2020-10-15 Leeward Exh A (Public Testimony re SPP 20-000219)

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beautiful and is consistent with a business that I think should stay in North Kohala. I strongly support approval of what she is doing there, and I would encourage the County to work with her to make it safer. She is our customer as a citizen, a community, as a government she's our customer. Let's together as a community support the beautiful effort she has made. Thank you. CARR SMITH: Thank you Chris. Any questions for Mr. Helmuth? Seeing none thank you Chris appreciate you staying on . HELMUTH: Thank you for the time. CARR SMITH: You can drop off the call now. Thank you. Alright, moving on to Lisa Ebrahimi. Okay, Lisa. EBRAHIML Hi. CARR SMITH: Go ahead. EBRAHIML Just very quickly I have to say that there was some testimony that I have to completely disagree with and that was completely over exaggerated one from Robert Watkins and the other from Paul and another homeowner. There have never been 600 people at Puakea Ranch. I know this for a fact. I've known Christie and her ranch since she moved here. I thank the Planning Department for recommending the Special Use Permit. I've lived in North Kohala for twenty-nine (29) years. I was the President of the North Kohala Merchant's Association. I headed the Kohala Country Fair and I own and run As Haw! Turns. Puakea Ranch has played a large part in keeping my business and other small businesses in Haw! and Kapa`au viable. Puakea Ranch has the smallest amount of environmental impact with the biggest amount of economic stimulus to our community. Back in 2019, a family of six (6)people came and stayed one(1) week at Puakea Ranch. In that 1 week, they shopped at my store twice. They ate at the Bamboo Restaurant three (3)times. They ate at Mi Ranchito, they shopped at Elements, they got gas at the Minit Stop, they went zip lining, they ate ice cream at Kohala Coffee Mill and coffee at the Nambu Cafe. You compare that to one family who stays at the Orchid Hotel in one week, we may get them one time in our community and they may come up for lunch and ask to use the bathroom. We need businesses like Puakea Ranch. In order for our Main Street to stay sustainable we need businesses that funnels small amounts of people to our community. Christie employs eight(8)people. I employ 8 people so on and so on and so on. For those, all of you who are in opposition who don't even live on the island and who are within five hundred(500) feet of Puakea Ranch I say this to you. We all cannot be independently wealthy retirees from the Mainland. I'm sorry we need to have jobs for our young local people in our town in order to continue to be a sustainable community. Thank you very much. 13 EXHIBIT A