2004-07-02 TISHIMARU - Laserfiche WebLink

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I think that as the testifiers have indicated, whether you like it or not, I think, you know, like the Ka u area is growing like the rest of theisland. Some of us have some misgivings over the rate of growth. But, nonetheless, you know, this is, what hes proposing is a kind of use that does, not necessarily would be directly growth induced as much as more growth accommodation. Because you have like many of those substandard lots in that area or you have lots of already existing subdivided lots in the area, you know, its easier for people to just buy a lot and then move into that area, whether its those 11,000 one-acre sized lots at Hawaiian Ocean View, or theres thousands of other lots in Discovery Harbor in the Green Sands Subdivision and the other areas. For newly or unsubdivided properties it becomes increasingly difficult to get further subdivision because of the water limitation and perhaps like zoning questions. I think that a couple of the other testifiers noted, and particularly this gentleman and Mr. Taylor, have indicated like, you know, they are in the business of providing material and,youknow,tothecommunityand,ofcourse,nothavingthelatestsourceofmaterial there provide some, you know, added cost to that. And its not so much the material cost as much as it is transportation cost, transportation cost not only to the actual consumer, but perhaps like the general public. Because theyre going to have to utilize roadways that are public, you know, whether the material comes in from Hilo, or from the Kona side, or Kawaihae, or the South Kohala area. So I think there is clearly a demand. People talked about whether, you know, there are alternatives. Perhaps there are alternatives. I think we must be mindful of the fact that for the most part when we do have a quarry, it becomes very resource-based, you know, resource-oriented. Its not, like certain agricultural use you can have only certain areas that would grow certain types of crop. Likewise with the quarry, youre looking for material. So its not like, you know, you can go up to, for example, like where he has to farm, proposes his project and expect to have like a quarry operation over there. You know, its pretty much like resource based. Because this area was formerly used as a quarry, the material is already proven that there is that resource in that area. This is not to say that there would not be any impacts, you know, to the surrounding area, whether its environmental or otherwise. I think that because there is always the potential for impacts, you do have appropriate regulations that the developer must comply with, or the operator must comply with, prior to and also during the operations of the quarry. There are, like the machines will have to be certified, you have to get like your air quality permit. Theres also like noise regulations, dust control measures that would have to be constantly monitored. Your staffs proposed conditions also provide some added mitigation relative to how you address the dust control measures. The other points that were brought up, I think one of which was answered by the Planning Director in terms of like the traffic, they actually read, projected, the Applicant projects maybe like five, maybe at the most, like six or seven types of round trip of activity, you know, depending on the volume of demand that they may have in that area. 18