HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0314.033 2020-2022 P/Counc"I
bill 62
Comm-V4
From: Maki Morinoue
Sent: Monday, August 16, 2021 7:09 AM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Written Testimony Bill 52
Attachments: Aerial Thermal Infrared Image-Kona Coast.png; CMZ Act 1972.png; Toilet-Hawaii Island
Water Cycle.png
Aloha County Council Members
Thank you for your time and listening to my concerns as a fulltime multigenerational kama'aina resident.
I strongly oppose the passing of Bill 52, to redesignation from Agriculture to Urban.
I am asking the County Council to say NO to Ohana Units, get the preservation plan up to date and do a survey now,
no rentals or transient people in local neighborhoods & No rezoning, keep AG Lands as AG lands. Make landowners
take care of our land and participate in food security instead.
Timothy Joseph Ward & Kay Lynn Ward are owners from Omaha, Nebraska wanting to rezone for offshore profits on
TMK: (3) 7- 3-005: 015 into a 6 lot subdivided residential area by REZONING our precious agricultural land with a
significant archeological site on the property does not support our local people pore perpetuate support for our
cultural landscape & sustainability for generations to come. The idea that this location is deemed an urbanised area
should heed warning to how we utilise our land and protect our natural resources. IT is not OK to develop even
more.
They purchased agricultural land, it wasn't a surprise. They needed to abide by the zoning rules and regulations in
which they purchased the land. This change impacts many people & our cultural landscape and our natural
resources to only benefit Katrina Kerns' company Land Planning Hawaii and these offshore investors, the Wards.
John Pipan of Land Consulting Hawaii formerly known as Zendo Kerns &Associates is continually trying to resubmit
an amendment to this Bill for the permission to build an Ohana unit on one of the properties after the Leeward
Planning Commission said NO Ohana Housing whatsoever to protect the traffic and density coming out of this land
that will spill into an old existing local neighborhood making their currently safe quiet cul de sac for their children and
elders and threaten a safe heaven they have had for three generations. We lack parks in Kona, near neighborhoods
and up along cool climate areas. Quiet cul de sacs are a safe haven for our local families. Opening up a road into
this area could increase cars up to about 12-13 cars depending on Ohana housing if each home has two cars which
is the norm here in Hawaii.
I ask the County Council to demand that the preservation plan be up to date and do the survey again now, for the
respect of our culture and `aina. The language from the Ward's dumbing down our archeological site in July's
meeting referring to this sacred area, to some "burned nuts" in a small lava tube is absolutely distasteful and
disrespectful as it was recognised by the previous Archaeological site visit.
As a multigenerational kama'aina and an active voter, I have seen the effects of changes in agricultural land that has
been turned into subdivided residential lots for more profit. It has created over density, inviting multiple home owners
that are not occupying the homes for the majority of the year. This raises our taxes for the local full time residents as
we also struggle with affordable housing for our working middle class residents to rent and first time local
homeowners to buy. I personally have had difficulties finding a home for the past 3.5 years at market price. Only
cash paying residents can afford a home right now that is close to 1 million dollars. Their recent language change
claiming 'affordable housing' with no numbers or terms to speak of is a SHAM.
Comm. No.
Ref, To:
1 Ref. Date AUG 1 8 202 r
I am a farmer, a 3rd generation willing to work the lands for our people and Rezoning and offshore profiting,
inflations, without supporting closed circle economic diversity is one of the reasons my generation and younger can
not afford to live here.
Chopping up natural land into residential property is disruptive and destructive.
The majority of the developments over the last 20 years has lent itself to increased Staph infections with more
frequent brown water run off, sand and soil contamination and an imbalance to our natural resources.
With more frequent King Tides, floods as climate change becomes evident amongst our shorelines and mountain
slopes, we have higher risk in sand and water contamination. We have already increased warnings from the State
Department of Health with "CAUTION, High Bacterial Levels, contact with water may cause illness", signage posted
on our beaches.
Growing up here we did not have to add sanitizing sprays and creams in our beach bag. Now it is a must to prevent
vicious flesh eating staph infections. I myself have had an alarming experience. We grew up going to the sea for
wound healing. Now we must stay away when you have a wound.
For these reasons I strongly oppose Bill 52 & 53 for rezoning in this densely populated area. Our culture, our land to
sea relationships and our water is more valuable than profit made by a few while creating overdensity and the
negative impact it will have on our island for generations to come through the detrimental outcomes to our limited
natural resources and changing climate. Have the Ward's build one family home and one farm house, make people
grow food for our people instead. They purchased agricultural land, let them take that responsibility in which they
chose to buy in the first place.
Attached to my written testimony is an image of our Water Cycle table and an infrared image of cold mountain water
coming out to sea. It gives the County Council a visual understanding how contamination on the land relates to
contamination in the ocean. The images were taken by UH Manoa.
Ua Mau ke Ea o ka aina i ka Pono!
Mahalo for your time,
Maki Morinoue
2