Laserfiche WebLink
From: Ashlie McGuire <br /> To: WPCtestimonv <br /> Subject: Keep Ka'u Country! <br /> Date: Monday,March 4,2024 9:28:17 AM <br /> Aloha, <br /> My name is Ashlie McGuire and I am from Maui. I grew up in Kihei and watched the small,coastal town turn into <br /> an insane tourist trap that has ruined the town for locals.The cost of living is insanely high,and the infrastructure <br /> was never updated to include the high volume of tourists so we regularly have roads falling apart without repair, <br /> power outages,and ridiculous traffic.The town was built on the wetlands without proper environmental impact <br /> studies,and now without fail every year when we get out huge rains the flood waters come crashing through town <br /> and wash away roads,cars,and last year a fire fighter died trying to keep people safe from the flood waters.It's <br /> been an absolute nightmare watching Kihei build up,and it all started with a few bad development deals. <br /> This plan for Ka'u is a BAD development deal. We first would need a proper environmental impact study done,to <br /> mitigate for things like flood,lava,and to take into account the habitat of the endangered Hawaiian Hawksbill Sea <br /> Turtles.There would also need to be major updates to infrastructure in the area to take on the burden of tourist <br /> accommodation.But most importantly we as a community need to consider the long term <br /> Impacts development like this can have.It will drive up the cost of living for locals,and potentially price them out- <br /> as has been done for so many of us here on Maui. To allow major luxury developers to come in and change an entire <br /> way of life for thousands of people is immoral and inhumane.We the people deserve a say in what happens to our <br /> home towns. <br /> I say NO to development of this nature in Ka'u,especially when it's being pushed through so quickly and <br /> irresponsibly. <br /> Please hear your constituents and citizens,NO DEVELOPMENT IN KA'UI KAPU KA'UI <br />