Windward Planning Commission, November 4, 2026
Recommends denial: Denial of Pacific Resource Partnership standing petition on Wild Ginger Hotel SMA, unanimous
How this board votes
The Windward Planning Commission approved 70% of 27 recorded land-use decisions this period. Most frequent dissent: JoNelle Fukushima (1 of 17 recorded votes).
Parsed from the official meeting recordings. Verify against the official minutes.
See the full board record, member by memberWhat happened
On November 4, 2026, the Windward Planning Commission recommended denial of Denial of Pacific Resource Partnership standing petition on Wild Ginger Hotel SMA (unanimous).
The Windward Planning Commission approved Special Management Area Use Permit PL-SMA-2026-000097 for BHC Hilo LLC to rebuild the fire-destroyed Wild Ginger Hotel as a new two-story, 30-room hotel complex (three guest buildings, 1,395 sq ft cafe, lounge/pool deck, 32-stall parking)…
- Jurisdiction
- Hawaii County, HI
- Governing body
- Advisory (makes a recommendation)
- Date
- November 4, 2026
- Decisions
- 5 zoning decisions
- Outcome
- Recommends denial, unanimous
- Next step
- Final board vote (pending)
Projects in this meeting (3)
Each is its own project; some span multiple hearingsBreakfast
RecommendedSpecial permit for three-bedroom bed and breakfast, Puna
Recommended 5-0Case PL SMA 2026-003097
Recommended 5-0Free sample: decision 1 of 5
Special permit for three-bedroom bed and breakfast, Puna (Early)
Applicants Nani and Joseph Early requested a special permit to establish a three-bedroom bed and breakfast on a parcel within the State Land Use Agricultural District, about 1.5 miles from Kawaihae/Gawani Road, Puna. The motion was for a favorable recommendation, in accordance with the planning director's recommendation. No new construction is proposed. Roll call carried 5 with 2 excused.
- subject to planning director's recommended conditions
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Key Decisions (5)
Special permit for three-bedroom bed and breakfast, Puna (Early)
Denial of Pacific Resource Partnership standing petition on Wild Ginger Hotel SMA
SMA Use Permit for Wild Ginger Hotel rebuild
Use permit for two-bedroom bed and breakfast at 524 Nokia Street
General Plan 2045 interim amendments review
Full write-ups and conditions for all 5 decisions in Pro.
Development Activity (3)
Wild Ginger Hotel rebuild
Commercial
Early three-bedroom bed and breakfast
Commercial
Sullivan two-bedroom bed and breakfast
Commercial
Market Signals (3)
Housing Demand
Hosted bed and breakfast applications are being filed early to…
Infrastructure
The Department of Water Supply is beginning to treat B&Bs…
Sentiment
Agricultural landowners are strongly opposed to the General Plan 2045…
Who spoke
18 distinct speakers; 7 identified names.
All speaker roles: 5 Staff, 2 Public, 2 Applicant Rep, 2 Commissioner, 3 Unknown, 1 Applicant, 1 Attorney, 1 Chair, 1 Clerk.
Identified name roles: 2 Staff, 2 Applicant Rep, 1 Applicant, 1 Chair, 1 Clerk.
Speaker sample: Kevin Sullivan, Applicant.
6 more identified names in Pro: 2 Staff, 2 Applicant Rep, 1 Chair, 1 Clerk.
Full speaker roster in Pro
Meeting audio
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Audio in Pro
Zoning terms (9)
53 recorded timestamps
- approved (13 timestamps)
- zoning (10 timestamps)
- land use (6 timestamps)
- density (6 timestamps)
- denied (1 timestamps)
- commercial (5 timestamps)
Decision moments (5)
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5 recorded decisions, 10 conditions across 3 decisions. Available full write-ups are included with Pro for Hawaii County.
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