HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0019.041 2002-2004 ~~O ~ C C11'1
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Hawaii County Council, January 6, 2003
Deaz County Council Member, Curtis Tyler,
We would like to express our appreciation for the thoughtful consideration you each gave
during the recent December 17, 2002 heazing, regazding the rezoning request by Maurice
Thomas for a lumber and equipment rental wazehouse on Old Volcano Road. As you
continue to review the public testimony and information during the full Council meeting
on January 8, we hope you will think about our very real concern regazding the
appropriate placement of this type of light industrial development.
What is appropriate use in a village commercial designation? Although the wording of
the rezoning request does cazefully refrain from using words that suggest light industrial
use, in all our conversations with Maurice Thomas, he has stated that he does intend to
use the building for light industrial uses such as storing and selling lumber and managing
equipment rentals. He has told us that this is part of the reason he is building such a large
structure.
Even though there are Volcano residents who aze in favor of the expansion of the current
hardware store, we aze concerned. We have thought about how this small community
could actually support a lumber warehouse. We have also thought that in order for it to be
a viable business, it would need to serve more than our small community. We see that it
would be likely to draw people from other neazby communities. This would potentially
increase the traffic on Old Volcano Road, which akeady serves our small village and a
growing number of tourists who need food, gas and lodging. Could this result in more
rezoning, light industrial development and the need for enlarging the access road through
Volcano Village? What consequences could result from this kind of rezoning for this
small country road, its inhabitants and small village businesses?
Since part of the Old Volcano Road, through the heart of theVillage, is currently the
only area where future commercial activity is designated, we ask that you as leaders and
lawmakers look seriously at designating an appropriate location for the future growing
light industrial needs, distinct from village commercial uses as we already have in place
along Old Volcano Road.
We have additional concerns. We have appreciated Maurice Thomas business
development of the hazdwaze store and restaurant because we see that it has contributed
to the services provided in our community. However beneficial his current plans for
expansion may be in general, the placement of this kind of light industrial commercial
use is questionable for other reasons. Please be awaze that there has been a conscientious Q
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effort by a number of people in our community to create a comprehensive long range
community plan which was developed over a period of years of community planning.
While this plan is still in the process of being supported by the whole community, the
next stages of community planning aze currently moving forward..
There are a number of people who would like to bring together the vazious segments of
the Volcano community to build on the local planning process that has already taken
place. This next stage of community planning would focus on reviewing the plan to
include those with diverse values and needs and refine it to make it workable for the
community as a whole. We have akeady had some mediated meetings within the Volcano
Community Association regarding the direction and vision for future community
building. Maurice Thomas' rezoning application duectly interfaces with this process of
community planning because it provokes the question of light industrial use along Old
Volcano Road. We ask the County to consider this local planning process in relation to
his rezoning request.
In addition, we have become aware that the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA)
recently announced plans to designate a million dollazs to manage the appropriate growth
of Hawaii's visitor industry. This seems to show the growing value of tourism, and
especially eco-tourism, throughout the state. The Kilauea Volcano has become the #1
tourist destination in the entire state ofHawaii. It has a unique ecological value and its
popularity has demonstrated the growing importance of ew-tourism. We are concerned
about allowing a lazge wazehouse for lumber and equipment rental to be built in the
buffer zone to a United Nations-designated International Biosphere Reserve and World
Heritage Site. This could show a lack ofnecessary foresight in planning and be an
unnecessazy conflict with the efforts of HTA to protect these resources and their valuable
economic potential.
The County Council has the authority to make discretionary decisions and
recommendations regarding such matters. It is necessary that we work to ensure that
future commercial development in Volcano is consistent with principles of wise County
and local community planning. This includes a responsibility to preserve and protect the
lazger view of the area's valuable resources and the local community process. We would
like to encourage the County Council to conscientiously engage in the kind of
creative problem solving and long range planning that will address both this specific
rezoning request and the lazger planning issues beyond this pazticulaz situation.
Please encourage Maurice Thomas to scale down his plans for growth and expansion and
to develop his business potential by the guidelines of village commercial zoning. We
would hope that this would both allow him to prosper and allow the appropriate
development of the Volcano Village to proceed through local community planning with
the support of wise County planning. It is our opinion that light-industrial businesses, as
they may be needed in the future, would be more appropriately located in an area nearby,
rather than in the heart of Volcano Village.
Thank you for your careful consideration of these matters,