COM 0687.049 2004-2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Thursday, February 16, 2006 Page 1 of 2 fhwsday April 26, 2006 Chairman Pilago and Planning Committee Members County Council County of Hawaii Kona, Hawaii Email Transmitted: Written Testimony in Support of the Proposed Palimanui rezoning request before The County Council's Planning Committee, April 26, 2006. The support for this rezoning includes keeping the proposed UH West Hawaii Campus site said to be 500 Acres an integral part of this rezoning and the development. My name is Kirk Stephenson I reside in Kona Hawaii and have been a resident of the Island of Hawaii since 1971. I graduated from the University of Hawaii I Iilo in 1975 and have been the owner of several businesses since that time. I have been employed by United Airlines for over 30 years on the Island of Hawaii. Today I am drafting testimony in support of the rezoning and development proposed by the Hiluhilu developers for the Palimaniu project. The development known as Palimaniu is proposed to be located north and mauka of the Keahole Airport. I have read the development proposal, I have read the community benetils to be included and conclude this rezoning and development should be approved in an espeditcd manner. Community benefits outweigh any potential negative impacts 1 support the proposed development at this site since two of the community benefits include a mauka- makai connector road and the 500 acre (JH West Hawaii temporary campus. This 500 Acre UH campus benefit will assist businesses in our community that suffers from the very low unemployment rate. Typically, college students are good pat-t time job candidates. Placing this development and this campus on the North fringe of the Kona Community removes by design a signitlcant additional traffic element a University campus would create if it were located on Hawaiian Homes Lands adjacent to the F Ionokohau I larbor. T'he recent disclosure of the aggressive Jacoby second Harbor plan in that area makes the only choice for a Community College Campus the site you are discussing Coday, Palimaniu. Additional benefits of this proposed development would include: l Since the Community College is planning to have an enrollment of 600 students and the location is past the airport, the addition of a town to campus via the airport Heleon Bus route would be feasible. 'Ilre current bus route travels on the upper road and makes a stop at Matsuyamas store. "the public transportation factor further mitigates potential vehicular traffic on this very busy trafl3c corridor. 2.) A Campus adjacent to the State facilities at O"fEC would allow for a curriculum that might include class room and lab study conducted at this OTEC site. 3.) A Campus adjacent to the Keahole Airport could allow for cun~iculum in Fire Fighting. The Federal Funded fire fighting training facility at the airport could be used in this instruction. 4.) A Campus adjacent Yo the Keahole Airport could allow an aircraft maintenance curriculum like the one that is available of Kapiolani Community College to be added. The proximity Co Comm. No. Ref. To: roaeated Ref. Jays mhtml:file://C:\Documents%20and%20Settings\bj soriano\Local %20Settings\Temporary%... 4/26/2006