HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0092.005 2004-2006 27 JAN Os ams..~L3
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To: Hawaii County Council Planning Committee
County Gounctl
From: Roy K Skogstrom
Pepeekeo, HI
Re: Written testimony in support of proposed Continental Pacific SMAs
Dear Council Members:
This letter is to provide written testimony in favor of the Continental Pacific (CP) SMAs that you
will be considering at your meeting of Tuesday O1 FEB Os.
I have given previous in-person verbal testimony before the Committee, but unfortunately am
unable to attend in person this Tuesday's meeting, due to business travel. Since new Council
members have recently been seated, I felt that written testimony was appropriate, albeit repetitive
of previous verbal testimony.
My wife and I are the only long-term residents of the Pepeekeo Point area where the CP
development is taking place (there have been three occupied houses in the azea, but two are
rentals). We have lived there about twelve years and have greatly enjoyed the largely
uninhabited nature of the azea. Now we aze surrounded by the CP development. Therefore I
believe we are the last people on the island who wanted this development.
Nonetheless, we are testifying in favor the proposed SMAs for the following reasons:
1) The CP development, and the SMAs in particular, were the result of extensive
negotiation between CP and Planning Director Chris Yuen. We have considerable faith
in Mr. Yuen's desire to preserve the nature of the Hamakua coast environment and
lifestyle, and shoreline access, as best as possible, while recognizing that some
development is inevitable. We believe that in this case he has done well in that regazd, in
that the number of parcels is fewer, and the number of shoreline accesses greater, than
might otherwise have been the case. Also, the SMAs appear to be adown-zoning.
2) Both the Pepeekeo Community Association (PCA) and its Fishing Access Committee
(which helped a great deal to negotiate the shoreline accesses) have cited CP in writing as
a model of developer cooperation with the community. We agree with this assessment.
There have been numerous community meetings over several years to arrive at the result
before you, and the PCA has recommended your approval of the SMAs.
3) CP has agreed to donate to the PCA $1 s,000 from the sale of each of the 22 SMA
parcels, totaling $330,000, plus substantial grading and grubbing work valued at perhaps
another $400,000, to improve the Pepeekeo community recreational facilities.
4) We fear that if these SMAs do not go through, that the next developer may not be so
community-friendly, and the down-zoning and shoreline accesses may be diminished.
Mahalo for your consideration -
~i~--Jf Comm. No.
Ref. To: ese N ~
Roy Skogstrom F~~
Ref. Uate