2012-06-21 Leeward Exh A - Next Design

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S. LEE: This is the correct one, with the drive-through. WHITTEMORE: This is the -. Okay. GIFFIN: Any other questions of the applicant? I think, since there are four of you, what I’m going to ask is that you please go back to your seats, because there is someone who signed up to testify this morning and I would like to have that person come forward. Thank you. The first person who signed up to testify is Mr. Joel Gimpel. Will you please come forward? Thank you. Will you please raise your right hand – the one with the microphone in it. GIMPEL: Yeah. GIFFIN: Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth on this matter now before the Leeward Hawai‘i County Planning Commission? GIMPEL: I do. GIFFIN: Good. Will you please state your name. GIMPEL: Thank you. I’m Joel Gimpel. I’m the Public Affairs Chairman of the Kona Traffic Safety Committee, and I’m testifying on its behalf. GIFFIN: Thank you. Please begin. GIMPEL: Mahalo and thank you for the opportunity. And also thank you for including our comments to the Planning Department in the application that you, in the materials that you have before you. I’ll just iterate briefly those comments and suggestions, and respond happily to any questions you many have. I’m also pleased to learn of the Planning Department’s recommendation that there only be a right-out only on Kuakini, which was one of our suggestions; we had urged the right-turn in and right-turn out only, but the right-out only is even better. In addition, however, we believe that there should be a right-turn merge lane provided on Kuakini Highway that will facilitate safer egress. One thing we would also note is that although the applicant notes that a Kentucky Fried Chicken establishment that received an SMA permit in March 2005, would have generated more vehicular movements than the proposed bank, the traffic on Kuakini Highway has increased substantially since then due to the recent construction of the Kona Commons mall with its Target, which is a rather large anchor store, and we have also the Ross Dress for Less and the Bank of Hawai‘i there and the new McDonald’s; so there is going to be a lot of traffic on Kuakini. So we have to be very aware of that. Finally, we note that the first paragraph of the application mistakenly places the property on the southwest corner of Palani Road and Kuakini Highway, which is incorrect; it’s on the northwest corner as being recognized in your agenda and so forth and so on. But we are concerned that if such a blatant error occurred in the application and was uncorrected, are there any other errors in the application that weren’t so blatant and nobody has spotted yet. So we urge that it be carefully, and carefully, reviewed, because after all the hotel on the southwest corner is going to be very surprised that there is going to be construction there. Thank you. GIFFIN: You’re welcome. And your comments are very well taken. 4 EXHIBIT A