2021-10-07 Windward Exh A (Public Testimony re SPP 12-138)

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In conclusion, a school with 435 students, 30-person dormitory, six horse barn, livestock's, 17 acres of agricultural incumbency 70 acres in an established residential neighborhood is inappropriate. Because there is not enough water, increased traffic, waste, agricultural chemicals storm runoff. This adversely affects the health and safety of students, staff, surrounding community, subdivisions downstream, Hilo town, Hilo Bay therefore, I respectfully ask you to deny the Special Permit. Thank you so much. REPLOGLE: Thank you, Mr. Lee Loy. Next up is Jason Turner? TURNER: Thank you, my name is Jason Turner my address is 1209C Kaumana Drive. I've lived there for 16 years, and my property runs up against the proposed Special Permit property and I'm strongly opposed to it. In short, I can't believe the amount of time and taxpayer money that Connections School has already wasted on this endeavor. To be clear, as a member of the Kaumana Community we don't want the school, we don't need the school, Connections has consistently been a bad neighbor. It's a failing school which makes this entire project a bad idea First we don't want the school. The Kaumana community isn't coming to the Planning Commission asking for a school. We don't want it. Why? We already have a school; in fact, we have several schools which have been serving the Kaumana community for well over 100 years. Kaumana Elementary is less than a mile from the project site. DeSilva less than two miles. Hilo middle school, Hilo High school less than 3 miles. Further, Connections School doesn't serve the Kaumana community. Connection's student body is primarily made up of kids from outside of Kaumana. Frankly, even outside of Hilo. In addition, from the beginning Connections have been bad neighbors to this neighborhood. I first learned about this project as a D-9 bulldozer was knocking down trees and a chicken coop in my yard. Along the edge of my yard. There was no notice, no school administrator was walking the line to talk with the neighbors. Later I found out the school didn't even have permission to clear the land with the bulldozer and had been required to clear the land by hand. More recently, I found their students and faculty picking fruit for my avocado trees over the fence line. When I asked them to stop, I was told, and I quote, "we were teaching the kids about agriculture". So, stealing fruit from their neighbors is teaching the kids about agriculture. And yet, what are we really talking about here. Connections is a failing school; it consistently ranks as one of the lowest on Hawaii island and its students consistently score well below the state average. So why in the world would you give a failing school a permit to build another campus. If you have a child who is a bad driver and getting into accidents. Do you buy him a brand-new car? No! You take away their license and enroll them into driving proficiency program. In sum, as a member of the Kaumana community, I can tell you, we don't want to school, we don't need the school. I can tell you that Connections have been bad neighbors. I can tell you that they are a failing school and providing this permit is just a bad idea that makes no sense whatsoever. Build the campus somewhere it's needed. Build it somewhere it's wanted, not just somewhere close to where the principal lives. Thank you. AU: Mr. Chair? 7 EXHIBIT A