2007-07-06 TSUPERSTORES - Laserfiche WebLink

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all the way to Honaunau, and not having, theres no way -. The traffic is abominable. Theres no road length, there was never any planning with any road length. We did go to Tenerife, Canary Islands with my daughter -- my Korean daughter married a wonderful person -- and we saw that they have these rounds where you approach from, each plaza is a round, so you go in a circle. You never have to stop; and so that the flow of the traffic is always there. It takes more room to built that kind of a flow but we have the land on this island to exercise an opportunity to do a better highway planning road, Commission planning, that would probably -. DOMINGO:Thank you. WATANABE:We might be getting off the subject though, yeah? BILL:Yes. WATANABE:Okay,please.Anyotherquestions?Thankyou.Iguessyoumustbe Mr. Terrence Lee? LEE:Yes, sir. WATANABE:Would you state your name and address for the record, please. LEE:Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Commissioners. Terrence Lee. Im an attorney representing a grass roots coalition that exists statewide that is opposed to superstores in Hawaii. We have submitted extensive written testimony to the Commission and I hope that each Commissioner will carefully study and review the materials weve submitted, particularly the studies that are attached to the exhibits to our letter that are case studies of how superstores have impacted other communities on the mainland, and particularly the negative impacts on small businesses and local businesses that have existed for 20-30 years. There is one case study, I think, of particular significance; and that has to do with the City of Calexico in California that has a population of approximately 30,000, slightly smaller than Hilo, but I think warrants careful consideration by the Commissioners in determining how youre going to decide on what your recommendation is to the Council. Hoomalu Hawaii is opposed to the Planning Directors recommended ordinance to establish a particular zoning classification for superstores. We believe that the empirical evidence and studies that exists on the mainland relative to superstores makes it abundantly clear that a superstore in the County of Hawaii is a bad idea. It will create adverse impacts on the community that far surpasses and outweighs the perceived positive impacts, specifically I think, you know, lower prices and goods. To the extent the Commission is considering establishing a superstore classification, I would urge the Commission to, at a minimum, require as part of the approval process an economic impact assessment before approving any development of a superstore. I think that is unquestionably the paramount concern with superstores; and I think in a small community like Hilo, in fact, all of our communities, Honolulu being the exception because it is so much larger than all the other neighbor islands -. But I think at a minimum an economic assessment of what the impact of a superstore will be to the entire community is a critically important consideration. Thank you. WATANABE:Do any of the Commissioners -? Mr. Woodward? 9 EXHIBIT B