HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0045.009 2002-2004 W.H. SHIPMAN, LIMITET~
KEAAU r
HAWAII ISLAND
February 5, 2003
Councilwoman Bobby Jean Leithead-Todd
County Council
County of Hawaii
25 Aupuni Street
}-silo, Hawaii 96720
Dear Councilwoman Leithead-Todd:
Subject: Bill 163, County of Hawaii General Plan Revision
This letter is to express our objections to the proposed change "A-4" as
shown on the Puna-1 Map of the Proposed Amendments to the Land use
Pattern Allocation. We request that the portion of land owned by W.H.
Shipman, Ltd. remain designated for Urban Expansion and not be changed
to Important Ag. Land.
The following are the reasons we are requesting the change to the subject
bill.
1. We consider the County's General Plan to be a long-range policy
document to guide development for at least 20 years into the future.
Considering our own long-range strategic plans for expansion of
agricultural and commercial development in Kea'au, we intend to
focus regional urban growth mauka of the Volcano Highway. Thus,
while the current use of this area is in agriculture, our long-range
plans are to urbanize the area. Comm. No.~.S-9
File No.
Ref. To:
Ref. Date FFB 10 2003
P.O. Box 950 "A Kamaaitta Company Contributing to the Planned Growth of Hawaii" Phone: (808)966-9325
Keaau, Hawaii 96749 Established 1923 Fax: (808)966-8522
W.H. SHIPMAN, LTD.
Councilwoman Bobby Jean Leithead-Todd
February 5, 2003
Page 2
2. Of the agricultural land we have, we consider the land mauka of the
Volcano Highway to be generally marginal for agricultural use. In
consultation with the Natural Resource Conservation Service, their
published Pield Office Technical Guide identifies the area of concern
as being "Other Agricultural Land". This designation is the ?owest
category of agicultural land classification below Prime Farmland and
Unidlie C'armland. Part of the definition of "Other Agricultural Land"
in the NRCS field m~mual specifies these lands as "important to
agricultLU~e in Hawaii yet exhibit properties, such as seasonal wetness,
erodibility, limited rooting zone, slope, flooding, or doughtiness that
exclude them from Prime or Unique Agricultural Land".
After reviewing the "Agricultural Lands of Importance to the State of
Hawaii" (ALIS(-1), which was identified as the basis for the proposed
change, it appears that this area may not meet the criteria for the
"Itnpa-taut Agricultural Laud" designation used in the Land Use
Concepts o? page 336 of the General Plan because it is not classified
as either Prime or Unique Agricultural Land on the ALISH map.
Further, in relation to other land around the island being proposed in
the General Plan for redesignation as Important Agriculture Land, the
area of concern may be of less agricultural value compared to land in
other districts. According to records at the Hawaii Sugar Producers
Association, Puna Sugar has consistently had a lower yield per acre
compared to Hilo Coast Processing Co, (14% less) and Hamakua
Sugar (27'% less), due to lower sunlight, poorer soil and higher
average rainfall.
W.H. SHIPMAN, LTD.
Councilwoman Bobby Jean Leithead-Todd
February 5, 2003
Page 3
Based on the above rationale, we request that the portion of land in A-4 that
is owned by W.H. Shipman, Ltd. of the proposed revision to the Land Use
Pattern Allocation Guide Map for Puna-1, remain as Urban Expansion and
not be changed to Important Ag. Land.
If you have any questions regarding this request, feel free to call our Land
Manager, Mr. Jiro
S~umada, at 966-9325.
t Gs;~'
~ ~,1~
Robert E. Cooper U
President
cc: Mr. Chris Yuen, Planning Department