The Leeward Planning Commission on Wednesday unanimously gave a favorable recommendation for Hamakua-Kohala Health’s application for a Special Permit to establish a transitional clinic and workforce housing, including accessory structures and uses on 4.321 acres of land in the State Land Use Agricultural District.
The application for a Use Permit to establish a permanent medical clinic and caretakers’ residence, including accessory structures and uses on 1.322 acres of land in the Single Family Residential-15,000 square feet (RS-15) zoning district was also approved.
Hamakua-Kohala Health is currently the only community based health care center in North Kohala.
The health center proposed developing the project in three phases.
Phase 1 would consist of the construction of a transitional medical clinic, a single story approximately 4,153 square foot building on the northwest corner of the property located ay 54-3793 Akoni Pule Highway. Phase II would consist of the construction of a permanent two-story medical clinic, an approximately 23,973 square foot two-story building located in the southwest corner of the property. Finally Phase III would include construction of workforce housing , a proposed two-story 5,696 square foot multi-family dwelling which will house workers and employees as well as traveling nurses and doctors who will provide care at the clinic.
The Hamakua Health Center currently operates its North Kohala healthcare center in a 2,500 square foot leased building adjacent to Kohala Hospital. Due to increased demand for community medical services, the existing facility has no additional space that would allow them to expand their operation to meet the demands of the growing community population.
The new facility would include physicians including primary care, internists, pediatricians and women’s health. Additionally nurses, behavioral health specialists, a dentist, Hawaiian healing director and lomi lomi masseuse would be practicing in the new clinic. There would also be a pharmacist, technician, support and administrative staff.
The first phase is anticipated to be complete by late 2023 or early 2024. The goal for complete buildout is 2025, depending on availability of financing.
Kai Carvalho, Public Relations Director of Hamakua-Kohala Health testified on the importance of the work the non-profit provides and the need for the new facility.
“The space is too small where we are at now, but more than that is we have been seeing how hard it is to get doctors and keep them. By having them have this opportunity they can have a place to reside with their family before they find a space. We also can have a place here in North Hawaii for our kids to train, get their certification for their medical assistant or a physician assistant and not have them go far. We need them to serve the community that is raising them. We need to grow our own,” she said.
Carvalho said the applicant would repurpose materials from the transitional clinic for the workforce housing.
Currently the property is dual zoned, with the front being in urban designation and the back portion on Ag-20 land.
The next Leeward Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for August 17 at the West Hawaii Civic Center. Agenda items include an application by the County Department of Parks and Recreation for improvements at Milolii Beach Park and Kamehameha School’s application for a Special Permit to allow the development and operation of the “Hi‘ialo/Captain Cook Learning Center” in Honaunau.
The public may provide written testimony via email at LPCtestimony@hawaiicounty.gov or submitted at the Hilo or Kona Planning Department.The public may provide verbal testimony at the meeting via Zoom or in-person.
