HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0742.001 2022-2024 p/oouncii
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CO)4M.742.
From: Reba Coatney15@
Sent: Wednesday, March 20, 2024 7:36 AM
To: Council Testimony
Cc: Reba Coatney -"c`
Subject: public testimony for resolution 442-24 on council agenda March 20, 2024 - rc
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Aloha, +cam
My name is Reba Coatney I am principal owner/builder of Bougainvillea Plaza our family business since its completion in
1989. My husband Clyde Coatney(passed in 2008)and myself moved to Kona in 1969. He then became a licensed
general concrete/construction contractor and I obtained my real estate license. We worked very hard in our professions
helping to enrich not only our lives but others as we helped with getting county water to the Sunset Terrace Subdivision
and building up the old industrial park in town.After completing over a 100 real estate transactions we decided it was
time to retire and Bougainvillea Plaza was our last project before retiring.
Once the building was completed we knew we needed to provide parking for our tenants customers as well as a loading
zone for our many vendors needed to maintain the building. Fortunately,we approached the State of Hawaii DLNR and
they agreed to lease us the lot 3rd/7-5-06:34 on the west side of Likana Lane for Bougainvillea Plaza parking.At the the
time it was undeveloped land. So we filled in the lot, paved it and put up a barrier.We have continued to lease and
maintain the property for over 34 years.Those parking stalls have been very vital to our tenants allowing their clients
access to conduct business.The county lot is always full,especially now with the current PARKLINQ paid parking situation
in town.There is also the problem of people parking in the county lot overnight which is clearly against the rules as their
posted signs state Public Parking 5:00am -2:00am and Tow-Away zone 2:00am-5:00am. Our parking signs state that the
six stalls are designated for people conducting business at Bougainvillea Plaza with a 1 hour limit.
I was caught unaware and completely devastated to learn of the current proposal for Likana Lane parking in the front
page story of West Hawaii Todays March 6 edition. Losing these designated parking spaces does not only put a hardship
on our current tenants but also on our family to secure future tenants and for our vendors to have access to maintain our
building.As you are all aware so many businesses have closed due to the economic downturn during and since COVID.
We kept the majority of our lessees as we forgave their rents for the months that non essential businesses were closed.
Still some were never able to fully recover and to shut their doors. Currently we have three of our nine spaces vacant.
In closing we would like the county to please consider allowing us to continue maintaining and leasing the six Likana Lane
parking stalls or in the very least designating them as 1 hour parking
Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Reba Coatney
COMM. N•. •
Ref. To: WM
i Ref. Date MAR 2 0 2924