HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0047.002 2020-2022 /couticiI
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From: Harriet Burkholder
Seat: Sunday, December 20, 2020 7:16 AM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Bill 217, Draft Two
Council members,
Please DO NOT pass Bill 217. While I understand and support many of the reasons this effort to limit access to Waipio Valley are
being brought forward,this Bill is overly restrictive to pedestrians. According to Bishop Museum staff, "there are a variety of ways to
get down into the valley without walking", but I am unaware of any other alternative than by motor vehicle.
According to Valerie Poindexter, Bill 217 is the first step in a comprehensive limiting of access to Waipio Valley to motor vehicles,
pedestrians, and people in general. Some of the reasons given for the restrictions are safety of the road, privacy and safety for the
residents of Waipio Valley, and preservation of the cultural heritage of the Valley.
Bill 217 is written specifically"to improve safety" on the road from the Waipio lookout to the Waipio Valley floor. If pedestrians are
a safety issue to cars, require pedestrians to get a permit that limits the number of pedestrians on the road on any one day. This
permit could require showing of a valid ID, include instructions on how to safely share the road with cars, and provide expectations
for behavior as well.Violators could be asked to leave and lose access to the Valley permanently.The permit could take "up to 14
days for processing"and thus not be available to visitors with a casual interest but no real feelings of responsibility for Waipio and its
rich history as well as its current residents.
Or as an alternative, have residents and businesses provide a list of people they want to have the ability to visit them whether by
foot or vehicle.
There was testimony by members of the Waipio Valley Working Group that between 200-400 people have used the road as
pedestrians on SOME days.The use of the road by large groups of pedestrians IS clearly a safety issue for both cars and people, and
such a large group in Waipio Valley, whether walking or driving, would be unsustainable for residents,cultural sites, and the
environment. But small groups do safely navigate the road and should be allowed to continue to visit Waipio Valley as long as their
behavior is respectful to Waipio, it's residents, property owners, and those who hold a long familial lineage there. Mahalo.
Harriet Burkholder
Honoka'a, Hawai'i
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