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Harold Murata <br /> 75-5870 Kahakai Rd., #207 <br /> Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 <br /> October 1, 2002 <br /> Mr. James Y. Arakaki, Chairman <br /> <br /> And Members of the Council <br /> County of Hawaii <br /> <br /> 25 Apuni St. <br /> Hilo, Hawaii 96720 <br /> <br /> Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Proposed Amendments to the County of <br /> Hawaii General Plan (GP). <br /> In the "1960 Plan for Kona", the phrase "Kona Way of Life" described it as "slow, peaceful, <br /> relaxed, quiet, natural, casual, unhurried, and uncrowded." That is a good vision to sustain <br /> that quality of life and preserve the uniqueness of Kona.. A General Plan that incorporates <br /> those attributes would lead to the formulation of environmental and economic equilibrium for <br /> Kona. <br /> The proposed vision for Kona mimics that of Mainland. The premise is that the natural <br /> resources can be exploited indefinitely without destroying the beauty of Kona. That premise <br /> leads to unfettered actions of continued mis-utilization of resources that would be in conflict <br /> with the environment and culture of Kona. The predominant notion is to create more and <br /> bigger things ®for example, build more highway lanes to accommodate more vehicles to <br /> feed the hunger for more wild economic expansion. Another example of gross mismatch in <br /> Kona is the Lowe's complex blight fully buttressed on a hillside adjacent to a residential <br /> area in Kailua. These kinds of unrestrained and unconstrained growth in Kona would <br /> destroy the "Kona Way of Life". For Kona to simply mimic the utilization of land like that of <br /> the Mainland would inevitably lead to a way of life that people escaped from. <br /> Slow means rural roads designed to inhibit speed. Peaceful means no turbulence of <br /> unresolved conflicting desires. Relaxed, casual, or unhurried connotes the planning, design <br /> and construction of developments sensitive to environmental beauty and the culture of <br /> Kona which attracted so many people to move to Kona as a nice place to live. Quiet means <br /> to not add avoidable noise. More trucks and cars mean more noise. More planning and <br /> engineering are needed to avoid and reduce noise. Natural means retention of the natural <br /> beauty of Kona. Carving the terrain to place more concrete and asphalt would greatly alter <br /> the natural beauty of Kona. Uncrowded, not congestion, is the Kona Way of Life. <br /> Thoughtful and orderly growth, not halter-skelter developments, would preserve and <br /> enhance Kona. <br /> I suggest that the Council include the aforementioned principles in the GP as a vision for <br /> Kona. With this vision, County Planners can shape Kona where enhancements co-exist <br /> peacefully with the preservation of the Kona Way of Life. <br /> Sincerely, Comr,~., No. <br /> Refs fio: <br /> Vii. Date ~CT ~ 8 ?QQ~ <br /> <br />