HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0314.026 2020-2022 rpkwtidl
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From: Erik Funakoshi
Sent: Monday, August 16, 2021 2:00 PM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Bills 52 and 53 Written Testimony
Aloha Hawaii County Council,
My name is Erik Funakoshi and I oppose Bills 52 and 53.
Land Planning Hawaii and the County Planning Department have both referenced that rezoning this lot from Ag to
Urban and then from Ag-5 (A-5a) to Residential (RS-22) is in line with the Kona Community Development Plan. If
you read the 269 page plan that was created in 2008,the firstug idingprinciple of this plan is to protect and preserve
open space, natural beauty, agricultural lands, cultural and environmental resources. All of these principles pertain to
the preservation of this property.
The access to the Ward property is through Kona Acres Subdivision and is in line with it from Mauka to
Makai. Kona Acres subdivision has been acre Ag lots since the 1970s allowing for small-scale farms. The "Federal
Agriculture Census data from 2017" shows that most Hawaii Farms are on small patches of land from 1-9 acres much
like this one. There were 2,621 listed small farms on Hawaii island in 2017. The agricultural footprint has
dramatically decreased in the past century according to the "Statewide Agricultural Use Baseline 2015" This is why
need to keep the remaining Ag lands and allow local farmers the opportunity to produce food.
Hawaii is approximately 2,506 miles from the continental United States. We import about 85-90% of our
food. Climate change,this pandemic, and other global events are highlighting the importance of local food
production and sustainability. We are now facing a second round of the pandemic, we encounter Hurricane season
every year, and are susceptible to tsunamis. Hawaii is very vulnerable to all of these things, which will impact
shipping and our food supply.
We are lucky that supply and imports have improved since the last peak of the Covid outbreaks. Who would we have
turned to if they didn't get better? We would have turned to the local farmers and food producers. That's why we need
to start to take the necessary steps to ultimately reach our goal of food self-sustainability. Rezoning Ag lands to
residential will not help this issue of sustainability just for a mainland developer to make a profit.
This area is viable agricultural land so we need to work to protect it. We have to look at Ag land and local food
production like the police or fire department. You might not need them today or tomorrow, but you're grateful they
are around when you do or someone you know does.
Many people talk about making Hawaii more self-sustainable. We need to think about Hawaii and the culture we are
leaving for our Keiki and future generations. Please keep this property Agricultural land.
Mahalo for your time and consideration!
Erik Funakoshi
Comm. No. ?)Iq aw
Ref. To: UUMA
1 Ref. Date AUG1 8 2021