2005-04-22 TInnovations - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

them. And will continue the next students that enter their doors. The door they will have once you approve this application. I ask, I beg that you pass this Special Permit Application today, right now. You have the power to help the future of tomorrow, our children. Thank you. GALDONES:Commissioners any questions of Ms. Leanio? Maam? PETERSON:Aloha. My name is Ann Peterson. I live at 77-180 Kekai Place, Kailua- Kona and I am here representing PATH. PATH is a non-profit organization formed in 1986 to provide a safe environment on roadways and trails. In 1999 we started our safe roads to school program in 3 schools around the island and that was in Pahoa, in Hilo and in Kona. The school in Kona at that time was Kahakai School. We have since gone back to Kahakai School 2 times in 2003 and 2005. Weve also done safe roads to school studies in Kealakehe, in both the 3 public schools in Kealakehe and were currently in Waikoloa and Waimea. Weve done a lot of- weve spent a lot of time looking at the environment and how kids get to school. And especially, particularlyinKahakai.WeveseenitbeforetheInnovationswasthereandduringthetimeit was there. And I support this move 100%. Theres only 1 school in Kona thats not built on a dead end road and I dont know why schools get built on dead end roads but it is a mess. And the- Im really surprised that theres even concern the school being located on Queen Kaahumanu Highway. This in and out just seems perfect. You should see what happens now with the way it is on a dead end road. Off Royal Poinciana, its a mess for kids trying to walk to school and bike to school. Its a mess for parents trying to get to school on time and then get to work. I- again, I just think that this is a no brainer. You should definitely support this move. I do want to address just one other thing and that is a paved parking lot. This is kind of an aside but if theres a product Oyl that could be put on gravel to help it be somewhat- and its environmentally friendly, to be somewhat stable. And if you could consider that instead of having them pave something and then try to rip that out later for as he said a soccer field. I think I said all I wanted to say. I hope you support this move. GALDONES:Thank you Ms. Peterson. Questions Commissioners? None? Sir? GIMPEL:Thank you. Im Joel Gimpel. I reside at 73-4686 Hinalani Street and Im here representing the Kona Traffic Safety Committee. I serve them as the Chair of the Public Affairs Committee. We looked carefully at this application and especially at the obvious impacts on traffic and traffic safety. And we applaud the schools intention to encourage carpooling therefore reduce the number of cars on the road. We know however that with the 2 driveways both with the right in and the right out requirement that as youve already recognized and has been talked about quite a bit today this presents a problem. Because drivers wanting to go south when leaving the school would first have to go north on Highway 11 and find a convenient and safe turn around which would probably entail making a left turn on Nani Kailua Drive, which is a signalized and channelized intersection but then making another left turn on Hualalai and then flow south. Drivers coming from the north want to- should go into the school would of course have to do the same thing but then they have the dangerous left turn onto Queen Kaahumanu Highway at Hualalai Road. And that presents a traffic safety concern if nothing else. We also note that, we think there are probably a lot more cars using this section of Queen Kaahumanu Highway because those cars, 2/3 of the students dont forget have already- we understand will be coming from the south to go- presently go to Kahakai School. Theyll turn off at Lako Street to 20 EXHIBIT D