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Comm
From: Michael Cerf
Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2021 11:05 AM CO
UNTY CLERK
To: Council Testimony COUNTY OF HAWAIII
Subject: Fw: proposed housing development RECEIVED
Time 1054'.M,
Aloha Council Testimony Team, 21
Please see exchange below regarding the proposed housing project in the Kealakehe area.
Thank you,
Mike Cerf
From: Inaba, Holeka <Holeka.lnaba@hawaiicounty.gov>
Sent: Friday,April 23, 202112:26 PM
To: Michael Cerf
Cc: DPW Traffic<dpwtrf@hawaiicounty.gov>; shallon cerf
Subject: Re: proposed housing development
Aloha Michael,
I understand your concerns and based on my last communication with the developer, previous traffic studies from
the area were going to be retrieved to better inform this process.
At this time, the application is making its way through the various departments of the county. I am waiting to hear
back after this process. Please understand that this process is granted to everyone who is wanting to do a project like
this. It is my understanding that council will agendize this project for a meeting and that will the public will have the
opportunity to testify then.
Na`u me ke aloha,
Holeka Goro Inaba
Hawaii County Council Member, District 8 (North Kona)
Phone: (808) 323-4280
Email: holeka.inabaghawaiicounty.gov
West Hawaii Civic Center - Building "A"
74-5044 Ane Keohokdlole Hwy, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
On Apr 23, 2021, at 10:38 AM, Michael Cerf<Mike.Cerf c@fourseasons.com>wrote:
Aloha Holeka and Department of Public Works team, Comm. '
Ref.To:
1 Ref.Date
Further to my wife's email below, we would like to express that we support public housing initiatives
and support increased infrastructure around affordable housing.
This is not a question of whether additional affordable housing is needed, we feel that it is greatly
needed. The question is one of placement.
This is also not a statement of"not in our neighborhood". As my wife states below, there are already
large low income housing developments in our neighborhood with La'ilani Apartments and Jack Hall.
Our concern is with the placement of this 100 unit complex (whether it be high income or low
income) in an already population dense, traffic heavy, school zone heavy neighborhood
community. Many homes in our neighborhood also serve as multi-generational homes, so there is a
large volume of street parking as multiple families reside in one home. With Kealakehe Elementary
School, Kealakehe Middle School, Hawaii Montessori School, Makualani Middle School /High School
in the immediate vicinity, and Manawalea Street serving as a pass through street to Kealakehe High
School, the area becomes very dense with traffic when school is in full session.
During the public hearing meeting in August 2020, we were told that the traffic survey was conducted
on August 14, 2020 while schools were not in session at all due to COVID closures. With four schools
in the immediate area, and five schools if Kealakehe High School is considered, a traffic survey
completed while school is not in session paints a false picture of true traffic through the area.
During the August 2020 meeting we were also told that other areas with less conjestion and less
through traffic were not considered because there were water well rights sufficient on the chosen
lot. We do not understand how water rights over-rides safety of our children walking to school in the
area.
During the August 2020 meeting, we asked why the ingress J egress of the proposed lot was not
slated to come through the neighboring community via Kiwi Street. We were told "because those
homes are in the millions". This was insulting and an insufficient response.
We would like to know when the next community meeting will be held, and if the concerns that we
voiced at the last meeting will be addressed. Specifically, the traffic study while school was not in
session, the investment in safety measures that would be implemented to offset the traffic increase
to the area, why water rights are not being obtained to put the project in a more suitable location,
and why the project would not be moved further up to accomodate access through neighboring Kiwi
street.
I am under the impression that this lot was not zoned for a multi-family project. Ultimately, we feel
that the area is too densly populated to add another multi-family project. We would like to have our
community opinions considered before any re-zoning applications are processed and approved.
Mahalo,
Michael Cerf
2
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: shallon cerf
To: dpwtrf@hawaiicounty.gov <dpwtrf@hawaiicounty.gov>
Sent: Thursday, April 22, 2021, 02:36:07 PM HST
Subject: proposed housing development
Aloha,
My name is Shallon Cerf and I live on Uluaoa St. near the Kealakehe school. We have been
informed that there is a proposed new affordable housing complex that they want to put
behind our home. This complex would have 100 new units. This area is a very densely
populated area with the surrounding neighborhood and 3 other affordable housing
complexes. In this area, we also have 4 schools. During traditional, non-COVID times, the
traffic in this area is horrendous. Kealakehe Elementary along has close to 1000
students. The traffic backs all of the way up Kealakaa and Uluaoa and causes safety issues
for kids walking to school. The traffic study done for this development was done during
COVID and is absolutely not an accurate picture of this area's typical traffic patterns. With
100 new units, there would be at least one car to every unit, if not 2-3. This would add an
unbelievable amount of new traffic to this already traffic riddled area. Additionally, the end of
Kealakaa, where the proposed entrance would be, is packed with abandoned cars as well as
overflow parking from the existing affordable housing. Residences in that area are already
unable to use their street half the time. I strongly disagree with the placement of this
development. I would suggest doing interviews with the houses in the area to ask what
typical traffic patterns are as a new report would not render accurate results. I have spoken
with many of my neighbors that are also extremely concerned.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Shallon Cerf
3