Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0019.011 2002-2004 Bobby Leithead, Chair Planning Committee Courtly Council 25 Aupuni St. County of Hawaii Dec. 17, 2002 2t~erv tD re: A lication for Rezo ' b Maurice Thomas in Volcano Villa a nme..--- - PP ~8 Y g t -~r--•----- For expansion far lumberyard/warehouse requppment rental. ~-Y~~y Dear Ms. Leithead and Planning Committee Members, My names is Wendell Ing and I am an adjacent landowner (on the Kilauea Road side). I would like to go on record as opposing this rezoning request. Although I have no problem with the current uses of the subject property (hardware store, restaurant, lamdromat), I cannot support this rezoning request for a number of reasons, listed briefly below. Also incorporated by reference herein is my previous letter to the Planning Commission and my oral testimony at that time earlier this year. Reasons to consider: 1. There will be significant noise, air, visual, and other types of pollution impact on a continuous, regular basis when the project is completed from the transportation of lumber and machinery, sawing of wood, testing, cleaning and maintenance of the real equipment. 2. There is no firm commitment for all the above to be done indoora(some is only tentatively scheduled for indoors) 3. There will be significant noise and air pollution from the construction phase as well. 4. The Wellness Center, run by adjacent landowner Kathleen Porter, was given permits previously by the County. She indicates she will not be able to run her business which requires peace and quiet, if this project goes through. Likewise, her B&B will suffer greatly. Who ever heazd of allowing a lumberyard/equipment rental place next to a Wellness Center? 5. This is the worst spot for a basically light industrial use-right on Volcano Village's "main street". Would you put such an operation on Alii Drivel Kam Avenue next to the Irresistible Shop? 6. It is my understanding that Mr. Thomas has stated, previously at a hearing, that he would not come back to ask for more rezoning of the property. 7. Many Volcarm residents participated~ra survey of their wants and needs, widr an eye towards potential development of a Special Design District. Primary concern of residents was retention of the rural atmosphere, the peace and quiet and beauty of Volcano.--Thai document proposed limiting types of development along Old Volcano's commercial corridor to non-polluting, non-industrial uses, such as B&B's, restaurants, office buildings, etc.. g. Have you read Alan McNarie's viewpoint: "The Business of Beauty in Volcano" which appears in the December 16-31, 2002 issue of the Hawaii Island JoumatT A copy is attached to this letter. I think it is the most balanced, well-reasoned overview of the problem with Mr. Thomas' request. I also decry unnecessary name-calling or labeling people "elitist'. A quote from Mr. McNarie's article: "Growth should and must be controlled in ways that don't sacrifice what we villagers love about our home."Another quote: "Allowing alight industrial facility whose under-roof space would house an entire football field to be built at the edge of the National Park is a major step towards not keeping what we have." 9. Beauty, peace and quiet are major assets and attributes of Volcano Village, gateway to HVNP. 10. I urge the Council members to consider alternate methods of allowing for appropriate growth in the greater Volcano area. 11. Unless the Council can assist the Volcano residents, and residents of other areas on the Big Comm. No. File No. Z Ref. T~res~a II~f. Date nEC i 7 zoo2 Island with similar zoning problems, we can expect more unnecessary divisiveness, spot zoning, and deterioration of quality of life for both us and our visitor industry. I would like to emphasize that these comments aze not made as an obstructionist or knee jerk environmentalist, but as a genuinely concerned Volcano resident who wants what is good about the Big Island to be preserved for both us, our visitors, and future generations. Sincerely y s, C_ WendellY'ng 8 ~Ol1T'r131 December 16-31.2002 _ _ _ iOCUfII viewpoint: m Hilo and hauled up the hill by the cov- The Business of Beauty in Volcano aamer"ny°newh°'a`°'eaagas~rka' the local general stores or done a (oad of clothes m the Thames's lanndromal are Alan D. McNarie ? ? aware of that fact. In addition to paying Trees are a poor man s paintings. One shouldn t have for the root of naming, ennsamera are p p . likely to pay an extra fee to village remil- Aa a;onmaliat, l tardy have the laxnry to bear the title of elitist ryst for wanting to live in ers for the ronvenience farms of choosing sides iv print Wtdle tltis My wly susminable development island has plenty oC people expressing Y beoutlful place. • must be based en a community's local opinions, we oAen have a dearth of solid renewable resoures. And Volcano's pn- fads needed [o make good decisions. 7b labels jmt didnt make sancta. Both sides, Nor does the "I got rrdne" label BL very mary resources am beauty, quiet end get those Cac[s, I have to be able to go to [or and against the wazehovse, were a well, either. Ageiq a lot of the environ- uniqueness. Nearly our entire ewnomy bath sides and have their wnfdence Ihet demographic mixture, fiom upper-class mentalists I know have preeioms IiWe depends on tltem-even the Thomas even if they don't bke what wmcs oral, m Peon reeevt mainland iminigram to except [heh views of the landscape, and lenuly's five eurenl businesses, and Ms. I'll at least report their side fairly and Purc local. Some of the people opposing they'rd willing [o put up with linlc incon- Goodell's rental lodgings. Bvery year, LB eccmmtely. Bu[ with the recent bmuhehn the warehouse commute for a living, bat verdevices like one-lane roads and water million visitors funnel [hough Hawaii over a proposal u, erect e L00.yard-long a largo nombu were anises, craC[speo- catchment Cor the pmdege of tltose Volcanoes National Park. The village's warehoose/egvipment rental center next pie, small buaivesspeople, park employ- views. A great many of them don) own 2,231 torten[ residents play host to those to the hardware store iv the heart o[ ees end service workus who both live the land they live on-and those That do, visitors, many of whom stay m [he vil- Volcano Village, 1 get to make an excep- and make then Goings in the Volcano okcn tlilnk of themselves as "stewards" lege's inns and B&Bs end eat iv the Lion. I live in Volcano, I have too many area. A fair number of people who sup- m[hu than owners. It's not what they've area's restaurants. The notate and era%s- friends on both sides to avoid a eonflid ported the warehouse were classic sabot- "got" It's whet [hey wan[ to make sure people, drawn to live here by the area's of interest, no maser wha[7 say. Sojusl ban wuunumrs. Other wazehoosc sop- Iha[ their dWdrcv ten enjoy. ~ beauty, have created one of this island's this once, I env take astand- portus woe local caryen[ers, convectors The polazizauov of Volcano Village Cew growtlt indus[nes-And all of this has 1 love Natrona Village; that's why I've and handymen The "subodsanims," es over the hardware store isn't a battle happened while mainWirdng the hfes[yle chosen to live thee. 1've been saddened Ms. Goodall defined them, simply between haves and have-nuts or between oC a quiet village in a reinfornat. by what this proposal has already done In weren't dearly on one side or the other rural folk and suburban mrmnu[ers- It's a Compare Volcano m the strip cities of our village, and the Porthu damage that i1 Nor does the "elitist" label work very simple division between interest groups Gatlinbmg or Bates Park, or the emo66Y [tveatens to do - noijuat damage to the well. There wen people in dirty T-shins between those who would hene6t moll approaches to Yoserm[e. We have some- village's physical environment, but to ns and jeans on both sides ([hough the ware- from the quick availability oC conswv thing batten and we need [o keep it- psychologiral welhbeing It's reopened a house supporters often had flee pink T- hurt materials, and [hose who benefit gllowing a light indmsvial facility whose lot of deep wounds, tamed villager shins supplied by the Thomases, pulled fiom the preaevt beauty, quiet and under-roof space would house an entire against villegu, and made normally on ovu the%everyday garb). And if an unigoeveae of the village- football field to be bolt at the edge o[ the rational peoplejus[ a little bit crazy- edvironmentalist iv the crowd argued that Ms. Gooddl's sel6eovtained village Nahonel Park is a major step towards not A case in point, sadly, seems w he people should expect to pay mom for the model is a worthy ideal. But her name- keeping what we have. Bonnie Goodell, for whom [normally pmdege of living in the village, that did- calling disVac[s [tom the real yuestion at 'I'o design every town to cater to the have the ttigheet rea~et. But she, tw, n[ necessarily mean that he or she made hand: does the proposed development convenience of every possible potemial hues N Volcanq and she, tps, has mom moneyJ've been reporting on really support that goa14 resident is the very essence of suburban become emotlonally involved with one envhonmentalis[s for decades, and I gave A lumber warehouse and equipment sprawl. Volcano will inevitably grow, bra aide. The result has been two columns in never noticed That [hey wue especially rental has vo[Idng to do with sustainabdi- it doesn't have to grow the same way as [Iris paper in which she combines hu 's'~mY. as a doss. A lot of them are ty; the Thomases aren't proposing to Ke'e'eu or Pahoa, dupheatrng the same keen inlellu[ and talent for marshalBng willing to pay more, and eam less, it they grow or mill the lumber they sell. facilities as (hose of a place 20 minutes smfistlw with an unfortunate dose of old- can do so in a beautiful place. A lot, in Whether it is Wcely [o lead [o many enu- down the road. If it does, there's no rea- fashioned name calling. Seldom has a fact, are quite willing ro live on next to gy savings is also debatable. Those son for anyone [o move there, or any professional community planner so badly nothing- F'nrtunetely, as I know e6 too boards are going [o make the eamejour- tmurisis m visit. misrepresented a large pen of her own well, Voloano is one of [hose places nay up m Natrona from Hilo, no matte Whether or not the Thomas's ware- communily. whoa yon can be poor and not Bve m a wham they'm sold- And large quantities house gets built, the wre issues behind In hu fins[ column, Ma- Goodell slum- of lumber are not something you gu to the cuaent conflict will continue to haunt labeled those apposing the development Trees are a poor man's peintlvgsAne the store [or everyday. The Volcano True Volcano Village Ms- Goode6's concern as "subrvbani[es" and "elitists-" In her shouldn[ have to bear the tl[le of "elitist" Value hasn't demonstrated that it needs aMmt all those undeveloped IOLS is vahd. second, she responded m those who just for wanting to hoe in a beautiful such a huge facility to stock the oc<a- Volcano will continue to grow. We need objected by repeating hu original names, place. L would bo just as appropriate, if sional two-by-four neeUW Cor do-it-your- to decide how it wi6 grow. then added Me label'TGM" for "I Got not more so, m veil the people "elitist" self home repays. The lumberyards in 1 sincerely believe that growth can be Mine " who want afoot-bedroom luxury home Hilo deliver large Wmber orders m controlled in ways that don'I sumf[ce 1 testified at the Planning ov a golf course next to a National Pock, Volcano for flee, often eovsolidetlng what we villagers love about our home Commissions first hearing on me pro- but don't wan[ to drive 20 minutes in order from two or three orders in one Bu[ [hate going to require community posed warehouse, and saw who was testi- order to shop. wckload. The presence of the warehouse coopemtioo, and the real plannhtg tying Wth for and against Ms. Goodell's in Volcano may even encourage more process needs to start now, berate more short [rips into the village just [o get one damage is done. We need to pot aside [he Aljt ~ wAT,gR YOg lS PO~lULl07l... or two items, instead of general multi- name calling and get to work. g 0 o errand weekend urns to Hilo or Kea'au. / ~ \ f Likewise, any goods or serves that t`--~ gym.'` J ~ LS C{LC SOIUtlOp. /Van McNane is a senior wrikr {or Ilse wme m Volcano are going to cost more, Hawaii Island bumal ~m ea:mr.. smee snot Models es low as 5285.95 .w..m~ whether sold at a village store or bough) Air & Water Purification Systems III Rumemlai s Cummercfel • Air Purifiers • Reverse Osmosis Equipment • Water F%tera • Water Distillers • Water So%eners xq • Liquid-Liyuid CentriNges SFm '~St ; (Oil-Worst SrparatorsJ ~-FA a+ wsvw.airwamrkingine.purlMadon.com major Crean ardaPaypelAceeprea Toll Free For Order Line Only 1-BBB-BTA-TONG (I-B88-782A864)