Waimea rezoning draws hours of testimony; council amends zoning conditions and delays votes to March 6

The Hawaii County Committee on Legislative Approvals and Acquisitions heard more than two hours of testimony Feb. 4 on rival plans for a Pu‘u Kapu parcel in Waimea and on two linked measures — bill 198, a request to amend the State Land Use District from agricultural to rural, and bill 199, a proposal to change county zoning to allow three neighborhood commercial lots and five residential-agriculture lots.

The proposals, filed by Kapolehu Land LLC for a 5.349-acre property fronting Mamalahoa Highway, would create three commercial parcels with about 18,600 square feet of gross leasable space and five half-acre residential-ag lots behind them. Supporters told the committee the project follows the Waimea design plan and would add small commercial spaces and housing; opponents said the rezoning would take valuable agricultural land, worsen traffic and accelerate gentrification.

Why it matters: The discussion pits two long-standing priorities for South Kohala — maintaining agricultural land and food security, and accommodating measured town growth and small local businesses — and tests how the county balancing process treats contested rezoning requests.

Planning context and the applicant proposal

Jeff Darrow of the county Planning Department told the committee the applicant seeks a State Land Use boundary amendment for approximately 2.653 acres and a change of zone from Agricultural-5 to Neighborhood Commercial (CN-10) for 2.325 acres and Residential-Agriculture RA-0.5 for 3.024 acres. If approved, the applicant proposes to subdivide the parcel into eight lots: three commercial lots fronting Mamalahoa Highway and five rural half-acre lots mauka of those commercial lots.

The planning director recommended forwarding a favorable recommendation on the State Land Use boundary amendment to the County Council and described the Leeward Planning Commission record as mixed: the commission initially failed to act, later forwarded a favorable recommendation on the State Land Use boundary amendment, and voted an unfavorable recommendation on the requested change of zone citing community engagement, flooding and traffic concerns.

Public testimony and key concerns

More than a dozen residents and local professionals gave spoken testimony from Hilo, Kona and Zoom. Supporters included Barbara DeFranco, who identified herself as a past chair of the Leeward Planning Commission, and Greg Hogan, a local commercial property manager. DeFranco said the project “seems respectful” of community plans. Property owner representatives, including Joni and John Metzler, described past cleanup and rehabilitation of the parcel and said the front portion was previously zoned commercial.

Opponents framed the proposal as a threat to local agriculture and community cohesion. John Kawano, who identified himself as a third-generation landowner near the site, said the county should prioritize maintaining larger lots that were set aside by Parker Ranch for farming, telling the committee, “I am here to tell the council how important it is preserving these 20 acre lots.”

Waimea residents raised traffic, water and food-security concerns. Anna Kahoe (testifying as a Waimea resident) described rising food costs and said, “Rezoning the richest, most fertile [agricultural] lands…is reckless” (paraphrased to reflect the speaker's expressed concern about food security). Several speakers pressed the committee for a postponement to allow wider community engagement; others urged approval to provide commercial space and small residential lots that proponents said local buyers could afford.

Applicant responses and conditions

Applicant representatives and consultants (including civil and traffic engineers) addressed flooding and traffic. Civil engineer Yan Wen Fong (via Zoom) said portions of the site lie within FEMA AE/AO/A EF zones but explained that those flood classifications do not create “no build” conditions and can be addressed through standard engineering measures such as elevated foundations and flood vents. Traffic consultant Randall Okaneku and others said they had prepared traffic analyses and engaged with the South Kohala Traffic Safety Committee; the applicant reduced access points in response to those recommendations.

At the applicants’ request and after discussion with planning staff, the committee adopted an amendment to bill 199 that added a set of rezoning conditions (communication 1015.47). The new conditions include architectural design guidelines aligned with the 1986 Waimea design plan, requirements that utilities be installed underground, a prohibition on additional accessory dwelling units on the new half-acre lots at the applicant’s request, and the standard county affordable housing requirement that 20% of residential lots meeting the triggers be reserved for affordable housing (condition P); the adopted amendment also included standard timing and tolling language.

Formal actions and votes

- Motion to amend bill 199 with conditions in communication 1015.47 (mover: Councilmember Inaba; seconder: Councilmember Galimba): amendment adopted (clerk recorded 9 ayes). - Motion to postpone bill 199 to the call of the chair: failed (4 in favor, 5 opposed). - Motion to postpone bill 199 to the committee meeting on March 6, 2025 (mover: Councilmember Eustace; seconder: Councilmember Villegas): adopted (8 ayes, 1 opposed — Councilmember Onishi). - Motion to postpone bill 198 (state land use amendment) to March 6, 2025: adopted (8 ayes, 1 opposed — Councilmember Onishi).

What the committee did not decide: The committee did not pass either rezoning on first reading; it recorded the amendments to bill 199 and postponed further action to March 6 so the applicant, the new district councilmember, and the community can continue discussions.

Next steps

Both bills (198 and 199, as amended in the case of 199) return to the Committee on Legislative Approvals on March 6, 2025 for additional consideration. The committee record contains extensive written testimony — speakers reported more than 1,700 written submissions to the planning commission record — and members signaled they expect further community meetings before the next hearing.

Ending

The committee’s action preserves the paper record and the planning director’s analysis while giving the applicant and community more time to negotiate details and mitigations. The March 6 hearing will determine whether the council advances either bill to full council for first reading.