2021-06-16 Leeward Exh B (Public Testimony re SMA 21-000078)

Home

established to preserve, protect and restore our cultural, our coastal areas by placing control on development. If this SMA Use permit is granted, where will it stop. Approving this application will set the precedent for future developers and outside influence to build bigger and higher in our SMA destroying what is left of our public beach. It will further, I'm sorry, I'm emotional that's why, it will further destroy our cultural preservation, natural resources and historic resources. I'm asking the Leeward Planning Commission, please deny this SMA. You have the ability to preserve what is left of Kailua-Kona for our future generation. This one negatively affects, I'm sorry. Many will be negatively affected by this construction to benefit only a select few. It will be a lasting negative affect and it will cause ripple effect for generations to come. Please deny this SMA Use permit, you have the opportunity to preserve Kailua-Kona. I'm also 7 months pregnant and little emotional. Thank you. VITOUSEK: Thank you very much for time and we appreciate you being here. Are there any questions for the testifier Commissioners? Okay, thank you again we appreciate your time. Next up is Maki Morinoue, Maki please again state your name and the town you live in for the record. M. MORINOUE: Yes, aloha, my name is Maki Morinoue I am from H61ualoa. I strongly oppose this project SMA 21-000078. Everyone's testimony so far mimics all the things that I'd like to share. So, to not to repeat, I think the Planning, the Leeward Planning Commission and County Council has the power to hit the pause button and to make big changes that will generate a positive ripple effect to protect our natural resources and cultural landscape. As we are inundated with a lot of foreigners, our cultural landscape is changing and we are seeing less of a sense of place of who we are and where we have come from. I believe that is important. It's the whole reason why people want to visit, it's the whole reason why people want to move here and we must create a balance for profit and for preservation. As I stated before, New York City is a perfect example of welcoming tourists by the millions that they can hold that there. At the same time developing their waterfront for all and had a mission to plant over 1 million trees and mitigating water, pollution, damage. Here in Hawaii, we are already beginning to see that in Hilo Bay through limu planting and oyster, native oyster um' seeding. So, I'd would love to see that as a mission going forward in developing together with nature. The warnings of building walls I think we must understand, I know Oahu is recognizing the negative downfall of building walls along the water of the shoreline, Kailua, Oahu in particular. There's no sandy beaches left. When we were young all that area was long sandy beaches. Now the sand doesn't come back because it's physics. When the water comes towards the wall and it slams and it breaks and it doesn't get to have the energy go through and back. We damage natural physics and we hit that wall in the water rakes our sand away and that is a mark of Alii Drive by the harbor, by the pier. There used to be a lot more sand. 6 EXHIBIT B