COM 0370.007 2002-2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

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~~v or c9'-~` 1,Ivy; Harry Kim ~ Dixie Kae[su Managing Direc[or Mayor , r^ ' 1 1 •o~•H~;.ir` Peter L. Hendricks • 03 DEC 19 Pal D~+uM MN[aging Director QCountp of ~amai t ~1 25 Aupuni Street, Room 215 Hilq Hawaii 96720-4252 • (608)961-8211 • Fax (rt~~Daa,a'~~l="6SS3 ~L`-~ ~"lwl KONA. 75->706 Kuakini Highway, Sui[e 103 Kailua-Kona, Hawaii ~~N-l IP" ~t1 •r (808)329-5226 tax (808)326-5663 December 16, 2003 James Y. Arakaki, Chairman and Council Members Hawaii County Council Hilo, Hawaii 96720 RE: Veto of Bi11 160, Draft 3 Dear Chairman Arakaki and Council Members, I have reviewed the attached bill and after conferring with Planning Director, Chris Yuen and staff, I have decided to veto bill 160, Draft 3. The original version of Bill 160, as approved by the Planning Commission, had a Condition "D", which read as follows: D. No Home Improvement Centers may be constructed on the Limited lndustrial- zoned portion of the property. The final version of the bill omits this condition. Director Yuen's concerns over the potential establishment of a "home improvement center" and its impact on traffic on the Kea'au Bypass Highway are reasonable. Development of such a center would undermine the very purpose for which the Bypass was built, to alleviate traffic bottlenecks in the urban core of Kea'au. A big-box outlet such as Lowe's or Home Depot would potentially generate tremendous vehicular traffic and lead to significant traffic congestion. The applicant did not oppose this condition when it was initially proposed and passed by the Planning Commission. Additionally, the application stated that warehouse-type uses, rather than home improvement centers, was envisioned for this development. The Kea'au - Pahoa highway is the major traffic corridor used by the growing lower Puna population to drive to work, shop and take their children to school. There is no other transit route that will be constructed in the immediately foreseeable future. Until such time as an alternate traffic corridor is built to service lower Puna's growing population, it is important that the County takes steps to prevent the type of congestion that necessitated the construction of the Bypass in the first place. I believe the limitation on the construction of a "home improvement center" to be such a step. I urge the Council to rethink their position on this bill and include_the original condition "D" as passed by the Planning Commission. 1~~~ Comm. No.37O= b Harry K' \ Ref. ?o: U Mayor Ref. Oate ~