COM 0042.050 2004-2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

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December 20, 2004 Mr. Gary Safarik Council Chairman 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Dear Council Chairman Gary Safarik and the Council Members of the County of Hawaii, I am William J. Paris Jr. who resides at 79-7345 Mamalahoa Highway in North Kona Hawaii. I wish to voice my concerns over the designation of lands below the~$00 ft. elevations as "important agricultural lands" under the proposed changes to the General Plan for the following reasons: 1) Without a source of water for irrigation of crops no one can sustain sufficient water for crops. 2) We have had families that tried to farm in the past and have met failure. Families such as the Tamoda's, Fukuda's, Asaharu's, and Kobayashi's to name a few all gave up on farming. Unless the State or County of Hawaii puts in portable water system and roadways for 5 acre Agricultural lots it will be impossible to sustain this cost and make a profit with agriculture. There were numerous families during the period of 1920 & 1930 living along the shoreline such as the Keliikipi's, Kanakaole's, and the Kelii's, Kele's, Keilikini's that could only raise one crop of sweet potato during a wet year on these lands. Because they had Kuleanas in the mauka areas to raise taro, bananas, breadfruit, and certain vegetable crops they were able to sustain a livelihood. Members of my family, the Johnson's, Roy's, Paris's tried to raise crops such as cotton, pineapple and citrus but gave up because of the lack of water during the drought seasons, as a result just raised cattle which is the lowest form of agricultural. The KD Sugar Company tried raising cane down in the 600-700 feet elevation with no success. During the drought season the cane nodes would grow to close together therefore forming too much fiber and no sugar. Thank you for your understanding. Sincerely yours, -</py < William 7. ~ ris, r. / ~ ~ C Comm. No. Ref. To: PreredM G Ref. Uafe ~~N 3 ~n~5