Laserfiche WebLink
CHR. SIRACUSA: Thank you, Jerry. Our next testifier is James Weatherford, representing <br />himself. <br />JAMES WEATHERFORD <br />(At this time James Weatherford came forward to address members of the Commission.) <br />MR. WEATHERFORD: Thanks a lot Jerry; that is a hard act to follow. But sincerely, thank you. <br />Welcome to all the Commissioners, we are very glad to see you here today, we appreciate your <br />work. I just want to briefly respond to an issue that came up the last time and it was asked; how <br />do we respond to anticipated rapid development growth? Historically this has been an issue <br />considered in the equitable redrawing of lines, such as you are doing. If you have too much <br />variation, it is not equitable. One response then, is to manipulate the council district boundaries <br />so as to under populate one or more districts. This year, for the first time, the law ensures that we <br />have this narrow margin of 4.99% within the average. I think that is enough. For this <br />commission to manipulate boundaries for the sole purpose of under populating a council district <br />in Puna could, and almost certainly would, have negative consequence of substantial magnitude. <br />Negative consequences such as splitting communities with common material interests and <br />diluting community cohesiveness achieved through the Puna Community Development Plan. <br />In the Puna context, in the year 2011, it is most important to keep as much of Puna as possible <br />together and to keep communities together with common material interests. Specifically, this <br />means two entire council districts created within the boundary of Puna. This recognizes that at <br />least 5% of the Puna population would not be in those two districts. Number two, each of the <br />incorporated subdivisions in Puna kept together in entirety in one or the other of the two council <br />districts. Three; each of the three villages in Puna should be located in one or the other of the two <br />council districts. The ongoing cross island collaborative effort resulting in Plan _40 being revised <br />with what was in Plan _27 etcetera. That hybrid is really taking us where we need to go. Thank <br />you again for your service. Aloha. <br />CHR. SIRACUSA: Thank you, James. Commissioner Melrose has a question. <br />MR. MELROSE: You used the term "incorporated" subdivision; can you expound on that a little <br />bit, so I understand what you mean. There are so many subdivisions; not only in the old ahupua` a <br />of Kea` au, but on either side of the road, or Black Sands. Are all of these what you would call <br />"incorporated" subdivisions? <br />MR. WEATHERFORD: I wouldn't be able to go down the list from Black Sands to Orchidland <br />and Leilani and all, but I do know that Hawaiian Paradise Park, where I live, is incorporated. I <br />am pretty sure that you would find the same for `Aina Loa, Leilani, Nanawale, Fern Forest. But I <br />do know that Hawaiian Paradise Park is, and I'm reasonably certain that Leilani is. <br />MR. MELROSE: So clarify for me what "incorporated" means. <br />MR. WEATHERFORD: One of the things that it does is the membership of the owners of the <br />corporation, share in the ownership of real property; not only the roads, but other property within <br />the park that is shared or common ownership. And more to the point, it means that they also can <br />0 <br />