HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0159.088 2024-2026P /5. counci [
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COMM.159
From: Serena Hernandez
Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2025 7:54 AM , c�
To: Council Testimony "' c
C-3
Subject: 2025 HI County Funding Supporting 159.41 to amend Bill No. 32, Draft 2
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Aloha Chair Kan eali'i-Kleinfelder, Vice Chair Hustace, and Members of the Committee,
am testifying in support of Communication 159.41 to amend Bill No. 32, Draft 2.
Unlike many residents of Waikoloa, I was actually born and raised in Hawaii. After high school, with the
urging of my ohana, I went to the mainland for college. I spent the next 15 years of my adult life living in
major cities in Massachusetts, Maryland and Washington. In 2022, with more flexible working
accommodations from my employer and a desire to move back "home", I started my journey to find
housing on the Big Island where I can see myself establish roots. Waikoloa was one of the few
communities that aligned to what I needed and begun my journey to build a new home in the village and
move my family there. This was a serious financial investment, but I had the desire to move back to my
home state and contribute to this community as I've done on the mainland.
As a resident of Waikoloa, I've seen firsthand the growing population and increased development in just
the last 3 years. You may not know this, but 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. With the current
infrastructure in place, and the increasing threat of wildfires each year, we cannot assume the
community is set up for success when another evacuation is required of us.
While I understand there are many competing priorities for Hawaii Island, surely the council is in
agreement that saving lives from catastrophic fires should rank as a higher priority than most projects.
We must not take for granted the lessons we all learned from Lahaina. We should never assume an event
almost unheard of could happen again — because it will. We need a second arterial road to keep our
community safe, and also align to the growing population of the village.
,Please reconsider the funds you allocate to the Waikoloa Village community. We are just one
catastrophic fire away from being wiped out like Lahaina.
Mahalo for your consideration,
Serena Hernandez
serena.leilani(o)gmail.com
Comm. M20
Ref.—€tee.O iP 2