HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0027.019 2000-2002 I~oku Lua srou~
Sierra Clnb - Hawaii Chapter
P. O. Box 1137 Hilo, HI %721-1137
February 21, 2001
Hawaii County Council ~f lECEIV~~~
Hilo, HI By. .
~~z:~ro~
DCYrCOUncilMealbels: ~ Counry (,ounce!
The Moku Loa Group of the Sierra Club would like to go on t+ecor+d as opposing the
Proposed shopping center at the intieesection of highways 130 and 11 at the antrat?ce to the
IGeeau yp~. The plac+~eent of a ~wpp~ oer~ at fists location is mar OE an extension of
the Hilo ehoQpireg oaridor than a n~'taliiation of the Knau oomm~mity. The further
urbatrization of re~ will detract from the aesthetic values that tourist and island
residents find so r~eliireg.
One of the nujor focuses of the Saerra Club is shopping urban sprawl We believe in the
aeation of oommutrities where shopping, Parks, and employment oppottutrities are
designed in such a rnarue~ that people cart walk sdwols, a the grocery shore and
d~eby reduce the role of the automobile in our daily lives. Plarmers Eor this center stated in the
Herald Trib~u~e that ~ppn~ would a~ly shop is oentiees on au6oawbile accees. When
will you„ ere the leaders of our Iasi gvvas~mmt, take a proacgve role and begin Eo focus on
planning that is oenmeeed an people trot cats. if people are lead by on~ative leaders twill
follow. The ICeaau area could be such a model community. It would appear fiat the pman
company has the oppasihe goal in mind. Much oaf the orittinal oommv~uty w1~s bulldozed. Now
a ~cenhr is Proposed on ties ouhsldrts of town ch will likely erode the town center
even
We do not want >p stand in the way of job growth in upper Puna. However we feel that
the placea?ent of comafa+dal activity should enhance the setae of community in ICeatu not try
to make it even afore of a Hilo subueb. We question the number of new jobs that will be created
by this project aRer the itritial constrection is lehed. if a safeway or IOTA supermarket is
included as the andror shore, as has been pe~opoaed, wouldn't the retailers aeerely transfer
employees from their pr+eeaet e6m+es in the Pu'aitealw area only 5 miles away as custmners began
shopping at the new storel Atiotleerp
e~~ Darter ie alrrady ands conshvttion an the
bypass lees then a sells from this . How many shopping centers are needed?
in dosing, what will be the of this new alropping cents on traffic iR the vianity of
the project The construction of the bypass has finally given commuters some relief from the
arartuntetrtel traffic jams at the old inUasertion. This project will create the same traffic
congestion at the new inber~eectian. Mohocist proceeding toward Volcano and Puna will
frequently have ib stop bo allow era's bo leave the shopping center. This will waste gas and
inaeaee the level of air pollution in this area.
Please vohe agaitrt this proposal.
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Dr. P '
Moku La Chair
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