LIHU‘E — Members of the Kaua‘i Planning Commission closed public testimony Tuesday on the application by leaders of wholesale store Costco to obtain permits to build a store and a gas station where the Kukui Grove Center’s park and pavilion
LIHU‘E — Members of the Kaua‘i Planning Commission closed public testimony Tuesday on the application by leaders of wholesale store Costco to obtain permits to build a store and a gas station where the Kukui Grove Center’s park and pavilion now stand.
Commissioners have so far taken no action on the permit applications.
Members of the public will be able to testify again when members of the Planning Commission make a decision on the Class IV Zoning Permit, commission Chair Steve Weinstein said at the meeting, held yesterday in the Lihu‘e Civic Center.
The decision has been delayed until the Planning Department officials and commissioners receive a traffic-impact analysis report from state Department of Transportation Highways Division engineers, and a report from officials in the county Department of Public Works on run-off from the store and its parking lot. When the reports are presented, commission members will have 60 days to make a decision.
Representatives of Costco Wholesale Ware-house, the Seattle-based wholesaling giant with five warehouses located throughout Hawai‘i, is proposing to build a warehouse store and a consumer gas-pump facility in Lihu‘e, next to The Home Depot in an area known as Kukui Grove Village West.
About a dozen Kaua‘i residents testified Tuesday before the commission closed the hearing, both for and against the addition of the “big box” store and its gas station to Kaua‘i’s retail landscape.
While supporters say the store will bring cheaper, hard-to-find items to Kaua‘i, opponents say the store will hurt owners of local businesses and Kaua‘i’s original, rural way of life, as well as go against the Kaua‘i General Plan.
Many opponents said the loss of the pavilion would be a detriment to the community, as many civic functions are held there.
Juan Wilson, Hanapepe architect and a Costco opponent, said that the opinions of those testifying about Costco really come down to lifestyle.
“It’s the old Kaua‘i way of life versus the suburban lifestyle,” Wilson said in testimony before the commission. Costco “doesn’t bend or yield to community style,” he said.
“Face it, we are about to be Californicated,” he added.
But two lifelong Kaua‘i residents stood up in support of Costco.
Owen Saiki said that he appreciated that Costco officials would create more than 200 part-time and full-time jobs.
“I’ve heard Costco is a good place to work,” Saiki said. It “gives consumers another selection at discounted prices.”
Other residents and Costco members in other places said Costco is sorely needed.
“I don’t care where you put Costco. You need to have competition with Wal-Mart,” said Wendy Davore. “Costco is a superiorly run organization (that) treats their employees better.”
According to Costco’s application, the proposed project would be housed on two combined parcels that are bordered by Kalepa, Pikake and Nuhou streets.
The warehouse will sport a modern industrial design appearance, with “concrete flooring, exposed framing and piping systems, usage of chain-link fencing, industrial metal racks, and wood palette displays,” county documents noted.
Costco leaders are also seeking a Class IV Zoning Permit to establish their fourth fueling facility in Hawai‘i. The facility would be developed on 1.5 acres at the intersection of Nuhou and Ulu Maika streets.
Costco representatives said the shopping experience will be a good one for both individuals and representative of small businesses alike.
Tom Finnegan, staff writer, at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or tfinnegan@pulitzer.net.
