2024-07-01 Email John Metzler response to PD 6-28-24 email (Inadvertently not given to LPC)

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<pthoene@carlsmith.com> Subject: 6-25 Also also sent to Planning Email Kaupulehu Land -SLU DBA and Rezoning -June 20, 2024 LPC Hearing Importance: High Dear Chairperson Barbara DeFranco, I am writing to you now because I signed up to testify on behalf of my project in front of the Planning Commission on June 20, 2024. I was signed on to the meeting, however,was not allowed to provide my testimony. If I were allowed to testify I would have stated the following: Contrary to what one of the testifiers swore under oath, I contacted close to 50 business owners and leaders is the Kamuela community personally to discuss our project with them and asked them to write letters of support for the project,provided in our presentation materials. I did send a suggested letter of communication to the business and community leaders, some of which were signed and returned as-written due to their busy schedules, however, there were quite a few who took the time to write their own letters of support. In addition to speaking with all of the supporters who provided letters of support for our project, I also contacted or attempted to contact the following persons who live in close proximity to the project: 1. John and I have spoken several times to Benjy Garfinkle,who owns the property bordering our property line on the west side of our property. Also, John has had extensive e-mail communication with Mr. Garfinkle. Mr. Garfinkle operates rentals in ALL of the five houses located on his property. One of Mr. Garfinkle's TMK's is Zoned Commercial 7.5. After our communications with Mr. Garfinkle, my opinion is that his objection to our rezoning and subdivision is because we would be in direct competition with his properties and it would make it harder for him to sell or rent his properties. Mr. Garfinkle purchased the commercially zoned property in 2023 for $1,175,000 and it appears that he may have over-paid for the property and is now unable to develop the property as he desires. Thus,we have talked numerous times to Mr. Garfinkle via email and phone conversations. 2. Kristen Counter contacted my husband John Metzler to discuss the subdivision when we first started the rezoning process, yet she swore under oath in the recorded LPC meeting that we had not discussed it with her, ever. One of the Commissioners, Mr. Kanuha, actually stated that the reason he voted against approval was that the applicant had failed to contact neighboring property owners about the project!!! When Ms. Counter initially contacted us about the project, John explained to Ms.