2012-12-06 Windward Transcript Connections

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381 students and 50 faculty members. The proposed septic system will find its way into the caves, and sewage will flow into the groundwater and down into Hilo bay. Development will irreparably damage the fragile ecosystem of the caves and the ‘Ōhi‘a forest watershed which presently protects Hilo. Kaumana Elementary School is half a mile away. Ernest B. deSilva is less than 2 miles away from the proposed project. The traffic impact analysis is obsolete. It was done over three and a half years ago. It did not account for increases in traffic as a result of future build outs and other developments around the area, that is Pacific Plantation II, the new Hokulani Street Subdivision and the addition of the Hawaiian Home Subdivision in upper Kaumana. There is not enough room for the applicant to provide a full width 50-foot right-of-way on Edita Street with concrete curbs, and sidewalks on both sides. There is a concrete channel that cannot be moved. No. 10, problems will occur when two separate school properties are bifurcated by Edita Street. Here’s your lower section and here’s the upper section. Cross vehicular traffic and pedestrian traffic will occur. A crosswalk in the middle of the block will be dangerous. Lastly, over 500 residents in Kaumana have signed the petition against the proposed project. There is no community support. Thank you for listening. AU: Thank you. Any questions for the testifier? Okay, thank you. You all may be seated. We’ll bring on the next five people. Okay, Norine Okuhara, Jan Yokoyama, Ming Peng, Arnold Fergerstrom, and Jeff Gomes. (Ms. Leithead Todd at this time announced that the 1:30 Item 6 on the geothermal asset fund and guidelines for impact mitigation projects will not be taken up as there is not quorum on that item.) AU: Okay, can you all raise your right hand. And do you swear and affirm to tell the truth on this matter in front of the windward Planning Commission? TESTIFIERS: Yes. AU: Okay. We’ll start with Norine. And please state your name, where you reside, and your three minutes will begin. OKUHARA: Okay. Thank you very much. My name is Norine Okuhara. I live at 1209-B Kaumana Drive. My husband and I have lived there for 40 plus years. And so I’ll reiterate it, at last month’s meeting, you know, I’m very concerned about the water rights. Because I live, I will live right below the school. And cherish the thought - what if a fire should happen in my home and I don’t have enough water to put the fire out? What’s going to happen to me? We’ve never been on welfare or anything; and I don’t expect to do it at this point in time either. And, you know, as a retired teacher I am not against education. I am very pro education. But the way Connections has handled things, that goes against my grain. Because we had, I had no prior notices of their meetings. I have yet to receive th the letter dated December 5. And from my understanding, they were mandated by you to have a meeting with the constituents around that area. Why do they have to wait so long? They had over a month to plan this meeting. Why is the meeting on Connections? As far as I’m concerned the meeting should be on a neutral ground. If Kaumana School was busy, they couldn’t use it, we’ve got deSilva School, we’ve got Hilo Union School, we’ve got Hilo Inter, Hilo High School. So what’s the big deal? Not all schools will be busy. And why that timeframe, 12 to 2? DARROW: One minute. 12 EXHIBIT D