HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0896.192 2022-2024COUNTY CLERK P I counb I
COUNTY OF HAM b i l 10
RECEIVED GOW. M
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Aloha and good morning. I am Joel Gimpel, Vice President of the Pualani Estates at Kona
Homeowners Association, and because I've testified before you in opposition to Bill 169 four times in
the last three months, I'll be brief, because you should recall that I focused on concerns regarding the
already extreme traffic congestion on Highway 11 that would be aggravated with the addition of 900
auto trips every weekday, and turning the highway into a parking lot. I've also commented on the
absence of adequate infrastructure to handle flooding and other environmental concern.
Some of you have expressed your desire to approve Bill 169 because of the need for affordable
housing. In that regard, I reported to you last March that the state's Land Use Commission (LUC) met
in February to consider the Kona 3 LLC's report regarding the developer's compliance with affordable
housing requirements. The developer had reported that another developer had agreed to include 67
affordable housing units for Kona 3 LLC in a development behind Lowes. However, the other
developer denied the existence of any such agreement. The denial was reported in West Hawaii and
noted in testimony before the LUC.
Following your decision last month to table consideration of the many issues raised, suggestions to
better acquaint those of you who favor bill 169 have been made by opponents of the bill. They include
inviting the council to inspect the property and surrounding area by drone, if necessary, to better
understand the inevitable result of development.
Although I agree that inspection of the property is appropriate, it's already been carefully inspected by
the county's Cultural Resources Commission at the request of the Leeward Planning Commission,
which filed its report to the Planning Commission a year ago. You already have access to that report,
which clearly indicated that the proposed development "will likely have substantial impacts on
historical and cultural assets on the subject property," and the "the area should be preserved in
perpetuity as a historic property." The Leeward Planning Commission did not formally consider the
report for seven months due to a lack of quorum at six meetings, and once, in December 2023, at the
applicant's request.
Two weeks ago, you voted 6 to 3 to approve Resolution 561-24, introduced by Councilwoman Villegas,
authorizing the County Commissioner of Finance to initiate discussions with the property owner
regarding the County's acquisition of the property using the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural
Resources Preservation Fund (PONC) in order to protect and preserve the historic and culturally
important site. Such a purchase would also help the property owner recover his costs and a fair profit.
I therefore strongly urge that you vote to deny passage of Bill 169 to indicate your agreement with the
many concerns expressed by the community and experts in the field and to facilitate negotiations
between the County and the property owner for the County's purchase of the property, thereby forever
protecting and preserving its historical and cultural assets.
Mahalo for your attention and careful consideration of this very important matter.
Joel Gimpel
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
2024