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Bibliography Page I of 2 <br /> Murashige, Laura <br /> _...v. <br /> From: Eoff, Karen , <br /> Sent: Monday, September 19, 2005 10:00 AM - ` I `I ; <br /> To: Murashige, Laura <br /> Subject: FW: Testimony for Planning Committee-Agricultural TouriSrii gill <br /> -----Original Message----- <br /> From: Dorothy Walsh [mailto:halehula@lavazone2.com] <br /> Sent: Monday, September 19, 2005 8:40 AM <br /> <br /> To: Pilago, K. Angel <br /> Subject: Chapter 25 Agricultural Tourism Bill <br /> Dorothy Walsh <br /> P.O. Box 90 <br /> Kealakekua, HI 96750 <br /> (808)322-3005 <br /> Honorable Angel Pilago, August 23, 2005 <br /> My name is Dorothy Walsh and 1 have been a resident in Kona for the past 17 years. My family and I live on a 2-acre <br /> agriculture farm in Kainaliu where we grow plants and fruit trees. Our family is very concerned about the potential <br /> amendments to Chapter 25 of the zoning code, which specifically relates to agricultural tourism. <br /> Our neighbor is .Ioe and Deepa Alban who own Kona Joe Coffee. They advertise on television as well as in all [he <br /> tourism publications, touting themselves as a "World Class Visitor Center." A year and a half ago, they built a huge <br /> structure under a permit as a coffee processing facility. Most of their structure is for the purpose of tourism and sales <br /> of coffee, chocolate, mugs, tee shirts, and other tourist related products. They operate their agricultural tourism <br /> facility without a special use permit and have visitors of I50 cars per day, including [our buses. Their "roadside <br /> stand" consists of a structure much greater than 1000 square fee[. On several occasions they have had special events <br /> on their property. In addition, their advertisement signs on Mamalahoa Highway blatantly seek out other coffee <br /> farmers from which they can buy coffee from. Doesn't this bring up the question about agricultural tourism straying <br /> into the path of literally becoming a commercial operation? <br /> Our family has been adversely affected by [he noise of their coffee processing which is 75 feet from our home, as well <br /> as numerous tourist traffic. Because they have no special use permit, they have had no reason to be concerned with <br /> noise levels or consideration of the neighbors. 1 want to make an appeal that as you consider Chapter 25 of the <br /> Hawaii County Code related to Agricultural Tourism, that you would be considerate of situations like ours where <br /> neighborhoods are adversely impacted. Please limit the number of annual visitors and have specific guidelines in <br /> which you would protect neighbors. I believe that the abatement of noise is a very important issue that needs to be <br /> addressed by those involved in agricultural tourism. If specific guidelines and parameters are established and indeed <br /> enforced, then problems will not arise like those we are dealing with on a daily basis. <br /> understand that tourism is vital to our state's economic success, however 1 do believe that when tourism operations <br /> such as our neighbors are allowed to continue without standardized guidelines, our state is disregarding the numerous <br /> agricultural neighbors that make Hawaii so wonderful. <br /> There are numerous Pandora's boxes that are presently opened and need to be dealt with. That means that some sort <br /> of enforcement of these parameters will need to be actually carried out. <br /> Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter, which is crucial to preserving our agricultural lands. <br /> Please support agricultural farmers like ourselves who do not wish to participate in agricultural tourism. <br /> Sincerely yours, Comm. NO. <br /> Ref. To: twerwl <br /> Reif. Date <br /> 9/19/2005 <br /> <br />