2014-05-01HEARINGTRANSCRIPT-CONNECTIONSCBESSSPP12-138

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TRUESDELL: I’m Elizabeth Truesdell. I live at 250 Kristiano Street which is off Mele Manu. As a secondary school classroom teacher for 31 years, I have accrued much experience with schools and students and families. All of those years have been spent working in independent schools that have both day and boarding programs, though I myself am the product of a completely public education from kindergarten through graduate school. Student safety is a huge concern for anyone and everyone involved in an educational institution. I remember walking to our neighborhood elementary, middle, and high schools; however, that was the 60’s and 70’s. Now, many local students ride the school bus, even to local public and charter schools. Situating a campus at the singular entrance and exit to an entire subdivision creates numerous potential safety and traffic hazards for students and staff of the school, as well as residents of the subdivision, even more so due to the fact that the majority of the students will be transported to the campus via car or bus. Additionally, the windy and narrow Kaūmana Drive is already a challenging commute with the projected mauka residential development and additional use of Saddle Road due to its newly completed improvements—this before the elder care facility being constructed on lower Kaūmana Drive comes online adding more use and stress to Kaūmana Drive. The additional load of cars and/or school buses servicing the proposed Connections Public Charter School campus off Edita Street is a significant concern to drivers in the area. As a teacher, I know that students with long commutes to school face increased academic challenge due to the extended length of their day—bus or car drive to school, full day of classes and activities, bus or car ride home, then homework. Though the proposed school site is just up the hill from the current site, why not look for a location closer to where more of the students reside, thereby making their school life easier, rather than maintaining or extending the already long day for them. I think we can all agree that Connections Public Charter School needs a new home. Assessing the needs of the full build out for the new Connections campus and the community the school serves then finding a situation to meet those needs is critical to the long-term success of the project. I firmly believe that the Kaūmana site is not a suitable location to meet the physical and resource needs of the proposed campus, not from a “not in my backyard” point of view, but from the perspective of a professional educator looking to find a pono fit for both the school and the existing neighborhood. Thank you. GONZALES: Thank you. Any questions for Ms. Truesdell? Mrs. Lee Loy? LEE LOY, P: Aloha, my name is Pauline Ke‘ala Lee Loy, and I am a resident of Mele Manu Street in Kaūmana. As members of the Windward Planning Commission, you will ultimately determine the recommendation or denial of a special use permit request for the development of Connections Public Charter School on State DLNR property on Edita Street. The school has already been granted the lease for the property. However, they are currently awaiting the green light to proceed with the development. After hearing arguments to both sides, the hearing officer assigned this case has recommended the denial of a special use permit for this specific request. 6 EXHIBIT F