Council panel OKs
Makiki apartment

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By Gordon Y.K. Pang
gpang@starbulletin.com

Plans for an eight-story apartment across from Punahou School were given a preliminary OK by the City Council Zoning Committee yesterday despite lingering questions by residents.

Punahou Vista Apartments would be a low-income structure at the 29,500-square-foot site of the Fernhurst YWCA at Wilder Avenue and Punahou Street.

The project is being developed by the Hawaii Housing Development Corp. in conjunction with the Fernhurst YWCA, which would continue on a portion of the property.

Under federal affordable housing guidelines, the six one-bedroom units would rent for $253 a month and the 48 two-bedroom units for $649.

The developer is seeking exemptions such as yard and height setback provisions and less private park area. It would also be allowed to have 60 parking stalls, one less than the code requires.

Developer representative Keith Kurahashi said left turns both in and out of the Punahou Street entrance would be prohibited.

He also said there is ample recreational space nearby.

"These facilities are very needed and very necessary, particularly in the metropolitan area," Councilman Jon Yoshimura said in supporting the project.

Area Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi said concerns she had about the project had been answered and noted that existing zoning allows development on the site to be taller and denser than proposed.

Irena Taylor, who lives opposite the site, told committee members that she is "in support of that kind of development, but not in that area."

Taylor described the Wilder-Punahou intersection as "the busiest corner in the whole Hawaii" and one unsuitable for further development.

Taylor said Kobayashi, as a Council candidate earlier this year, promised constituents that she would oppose the project.

Kobayashi later told reporters she had agreed to look at opponents' concerns, but denied promising to vote against it.

Greg Shepherd, an area resident who opposes the project but did not attend the meeting, said yesterday he also got the impression from Kobayashi that she would fight the development.

"I think the Makiki community, by and large, is against this and we've been steamrolled by people who have more power than we do," Shepherd said.