2008-01-03 THUALALAI - Laserfiche WebLink

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GALDONES:Could you use the mike, please, Mr. Stirling. Thank yo you state your name and your residence address? STIRLING:Gary Stirling. I live in Kohanaiki in the subdivision, Lot 53 is the lot that IÓm on. Most of the issues that I want to bring up have already been discussed. So IÓll just go over some of the things that IÓm most concerned with; and the traffic is probably the worst. I arrived here in Ó74. For many years I never really cared. It seemed like the whole system here was politically corrupt and everything ran out of Hilo and nobody really cared about Kona. Plus, it didnÓt bother me. But in the last couple of years the lifestyle was changed so dramatically here. It seems like planning, thereÓs no planning, so it seems like. So it seems like itÓs irresponsible for the Commission to go ahead and grant this when thereÓs not, the traffic on Palani, as Steve mentioned, is terrible. That intersection is dangerous. IÓve witnessed accidents myself. IÓd be lucky enough not to be killed on that place. My wife has been in an accident, I see accidents every week there, itÓs totally out of control. And to add, all these more traffic without first fixing the traffic problem is irresponsible of everybody here on this board. You know, when we get the traffic fixed, fine, let them have one-acre lots. I still donÓt like, IÓd rather have the three acres and preserve ag land every chance and opportunity we get. If it does go to one acres, so be it. But itÓs irresponsible without fixing the traffic problem first to go ahead and grant this permission knowing that itÓs going to even, somebody will end up dead from your decision right here. Right now, if you go out there, all the semi-trucks going back-and-forth, thatÓs the main artery coming down. ThereÓs an intersection where they go up-and-down, Hinalani or go down Palani. The traffic is terrible, itÓs terrible everywhere. But it doesnÓt make any sense to go ahead and grant more traffic thatÓs going to, itÓs going to hit, somebody is going to die because of this. So just out of responsible planning instead of no planning -. If it goes to one acres, fine, but it shouldnÓt be allowed until the traffic problem has been addressed and somebody is going to take care of this, the traffic first. ItÓs not right to go ahead and do this and say, okay, well, sometime, you know, after ten people die, weÓll get a signal up there to prevent this. You know, you guys are the Planning Commission, you know, like you have to plan ahead. DoesnÓt seem like anybody has been planning ahead here for anything forever. I donÓt know whether, you know, show of hands, probably everybody here is from Hilo and donÓt really care whatÓs going on Òcause youÓre not in the traffic. I go to Hilo and now they got great roads in Hilo. I donÓt want to live there though, I want to live here. IÓd like to have great roads here just like you guys have in the Hilo side. But itÓs irresponsible to go ahead and grant this without first addressing the problem with the traffic. ThatÓs all IÓve got to say. GALDONES:Thank you, Mr. Stirling. Just for your information, Mr. Stirling, weÓre not all from Hilo. WeÓre throughout this island. We represent different districts. STIRLING:Okay. GALDONES:Commissioners, any question of Mr. Stirling? Commissioner Kubota? 12