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MELOW: Good evening. I'm Susan Melow. My family and I live on a small farm mauka of
<br />Hakalau. I'm here to voice my support of the Hakalau [sic] Community Development Plan.
<br />This evening I am reminded of a similar event I attended in 1977 while living on the Island of
<br />Lanai. Dole Pineapple was introducing its plan to allow a hotel chain to build a resort complex
<br />on the only accessible beach on the island. Despite the platitudes of Dole's executives, the
<br />audience, many of whom were Native Hawaiians, could connect the dots. The increase in the
<br />number of tourists would mean the need for tour busses and shuttles, not found on the island up
<br />to that time, and imported hotel staff would generate the need for additional housing and services
<br />thereby crippling an infrastructure design to support an island -wide population of less than 1,000
<br />persons. The list goes on. Most importantly, though, a Hawaiian way of life would be gone.
<br />Lanai locals were certain hotel guests paying a premium dollar for staying at such an exclusive
<br />location, weren't going to share the small beach with farm workers and their families who had
<br />four generations spent their evenings on the beach, talking story, paddling canoe, making music,
<br />throwing balls for the kids and some pretty gnarly looking poi dogs. Over the objections of the
<br />people of Lanai, we know these changes did eventually come. Change is inevitable. But, we
<br />have an opportunity now to set a course for the future we want. The CDP codifies my vote to
<br />keep country country. There are too few rural farming communities remaining in the islands,
<br />and I believe the emphasis within the CDP to sustain the agricultural nature of the Hamakua
<br />Coast to be the right course. The CDP embraces lessons learned from the past, and the current
<br />thinking of community planners. Developments should take place within our current towns and
<br />villages along with the need to improve parks and areas for recreation activities. Let's aim for a
<br />future where the natural beauty, pristine environment and rural nature, the Hawaiian style of the
<br />Hamakua region, can be enjoyed by future generations and visitors alike. Thinking back of what
<br />happened on Lanai, and our gathering here tonight, I wish to know the difference. While
<br />residents of Lanai had voices, they had no clout because, not the residents—because Dole, not
<br />the residents, owned the land. My family owns our land, and our tax dollars support the County
<br />government. I'm, therefore, looking to my County to expeditiously put into place the Hamakua
<br />CDP. Much Mahalo.
<br />CLARKSON: Thank you all. Any questions for these testifiers from any of the Commission? I,
<br />I would like to ask Mr. Carvalho toI was kind of surprised and shocked actually that you feel
<br />that the Steering Committee was not, or maybe I'm paraphrasing this wrong, you feel that the
<br />Steering Committee was not allowed to review the suggested changes from the Planning
<br />Department and make any objection to them before it became presented to us as an action item.
<br />CARVALHO: It was presented, it was sent out and then it was, went over it. There was some
<br />discussion where I brought up the issue of "shall" and "should." But, we were not allowed to
<br />vote. And, we also, I also requested for time to digest the proposed changes and what the
<br />Planning Department, information the Planning Department had provided us, and that, and to
<br />have another meeting probably, and that was, we were not given that time to, that was not
<br />granted. And, then there was no vote to accept or reject the proposed changes by the Planning
<br />Department. And, we were under the impression, the Committee was under the impression, I
<br />should say, that we would have an opportunity to review the changes from the, when they went
<br />over the procedure, they told us the Planning Department and Corp. Counsel would look at it,
<br />and send back a draft, but,we were under the impression that we would have a chance to digest
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