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One thing that I will address very briefly is Director Yuens commentary on Special Use Permit
<br />Application SPP 04-018. And I think that Mr. Yuen brings up some very interesting and valid
<br />points. One of the areas that I would voice my support and ask you to take a look at this issue is
<br />that we dont want, as the previous public testimony here was, that we dont want strip malls
<br />along Highway 130; and thats absolutely correct. However, with that stated, let me just point
<br />out some facts. I live in the Ainaloa Subdivision and I remember that some of the testimony
<br />given by Mr., the president of the Ainaloa Association, Mr. Palpa (sic), is that how you
<br />pronounce your name? I hope Im not butchering his name. But the gentleman that represents
<br />the Orchidland Association as president indicated their concerns for egress and ingress on
<br />Highway 130 coming out and making a left turn to head towards Hilo. And I submit that the
<br />people that live in Ainaloa are also having to make that left turn, which is a tremendous hazard
<br />not only for the people exiting but the people that are on Highway 130. But with that said, let me
<br />point out that within a 2-mile corridor between Ainaloa Boulevard and Shower Drive, which is
<br />approximately two miles or a little bit more, theres approximately 12,000 to 15,000 residents.
<br />ItsthemostpopulatedcorridorintheDistrict5area.Sowhatweredealingwithisa
<br />subdivision called Orchidland, subdivision called Ainaloa, subdivision called Hawaiian Paradise
<br />Park, Tiki Gardens within that particular two-mile stretch. And everybody is vying for a position
<br />on Highway 130, whether theyre coming from the makai side turning right or coming from the
<br />mauka side turning left. To get onto Highway is a hazard, I dont care how we cut it.
<br />So my testimony, Madam Chair, would be primarily to address the idea and the notion that, as
<br />Mr. Yuen pointed out, Aulii Street is not on the General Plan that we have just passed a few
<br />months ago; however, we have been in discussion with Mr. Yuen and my office as Councilman
<br />representing that particular region to address the need for urban expansion at the Ainaloa
<br />Boulevard intersection and Highway 130, which is now a County roadway, as well as Orchidland
<br />Drive and Highway 130. We were exploring the notion of creating nodes of urban expansion.
<br />And Im sure Mr. Yuen will confirm that those discussions have taken place. One of those
<br />discussions, and in some of those discussions, we also indicated that wed like to see Aulii Street
<br />as part of one of those nodes, which would primarily give us three shopping experiences: One at
<br />Orchidland Drive, and absolutely we would need a traffic signalized intersection there; one at
<br />Ainaloa Boulevard and the Highway, which would also need a traffic signalized intersection; and
<br />Aulii Street. And we would designate those as urban expansion areas for now and into the
<br />foreseeable future. Because if you look at the, as evidenced by the usership of Malama Market,
<br />which is the new market that just opened right outside of Pahoa, the primary draw for that area is
<br />the Malama Market, which is a Foodland Store. Its a high end, well-priced, clean shopping
<br />experience. And Im finding that Im, instead of turning left out of Ainaloa to go shop in Hilo,
<br />Im turning right to go towards Pahoa. So my testimony would be that if we decide to create
<br />these three nodes of shopping, one of the basic requirements of the people in Orchidland, and
<br />what I heard today, was that theyre looking for, number one, recreation and access to it, number
<br />two, adequate roadway systems so that their people can exit and, egress and ingress, as well as
<br />within their own subdivision; and three, reliable and affordable grocery shopping experience.
<br />And I think that with that message one of the things not stated, but I think that it was clearly
<br />indicated by the people of Orchidland as well as this greater Puna community is the aspect of
<br />safety. So if you look at those four issues, recreation, parks availability, roadway systems,
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