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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0348.002 2020-2022 i .'1 - t ° HONUA ' LA LIVING COMMUNITY Kealakaa Street North Kona TMK# 7-4-0004-014 and 092 i Res.-17P-21 f Testimony Letter from Beverly Behasa resident/owner Harborview Subdivision 74 783 Ulua oa Street ailua Kona Hawaii 96740 The Proposed development for Affordable Housing on this 5.35 acres Agriculture-1 zoned land is up for rezoning to Low and Medium Density Urban to allow for multi family residences to be built. (RM_2) The project was initially pitched to the immediate community in a meeting on August 17, 2020 at the Civic Center in Kona. Notification of the meeting was sent to the residents on the north side of Ulua'oa Street and the residents on the other boundary lines of the proposed project. The meeting received a wonderful turnout of concerned community members. So much so, that they had to hold the meeting twice, because the room would not accommodate the crowd. The general concensus I witnessed, was that the project was not one that would be well received. Altho, the need for affordable housing is great, the creation of this project on Ag-1 land and rezoning it for the purpose of the project, to RM-2, seems to impact the area in a negative way. Traffic issues were of primary concern. They stated they had done traffic studies and that the project would not impact a burden to the community. These traffic studies were done in the summer at the height of the COVID 19 Pandemic and did not reflect the true numbers of vehicles on the roadways. The only intersection with a traffic light with controlled access to this community , is on Palani Road entering Kealakaa Street. There are public Elementary , Intermediate and High schools that use this access road for transport of students. There are also 2 preschools, a Private school and 5 multi family affordable housing projects in the area. The roadways are already spilled over with excess vehicles from these projects that do not provide enough parking stalls for the numbers. Adding 111 units ,with what was proposed at the time to provide 2 parking stalls each would mean at the minimum 222 more vehicles vying for roadway use in this neighborhood. Now that school is back in session, we are seeing an increase in the road traffic. The schools are overcrowded now. It is difficult to merge onto the street and arrive at the school in a timely and safe fashion. The proposed entry to the project is off Kealakaa Street, just north of the intersection of Manawealele Street. At the end of Kealakaa street is a private school, and a church and several single family residential homes. It is not a thru street, and all traffic has to back track to exit. Although the proposed housing may help with long distance travel to work places, it impacts our already overburdened roadways significantly. Any and all cost improvements to the roadways would hope to be absorbed by the project, rather than the County or State. Co Ref. To: Ref. Date AUG 1 9 2021. i 3 s The single most stressed impact will be to our traffic burden. They are other concerns, such as water issues. Boundary line fencing that will provide added security to neighboring 3 properties is desired. The overflow of parked vehicles along the roadways. I am opposed to 4 story buildings being built right behind my home, as 1 feel my privacy will be compromised.There will be issues of headlights, noise and gathering of people on the outside perimeters of the project to smoke, as it is a proposed smoke free project. I would I much rather be in favor of affordable single family homes being built to accommodate the young working class families who would like to purchase their forever homes. I believe this would be a more visually compatible and esthetically tasteful design to add to our 3 community. I i It is in my testimony that the request for revision of statutes for the HONUA'OOUL9.A AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT IN KAILUA-KONA, HAWAII COVERED BYTAX MAP KEYS: 7- 4-004.14 AND 092 ZONING CHANGE REQUEST from Agriculture 1-acre to multiple family 3 residential 2,000-square feet not be changed. I also, do not see that the waiver of County permit fees to develop 111 affordable units for persons whose income is under sixty percent of the area median Income, be approved. I 3 Thank you for your time. I hope you will consider my testimony as pertinant to the issue at hand. I have spoken with many of my neighbors, and many agree with me. That is what has prompted me to write this testimony. I'm not sure if others will also send testimony, but feel this is my chance to share my feelings and concerns. Thank you again, Beverly Behasa I ,3 i