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GRAHAM:We are in discussion period. <br />WATANABE:I -. <br />GRAHAM:Commissioner Watanabe. <br />WATANABE:Thank you. Personally I don€t see that much of an issue with this. <br />Initially I thought maybe there should be a limit on the size that was possibly larger than the half <br />acre, but then I think that€s also covered already in one of the conditions that the Director had <br />placed, which is Condition D referring to restrictive covenants in the deeds of the proposed lots <br />within the subject parcel. And I would also point out that this is directly adjacent to an area that <br />the residents, as Brian testified, initiated a zoning change to Urban; and actually, that right <br />apparently was upheld in Court relative to his testimony. So I don€t see where it€s that big a <br />deal, especially since I think general knowledge is that the area is not really conducive to <br />agriculture. <br />GRAHAM:Thank you. Other Commissioners have anything to offer? Commissioner <br />Siracusa. <br />SIRACUSA:For one thing, you know, when they say whether it€s rocky or whatever <br />and not conducive to agriculture, there€s all sorts of agriculture. You can do a lot of agriculture <br />in raised beds, you can do it on tables. For example, potted plants for export or orchid, you <br />know, growth doesn€t require any kind of soil at all, really. So, to me, that€s not an argument. <br />The point is also that there is nothing legally that would keep them back from holding it in <br />common and passing it on to heirs even if they kept it as one parcel. And perhaps one of the <br />attorneys in the room would care to comment on the possibility. But it seems to me that the <br />reasoning to just, you know, to be able to pass it on to heirs, turning them down would not <br />preclude that. <br />GRAHAM:I understand. Any other Commissioners? <br />WATANABE:Follow-up. <br />GRAHAM:Commissioner Watanabe. <br />WATANABE: I think we have to recognize that it€s very difficult to get people to agree <br />even if they are family. I think we€d like to think of a family unit as one really cohesive unit, <br />and I€m not implying that the applicant€s family is not a cohesive unit. On the other hand, it is <br />much simpler when you can make your decisions on your own rather than relying on other <br />people to sway you in whichever direction. It€s, I think, a reasonable request. <br />GRAHAM:Commissioner Iwashita? <br />IWASHITA:Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just for the record, I want to incorporate all of my <br />prior concerns about the lack of a community development plan implemented in this area, and <br />that, as you all know, it is my opinion that that should be the process that should be on-going <br />before we consider any rezonings such as this. In particular, as to this application, as a body and <br />as a Commissioner I view my role as looking at the big picture; and that is to say what is this <br />area going to, you know, look like 20, 30, 40 years down the road and what impact is the request <br />going to have on that. And, you know, as I mentioned, in passing earlier, you know, my uncle <br />andmyaunt,mycousins,theyfarmedaparcelinthisarea.It€snoteasywork.Theyworked <br />many,manyyears.It€sstillproductive,theirfarmingoperation.It€snotreallybeingworkedat <br />muchnowbut,youknow,that€snottosayitcan€tbedone;andthefactthatit€s,anyfarmerwill <br />7EXHIBIT A <br /> <br />