Approvals and Acquisitions Committee voted to forward Bill 40 to the full County Council with a favorable recommendation, approving a requested change of zone that would allow a 12.043-acre portion of a larger property at 345 Makalika Street to be subdivided and sold in fee simple to support Kua O'Ka La Public Charter School.
Bill 40 seeks to amend County Code Section 25-8-33 to change county zoning on the subject portion from Agricultural-10 acres to Agricultural-5 acres. The applicant, the nonprofit Ho'olulahui, said the rezoning is necessary to meet minimum lot-size requirements and enable the school's transition from a lease arrangement to fee-simple ownership after the school lost facilities during the 2018 Kilauea eruption.
Jeff Darrow, planning director, summarized the request and the site's approvals: the Windward Planning Commission recommended forwarding the change of zone to council with a favorable recommendation and the applicant's planned deletions of two conditions from the planning director's draft: removal of a requirement to comply with existing special-permit conditions where those would be difficult to meet after a release from the state special permit, and removal of an immediate traffic-impact analysis requirement (the planning director's office said traffic will be reviewed as part of a forthcoming special-permit application). Darrow said the applicant plans to complete subdivision by early 2026 and then apply for a new special permit to formalize uses on the retained parcel.
Susie Osborne, co-founder of Kua O'Ka La and co-founder of Ho'olulahui, told the committee the change would provide long-term stability for the school and its community: "Just having that stability for the school is just imperative that the Kumu know they have jobs, the parents and the students know they have a place to come to, for generations in perpetuity," she said.
Councilmembers who spoke in support cited the school's role in Aina-based education and its post-eruption recovery. Councilmember Kirkwitz described the school as "more than just a school" and said approval would help the program expand, including possible restoration of high-school offerings. Some members asked clarifying questions about future uses and whether a rezoned parcel could later be reconverted to residential uses; planning staff said the site remains in the state agricultural district and that any future change to residential would require separate land-use approvals.
The Windward Planning Commission had voted to forward a favorable recommendation, removing two conditions at the applicant's request; the planning director recommended approval with a set of conditions (the commission's recommendation relettered conditions after deleting two at the applicant's request). The remainder of required reviews and any traffic analysis will be taken up with the special-permit application when the applicant seeks approval for continued operations and modest additional uses.
The committee recorded eight ayes and advanced the bill to the full council; one council member was excused for the final vote. If the council approves the rezoning and the subsequent subdivision, the applicant intends to seek a new special permit to confirm the school's uses on the subdivided parcel.
