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They need to insure the constitutionality, guarantee native Hawaiians’ gathering and access rights
<br />that are protected, as well as the fragile and natural cultural resources. And I don’t think buffers
<br />cut it. It must be predicted in a context that has meaning and to protect the culture and practices
<br />that are relevant to this practice. I also think that looking through the General Plan there is a, let
<br />me see, there is retreat resort area. Now, if, with an SMA coming out for you to get this rezoned, I
<br />feel that, in the General Plan it says, “Retreat Resort Area: A retreat resort area is generally an area
<br />that provides the user with rest, quiet and isolation \[for an\] environmental experience ….
<br />Maximum visitor units: 50 ….,” maximum, maximum visitor units 50, “Resort acreage: 15 acres
<br />minimum ….” They want to do 44 units in a half of the 15 acres that the County’s General Plan is
<br />saying for resort, resort unit, 50-unit property, so I think it’s pretty much a non-starter to, even
<br />though I know they are in the Waikoloa node, but we are here discussing what they are trying to
<br />revise on their SMA and get it subdivided or subzoned, and I don’t feel that’s fair. I also feel that
<br />these intentions were probably from the inception, as you look at the plat over here and you see
<br />that there is just that small development, and I feel that there was possibly artful deceit and they’re
<br />bringing this back up again now to rezone and get more development here. Why? Why, why is
<br />that? I don’t feel that’s really fair. And that’s all I have to say. I hope this does not go through
<br />and it remains as the size it is. Aloha.
<br />
<br />UNGER: Thank you.
<br />
<br />COHEN: Aloha. My name is Joel Cohen. I’m a resident of Waimea. I am a former member of
<br />the South Kohala Community Development Plan Action Committee. I’m not a scientist, so I’m
<br />not going to talk about ecological issues. And I’m a 17-year, my wife and I are now 17-year
<br />residents of our island and we certainly are attached to the culture, but I’m not in the position to be
<br />speaking about cultural issues, either. But I believe, I strongly believe common sense comes in to
<br />play here that the climate is changing ever so fast, so what we think of at the present, two years
<br />from now, four years from now, 20 years from now, long after I’m gone for sure, things are
<br />changing and they are changing at a more rapid pace, so what we see in a plan today is going to be
<br />different. And we have to adapt, there are many properties that will be under water that are
<br />already existing. So specifically, I listened to a presentation from the developer a year or so ago,
<br />and I made a point that 60 feet from the shoreline on a sunny day is not adequate, and I made a
<br />suggestion at that time that they think about it. In fact, their response was, “Mr. Cohen, that’s a
<br />good point, we really need to think about that a little bit more.” And I’m disappointed to see after
<br />a years’ time it hasn’t been changed. I think about the Kona Village Resort. Beautiful. Very
<br />much something that I hope will happen in a sensible way, tactful way and return to it. And I
<br />think about, and I just want to leave just this one, one, two words, three words actually: Long term
<br />planning. Something we sometimes lose sight of. Long term planning. So what’s going to be
<br />happening 20 years from now and how do we prevent catastrophe, which is inevitably going to
<br />happen. Mahalo.
<br />
<br />HAMATAKE: Aloha Chair, Council \[sic\] Members. My name is Mereane Hamatake. I am a
<br />resident of Ka‘ū, and I am basically here to support the applicant. I sit on the committee of Joint
<br />Apprenticeship Committee for the Hawai‘i Carpenters Apprenticeship and Training Program. I
<br />also have a background of Hawaiian descendancy, which involves particularly this area in
<br />specific. My family, my family’s history is Mokuola; we are basically the original residents of
<br />Coconut Island, the Keli‘ipio ‘Ohana. I’m here today to basically support the applicant as far as
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