2024-11-20 Kupuna for the Mo'opuna

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Land Use Q:Why was a Hilo CDP not done, when Hilo has the most population? A: Given the process of adopting the General Plan, it may be considered that Hilo would better benefit from an urban development plan rather than a regional plan, although this is still to be determined. The latest Hilo CDP is dated 1975. Further, the greater Hilo area has several other planning documents and tools that other towns and regions do not have and that help to guide development in and around Hilo. These include but are not limited to: the City of Hilo Zone Map (HCC 25-8- 33), Downtown Hilo Multimodal Master Plan, Banyan Drive Redevelopment Authority Plan, EnVision Downtown Hilo, Hilo Bayfront Trails Master Plan, DHHL Master Plans for each of its areas (like Panaewa and Keaukaha), University of Hawaii in Hilo Master Plan, State Airport Master Plan, etc. These "other planning documents" are "urban developments plans" that do not include the voices of the residential communities of South Hilo. The citizens of South Hilo are NOT represented in the GP 2045, of particular concern to the South Hilo homestead communities of Keaukaha and Pana`ewa- already suffering from disproportionate environmental injustices - targeted for aggressive development in the GP 2045 Draft. We have been demanding an updated Hilo CDP 1975 / South Hilo CDP for years and insist that the GP 2045 include the Hilo CDP 1975 to ensure this outdated CDP is part of the GP 2045 Phase 1 2024-2029 actions for "updating our Community Development Plans and other relevant plans." (GP 2045 Draft pg. 221) 2.The General Plan 2045 Draft must include Department of Hawaiian Home Land/ Commission Chair Kali Watson's comments and documents. These comments and documents were submitted to the County Planning Department's Chairman Zendo Kern in February 2024. We brought these same concerns, comments, and documents to the attention of several county administrations, county planning departments, and sitting county councilwoman D3 over the course of many years while the GP 2040 - now 2045 - was being amended. At every level, our voices were dismissed. Now, with this same flagrant dismissiveness towards our Hawaiian Homes Commission Act authority, the county refused to include comments and documents in the GP 2045 Draft that promote the well-being of HHCA beneficiaries. Here are two examples of the HHCA Chair's comments / documents (Attachments 1-3) that the county refused to include: • The MOU between the County and DHHL was created almost a quarter century ago and while DHHL knows that current County Planning Department staff are aware of the MOU and the unique status of the Hawaiian Homes Commission's land use authority over DHHL lands, DHHL wants to further ensure that future County staff future elected officials, and