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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Testimony of Wilma J. Paris on behalf of William J. Paris, JNGS NOU 15 PM 1 21 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> November 15, 2006 <br /> <br /> <br /> Chairman Stacy Higa and members of the Hawaii County Council, I am testifying in <br /> behalf of my father, William J. Paris, Jr., who would like to be here today but is unable to <br /> do so as he is recovering from surgery and nineteen days of hospitalization at the Kuakini <br /> Medical Center in Honolulu. <br /> He has been present at all Council Meetings and Planning Commission meetings <br /> concerning Bill 309 and the General Plan update since January 2005; I have accompanied <br /> him to many of the meetings. We, along with several other property owners hired Belt <br /> Collins and Associates to provide us with factual information which led the Planning <br /> Director, Chris Yuen, to change important agricultural lands designation from the <br /> 750' foot elevation to the 1,000' foot elevation designated by E6 and E7 on the list of <br /> amendments to the General Plan. We also provided a list of farmers who tried to farm on <br /> the lands below the 1,000' foot elevation- all suffered crop failure during time of drought <br /> and gave up farming on these lands. <br /> <br /> We have checked with the Department of Water Supply and they indicated that our <br /> present County water system could not supply enough water to irrigate the lands in E6 <br /> and E7 below the 1,000' foot contour in times of drought so water other than County <br /> water would have to be provided by us should we decide to change our land use from <br /> grazing to agriculture-farming. <br /> <br /> We have a U.S.G.S. exploratory well on our property, TMK: 7-9-8-3 at the 1,650' foot <br /> elevation with a head of 265' feet. To bring this well on line, install the distribution line <br /> down to our lands below the 1,000' foot contour, build a road to County standards and <br /> specifications and divide the lands into 5 acre lots as this land is zoned Ag. 5 acres would <br /> cost a minimum of $89,000 dollars per acre, add a yearly mortgage cost of $5,340 per <br /> acre and the total cost per acre will come to $94,340 per acre. If we wanted to make a six <br /> percent profit on our investment, we would have to lease the land for $5,660.40 per acre. <br /> We do not think that many farmers would be willing to lease 5 acres of land for $28,302 <br /> per annum. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Comm. No. •Kj <br /> Ref. TO: re:eaid <br /> Ref, Date NR 15 2006 <br />