Public gets 2 more chances to comment on condo project

The state agency regulating development in Kaka­ako has scheduled two additional public comment sessions on a proposed "workforce housing" condominium tower representing a second phase of a project called 801 South St.

The Hawaii Community Development Authority added sessions on Oct. 12 at 10 a.m. and Oct. 15 at 5:30 p.m. to be held at its office conference room at 461 Cooke St.

HCDA board members will not attend the comment sessions, but agency staff will be available for discussion. All public comments will be recorded and transcripts made available to board members for consideration.

Plans for the tower at the makai-Diamond Head corner of South Street and Kapiolani Boulevard were initially presented Wednesday at an HCDA public hearing at which about 50 people testified and close to 150 attended.

The agency scheduled the additional public comment sessions on a weekend morning and weekday evening in response to criticism that two hearings on weekday mornings aren’t conducive to public participation by people with typical 9-to-5 jobs.

State Rep. Scott Saiki has requested that HCDA schedule an additional public hearing with the board on a weeknight in November at the state Capitol auditorium, though HCDA has not decided whether to hold such a hearing.

A second public hearing with the board is scheduled for Dec. 4 at 9 a.m. at HCDA’s conference room. A board decision on the second 801 South St. tower is slated to be made at that meeting.