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Kokua Line
June Watanabe
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Aiea Medical Building lot violates rules
Question: Did the parking lot for the Aiea Medical Building have the required permits or are the owners applying for a variance after it was built? It appears there is no safe crosswalk to the building and Lilia Place does not have the road width for safe traffic flow. There's a box to collect tickets, but the lot has been sitting empty for a long time. Kids are playing there and there's graffiti. Can they have a parking lot in a residential area? When will the lot open? What's happening? (Combined questions from patients, workers and neighbors of the Aiea Medical Building.)
Answer: A Notice of Violation was issued Nov. 23 for construction of the off-site parking lot without the necessary permits, said Henry Eng, director of the city Department of Planning and Permitting.
The property owner, listed as Katsumi Kazama Family Partners, had applied on April 16 for a Conditional Use Permit to build the lot, according to department records. The application was approved, with conditions attached, on June 5.
However, the applicant basically "jumped the gun," constructing the lot on a 28,000-square-foot parcel "that he was not supposed to do until he complied with the conditions," Eng said.
Plans were approved for 43 spaces, but 44 were installed without authorization, he said.
The city inspector who issued the Notice of Violation also said seven light poles, two asphalt driveways and two ticket booth machines were constructed without the required building permit.
Among the conditions of the Conditional Use Permit: Revise the site plan and provide landscaping; provide an acceptable Traffic Management Plan; and limit use of the lot to employees, tenants and customers.
Early submissions of a Traffic Management Plan were "inadequate," Eng said, so the applicant is working on getting that approved. On Jan. 3, the applicant submitted a request for a "minor modification" to allow a 9-foot-tall wall, but that was denied.
On March 20, as Kokua Line awaited information from the city on the status of the project, the department "advised (the applicant) to comply with conditions."
The Notice of Violation is pending action, Eng said.
As to whether a parking lot can be in a residential area, Eng said the city determined that such a use was appropriate for an abutting parcel of land, as long as certain conditions were met.
A representative of the owner told us yesterday that the owner and doctors association (which will assume ownership of the lot) "took full responsibility" for proceeding with the project before final approval was given, but were working to meet the remaining permit conditions relating to zoning and traffic, and addressing the concerns of neighbors.
A "major meeting" was held this month with people either involved in or affected by the project, which he felt "went really well." But, "we still have to work things out."
Got a question or complaint? Call 529-4773, fax 529-4750, or write to Kokua Line, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu 96813. As many as possible will be answered. E-mail to
kokualine@starbulletin.com.
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