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and I’m on the Steering Committee for the South Kohala CDP, but I’m not speaking for those <br />groups today. <br />The reason this is so important to the community, and has been for over 30 years now when our <br />Community Association started requesting this very thing, is that it’s home to a Hawaiian god <br />and goddess; it towers above the only woman’s heiau on our island. And it’s the site of the battle <br />that’s described in the paperwork that you’ve been reading. So it’s really important to so many <br />aspects of our community. It’s particularly important to the Hawaiian community many of <br />whom have expressed to me and to the community at large their personal family relationship to <br />physical features on the parcel, and others who retell these various legends – a whole bunch of <br />them – having to do with just that parcel and the adjoining ones. These legends have given the <br />place names that we use everyday all over Waimea, so it is part of the identity of the community <br />and it’s important for that way. It’s important because visitors and new comers just absolutely <br />fall in love with the misty hills with the cows calling to their calves that they see up there, so it’s <br />important to a lot of the community. It cries out for conservation and our community has echoed <br />that cry for over 30 years. It’s a pilot project of our Waimea CDP Committee and we are asking <br />for it to be done, so that we can learn as a community how to work with our government and <br />develop a relationship with it because not a strong one exists right now. And we really ask your <br />help in protecting the sacred land by giving a favorable recommendation. <br />You might know, as you read your paper, that the Council requested that the parcel be down- <br />zoned to Ag-500. And the reason for that was to do exactly -, was to create a non-conforming lot <br />that is a lot that no one could build on. State law gives the County the power – and the sole <br />power – of creating minimum lot sizes on parcels; and we can’t see anything in the law or in the <br />regulations or in resolutions of the County Council that would prevent the creation of a non- <br />conforming lot, which would seal the fate of development up there, instead of having a 400-acre <br />situation and a 20-point-something-acre situation. So that’s why the 500 was requested; and we <br />request that you seriously consider recommending that as it moves upstream. That’s my <br />testimony, and I’d be open to any questions. Thank you. <br />GRAHAM: Thank you, Mr. Hunter. Any questions from the Commissioners? <br />Commissioner Domingo? <br />DOMINGO: I commend you folks for embarking on this task. I think with today’s <br />vote, you and your organization would further realize how much important it is that citizen input <br />be considered in this kind of matter, especially land use planning. Because often times when <br />decisions are being made for rezoning or boundary amendments, or General Plan amendments, it <br />comes before a body at a moment’s notice or without any recognition by the community or its <br />organizations, and it’s simply because there isn’t much interest generated within the community. <br />But with this happening, I’m sure you and your organization would now realize that it can be <br />done. And what I encourage you and your organization, as you embark in considering your <br />community development plan, look at other areas within the community that you as residents of <br />the area feel is best for you, and make the decision to pursue it because it’s possible as you’ll <br />find out hopefully after this meeting. I know of other places, more specific in Waikii, where <br />many years ago there were rezonings to the effect and they created residential-agricultural lots <br />with a particular agricultural and livestock program that would have each interest in property <br />owners contribute to establishing a livestock program; and in doing so in obtaining those parcels, <br />smaller parcels for home sites, they would use one community designated area as a pasture <br />EXHIBIT D <br />3 <br /> <br />