HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0898.108 2020-2022 P/ Ctxuncil
191
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2023 APR -6 PH 6: 49
April 6, 2023
County Council, County of Hawai'i
Honorable Council Members;
I noticed with some interest the Mayor's correspondence to Council on April 1,
2023 explaining his veto of Council Bill 194. In it he referenced the County's
ability to provide residents with housing and facilities like schools, hospitals,
schools and job centers might be at risk if the bill passed. Other than for
consideration of low-income or workforce housing, I would ask you and the Mayor
how many re-zoning applications have ever come from land owners and
developers to re-zone for hospitals, schools and job centers that have ever been at
risk? Why should I believe the sectors the Mayor referenced are the ones that
would actually suffer under public and council oversight, as opposed to resort,
hotel, commercial and high-income housing developments? In fact Ithink the
Mayor has it exactly backwards.
Further, characterizing some applicants as unsophisticated is at least
condescending if not unbecoming of a mayor serving a diverse population. It
should not matter if an applicant comes with a.cohort of land use experts and
lawyers, or appears before the planning department as an individual. A re-zoning
application should be reviewed and judged on its merits, no matter who the
applicant is. A "discretionary" review means the application endures an
administrative and public process of scrutiny against current zoning practice, rather
than the determination being at the "discretion" of the singular person who is the
Planning Director.
Things change, market conditions change, communities change, zoning
requirements change. If a developer has an outdated re-zoning application and
wants it renewed or extended, a responsible civic authority and informed populace
should want to evaluate the application based on current conditions. I find the
Mayor's veto of Bill 194 short sighted and misguided and urge the Council to vote
to overturn the veto.
Respectfully,
01
Jon Luft
Kalaoa
Comm. No. -1 v' 1u 0
Ref. To: P�(,0101 G1 I
Ref. Dote APR 1 9 2073