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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0159.137 2024-2026�WILDFIRE SAFETY . . Azzjamii WAIKOLOA • HAWAII Support of Communication 159.41 Amending Bill No.32, Draft 2 6/21/2026 CONTACT: aloha0wildfirewaikoloa,org Aloha Chair Inaba, Vice Chair Onishi and Members of the Council, We, the Wildfire Safety Advocates of Waikoloa, urge you to support and fully fund Communication 159.41 to amend Bill No. 3.2, Draft 2, allocating $2.5 million in the FY 2025 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget to launch the engineering, design, and environmental review for Waikoloa Village's critically needed second arterial road. This request is not just a matter of infrastructure, but of community survival, public safety, and County s responsibility. Why action is urgent • The Fire Risk is Real and Growing: Waikoloa Village has faced repeated wildfire threats, most recently in 2021 and again in 2023 when 40,000 acres burned north of tla� Village during the Lahaina fires. The State Attorney General's second Lahaina Fire report specifically identifies Waikoloa as facing an even greater risk of catastrophic wildfire than Lahaina. • Population Growth Outpaces Road Capacity: When the County's 2008 Community Development Plan (CDP) identified a second access road as a "very high priority," Waikoloa had 5,000 residents. Now the population is approaching 8,000 and is projected to reach 10,000+ by 2030 due to ongoing workforce and market -rate housing construction. By 2045, the General Plan update foresees up to 22,000 residents. • Single Egress Route Endangers Lives: The County's own 2008 CDP called this road essential for safe evacuation. During the 2021 wildfire evacuation, residents were stuck in traffic for over an hour. The Hulu emergency road provided insufficient relief. Had the fire reached the Village, families could have perished in their cars, as tragically happened in Lahaina and Paradise, CA. • Schoolchildren Are Especially Vulnerable: On a weekday, over 850 children would need to be picked up by parents, many commuting into Waikoloa, before evacuating. A wind -driven fire on a school day, without additional road capacity, would make safe evacuation impossible. • Delay is Not an Option: It has been 17 years since the CDP's "very high priority" was adopted, and 17 CIP cycles have passed with no dedicated funding. Each year of inaction increases the risk and potential scale of tragedy. Comm. No. �� ReF. T o: I Ref. Date I M Y 2 29 WILDFIRE SAFETY UW AI A& • RA11 Support of Communication 159.41 Amending Bill No. 32, Draft 2 5/21/2025 CONTACT: alohaewildfirewaikoloa.org The County has a legal responsibility to commit funds to this project • County Charter Requirements: The County Charter mandates that capital improvements be prioritized according to the general and community development plans. Funding for the second road fulfills both this requirement and the express will of the community, as articulated in the CDR • Constitutional Right to Safety: Article XI, Section 9 of the Hawaii State Constitution guarantees every person the right to a "clean and healthful environment." Repeatedly exposing Waikoloa residents to high wildfire risk without adequate escape routes is a violation of this right. Why the Council Must Act Now 1. State and Federal Support Is Conditional: The Hawaii Department of Transportation Director, Ed Sniffen, has committed to helping secure federal funding for construction if the County completes the required engineering and cost estimates. If we miss this window, this opportunity may be lost. State funds were committed this cycle but withdrawn when the state did not see progress on the road. 2. Economic and Fiscal Rationale: Waikoloa generates —$25 million/year in real estate tax revenue. Building this road is equivalent to one year's tax receipts. Failing to protect the Village could result in massive, long-term revenue losses if homes and businesses are destroyed by fire. 3. Community and Market Stability: New and existing homeowners, including those buying workforce housing at Na Hale Makoa, face both physical risk and the threat of catastrophic loss in property values and insurability if the Village is left vulnerable. We hear from residents every week who fear for their families' safety every fire season. No community of this size should be left with a single way in or out, especially in fire country. This amendment will provide the lifeline our growing community desperately needs. This is a rare chance to prevent disaster, rather than respond after lives are lost. We are counting on your leadership and action. Please vote YES on Communication 159.41 and prioritize funding for Waikoloa Village's second arterial road in the 2025-2026 CIP. Respectfully submitted on behalf of Wildfire Safety Advocates of Waikoloa, Matt Chalker, Executive Director aloha@wildfirewaikoloa.org www.wildfirewaikoloa.org