COM 1300.000 2006-2008 - Laserfiche WebLink

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In early 2006 the Planning Department began accepting applications from Puna residents for appointment to the Puna CDP Steering Committee and on June 6, 2006 the County Council confirmed the 11 citizens appointed by Mayor Kim to the Steering Committee. The Planning Department, in collaboration with the Department of Research and Development, recognized that broad-based public participation in the planning process is critical to the development of a plan that could be supported by a sufficient number of residents to ensure implementation of Plan. During the spring and early summer of 200b, over 130 small group meetings, engaging 1,062 residents and producing 3,394 individual comments and observations, were held throughout the Puna district. These meetings were held in people's homes, at community centers, neighborhood gathering places and other local venues. Trained volunteer facilitators invited participants to give their mana'o on how to make Puna's future the best it can be. Besides the 130 small group meetings and the several district-wide and local public meetings and work shops, citizens could weigh in on the Plan's development through written and oral public testimony at all Steering Committee meetings, anopen-subscription email listserv network, participation in Working Group meetings, and email and written comments and suggestions submitted to the Planning Department and planning consultant. The public could also keep abreast of the latest developments in the PCDP process by visiting the Hawaii County Resource Center's hcrc.info web site. The first district wide public workshop was held on July 22, 2006 at Kamehameha Schools' Keaau campus. Over the course of the nextl8 months several additional district-wide and local public meetings and work shops were held throughout Puna to form citizen working groups and to further solicit public comment and suggestions on primary issues and concerns. Working Groups made up of citizen volunteers were authorized by the Steering Committee and formed in late September and early October 2006. The Working Groups, although self-regulated, were tasked with generating reports on ten major topics that generally encompassed the thirteen elements of the General Plan. Their reports, which were submitted to the Steering Committee and planning consultant in February 2007, provided valuable local insight for the innovative and practical solutions in the PCDP that address the issues and concerns expressed by Puna residents. -2-