2019-03-21 Leeward Exh A - Public Statements (AMEND SMA 07-000020)

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GIMPEL: Thank you. My name is Joel Gimpel. I live in Pualani Estates. And I’m here representing as the public spokesperson for the Kona Traffic Safety Committee. The committee believes that we’ve reviewed this request for a fourth five-year time extension for the Special Management Area Use Permit, and thankfully note that the revised plan no longer calls for a four-story commercial retail office building. Nevertheless, we are extremely concerned with the amount of time, which is more than 20 years, that has elapsed since the Planning Department first issued the Special Permit \[sic\] in December of 1998. During that time the initial applicant, Pacific Monarch Resorts, filed and received two five-year extensions, and the present applicant, Diamond Resorts International, received a third five-year extension to May th 15 of this year. The present applicant states that after – and I emphasize the word, “after” – assuming ownership of the property in 2013, it conducted a feasibility study to determine the actual cost for the original design, which revealed that it exceeded the allotted budget by 20 to 30 million dollars. It’s apparent that the applicant failed to perform an adequate due diligence and feasibility study before purchasing the property, and the applicant has failed, even after completing the study, to complete a timely redesign in the five years that have elapsed since it purchased the property. The applicant cites the unanticipated fiscal impact of the project as a reason for the delay. Again, had the applicant done a reasonable due diligence, it would have been an anticipated fiscal impact when the property was purchased five years ago. We are also concerned regarding the absence of a current traffic study. Accordingly, the Traffic Safety Committee urges caution and very careful consideration of this fourth request for a time extension, given the failure to make any meaningful progress on the development in the previous five years, and the absence of a current traffic impact study. Coincidentally, with respect to the discussion item on your agenda, the first discussion item on your agenda, the Kona Traffic Safety Committee believes requests for time extensions should be carefully evaluated to assure that the many important factors that include traffic volume and safety issues, population growth, waste disposal – I’m almost concluded, I’ve been testifying on two items – water availability, and drainage that were examined when the permit was first granted, have remained relatively unchanged. Clearly, careful evaluation requires new traffic and other studies. The Commission should also consider assuming that after a certain period of time, perhaps up to five years, those conditions have changed, thereby requiring new studies on all issues. Thank you. GREEN: Aloha, I’m Joy Green and I live at Banyan Tree 406 that’s on the south end of the building. So if anyone is going to be impacted, most greatly it’s me 24/7. I agree with the other issues about traffic and parking and emergency exit off of Ali‘i Drive, but my biggest concern is, if this goes through, that the building is too high. Right now every building around Kona Bali Kai, Banyan Tree, the houses to the south, there is nobody over four stories. And this design is really five stories because all of us consider the bottom ground level as one story. So literally, people would be looking down onto my lanai. And I just feel like the project is too big for this space. Something more compact or reasonable would be something better for the community to me, and also making sure that there is parking. I know Banyan Tree surfers need some parking. And so it’s just going to compound how many vehicles are sitting on Ali‘i Drive, making it more 3 EXHIBIT A