PL-REZ-2022-000033 J. GIMPEL, PUALANI ESTATES BOARD OF DIRECTORS TESTIMONY 12.8.2022

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Araujo, Jaclyn From: -A O L - M A I L- <alohafidlr@aol.com> Sent: Thursday, December 8, 2022 7:49 AM To: LPCtestimony Cc: bandcculhane@yahoo.com; deewunschel@yahoo.com;jchorizon@icloud.com; rckonaron@gmail.com; ricoventenillal@gmail.com Subject: Testimony Re Kona Three LLC Application (PL-REZ-2022-000033) Dear Leeward Planning Commission Members: Attached and following is written testimony regarding the application of Kona Three LLC for time extension. Aloha, Joel Gimpel, Vice President Pualani Estates at Kona Board of Directors The Board of Directors of Pualani Estates at Kona, a subdivision of 362 single-family homes several hundred yards north of the proposed Royal Vistas project, hereby strongly objects to the request for a time extension to secure final plan approval and completion of the project filed by the Applicant, Kona Three LLC, of the proposed Royal Vistas project. Work on this portion of the project that was supposed to have commenced over 15 years ago, has never progressed, and the current applicant, who acquired the property seven years ago, now seeks another 10-years to complete it. We believe that the application must be denied for the following reasons: 1. The traffic studies submitted by the applicant are woefully inadequate because they were taken during times when the COVID pandemic had begun to cause a significant decrease in visitors and business operations that resulted in greatly reduced traffic on Highway 11. Furthermore, the studies don't adequately account for traffic volume that would result from other proposed developments in the area that are also being considered by the Planning Department. Nor do applicant's studies acknowledge that the widening of Highway 11 to four lanes, though needed, is neither planned nor funded, and is therefor uncertain for the foreseeable future. Accordingly, the current traffic conditions on Highway 11, which are already well below acceptable standards during the weekday morning and afternoon "rush hours," should prevent developments in the area that would add significantly to traffic on Highway 11. We are also concerned regarding the proposed "Royal Vistas" roadway that would serve as a fully channelized entrance to the subdivision from Highway 11. Apparently, this connection would not be signalized, therefore causing additional delays and creating an additional traffic hazard. 2. We remain concerned about the inadequacy of the archaeological studies that purport to support the project because there is much evidence that the property includes features of the Holualoa Slide and rock walls that are mistakenly described as agricultural walls. In addition, only a small percentage of the property has been inspected for archaeological features deserving of preservation. 3. Although the earlier proposal to access Highway 11 via road extensions through the Gomes property to Ho'omama Street and Paulehia Street in Pualani Estates, which intersect with Puapuaanui Street, had supposedly been dropped, the current application appears to resurrect it as identified under the Kona 1