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Jennifer Ruggles <br /> P.O. Box 794 <br /> Mt. View, HI 96771 <br /> jenniferlruggles@gmail.com <br /> Windward Planning Commission <br /> 101 Pauahi Street <br /> Hilo, HI 96720 <br /> Re: Special permit application for TM 1-3-2-140 <br /> Dear planning commission members, <br /> Thank you for considering Mr. Robert Silber's application for a special use permit for Lolia <br /> Place on the Red Road in lower Puna. I was born and raised in Puna and have lived here my <br /> entire life. In 2016, 1 was elected to the Hawai'i County Council to represent the district the lot <br /> is in and served two years in office. <br /> The year I was elected, Lolia place was just a clear lot with an empty slab. Since, I've <br /> witnessed Mr. Silber preserver through the costly struggle of developing it with diligence to <br /> be legal and to code with dreams of supporting our local community. He has succeeded in <br /> transforming it into a beautiful, abundant, clean, safe, and sustainable community resource. If <br /> the special permit is approved, Lolia Place will serve as an invaluable asset by way of <br /> providing good quality jobs, bringing wealth to the district, (which is the poorest district in <br /> the State), and building resilience through cultivating community. <br /> Lolia Place also has something special to offer the lower Puna district that I believe many <br /> officials may overlook. While I was in office Puna faced a natural disaster whereby people lost <br /> access to homes, electricity, running water, and more. It became clear that we needed <br /> community resource within the area that could operate off-grid to provide electricity, shelter, <br /> and potable water to support response efforts to natural disasters like the 2018 lava flow. Lolia <br /> Place is one of the few infrastructure complexes in lower Puna that is built to code, while <br /> being completely unaffected by electricity cut-offs. <br /> From my experience with Mr. Silber, he is an honest, generous, forward-thinking and <br /> community minded man, and Puna would greatly benefit if this application was approved. <br /> Please support Puna by supporting this special use application. <br /> Sincerely, <br /> Jennifer Ruggles <br />