2004-09-16 TCONTINENTAL - Laserfiche WebLink

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GALDONES:You may begin your testimony. ONEILL:Oh, I can begin, thank you. First of all, I appreciate this opportunity to meet with the Planning Commission; and I would like to personally welcome Ms. Siracusa -. SIRACUSA:Thank you. ONEILL:Because we are very, very lucky to have another person in addition to the rest of you who cares deeply about this island; and Im glad that you are on the Commission. My testimony is two parts. One, I wish to extend my appreciation to Continental Pacific for their true willingness to postpone this hearing until community input has been fully heard. And I want to commend both Continental Pacific and the Pepeekeo Community Association for the very hard work over many months to reach some agreements which I believe is still an ongoing discussion.However,itsthekindofthingIhopethatotherdeveloperswilltakeseriouslyin terms of listening to and talking with affected community members. There were three public hearings, community forums along the Hilo-Hamakua Coast in the last few months. They were sponsored by the Rural South Hilo Community Association. Many people present today, as well as many, many community members, attended. I would like to mention to you the key points that have been raised at these forums and at other, many other community opportunities to speak, and Ill just say them very briefly. I plan to write this and have it in a written form for each of you. These are the points that continued to come up: Mauka-makai access; rising costs of property; real property tax increases; loss of Ag land; loss of open space; the beginning of gated communities; the loss of viewplane; the changing character of communities and lifestyle; infrastructure needs including roads; health and safety services; public transportation; impact on schools; lack of small commercial services near residential areas; concerns affecting the small farmer along the coastline; and the feeling that current residents are being priced out of the area with the implication being that future generations of families who have lived in the area for generations will not be able to afford to come back and stay on the family property. There is a great interest among the people who have been participating in these input opportunities for the development of something called village communities, small communities where there will be development but where development is very, very carefully planned in a positive way so that newcomers, as well as current residents, will not have to travel so far for basic services. This is nationwide, this concept of village communities. And I urge all of you to consider this in the future. And I strongly recommend, in addition, that the communities involved in future development be brought in at the beginning of such planning so that there can be constructive, collaborative planning as a result as these changes and developments occur. Thank you very much. GALDONES:Commissioners, are there any questions of Ms. ONeill? Commissioner Siracusa? 10