2008-12-05 THWN RAINFOREST - Laserfiche WebLink

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BETTS: Dear Members of the Planning Commission, I have a consulting company working primarily with water quality issues and water bottling in Puna, HI. I have Mr. Shikwan Sung as a client consulting Hawaiian Rainforest Water Company in the effort to develop a water and health drink bottling plant at the proposed site. In this capacity, I have been at the site almost daily since March of this year, and have been aware of Mr. Sung’s desire for a zone change. When Mr. Sung informed me that W. H. Shipman was opposing the change, I was surprised. When I read the points on which Shipman was objecting, I asked Mr. Sung if I might speak to this Commission on his behalf. Because of my consistent presence at this site over these many months, I have some observations that, I think, are relevant. The site’s history is industrial in nature. These large buildings, some in terrible states of disrepair, housed the machine shops, maintenance bays, and wash stations for the heavy equipment of Puna Sugar Mill. In spite of the Agricultural zoning, this particular property was high impact when it was operational and has been steadily degrading since then. The majority of this property has not been in agricultural use at all. In fact, the proposed uses of this property are much less impactive than its history. The most surprising thing about working daily at this site is just how busy the area is. Considering this, I was surprised that traffic issues made Shipman’s list of objections. There is continuous heavy truck traffic moving from Milo Street to Puna Rock and Certified Nursery, and back. These trucks approach from both Milo Street and Railroad Avenue. Also, there are many vehicles from heavy trucks, to tractors, to personal trucks and cars moving up and down Milo Street. The majority of this traffic is early and late indicating that many people work down Milo Street past the gate. Considering the traffic currently using these roads everyday, the objection on this issue is disingenuous. In my experience, the water of the area is excellent without exception, as Shipman well knows as they own a well that was in the past, and will likely be again in the future, a source for bottled water and juice beverages. It is primarily for an evaluation of this water drawn from wells that have yet to be completed, that Mr. Sung has retained my services. Water analysis will be accomplished as the samples are obtained. It is this water’s excellent nature, not to mention its amazing abundance that makes it so desirable as a source for bottled water. Most importantly, both the expense of getting the water to the surface for analysis and the risks associated with the results are Mr. Sung’s alone. Over the last months, I have had several occasions to talk story with the neighbors. I have introduced Mr. Sung’s intentions for the property on several occasions. I have always received a positive endorsement. For example, this property represented a serious security risk for the Liberty Christian School. There was a lot of evidence of people “hanging out” at the site prior to it being fenced, and now secured by the daily presence of people working there. Mostly this evidence was beer and alcohol bottles, evidence of fires being built inside the buildings and other litter associated with questionable activities, discarded drug paraphernalia for example. In all of my conversations, it was recognized that people’s presence at the site was a positive for the school. Across Milo Street, Hawaii Pride is also strongly supportive of the site’s renovation and development. EXHIBIT C 6