PL-SMA-2023-000038 01.16.24 Kilihea Inaba

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Aloha Commissioners, My name is Kilihea Inaba, I am a Native Hawaiian descendant, and of Kaloko, Kona. I am opposing the SMA Use application by Kona Hawaii Development, LLC for TMK (3) 7-5- 018:011 for a few reasons listed. 1) As a first responder who has worked in busy Kailua town, I can only imagine the effects of adding more people to an area that is already overcrowded. There are three county ambulance units responsible for covering the area of Maniniowali/ Kua Bay all the way south to the 93 mile marker, which is a few miles north of Miloli'i. On a busy day in Kailua, Kealakekua's ambulance is required to respond to calls in Kailua, making them unavailable to respond to any calls in their own South Kona district, which is made up primarily of long-time local residents. In addition to the issue mentioned, traffic is sometimes at a standstill, making 911 response times longer than they should be. We are directly affecting the health and well-being of Hawai'i island people by constructing development that increases tourism without the appropriate resources. 2) The existing infrastructure in Kona, namely our septic system at the Kealakehe Wastewater Treatment Plant, is lacking the capacity to efficiently support the current population in Kona. It would be ill-advised to build more units (that we know will not house the people who need it most) along an already very congested Ali'i Drive. Most of us are aware of the suit brought upon the County of Hawai'i because of the inadequate and illegal operation of the Kealakehe WWTP where most of Kona's septic waste goes and where this project's waste would go to as well. In the background report under Wastewater and Solid Waste, it states that "the applicant intends to discharge the project site's wastewater to the existing sewer line along Ali'i Drive" and that "solid waste generated on the property will be disposed off -site in conformance with the Department of Environmental Management Solidy Waste Division." With 1.6 million gallons a day of partially treated sewage being dumped into a pit and evidently draining into our waters outside of Kaloko/ Honokohau, a 100-hotel room would absolutely add to the desctruction of our coastal and ocean resources that is already occurring. We must put the needs of our local residents first; specifically clean water. 3) 1 understand that the Kona Hawaii Development, LLC is not responsible for the irreversible damage done to the property based on the statement that "the site was fully disturbed when the original SMA application (No. 388) was approved in 1998." It can be implied that no study was ever done on this area prior to the construction of the concrete slab that is now there. Further construction on an area that is not guaranteed to not have archaeological or historial sites due to the negligence of previous owners as well as state and county agencies should not be approved just because there is a concrete foundation present. I urge you, the Leeward Planning Commission to consider the unfavorable effects that this development would have on the Kona community and environment.