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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0560.027 2002-2004 Testimony for the Planning Committee, Hawaii County Council Re: Proposed University Terrace Development ]bl October 2004 Submitted by: Amy Mahealani Jones I am not able to be in attendance at the Oct 19 meeting of the Planning Committee of the ~divai'i County Council, but wish my testimony to be heard. Again I am appealing to the council members to either deny approval for the rezoning of this property, or to delay your vote. You have heard my concerns before. I will reiterate my most pressing concerns why I believe a vote of approval is ill advised at this time. 1) Much has been said as far as anecdotal reports of wetlands and occasional flooding both in the property and in surrounding areas. Studies to date to not definitively confirm or deny the amount of ground water or flooding. Until a comprehensive study of the amount of water flow, its sources, and downhill effects is made and is well understood, planning of any sort is not realistic, and therefore a vote to approve for buildings here is premature. I worry that in this dry period it will be forgotten that water is what primarily shapes the Hilo landscape, and just how powerful that water is. I expect that there will be mistakes made in planning and engineering for the containment of water, and that will result in potentially huge taxpayer burden to repair damages downstream. I know that there is underground water on the property, and at this time underground water is not well enough understood to plan safely for buildings here. I do not believe that dry wells on the property will adequately contain the water generated here, nor will "management" of stream flow through the property from mauka lands adequately handle this water. More comprehensive studies aze needed to more fully understand water, both above and below the surface, and to make intelligent decisions about the proper use of this land. i When I first moved into my house on Liko Lehua Street I was amazed to see a river form next to my property during heavy rains. I took photos which show my fence under 18" of water. Unfortunately I have not been able to locate those photos. I will keep looking. In the meantime, last spring during a moderately rainy period, the river formed again, and I did take photos. I have brought them to show you today. Keep in mind that this is from only a moderate Hilo rain. It has been suggested that this water sits in a low point on or neaz my property, but that is not the whole story. What you will see is a quickly flowing river that exits from the culvert along the makai side of my property, that moves out past my yard into my neighbor's yard (under a stone wall) and on into the project property. There I believe it soaks into the ground, c Comm. No. ? ~ Ref. To: Ref. date contributing to the vast amounts of water in tubes below the surface. I believe this is only one example of the way water moves through this area, and that it is probably only a small, relatively insignificant amount of water compared to other areas within the project area. 2) In the revised proposal dated September 21, 2004, mention is made of zones AE and A on Flood Insurance Rate Maps. Where aze these zones located within the property? I have not seen these zones superimposed on maps of the proposed plans for comparison, so I imagine the Council also has not seen a compazison. It would seem difficult to make an informed decision as to the advisability of this project without understanding updated flood zones and insurance studies. 3) Also in the Sept 21 revision is mention of improvements to be made by the applicant, "according to a schedule meeting with the approval of the Departrnent of Public Works:" (page 15) "7. Widen the northwest bound approach of Mohouli Street to provide dual left-turn lantjs to mauka bound Kaumana Drive," and "8. Widen the mauka leg of Kaumana Drive to provide an auxiliary merging lane in the mauka bound direction." My question is, does the County plan to widen Kaumana Drive in order to accommodate the 2 left-turn lanes? If so, I expect that these will be at taxpayer expense. Have these expenses been provided for in the County budget? 4) On the same page, number 4 says "Provide stop control on Ponahawai Street to Mohouli Street, with separate left-turn and right-tum lanes to Mohouli Street." Since the opening of the Mohouli extension, I have seen the traffic increase so much that it is very difficult to turn left from Uluwai onto Mohouli, especially during morning commute hours. It can take me up to 5 minutes to turn left. With additional cazs on the road from the new Ponahawai extension, I imagine there will need to be a stop light, not just "stop control" to keep traffic moving. Has the County also budgeted for a stop signal here? I also wonder about the close proximity of the Kaumana-Mohouli-`Ainako intersection, the Uluwai-Mohouli intersection, and the Ponahawai-Mohouli intersection. These will all be located within a range of only a couple of hundred yards, Is this going to be safe for our citizens? 5) If the Council votes to approve the rezoning for development and the land proves unsatisfactory for the kind of development we aze talking about, is the County liable for misleading the investors? 6) Mr Tyler, in the May meeting, requested that a full azchaeological study be made of the entire project area. In the latest revisions, I see mention of only the 5-acre and 8-acre pazcels for archaeological study. Is this just an oversight? Can we expect to see a comprehensive study of the entire azea? 7) During the May hearing, Mr Yuen said, in reference to affordable housing and multi-family zone sites in Hilo, (page 38) "There aze azeas azound Wailoa Pond, for example, that have zoning but that have development problems or flooding problems, as far as developing into multi-family." These azeas have not been developed, though apparently they are zoned for development. Zoning does not mean building is correct use of the land. He also says in reference to the University Terrace property, "It is the site of a major drainage way in Hilo....There will have to be a major engineering study of the overall drainage, and it will be up to the project engineers to make that work." It seems to me that study would best be made before a decision to rezone and build is made, in the interest of the developers and their investments. 8) From Mr. Yamashiro's testimony, (Page 40), he mentions the complementazity of commercial and residential growth in close proximity, and cites as an example the Hilo Lagoon Center. I'm surprised he did so. It may have looked attractive 25 yeazs ago, but we all know that concept has not played out in the long term in Hilo. I don't think we can count on that concept working to benefit Hilo in the University Terrace project either. And what will be the tax burden to revitalize this azea in a couple of decades? Will it be another bailout? I have many concerns that as yet are unanswered, and lead me to believe that approval of the University Terrace proposal is premature at the very least, and I believe ill-advised in the long term. I urge the Council members to remember that a decision to approve rezoning and development will stay with us a long time, and for good p; fo~,bad, be the, legacy our children and grandchildren inherit from our time. Please `phow fbr more comprehensive studies, especially of water and drainage, before casting a vote to develop. I fear the tax burden on the citizens of our county will faz exceed our ability to make good on the plans before you today. Thank you.