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bed-and-breakfast special use permit from the planning commissions. State Legislature had a bill this session <br />where it looked like they were taking that out and allowing it. The latest version of the bill that I saw though <br />limited it only to Oahu, because it said for counties with more than 200,000 people. And so it looked like it was <br />trying to create a smaller area where they would allow the overnight accommodations. But at least the version I <br />saw seemed like it took it out for the neighbor islanders. And so I wasn't sure what was going on with the bill <br />because it wasn't only to agricultural activity. And so are waiting to see, we are tracking that. But because it <br />didn't have amendments that impact our bill at this point, I think that we are okay. But if they do do something, <br />then we will have to draft a bill in response to the Legislature when they are done in May, and then come back <br />to you with any appropriate amendments -- as we have been past when they have added, you know, alternative <br />energy, bio fuels, solar panels to agricultural areas, and then we’ve had to draft something to amend our Code. <br />But this is just to try and take care of the current agricultural tourism ordinance as it exists in Hawai‘i County. <br /> <br />KERN: Thank you, Madam Director. Any questions? <br /> <br />ONO: Yeah, I’m kind of -. <br /> <br />KERN: Use your microphone, please. <br /> <br />ONO: Oh, I’m sorry. Yes, I’m just curious. Could you define what is a small farmer? How do you define a <br />small farmer? <br /> <br />LEITHEAD TODD: Well, what we’ve done here is we’ve defined not a small farmer but minor agricultural <br />tourism and major agricultural tourism. <br /> <br />ONO: It’s 15 - and 30 -. <br /> <br />LEITHEAD TODD: So, yeah. Minor is 15,000 or less and major is between 15,000 to 30,000 visitors a year. <br /> <br />ONO: So could any individual farmer participate in this ag tourism program merely by saying I want to have a <br />roadside stand selling my product? <br /> <br />LEITHEAD TODD: Well, they are currently, even without agricultural tourism, allowed to have a roadside <br />stand. That’s a permitted use already. So any farmer can set up a, as long as it’s selling product from his farm. <br />He cannot sell product from nonagricultural sources, he can’t sell products from somebody else’s farm. But if <br />I’ve got a farm in, let’s say, South Kona, and I happen to have avocado and banana on my farm, I can put up a <br />little stand at the front and have a sign that says avocadoes and bananas. And you actually will see some that are <br />on the honor system along the roads in South Kona - you know, there’s nobody there, there’s a bucket to put <br />money in. And, you know, there are even flower leis, I’ve seen one; and they put a price on it and it’s the honor <br />system. Because they’re farming, they can’t man it. <br /> <br />ONO: Right, right. <br /> <br />LEITHEAD TODD: Now that’s legal and it’s not considered agricultural tourism because that was a use that <br />was already in the State law, cause you’re allowed to sell from your property. The concept of agricultural <br />tourism is that we want people to be able to participate in, let’s say, a tour of the coffee farm, and also expand <br />some of the items that you can sell -. <br /> <br />ONO: I see. <br /> <br /> 3 <br /> EXHIBIT A <br /> <br /> <br />