Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0333.013 2024-2026P Ca, 61 N163 �HN.1�3 From: Janice Glennie o Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2025 8:14 PM �, = o To: Council Testimony `'—� -+ Cc: Planning Internet Mail; Villegas, Rebecca r" {— N Subject: Bill 63 opens a can of worms 3> m Importance: High co x N .c Aloha council members, My commitment to Kona Community Development Plan and community -driven land use planning is strong. That's why I'm askingyou to vote "NO" to BILL 63. As a proponent of mixed use development, Bill 63 looked, at first blush, like it had merit. However strong its allure— enough to may have hooked our planning director and members of this body, it should also be clear to them that a TOD is a quite different animal than an industrial area with low-cost housing thrown in. I'm askingyou to vote against Bill. 63 because: • Industrial zoning doesn't allow recreational use which, when you're considering low-cost housing, you'll also be allowing plenty of children and other residents who would like and need to have recreational activities near their homes.. • BILL 63 short-cuts and seems an excuse to avoid creating bonafide, safe, useful, resident -friendly, KCDP-compliant TODs— areas with safe, logical, pre -planned mixed use long overdue and written into the KCDP ordinance. • Industrial areas like Old Industrial in Kona (which is what this bill seems to be about) are awash in industrial fumes, noise, and, likely, runoff that may even qualify it as a Superfund Site if it had people living there. Even shop owners near the laundry facility have told us they have to wear ear plugs to work because of the noise— day and night. And the fumes ... I've experienced both just by visitingthere. • Industrial areas in West Hawai'i don't have the components of a TOD including sidewalks, commercial (not industrial) businesses, schools, and other trappings of TODs that our community strongly supports through its support of the KCDP. • Beside not having safe, accessible open space, roadways, including egress and ingress, were never planned to hold the traffic they currently do, no less that of residences (likely 2nd floor), school buses, and other family traffic, not to mention the increase of othertraffic into the area. • It's discoursing to imagine our planning director supportingthis D-grade substitute. If his opinion prevails, TODs will remain as elusive and ignored by the planning department as they have for 15 years. Please say "NO" to Bill 63 for these and other reasons that true planners wouldn't thrust upon residents. Comm. I Ref. To: Ref. Date Mahalo for hearing my testimony and your kokua. Best regards, Janice Palma-Glennic r.Q.5-4849 Kailun-Kona, hawai'i 96749 n' It .i nx io i