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PALMA-GLENNIE: Aloha, Commissioners, my name is Janice Palma-Glennie and I live in <br /> Kailua-Kona. I'm speaking to the second application as you know. I'm giving similar testimony <br /> to what I did a month ago regarding this bad plan since nothing in the plan has changed. But <br /> first I can only wonder if the request by the applicant to postpone this decision was a strategy to <br /> help insure that less members of the public would be watching the second time around, so that <br /> decision to allow this misplaced monstrosity to be built inside our community at an outsiders <br /> behest would be observed by and testified against by less members of the public. And, needless <br /> to say, the fact that this project was given a favorable recommendation by the Deputy Planning <br /> Director rather than his boss our compromise Planning Director shows another sad and glaring <br /> example of how democratic process can be twisted and undermined. Even while ostensibly <br /> "following the riles". Ditto on a project proposal that fits the zoning code but still doesn't fit. <br /> So, to restate only an insensitive speculator would come into a community to change its entire <br /> character in one fell swoop. And only a planner who doesn't understand his k-uleana of <br /> protecting the public interest would show such a lack of sense or sensitivity of what Kona <br /> residents want and need for their community as to give this proposal a favorable <br /> recommendation. <br /> As the longest volunteer participant in the Kona Community Development Plan, I spent many <br /> hours collating thousands of our region's stakeholders' comments regarding their goals and <br /> visions for their communities and I've listened for more than 25 years about how they want to <br /> see their visions implemented and their communities protected. One of the most agreed upon <br /> goals is that our residents don't want to build their town and coastlines up like Oahu has, and <br /> they're only comfortable with 3 or 4-story buildings in "village centers" which are called TOD's <br /> and TNDs. This project does not meet those requirements and in fact, goes against the wishes <br /> and visions of the majority of Kona stakeholders who asked that regional development be low <br /> rise. For that reason alone, Commissioners have that k-uleana to say "no" to this plan. <br /> This proposal is a cultural environmental boondoggle as you know but beside the negative <br /> impacts mentioned at the last hearing, it is also true that mirrored glass is not only Oahu-esque <br /> but also even more dangerous for native and migrating birds. As a person who has lived near <br /> Alii Drive for many of my 40 years here, it's clear that walking and biking have become too <br /> dangerous due to increased traffic and lack of parking. Both will be substantially exacerbated by <br /> this project which is the reverse for enhancing smart growth which aims to get people out of their <br /> cars. Was that one-minute left or what is that. <br /> JACKSON: 30 seconds. <br /> PALMA-GLENNIE: Oh, what's needed in Kona is more workforce housing and not <br /> more vacation rentals. This condominium is one person and company money-maker, not <br /> a community-builder. Our healthy future depends on upon grassroots generated growth <br /> not top-down, developer-generated, unfortunate plans like this one. Until or if this <br /> project is meaningfully modified, I asked that you use your position and integrity to say <br /> "no" to its permitting. Mahalo for your time. <br /> 4 <br /> EXHIBIT B <br />