2017-01-05 Hearing Transcript - County Council Bill 227 Draft 2

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If the County does not approve in 60 days, we'd like to see automatic denial, not automatic approval. It's too easy to get bad projects through if the County Planning doesn't have time to look at it. We'd like to see fees and fines that are enough to fund enforcement `cause the Planning Department, is always, you know, has difficulty with enough resources to handle all the stuff they are asked to handle. We'd also like to see limited number and size of ag tourism operations in each neighborhood so a neighbor doesn't get overwhelmed with a lot or a huge operation. The noise from the ag tourism should not go pass the property line. Animals should be kept safely and humanely and confined so it's safe so they can't get out and hurt anybody. We're also concerned about neighbors' property taxes going up `cause you have the ag tourism, the land's more valuable and the surrounding property there, the value in taxes go up. And, we would like to see a way to avoid a rise in farmland prices if the ag tourism people are buying up a lot of land. And, we'd like to see the operator of the ag tourism business be the owner, operator, or occupant of the farm, not have people from far away making decisions. So, okay, you've got plenty to read and think about, so thank you. HENKEL: Thank you, Cory. Are there any questions for the testifier from the Commission? Thank you. You may be seated. Is there anybody else that would like to testify? If so, sign up. Okay, then, we can look for a motion to close public testimony. IKEDA: Move to close public testimony. MIYASATO: Second. HENKEL: It's been moved by Commissioner Ikeda and seconded by Commissioner Miyasato to close public testimony. All in favor say aye. COMMISSIONERS: Aye. HENKEL: Opposed? Public testimony is closed. Any discussion? II feel that, you know, the future of agriculture on the Big Island is important, and it is going to grow. It's bound to grow as shipping costs increase and so forth. We, you know, we've got all this ag land. And, I look at ag tourism as a way to kind of stimulate the growth of agriculture, but I, I like what Council and the Planning Director are trying to do to simplify it, and I'd like to see it as an entrepreneurial opportunity for smaller individuals to make a living in tourism that relates to what we're doing. But, I also see the need to make it safe. So, that's all II like the idea that Cory brought up about a 60 -day automatic denial. Is that something we can add as a recommendation if we decide that we like that? DARROW: Maybe if you can expound 60 -day automatic denial on? 10 EXHIBIT C