HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0728.006 2022-2024 P
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CMINTY OF HAd Ati
County Council, County of Hawaii
251 FEB 20 Ail ID 34
Finance Committee Meeting February 20, 2024
RE:Testimony on Resolution 438-24
County Council Members,
Thank you for this opportunity to apply for grant funds to help us recover from the impacts of the 2018
Kilauea Eruption that covered much of our immediate neighborhood with lava, in some places over 30
feet deep. My application is for the restoration and reconstruction of Hololio Road back to Highway 132.
This stretch of road will be about 1.8 miles long with about 0.8 miles over lava.This road will reopen the
legal access to over 22 lots.A few of these lots still have structures and water catchment.
My husband and I started farming in Kapoho in 1974,just before the big Halape earthquake.We own 5
parcels here.Two of the parcels(10ac)are totally inundated by lava. One of our lots fronts Pu'ua Road
(formerly Noni Farm Road). Hololio Road is our legal access for the remaining 4 parcels. I am sure you
have all been to our farm.The spot where Lin Kawano, Hawaii News Now,filmed the fast flowing lava
river is right outside our front gate.And she walked through the longan field with us.
The land around Halekamahina is a valuable agricultural area,with its cinder soil growing the world's
best papayas.We were the first on the Big Island to grow the Sunrise variety commercially, having
gotten the seeds and encouragement from Dr. Phillip Ito of UH Hilo. Other crops that thrived are noni,
bananas,vegetables (cucumbers,watermelon, eggplant), citrus,tropical fruits like lychee, longan and
rambutan, macadamia, cacao, and in previous years sugar cane and coffee.
It has been a long time, almost 6 years. We want our neighbors to get back to their land and be able to
use it again.The amount the Recovery Committee pre-approved for us was less than our requested
amount, but with other property owners along the route willing to pitch in donations,we think we can
get a drive able road to begin and then continue to improve it with more gravel and cinder along the
way.
Please approve the release of these funds and help us restart our lives. It will be a beautiful and amazing
road.
We appreciate your time and consideration,
Jennifer and Delan (Rusty) Perry
Volcano Isle Fruit Co, Inc
dba Kapoho Grown
P.O. Bo 537, Pahoa, HI 96778
Comm. No. 4.
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Ref. Date E 2