2024-10-05 PL-INT-2024-008915 GP 2045 Draft Comments - R. Melendez

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This General Plan seriously needs to be revised to protect private lands and keep our communities RIGHTS safe, because we are homeowners, landowners and renters and the wording in this General Plan is giving the Hawai'i Planning Department the RIGHT to take private land away, page 111 17.4. I have attached a PDF testimony and you might not agree with all of the PDF testimony I have attached and it is trying to protect private lands and the communities RIGHTS before they can be FREELY taken away through this General Plan. My point: Page 41 1.13 it reads 1.13 "Incentivize private land management practices that protect and enhance natural resource and values without further regulations or fines. and, when appropriate, pursue the acquisition of lands for the protection of natural resources." Hawai'i state can already take people's lands for state reasons. This sentence does NOT make it clear what "private lands" they are talking about, nor do they clearly say what kinds of lands they will have the RIGHT to be able to "acquisition". We DO NOT need Hawai'i Planning to have rights to take people's land away like the state can. They need to edit this and declare what lands they are talking about. On page 47 under Action, they clearly state what land they are talking about in "4.i Assess and prioritize County-owned lands..." This is how they should clearly talk about lands in all their statements because this is an extremely sensitive topic, and NO COMMUNITY MEMBER WOULD AGREE WITH GIVING HAWAI'I PLANNING THE RIGHT TO TAKE PRIVATE LANDS AWAY. Page 48 Policies 5.c Develop a process for reviewing and revising guidelines for designating Natural Beauty Sites They need to add without invasion of current resident areas or local farms. 5.d Establish a Scenic Resources Protection Program to identify, inventory, and protect areas of significant beauty. The program could include recommendations from the Scenic Resources Inventory and Mapping Project(2016) They need to add without invasion of current resident areas or local farms Page 81 11.d Amend the Zoning Code to allow for PUD to become administrative permits and subject to the approval of the Planning Director. They are trying to give the Planning Director more power here and the power needs to stay with the county council. Page 85 Lands to be kept in a largely natural state with minimal facilities consistent with open space uses along with agricultural land uses. Includes areas vulnerable to natural hazards, steep slopes, lava fields, and areas set aside 2