HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0663.001 2020-2022 g f 5 g a[ FC.
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CO K. 5
From: Steve Lopez
Sent: Monday, April 11, 2022 1:49 PM
To: Council Testimony;Inaba, Holeka; Baez, Wendy;Villegas, Rebecca; David, Maile; Kimball,
Heather, Chung, Aaron; Lee Loy, Sue; Kierkiewicz, Ashley; Kanealii-Kleinfelde att
`14 CD
Cc: 'Cindy Tuttle'; 808slopez@gmail.com
Subject: Testimony Bill 127
Importance: High
Aloha Hawaii County Council,
I submit testimony for your consideration of Capital Budget Review meetings to be held April 12-13-14, 2022. The web page
for Council District 9 is blank so apologies for not getting to CM Richards email to copy him on this.
I remain quite distressed over such elected statements as"we're committed to Hawaii County",a council member stating the
county has plenty of money with the boon given by RE tax on much higher values,and the electronic waste program
suspended due to lack of funding causing this waste to be dumped on the roads and ditches already filled with waste. What is
the truth and what is going on? My ire is specifically raised by the lack of action,enforcement,assessment of legal penalties
and favoring land use contrary to HRS 205 and the residents of this island.
Specifically,a commercial non-permitted use on AG land in Kona after 2 complaints(Kona Kai LLC)with very little action but
plenty of advice to them on how to be compliant has been going on since August 2021 to the detriment of the adjoining
property owners. Hearsay reports that the Planning Dept counter staff is telling illegal rentals to"rent for over 31 days then let
the guests terminate sooner". Not only is this a slap to us but also do we not need the TAT that is not collecte for over 30 day
rentals? Another of one going to the same place to ask about no reply to their petition to allow STVR in an illegal place is told
"no worries,we don't follow-up". In another known case one very similar to this was illegal use on AG land brought to the
Planning Dept on 2 complaints where the violator was shut down and assessed penalties. The only diff here is that the one
complaining is a well known large non-profit who gives great sums to the County for specific use with a large part from
community donations. So if not in this category the rest of us are left to be ignored and pushed aside? A term coined by the
Planning Dept is "hosted rental"which is not found to be codified in HRS or HCC. Another work around to the law?
How is it so difficult to know the law, inspect the illegal actions and stand firm on enforcement and penalties. If this was the
position I expect there would be large sums of monies available for a host of County needs beyond electronic waste. Seems
much easier to ignore,favor those who have"more"value and stall pending any changes to the current laws which is a heavily
stated rumor being circulated.
I request you not provide the Planning Department any additional funding until they support the law as written and collect the
penalties due. Do you ever hear/see enforcement action/penalties assessed? Where are these in the budget income?
Respectfully,a resident so tired of excuses on excuses on excuses to derive easy monies before increasing tax. In the words of
anchorman Howard Beale(Peter Finch) in the movie Network(1976), "I'm mad as hell and not going to take it anymore".
Steve Lopez
Kailua Kona
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