HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0042.016 2004-2006 From: Knowles, Jeff - Kealakekua, Hi [Jeff.Knowles@h+~usdaj~ov], ,;i 1 (1 i.
Sent: Wednesday, December 29, 2004 1:25 PM ,CL .
To: counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: General Plan
As the office manager for the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation
Service in the Kona District, I wanted to provide the following comments
regarding the County's general plan.
1) The Fooodways in the Kona District are not mapped above 1500'-1800'.
Any development above these elevations are not subject to the "No
building in floodways, because we do not know where the floodways are. I
believe that developers/landowners are inadvertantly changing natural
floodways. Drainage ways in many cases are so subtle that you can't
recognize them without a complete topographic survey at the 2 foot
elevation. I would recommend that regulations be put in place that
require a complete topographic survey that provides a 2 foot topographic
map of the site. This detail would show where water is entering/existing
the property. I believe a county ordinance requiring this and that the
development would not change where water is leaving the property would
help to eliviate future flood damage.
2) We have thousands of acres of native forest land in the District that
is mapped Ag lands. When a five acre parcel is bought by a landowner
there is nothing preventing them from dozing down the entire forest. t
believe, the native forest in Kona provides the water source for the
District through rainfall. Continued destruction of our native forest
will undoubtly have long term negative impacts on the water supply in
the Kona District. Is it possible that these lands be rezoned or if not,
can we develop a County ordinace stating that at least 50% of the forest
must be saved?
Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
Jeff Knowles
Comm. No. j-•~
Ref. To: Preseot~d
1 Ref. Date