HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0370.006 2002-2004 MZY or y~
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Harry Kim Dixie Kaetsu
Mayor Managing Director
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~L"~" I', Peter L. Hendricks
Dgau[N pryrytaging Director
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25 Aupuni Street, Room 215 Hilo, Hawaii 96720-4252 •(808)961-8211 Fax (~~~,I~1~65$3 i-'~- n,A^l~ll
KONA: 75-5706 Kuakini Highway, Suite 103 • Kailua-Kona, Hawai i ~~(v1 It~ C ~ ~ r ~
(808)329-5226 • Fax (808)326-5663
December 16, 2003
James Y. Arakaki, Chairman and Council Members
Hawaii County Council
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
RE: Veto of Bill 160, Draft 3
Dear Chairman Arakaki and Council Members,
I have reviewed the attached bill and after conferring with Planning Director, Chris Yuen and
staff, I have decided to veto bill 160, Draft 3.
The original version of Bill 160, as approved by the Planning Commission, had a Condition
"D", which read as follows:
D. No Home Improvement Centers may be constructed on the Limited Industrial-
zoned portion of the property.
The final version of the bill omits this condition. Director Yuen's concerns over the potential
establishment of a "home improvement center" and its impact on traffic on the Kea' au Bypass
Highway are reasonable. Development of such a center would undermine the very purpose
for which the Bypass was built, to alleviate traffic bottlenecks in the urban core of Kea' au. A
big-box outlet such as Lowe's or Home Depot would potentially generate tremendous
vehicular traffic and lead to significant traffic congestion. The applicant did not oppose this
condition when it was initially proposed and passed by the Planning Commission.
Additionally, the application stated that warehouse-type uses, rather than home improvement
centers, was envisioned for this development.
The Kea'au - Pahoa highway is the major traffic corridor used by the growing lower Puna
population to drive to work, shop and take their children to school. There is no other transit
route that will be constructed in the immediately foreseeable future. Until such time as an
alternate traffic corridor is built to service lower Puna's growing population, it is important
that the County takes steps to prevent the type of congestion that necessitated the construction
of the Bypass in the first place. I believe the limitation on the construction of a "home
improvement center" to be such a step. I urge the Council to rethink their position on this bill
and include the original condition "D" as passed by the Planning Commission.
C"~ti~~~iW~ Comm. No. 370, b
Harry K Ref. To:
Mayor Ref. Oate