2024-09-24 PL-INT-2024-008728 GP 2045 Draft Comments - L. Cook

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DeVera, Ashley From: Leslee Cook < Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2024 8:14 PM To: Planning General Plan Subject: Sept 26 my written testimony Re: The Revise General Plan for Hawaii Aloha Planning Department, The final draft of the Big Island General Plan does not support the future we residents living on The Big Island, want. It is suspicious that it is very vague and doesn't it clearly define what you want to do. It should be revised or better yet, completely revamped, below you will see an attachment outlining where it needs to be revised. The current General Plan looks like it will further regulate and fine the public, limit travel, cluster people into dense housing and more. This plan has no conclusive instructions of how to help our communities to prosper. This is NOT in our best interests. The main structure of the plan is "Sustainability" when it should be "Innovation". We the residents are watching your votes and we want to you to honor us and choose a plan that moves toward thriving communities, environmental support (like recycling and opportunities to sell up-cycled products) and economic alternatives such as grants or even better is subsidized farms or community gardens that support farmer's markets and classes throughout k- 12th grade teaching children how to grow healthy food that doesn't use pesticides that run-off and harm our reefs and fish. Education programs that teach homeowners how to use their land better instead of lawns to plant their own food and raise their own food for consumption and selling at farmers markets. Which will cut down on importing so many products which eases environmental impacts while creating businesses for our residents. NOT PUTTING PEOPLE IN BOXES AND OVER REGULATING THEM. We are not idiots! This Big Island General Plan you have, wasn't created by you, it is modeled throughout the United States/Mainland with the exact same words like: cluster, stakeholder, buffer zones, change codes, amend and more! How is it possible that it was created by the Big Island Planning Department when so many other General Plans around the country have the same language???? Please review the attached PDF and revise the general plan accordingly, we are paying close attention to your votes and actions. Mahalo nui loa, Leslee Cook & 50 fellow residents on the Big Island and adjoining Hawaiian Islands. https://www.standtogetherhawaii.com/ files/ugd/86fc0c b34739e4c99c461685de4c0207bf286e.pdf