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LINGER: Thank you. You may be seated. Joel Gimpel, Jeffrey Takiue, Josephine Keliipio — <br /> and it looks like one more—and Chantel, Chantel Dechap —yeah, she's here. Is there anybody at <br /> this time who would like to testify that hasn't been called on yet? [None.] Great, thank you. <br /> Please raise your right hand. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth before the Planning <br /> Commission? <br /> TESTIFIERS: I do. Yes. <br /> LINGER: Thank you. You may start. Please state your name and area of residence. <br /> TAKIUE: My name is Jeffrey Takiue. I'm a lifelong resident in Kona. I live up in Kalaoa side. <br /> I'm a former high school teacher. Currently, I'm the principal at Holualoa Elementary School. <br /> And, the benefit that Living Stones Church has upon many of my families at my school—I also <br /> attend Living Stones —the benefit there would be to our community, there are very limited <br /> options in West Hawaii for things for kids to do, so when I look at how our church is able to <br /> support that need, as well as not just for children but also for families, feel us a very valuable <br /> asset to our community. The relocation would allow us to be able to reach more and support <br /> more families out there. And I'm very much in favor of this project going through. <br /> GIMPEL: Good morning. My name is Joel Gimpel. I'm a resident of Pualani Estates and I'm <br /> president of the Pualani Estates Homeowners' Association Board of Directors. The Board did <br /> submit comments last year on the original filing, and our principal concerns focused on the <br /> obvious effects of the proposal and its construction on traffic volume, safety, noise, dirt and light <br /> pollutions. <br /> With respect to the traffic volume issue, we noted that the traffic study that was first cited in the <br /> proposal was completed in January 2010, which was over nine years ago and well before the <br /> completion of more than half of the Pualani Estates Subdivision and several lots in other <br /> subdivisions bordering Puapua`anui Street had been completed. In addition, traffic on <br /> Highway 11 has increased substantially since 2010, due in part to the growth of Innovations <br /> Charter School and other construction projects that are served by that highway. We also note, <br /> noted that the 2010 study didn't account for traffic volume that would certainly result from <br /> massive church attendance at weddings and on Christian holidays that often fall on weekdays <br /> and evenings, for example, Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, <br /> nor did it account for the traffic generated by the County park now in the Pualani Estates area <br /> and the above-cited community growth figures and special church events on Puapua`anui Street, <br /> Ho`omama Street and the Puapua`anui-Highway 11 intersection. We recognize that the 2018 <br /> update of that study has occurred but it didn't account for the use of Ho`omama and Puapua`anui <br /> Street for access to this church by most of the traffic, even given the recommendation, the <br /> suggestion that a secondary access would be provided. <br /> Our concern over safety is heightened by the proposal to limit access and egress to the subject <br /> property via Ho`omama Street. We recognize that the second access and egress has been <br /> suggested from Hualalai Road. But, as I said, that is not going to get much traffic on it; most of <br /> the traffic accessing the church would be from Puapua`anui Street through a residential street, <br /> 14 <br /> EXHIBIT A <br />