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LIN: Okay. So, the first testifier I have is Cory Harden. If you could please come to <br /> the table here and I will need to swear you in. <br /> HARDEN: Walked up to the testifier table. <br /> LIN: If you could please raise your right hand. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth <br /> on this matter now before the Windward Planning Commission? <br /> HARDEN: Yes. <br /> LIN: Thank you. You'll have three(3)minutes and go ahead. <br /> HARDEN: Okay, so, good morning, Commissioners and thank you for your volunteered <br /> service. I'm Cory Harden for the Sierra Club, Hawaii Island Group. We are in support of this <br /> bill. I'm a little confused on the Planning Department is saying that the bill does not change the <br /> Planning Department's current practice and I guess Councilmember Inaba is here, and I guess he <br /> will more fully explain what the changes are. I'm also disappointed that the Planning <br /> Department is not saying anything about the impacts on rezoning extensions that go on and on <br /> and I hope that you'll weigh in on that today. It's kind of a definite silence on the actual impacts <br /> of this rezoning the way it's been going for past several decades. As you know there's many <br /> impacts. Conditions can change drastically over the decades'. There might be more neighbors, <br /> more traffic, there might be similar development that got done and reduced the demand for the <br /> original type of project, and species may become endangered. You know there are birds that are <br /> going extinct in our lifetimes. Climate change is changing shorelines and flood zones, and a lot <br /> of other things. <br /> With better review the public can weigh in and the Council can take an updated look at what the <br /> community needs and what the requirements should be for the developer. It seems like some <br /> developers keep doing extensions until there's a Planning Commission or Council or Mayor that <br /> will go along with it and then they put in new conditions. I often see things like eliminating bike <br /> paths or dispensing those traffic studies and we're building less affordable housing. And some <br /> developers also seem to get rezoning for the sole purpose of selling the property at a profit and <br /> buyers know they are going to have time to work on development plans since extensions are <br /> fairly easy to get. It's a system that treats land as a commodity that works against people <br /> developing connections with the land and caring for the land. <br /> There's a tortured history for many developments. There was a recent housing scandal, there's a <br /> lot of stuff going on that probably should not be going on. So, I hope this bill will help by <br /> requiring developers to be more realistic with their proposals and again looking forward to <br /> seeing exactly what will change under this bill and discussing the impacts of current practices. <br /> Thank you. <br /> LIN: Thank you Ms. Harden. Are there any other in-person testifiers? <br /> MERCADO: Chair, she's the only one. Thank you. <br /> 2 <br /> EXHIBIT B(DRAFT) <br />