2024-05-02 Hope Yonemitsu - Laserfiche WebLink

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Aloha Windward Planning Commissioners: My name is Hope Yonemitsu. I was born and raised in Ka`u. I am a proud graduate of both N5'51ehu School and Ka`u High. Being a daughter of Ka`u is truly a gift—something I didn't fully appreciate and recognize until I moved away. I have been fortunate to move home to Ka`u in recent years, and I am submitting this testimony as an individual resident of N5'51ehu. I am in strong opposition to the project outlined in the Special Management Area (SMA) use permit application (PL-SMA-2023-000046) as submitted by Black Sand Beach LLC (BSB LLC). I urge you to deny granting this permit because the addition of a resort, regardless of the number of units built, will trigger a snowball effect for this district. One resort will become two resorts, then three and so forth. Then existing resorts will expand to be bigger resorts, and before we know it, the rugged, pristine beauty of Ka`u is gone forever, just to become another resort area—a playground for wealthy visitors and transplants, not for the Kanaka, Kama`aina, and long-term residents of this area and island. I support the points in the written testimonies of Members of the PL-SMA-2023-000046 Working Group (March 4, 2024) and Lillie Makaila (March 7, 2024). Rather than restate what they covered in detail, I'm providing a few additional points to supplement their testimonies, as well as the many other verbal and written testimonies provided so far in opposition to this project. • Ka`u Royal Hawaiian Coffee & Tea (aka Ka`u Valley, Ka`u Ulu Farms): Another company of Eva Liu's purchased more than 1,600 acres mauka of N5'51ehu town in 2015. (See link to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser article about the plans.) Nine years later, the plans have mostly not come to fruition, and my understanding is the company now employs few to no people locally. - The state of this venture raises concerns for the Punalu`u project. Is there a sound business plan, or will it see the same fate as the farm? How much capital is available for BSB LLC to execute upon the plan? Although these ventures are in different industries, the ownership is the same. The track record of any other companies with the same ownership should give insight into the risks of the project changing course significantly, getting abandoned midway, going into bankruptcy, not fulfilling promises, etc. - Star-Advertiser article: https://www.staradvertiser.com/2016/01/19/business/business- breaking/coffee-company-details-plans-for-big-island-land/ • Jobs: I'm not aware of an estimate of how many and what types of jobs this project will generate, and whether these jobs will provide a living wage with benefits. There is no way to guarantee the majority of jobs, at all levels, will go to the people of Ka`u, so I don't see this as a strong proof point that the resort will help keep the people of Ka`u in Ka`u. • Residential and Short-Stay Units: The square footage alone of the condos, cottages, and bungalows indicate these will be expensive, so again, something for wealthy visitors and transplants, not the people of Ka`u. The sizes of these units are larger than most homes in our district, which shows it doesn't align with the soul of Ka`u, and instead will be a wealthy enclave for others. A 76-unit condo complex already exists at Punalu`u. What percentage of it is often unoccupied, and what percentage are vacation or second homes of non- residents?