HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0493.137 2000-2002 Harold Murata
75-5870 Kahakai Rd., #207
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
October 1, 2002
Mr. James Y. Arakaki, Chairman
And Members of the Council
County of Hawaii
25 Apuni St.
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Proposed Amendments to the County of
Hawaii General Plan (GP).
In the "1960 Plan for Kona", the phrase "Kona Way of Life" described it as "slow, peaceful,
relaxed, quiet, natural, casual, unhurried, and uncrowded." That is a good vision to sustain
that quality of life and preserve the uniqueness of Kona.. A General Plan that incorporates
those attributes would lead to the formulation of environmental and economic equilibrium for
Kona.
The proposed vision for Kona mimics that of Mainland. The premise is that the natural
resources can be exploited indefinitely without destroying the beauty of Kona. That premise
leads to unfettered actions of continued mis-utilization of resources that would be in conflict
with the environment and culture of Kona. The predominant notion is to create more and
bigger things ®for example, build more highway lanes to accommodate more vehicles to
feed the hunger for more wild economic expansion. Another example of gross mismatch in
Kona is the Lowe's complex blight fully buttressed on a hillside adjacent to a residential
area in Kailua. These kinds of unrestrained and unconstrained growth in Kona would
destroy the "Kona Way of Life". For Kona to simply mimic the utilization of land like that of
the Mainland would inevitably lead to a way of life that people escaped from.
Slow means rural roads designed to inhibit speed. Peaceful means no turbulence of
unresolved conflicting desires. Relaxed, casual, or unhurried connotes the planning, design
and construction of developments sensitive to environmental beauty and the culture of
Kona which attracted so many people to move to Kona as a nice place to live. Quiet means
to not add avoidable noise. More trucks and cars mean more noise. More planning and
engineering are needed to avoid and reduce noise. Natural means retention of the natural
beauty of Kona. Carving the terrain to place more concrete and asphalt would greatly alter
the natural beauty of Kona. Uncrowded, not congestion, is the Kona Way of Life.
Thoughtful and orderly growth, not halter-skelter developments, would preserve and
enhance Kona.
I suggest that the Council include the aforementioned principles in the GP as a vision for
Kona. With this vision, County Planners can shape Kona where enhancements co-exist
peacefully with the preservation of the Kona Way of Life.
Sincerely, Comr,~., No.
Refs fio:
Vii. Date ~CT ~ 8 ?QQ~