2010-07-23 TMEN - Laserfiche WebLink

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NAVA: Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak to you today. I previously emailed a two-page letter that I believe you’ve all read. And I’ll be very brief, but I do have some things I’d like to say. I’d like to touch on, my main subjects were the impact on the neighboring areas. This is not a wise project for a family neighborhood where we raise children. The entire area, as we saw up on the map earlier, is residential; if you noticed, it was all brown – I believe that’s all residential, is it not? We would -. This particular area would be the only little spot in that large area that would be considered commercial. Also, I’m concerned about flooding both during and after construction. The trees, of course – Shelley was kind enough to give me a piece of this Lemon Eucalyptus – these trees have been here over 100 years. I think that we should care about some of the things in this area. These beautiful trees need to stay; they should not have to come down. Also, the wastewater treatment facility, I’ve got real problems with. The chemicals that are used in wastewater treatment disrupt endocrine function, which is, they are hormones basically. As you notice, we have a small child here from Keala Plantation. When he was a fetus, he was being raised in that area as a fetus and now is a baby. Do you want those kinds of chemicals get into your child? We certainly don’t. Also, the use of Haukapila Street, which Gloria has so eloquently addressed. Just please remember this proposed project is a financial, for-profit commercial venture by real estate investors who stand to make a lot of money. I’m very surprised to hear that one of them is a local physician. They don’t care about our residential neighborhood’s quality of life; they don’t care now, not during construction, and certainly not after construction. The infrastructure in this area cannot accommodate such a large project. Emergency vehicles transport sick and dying Kona residents to Kona Community on narrow Haukapila Street to receive vital, life-saving emergency services. Consider this, Members of the Planning board: You could be in that ambulance – or one of your loved ones. Also, I ask Dr. Sugai to remember the oath that he took: First, do no harm. Thank you. HOUSEL: Thank you. Like to proceed? S. HOIST: Hi, thank you. I appreciate the opportunity given to me this morning to speak. I’ll be speaking for myself and then my neighbor, Teri McGuire. My name is Shelley Hoist. I’m a neighboring residential property owner. I’m actually directly makai of the subject property, closer to the highway than these other, than the proposed complex. I respectfully ask you to not approve this request for rezoning for many reasons including the ones you’ve already heard and were submitted earlier. But today I stand before you to speak for the trees. On the makai end of this subject property is a small grove of historic eucalyptus trees, able to be seen from many miles away and the home to the i‘o, our previously endangered Hawaiian hawk. These trees, which we believe to be Lemon Eucalyptus trees – I’ve given you Exhibit 1 – are approximately 100 feet tall, with an estimated age of over 100 years, according to old time residents of the area and photographs that I’ve also shared with you. Photographs 1 and 2 are from the Kona Historical Society, circa 1915 and 1944, and show what appear to be these very trees. They’ve been a landmark in Kealakekua for decades. It’s hard to believe that these beautiful trees will be cut down and ground up so we can have yet more commercial office space. 8 EXHIBIT A