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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0027.021 2000-2002 Ellen Okuma r~~ - P.O. Box 1448, Kea`au, HI ~ 2 i 3 ~ 8 r. ' ' February 2 k, X001 SubJect Bill 195/Gateway Mall Perspective. Opposed Mr James Arakaki, Chair Hawaii County Council Hilo, HI 96720 Deaz Mr Arakaki, I ask that you and the full Council senously consider my letter along with other opposition to the Gateway Mall My husband and I own a house and lot in Hawazian Pazadise Pazk (HPP). Although I work in Hilo, four yeazs ago we chose to move to HPP because of the lazge lots, native forest and quietness. I also have academic background in environmental management. I registered our oooosition to the Gateway Mall a year ago at a Kea`su town meeting and am doing so again with this testimony. We are disappointed that Council members except for Ms Jacobson and Mr Tyler, have ignored the requests of vanous parties to reconsider the Gateway Mall plan as it was presented The following is our list of reasons why we aze opposed to the Gateway Mall 1 Economically another step mall will further the decline of Downtown Hilo and Kea`au Town Center, and will exacerbate the number of vacancies in the other malls m Hilo 2 Traffic will increase, especially dunng peak hours (ie, to/from work and school), on a lvghway that already is overburdened, especially when there is an accident We were already told that the recently completed Bypass would minuruze traffic but in fact, it has caused more congestion dunng peak hoots due to the increase of traffic signals and the absence of an underpass or overpass leading from Highway 11 to Highway 130. 3 Urban sprawl will occur if the location and size of the Mall proceeds as planned At the town meeting last Spnng, many people supported the idea ofhaving ascaled- down shopping azea on the same side of the tughway as Kea`au Town Center. Something that complements Sure Save and the other stores currently in Kea`au Why have the Council members ignored those suggestions? 4 Rural chazacter is what makes much of the Big Island, especially on the East side, appealing to residents and visitors alike My husband and I chose to move to East Hawaz`i from Honolulu where traffic, congestion, noise and afast-paced life-style aze not to our liking Comm. Na ' Ftile No. Ref. To: rw`~Ali1 Ref. Da*e F 8 ~ ~ 5 Tourism. The drive that tourists make from Hilo to Hawaz`r Volcanoes National Park is visually appealing because there ~s a miimum of step malls, advertising, litter, traffic fights and traffic. Have you thought about the inpact the Mall will have on tounsm~ Have you surveyed tourists to see what rt rs they really come to the East side of the Big Island to seep I bet it's not to have a shopping mall based on an Oahu or Maznland concept of development 6 Quality of the environment is one of the mazn draws that brings nsitors and those of use who chose to live here, to the East side of the Big Island and to Puna in particular. Somehow, the image of a s~lurb (suburban sprawl), is not how many Puna residents and visitors would want to visualize the Kea`au area How many native trees do you see when you visit the Wazkele azea of O`ahu~ There ~s still native forest left ~n the mechan strip and along highway 11 between the 4 and 7 mile mazkers from Hilo to Kea`au. Are you v~nllmg to sacrifice these last stands of native forests so close to Hilo in favor of commercial development that is unnecessary and economically inprudent? 7 Snowball effect is what will happen rf this Bill is approved Each district wrll be pressured to develop s~milaz shopping centers, commercral or retazl centers. Imagine the Hamakua Heritage Comdor consrdenng a strip mall Ask yourselves the same questions about traffic, local character, quality of life and economic viability If the Council passes Bill 195, the same kind of development plans wrll be proposed m other drstncts wlvch will lead to an urbamzation of the Big Island Do we want to become another O`ahu~ Please ask the Councrl to seriously weigh the choice they will make regarding Bill 195. Each member has a responsibilrty not only to constituents but also to those in future generations Do you want to help contribute to the demise of the character and life-style that many of us have chosen not only for the present but also for our children? Do you want Puna and Kea`au to look like another place on the Mainland with fast-food signs and strip malls, many of which srt vacant during economic down tums~ Please, please, please listen to the residents of Puna and those who travel through Kea`au We have repeatedly told you what we want. We do NOT want another shopphte mall. Please vote AGAINST Bi11195. Srncerely, ~ll~-- ~ K~-~-~ Ellen Okuma P.O Box 1448 Kea`au, HI 96749 Ph.982-7743 c J Jacobson, N Pisrcchio, C Tyler, L.Elanonoff, D Yagong, B Leithead-Todd, A.Chung, G.Safank, C Yuen