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Dru Kanuha, Council Chair <br />and Members of the County Council <br />Page 7 <br />With a minimum lot size of five (5) acres considered a threshold between <br />agriculture (A) zoning and family agriculture (FA) zoning (Hawai`i County Code, <br />Section 25-5-60), we believe that the proposed change of zone and (6) lot family <br />subdivision will enhance the agricultural use of the acreage for family related <br />agriculture purposes. This further provides economic opportunity for Upper Puna <br />through the possibility of commercial agriculture activity." <br />The Planning Department has reviewed the overall direction and intent of the <br />Puna Community Development Plan, and has determined that a clear direction of the plan <br />is to discourage further subdivision of larger agricultural lots through the variance <br />process, and to consider down -zoning of smaller ag lots, and to reduce the overall <br />buildable lots in the Puna District. This appears to be contrary to the information <br />provided by the Puna Community Development Plan Action Committee. <br />The goals, objectives and actions for the Managing Growth and the Agriculture <br />and Economic Growth sections of the Puna Community Development Plan calls for the <br />management of growth and for the preservation of agriculture through the following listed <br />Goals, Objectives and Actions of the Plan: <br />Puna CDP - Managing Growth <br />The Puna Community Development Plan seeks to manage growth by: encouraging <br />a more efficient, environmentally sustainable land use pattern; reducing the number of <br />and rearranging previously -approved subdivision lots; requesting the County to change <br />the zoning of lots now inappropriately zoned for present and future use and growth; <br />promoting agricultural use and other "green" employment in the district; promoting the <br />use of renewable energy; improving the delivery of social services and housing <br />assistance; and providing the necessary public services, parks and recreation opportunities <br />in a manner that supports community -building and an improved quality of life. <br />The principal tools to reshape future land use in Puna include: (1) land pooling to <br />form village centers and grow town centers while preventing sprawl development; <br />(2) adjustments to County and State tax codes to discourage land speculation and provide <br />tax relief for long-time homeowners and renters and to provide an incentive for removing <br />development rights from property; (3) district -wide rezoning and tighter restrictions on <br />