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For these reasons, I ask the Windward Planning Commission to reject the proposed changes to
<br />Section 7; 25-7-23 of the Zoning Code regarding Height Limit and Section 8; 25-7 Designation
<br />of Downtown Hilo Commercial Core.
<br />Again, thank you so much for allowing me to speak on this matter.
<br />WOODWARD: All right. Thank you, Ms. Mallick. Questions? Commissioner Au.
<br />AU: Thank you for your testimony, Ms. Mallick. We had another business owner, Mr. Stevens,
<br />he was here. He mentioned that he wasn’t notified of these amendments. My question to you is
<br />were you notified?
<br />MALLICK: Jeff Melrose invited me to a DIA meeting last year; and since then I’ve become
<br />involved.
<br />AU: Okay, well, you know, the reason why I asked that question is, you know, maybe there was
<br />another testifier who did, who is a landowner who said that they weren’t notified. So, you know,
<br />I just wanted to know if you were. So -.
<br />MALLICK: It was in passing
<br />AU: Did you get anything?
<br />MALLICK: You know, in passing Jeff and I talked about it. But actually I didn’t realize about
<br />the 120 feet until I started attending these meetings. So I think for people who don’t attend the
<br />meetings, they don’t have any idea about the restriction. And I can only say one thing that did
<br />very clearly come out of these meetings with the DIA and various other groups regarding
<br />Downtown Hilo, is that we desperately need a housing component Downtown. It will pretty
<br />much eradicate all of this violence and thievery and gang activity at night. When you have
<br />people living Downtown walking the streets, using the facilities, the businesses, it creates a much
<br />safer environment. Also, a lot of cities the size of Hilo throughout the United States are
<br />revitalizing and older people are trending towards, you know, facilities. So I really encourage
<br />you to think about that, please, that, you know, we do need housing as we used to have in the old
<br />days, I guess. You know, so many people had their homes above their shops. So, yeah, it’s not
<br />safe at night. I mean I can’t leave my office at night. I work at the -. My office is at the old
<br />Hilo Hotel and I get lickings from my husband if I don’t come home before 6 o’clock because
<br />it’s, just, really a lot of weird stuff goes on Downtown at night.
<br />AU: Okay, so, you know, just to confirm and get on record, you know, you have been attending
<br />these Vision Keeper meetings as well as people stated on the list. I mean it’s open to the public,
<br />right, these Vision Keeper meetings?
<br />MALLICK: I believe it is. You know, but Jeff Melrose, as I said, in passing he just mentioned,
<br />he said, you know, you own in Downtown, you should come to these meetings. But before then
<br />I wasn’t really aware of anything.
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<br /> EXHIBIT C
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