HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0159.021 2024-2026Wildfir��_Safejy Advocates of Wakdoa
Joan Mauta
68-1829/\uhi|iLp.
Waikoloa
434.962.4108
Aloha Chair Konea| Vice Chair Huatoce.and Members ofthe Committee:
My name is Joan Maute.|'ve had mpresence inWaikoloa Village since thm80s when myfolks
were here and have been living in the village myself for the past 9 years. I am submitting
testimony to urge you to include initial engineering funds for a second arterial road for Waikoloa
inthe 2O25Capital Budget.
You are well aware that WaikOloGVillage is experiencing explosive growth. The Village isone 0f
thefastest-growing communities on the Big Island. 1200 units of new affordable housing and
2100 units of single-family housing are planned, which will double the population over the next
20yeors. And only one road to serve the community.
Wildfires around our community are becoming more frequent and more intense. During the
evacuation ordered bythe Mayor inresponse to the 2021fire, residents experienced hour-long
delays intraffic seeking 0oexit the Village unVVaiko|ooRoad and the Mu|uemergency road.
Had the fire burned into the Village, people trapped in traffic could have easily died in their cars.
The County recognized this danger nearly 2Oyears ago, ranking osecond roadway aaa'very
high priority' in adopted plans. Four mayors later, we're still waiting. Without engineering funds
inthis year's budget, this long -delayed project vv|Ubodo|oved... again. Even ooVVaiko\ooVillage
faces increasingly devastating risks ofwildfires.
It's been decided that asecond access road should bwbuilt down toQueen Nhighway. Beoaumethe
fires tend to originate upwind and burn downhill towards the coast, a road going to the coast from
VVoikoloowill not bevery helpful insaving our lives. Wereally need atleast one road that is
perpendicular bmthe line ofthe fire heading toKovvoihae Road ortowards Kona and then down to
(JueonK.
This isn't about convenience; it's about our survival. PleasehonortheCounty'ecwn|ife-
V' In 2008. the County adopted thmVVoikoloa Village Plan "with very high priority given to
the construction ofasecond access road connecting Waikoloa Village to Queen
Ka'mhunnonuHighvvov.^Seventeen years later, no funding has been committed to
implementing� this
2. The 2008 Waikoloa Village Plan explained that "[t]he most significant type of natural
disaster that threatens the Waikoloa community is the threat of wildfires. [T]he fire
threat is an ever-present danger for the Waikoloa community, and a second
access/egress road may well prove to be the difference between successful
evacuation of the Village and injuries and even loss of life."
3. Since 2008, the population at risk has increased from 5000 to 7500, with new housing to
accommodate another 2000 residents expected by the end of the decade.
4. Waikoloa Village is one of the fastest growing communities on the Big Island, and a
planned center for about 1200 units of new affordable housing and 2100 units of single
family housing which will double the population over the next 20 years.
5. Wildfires in Waikoloa have become more frequent and more intense as climate warming
has made summer drought conditions and red flag wind conditions more extreme.
During the 2023 Lahaina fire, three wildfires burned 40,000 acres within sight of
Waikoloa Village. By chance, the hurricane winds carried the conflagrations away from
the Village.
6. During the evacuation ordered by the Mayor in response to the 2021 fire, residents
experienced hour-long delays in traffic seeking to exit the Village on Waikoloa Road and
the Hulu emergency road. Had the fire burned into the Village, people trapped in traffic
could have died in their cars.
7. A second arterial access highway is needed to save lives. It is not just a traffic
convenience.
8. The Hi FD Deputy Fire Chief stated that they need another two-lane access route to
bring the equipment and crew from the Puako station to help fight fires approaching or
burning into the Village.
9. Parents with kids in Waikoloa School who work outside the Village or do not live in the
Village will need access into the Village during fire emergencies to pick up their kids from
school. If Waikoloa Road is blocked by fire, parents will have no access, and children will
be trapped without transportation.
10. Potential buyers of the workforce housing (Na Hale Makoa) now under construction will
be exposing their families to being trapped in a fire miles away from the current access
road where they will face competing with 8000 other residents for a way out.
11. Homeowners whose homes survive a catastrophic fire and realtors will not be able to
sell anyone's property in Waikoloa if residents are incinerated in the flames while stuck
on the road trying to escape a fire.
12. Waikoloa generates about $25 m in RE tax revenue annually ($14.4 m from residential
RE, and at least another $10 m in commercial RE taxes). Building the planned second
arterial road will cost about one year of the real estate tax revenue generated in
Waikoloa.
13. Planned new housing will approximately double the tax base and real estate tax
revenues over the next 20years.
14. New housing development and alarge portion ofthe current and future RE tax revenue
stream will be lost for decades if a significant portion of the Village is destroyed by fire,
losing far more infuture revenues than the road will cost.
15. In addition to the loss of RE tax revenues, loss of housing in the Village will impose an
extreme burden on the existing housing stock by requiring that as many as 7500 current
residents displaced byfire borelocated.
16. Ed Sniffen, Director of the Hawaii Department of Transportation, committed to helping
find federal money for this arterial highway if the County completes the engineering and
design but has stated that he cannot help if the engineering has not been completed and
efirm cost estimate prepared byDPW. Hewill nolonger bainthe job after 2O26 to
honor this commitment if the County does not complete the engineering and project
design b«2O20.
17.New funding iobeing added tothe 2O25QPbudget for street paving projects, nevv
parks, and other amenities that have not been planned for 17 years and ARE NOT
flagged bythe County plan aoo"very high priority" project meeded to prevent the
loss oflife.
18. Saving lives from catastrophic fires should rank as a higher priority.
Please, please, please make this atop county priority and dowhat needs tobadone tomove
this along!!
Joan Maute
G8-182SAuhUiLoop
434.982.4108