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mitigated some of what could be problematic around a townhouse project. But Im still left with the feeling that this is kind of, you know, the first in that area; and it has kind of parachuted in at that one place. And the neighbors are not happy with it. So, I dont know, I dont feel like I have any precedent I need to follow on it; and Im just uncomfortable with just accepting it because it conforms. But if its at a particular location that its not well received, I guess, Im not so inclined to support it as I would be on the general concept of something that is well planned like this in that area. ALAMEDA:All right, Commissioner Graham. Commissioner Salavea? SALAVEA:I appreciate the public testimony and everyone who came forward today to provide us information about your community and the history. Its very valuable for the Commission to receive that information. And I want to encourage everything to continue to do that because it does help us in forming our opinions albeit it may differ from Commissioner to Commissioner.Butitstilldoeshelptheindividualcomeupwithormakeadecision,especially in these applications where there seems to be a recurring issue between growth and maintaining status quo. I myself I want to say that I want to support local contractors and developers in providing housing options to local people in Hilo. And I want to qualify that with, as a first-time home buyer, the options in Hilo, Keaau areas are, the Hilo-Puna area are very limited at the moment. And the more options we can provide to first time home buyers looking to locate near the Hilo area where they work, they play, their family members live, I think is of value and great importance. Because we dont want to be caught up in maintaining our urban areas or urban core at the status quo and forcing people to move out into the rural areas, 30 minutes, one hour, hour and a half out of town because thats the only affordable area to live in. I think developments such as this kind of present us with a different option than from whats traditional -- buying a lot in Hilo, getting together $300,000 to $400,000 and then building your home and having a $3500 mortgage per month. I think something like this is, although it does clash with the history and the overall look of the surrounding community, we still need to look at how we can provide our young families or local families, professionals coming up trying to live and work in Hilo with options. And thats my, you know, this is a tough issue; and thats where my gut feeling is taking me, and I feel strongly that we need to support a project like this. ALAMEDA:Commissioner Iwashita? IWASHITA:Thank you. I agree with all the sentiments and feelings Commissioner Salavea expressed about the need to really address our housing shortage, you know, throughout the spectrum of all our housing needs. I really think that its a significant enough problem for our community that there is no way that this body or the Council is going to be able to deal with it in an effective manner that will result in a solution or any where near a solution if we try go about it in a, I hate to use the word spot zoning, but, you know, basically in this opportunistic kind of way that these kind of proposals come to this body and to the County Council. Whats really needed is a broadbased community effort to address the housing and all the other needs that we have in our community in a comprehensive manner, which is a Community Development Plan. And that really needs to be done; and thats about the only effective way, frankly I can see that our housing crisis can be addressed. Otherwise, its really on a helter skelter, well, maybe this will work or not kind of basis. And we will never, Ill say the word, well never resolve it if we keep doing it this way. And so in my mind thats, the housing shortage is not really the moving factor to me in addressing whether we should approve this project. And, you know, I 24EXHIBIT C