Where the applicant is the sole party in the contested case, the board or the hearing officer, as the case may be, shall consider and give appropriate weight to the records on file with the board directly relating to the application, including, but not limited to, staff submittals to the board, if any; provided, however, that the staff shall not be made parties to the contested case nor be compelled to give testimony on any documents within the file unless the board or the hearing officer deems it necessary to a just disposition of the case.
Haw. Code R. § 13-1-32.1