COM 0330.002 1996-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Comments on Gentry Application for Rezoning by Kelly Pomeroy, '.9-148 Olomana Rd., Kamuela HI 96743 Before any decision is made about this project, there are some points which should be considered Wglg~ The discussion of water needs in Section 4.3.2 of the application is misleading. The 600 gpd standard is woefully inadequate for an upscale subdivision in the subject area, which is the driest part of the whole state. Even the affordable housing at nearby Kawaihae Village uses more than that. The common-area landscaping alone is likely to use a third of the 36,000 gpd the application claims the project will use--especially if a shrubbery screen is planted along the highway, as they suggest. Page l0 of Appendix I gives a slightly more realistic flgute of 750 gpd per lot, but unless strict controls are imposed on allowable types and amount of landscaping, this is not very realistic either. The two homes at Kohala by the Sea average twice that much, and the homes across the street at Kohala Ranch average more than four times that much. This means the project could well exceed the 76,000 gpd allocated to it. If 76,000 is the total commitment, what guarantee is there that this amount won't be exceeded? This is important, because sustainable yield figures for the aquifer under Kohala Ranch, and projections of usage from existing commitments, do not leave much leeway. Even if the aquifer proves adequate, the recovery system may not, and new wells may have to be drilled. Will the Gentry project contribute its fair share of grants in aid of construction if this should become necessary? Will they inform parentis] buyers that the water supply is limited? The Kohala Ranch developer has been trying to obscure the water issue from the beginning, but I can prove, using their own data, that the situation is much more precarious than they portray. The only solution they have far a possible water shortage is to raise the price of water enough to force cutbacks. This makes the addition of new users a threat to existing property owners within the service area, because it makes it more likely that such a shortage and inflation of costs will actually occur. I urge that one of the conditions you impose be development of a water management plan which will ensure that usage does not exceed the 76,000 gpd commitment. I would also like clarification of the easement for a reservoir at an elevation of 250-300', referred to on page 10 of Appendix I. This would put it in Kohala Ranch or Kohala Estates subdivision. If that easement is still an option, the owners of lots surrounding the land that would be used for the tank would undoubtedly like to know what could happen next door to them. Please ask the applicant to supply a map showing the location.