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27 JAN Os ams..~L3 <br /> ' ~r~. e ~ ` <br /> r <br /> To: Hawaii County Council Planning Committee <br /> County Gounctl <br /> From: Roy K Skogstrom <br /> Pepeekeo, HI <br /> Re: Written testimony in support of proposed Continental Pacific SMAs <br /> Dear Council Members: <br /> This letter is to provide written testimony in favor of the Continental Pacific (CP) SMAs that you <br /> will be considering at your meeting of Tuesday O1 FEB Os. <br /> I have given previous in-person verbal testimony before the Committee, but unfortunately am <br /> unable to attend in person this Tuesday's meeting, due to business travel. Since new Council <br /> members have recently been seated, I felt that written testimony was appropriate, albeit repetitive <br /> of previous verbal testimony. <br /> My wife and I are the only long-term residents of the Pepeekeo Point area where the CP <br /> development is taking place (there have been three occupied houses in the azea, but two are <br /> rentals). We have lived there about twelve years and have greatly enjoyed the largely <br /> uninhabited nature of the azea. Now we aze surrounded by the CP development. Therefore I <br /> believe we are the last people on the island who wanted this development. <br /> Nonetheless, we are testifying in favor the proposed SMAs for the following reasons: <br /> 1) The CP development, and the SMAs in particular, were the result of extensive <br /> negotiation between CP and Planning Director Chris Yuen. We have considerable faith <br /> in Mr. Yuen's desire to preserve the nature of the Hamakua coast environment and <br /> lifestyle, and shoreline access, as best as possible, while recognizing that some <br /> development is inevitable. We believe that in this case he has done well in that regazd, in <br /> that the number of parcels is fewer, and the number of shoreline accesses greater, than <br /> might otherwise have been the case. Also, the SMAs appear to be adown-zoning. <br /> 2) Both the Pepeekeo Community Association (PCA) and its Fishing Access Committee <br /> (which helped a great deal to negotiate the shoreline accesses) have cited CP in writing as <br /> a model of developer cooperation with the community. We agree with this assessment. <br /> There have been numerous community meetings over several years to arrive at the result <br /> before you, and the PCA has recommended your approval of the SMAs. <br /> 3) CP has agreed to donate to the PCA $1 s,000 from the sale of each of the 22 SMA <br /> parcels, totaling $330,000, plus substantial grading and grubbing work valued at perhaps <br /> another $400,000, to improve the Pepeekeo community recreational facilities. <br /> 4) We fear that if these SMAs do not go through, that the next developer may not be so <br /> community-friendly, and the down-zoning and shoreline accesses may be diminished. <br /> Mahalo for your consideration - <br /> <br /> ~i~--Jf Comm. No. <br /> Ref. To: ese N ~ <br /> Roy Skogstrom F~~ <br /> Ref. Uate <br /> <br />