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5 Tourism. The drive that tourists make from Hilo to Hawaz`r Volcanoes National Park is visually appealing because there ~s a miimum of step malls, advertising, litter, traffic fights and traffic. Have you thought about the inpact the Mall will have on tounsm~ Have you surveyed tourists to see what rt rs they really come to the East side of the Big Island to seep I bet it's not to have a shopping mall based on an Oahu or Maznland concept of development 6 Quality of the environment is one of the mazn draws that brings nsitors and those of use who chose to live here, to the East side of the Big Island and to Puna in particular. Somehow, the image of a s~lurb (suburban sprawl), is not how many Puna residents and visitors would want to visualize the Kea`au area How many native trees do you see when you visit the Wazkele azea of O`ahu~ There ~s still native forest left ~n the mechan strip and along highway 11 between the 4 and 7 mile mazkers from Hilo to Kea`au. Are you v~nllmg to sacrifice these last stands of native forests so close to Hilo in favor of commercial development that is unnecessary and economically inprudent? 7 Snowball effect is what will happen rf this Bill is approved Each district wrll be pressured to develop s~milaz shopping centers, commercral or retazl centers. Imagine the Hamakua Heritage Comdor consrdenng a strip mall Ask yourselves the same questions about traffic, local character, quality of life and economic viability If the Council passes Bill 195, the same kind of development plans wrll be proposed m other drstncts wlvch will lead to an urbamzation of the Big Island Do we want to become another O`ahu~ Please ask the Councrl to seriously weigh the choice they will make regarding Bill 195. Each member has a responsibilrty not only to constituents but also to those in future generations Do you want to help contribute to the demise of the character and life-style that many of us have chosen not only for the present but also for our children? Do you want Puna and Kea`au to look like another place on the Mainland with fast-food signs and strip malls, many of which srt vacant during economic down tums~ Please, please, please listen to the residents of Puna and those who travel through Kea`au We have repeatedly told you what we want. We do NOT want another shopphte mall. Please vote AGAINST Bi11195. Srncerely, ~ll~-- ~ K~-~-~ Ellen Okuma P.O Box 1448 Kea`au, HI 96749 Ph.982-7743 c J Jacobson, N Pisrcchio, C Tyler, L.Elanonoff, D Yagong, B Leithead-Todd, A.Chung, G.Safank, C Yuen