HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0493.077 2000-2002 ~€cr
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'~d~s~'?~°.i~~ . ~~f•!(®8ii~°~"~§n~1~,C®B'~'# C~unry (oauncil~ ;:~C.
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Cbr€stc Sl~cppnx°d - Pr~idenl of tltc won C®ee C®u~ antt cof~ f~armcr 3 o~~r€au, S®uth
Kong
1 am here representing the 130 rnernbers of the Kona Coffec Council, authorized by a vote: of the Board of
Directors.
The proposed General Pflan is an excellent body of work, and the Planning officials ~vha prepared this are
much to be corrtplimented, The Kona Coffee Council urges the adoption of the plan as dclivercd, ~ ith
particular etnplxasis on retaining the following issues:
• °I`hc ~on~ Coffue lbelf is col Imr~ng Agric t Dads ~l~~h glut=s tltc ~ l~gher
three of pt#lon.
Tn past plans, the coffee belt has not received this classification due to a "mainland" classification of
soil quality, and the poor capability for mechanized farming. Yet textbooks abound ~ itlt glowing
references to Kona for its atrsa~ing praductivity compared to other coffee growing regions of the
world. The unique soil conditions and climate provide a bountiful tree crop harvest that belies the
"theoretically" poor soil quality by mainland standards, Gne has only to look out ovex the Kona
landscape to see that the land is not only fertile but super-productive by any standard.
And mechanization is not an issue for us, Kona has its gourmet designation precisely because it is
hand-cultivated with all the additional care that that entails.
Kona coffee is now protected by a Federal trademark -with this proposed General flan the County is
protecting the land our most famous export grows on.
• C~,serv~on .~~tl ~pcn arias Tong oar moral cofil~es-
The proposed. General Plan ~ddresscs the need to protect agricultural. lands from de~?elopntent
pressures by rezo€~i.ng our ad~'oinir!g coas4al lands as co~tservation or open. area;tg rKncouraging
profitability for 5rstall fauns es key >:fnd allo~€~ing resort areas ad,~acent to the irnporta~~t agricultural
lands increases our land value aid the subsequent taxation levels, as well as requiring more
infrastructure such as roads which mould use, agricultural lands.
• Atioptlo~ €s€ Rcglol Pla~:s by (Irdi~nnce
Rural Kona. has different nee€ls from other areas. Regional community-based planning will be
empowered by the adoption of regional plants by ordinance. This regional approach is similar to that
which was adopted in the Naps: Valley to protect the Region's wine industry.
Thank you for allowing me to present the views of the Kona Coffee Council ~'g`~, 7
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