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<br /> May 31, 2007 <br /> Honorable Pete Hoffman, Chairperson <br /> Members of the Hawaii County Council <br /> 333 Kilauea Avenue <br /> Hilo, Hawaii 96720 <br /> Testimony of Bill 51 • Proposed Amendment to Chanter 27 <br /> If'~ }fly unc}~}~staCtdipg that the initial intent of Bi1151 was to amend the County flood <br /> plain maPggB}hp}}1 R{c~inance so that it conforms to the National Flood Insurance Program <br /> administele~ by F~IwIA. However, Bill 51 as written goes beyond the initial intent and <br /> adds elel{}ggtnS that etlFeed tttR requirements of the NFIP <br /> I this We pt1R ggree that flooding issues need to and should be addressed. The <br /> perceived inability of the county to control growth along the floodways and flood hazard <br /> zones ip W~St {-I~W~1i has resulted in a draft ordinance that is unreasonable and biased. It <br /> forces the agricultural community to comply with rules and regulations that aze <br /> impossible to achieve and further defeats the goal of self sufficiency. <br /> Article 4, section 27-18 D (6) states that grading and filling of lands exceeding 10 percent <br /> slope is restricted to 20 percent of the lot azea to reduce concentration of runoff and <br /> increased flooding and erosion. I have been told that this was aimed at housing <br /> developments, yet there is no mention of a grading exemption for farmers or ranchers <br /> who have a conservation plan that has been approved by the respective Soil and Water <br /> District. A large portion of Ka'u, Kona, Hilo and Hamakua will fall into the 10% slope <br /> restriction. Even lands in Puna will be affected by this. Has the Council determined how <br /> much land azea will be affected and what the economic impact will be to farmers, <br /> ranchers and other land owners? <br /> Article 4, section 27-20 (g) states that new Agricultural subdivisions may exist above <br /> urban azeas, however, these pazcels will be required to have flood control structures to <br /> designed to contain all rainfall from a 100 yeaz storm event. I have attached a case study <br /> that was done by NRCS to illustrate the impact this requirement would have on a 20 acre <br /> farm lot in Kau. The case study clearly shows that it is not economically feasible for any <br /> rancher or farmer to comply with this requirement. <br /> I support the amendments to Chapter 27 that brings this chapter into compliance with the <br /> NIFP; however, I strongly oppose changing the intent and scope of Chapter 27 beyond <br /> compliance with the NIFP. <br /> Respectively submitted, Comm. No. ~ ~ ~ o <br /> Ref. To: k~eMS~ ~ <br /> o <br /> Rand~abral Ref. Date, 2001 <br /> Director - Ka'u S W CD <br /> <br />