The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0106.003 2004-2006 From: Charles Flaherty[oneheart@aloha.net] ('l~i~i ~ << < Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2005 2:06 PM To: Safarik, Gary; counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us;'Virginia Isbell'; 'Angel Pilago';'Pete Hoffmann;'BobJacobson`,'Dr. Fred Holschuh';'Stp~r'H,iga'; Ikeda, Donald; Arakaki, James; 'Mayor Harry Kim'; 'Chris Yuen' '~'I_ Subject: County Counsultant Queen K traffic info f~~ Su HOIk Investment Puaa Development LLC.doc LLC info.tloc Dear Councilmember, You have requested information regarding the potential impact of a commercial/residential development makai of Pualani Estates. The article below (From "The CERGing News, 9/16/02) provides information that is directly relevant to this issue. I urge you examine the Keahole-Honaunau traffic study recently produced by Townscape. Please note that that Brian Cook was one of several developers involved in the creation of the on-going traffic issue and lawsuit with Malulgni Gardens and the developer of Lowe's. Most important, time has proven that the developers' public testimony to the LUC and the County was false. Also note that Chris Yuen's position has been in opposition to the residents of Malulani Gardens and in support of the developer. The public had to, once again, turn to the judiciary to address improprieties with private/County development scheme. Traffic created by the commercial aspect of the proposed development makai of Pualani Estate would cause much larger traffic egress/ingress onto Queen Ka'ahumanu Hwy. This would cause a further deterioration of traffic flows on the primary commuting route through Kona. The County's own consultant, Townscape, noted this highway was service level "D", desired minimum, and less three years ago. I do not believe this is the intent of the current County Council to worsen traffic problems. An affordable housing development without a commercial component with access directly aligned with the ingress/egress at Pualani~Ost~ to 1 1 Comm. No.~7 Ref. 70: Ref. Cote _ AR 2 ~~~5 the optimal development scheme for this area. Mahalo, Chuck Flaherty PS - I have also attached information from the DCCA on the entities involved in the proposed project. The Hawaii registration of Suffolk Investment LLC is pending. Its member, "Shamrock Holdings Group" is not registered in the State of Hawaii. Develoaer/County Announces Plan To Worsen Traffic In Kona Hawaii Development Corporation (HDC), the County, and Planning Director Chris Yuen announced a traffic signal has been planned for the intersection of Malulani Drive and Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway. The need for this traffic signal was created by County approvals that now include a commercial access onto the Highway from the 70-acre commercial property being developed by HDC for Lowe's and other as-yet- unknown businesses. A Lowe's store/garden center with over 3 acres under one roof is already approved. Pier 1 is also expressing interest in this location. HDC, aMinnesota-based corporation registered in Delaware, obtained rezoning for the property bordering Border's Books by representing that the commercial development would be a boutique-store shopping center. That original plan reflected and would have enhanced the Kailua community's desire to maintain its village atmosphere and appearance. HDC made these representations both in writing and in public testimony. HDC further represented that the amount of traffic generated by the proposed boutique shopping center would require only one access onto Henry St. across from the Wal-Mart entrance. HDC has unfortunately joined the growing ranks of out-of-state developers that are being enabled by the County administration to subvert the will of the greater West Hawaii community. These developers are being allowed to present one plan for rezoning and permits, only to subsequently change to a more high-impact plan after rezoning and permits are granted. Rather than a relatively lower-impact boutique-store shopping center, the Kim administration approved a commercial development with high-impact, high volume tenant businesses. A representative of HDC stated that the current plans are in keeping with existing commercial development in this area, citing Wal-Mart and Safeway, rather than Kailua Village. This representative also stated that HDC plans to develop an adjacent 108-acre parcel with 200 apartments and 200 single-family residences. Another developer with an adjacent 15-acre parcel also intends to obtain commercial zoning. Therefore, with 70-acres already under development, almost 200 acres of commercial/high-density urban development is being planned to empty onto Henry St. and Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway at Malulani Drive. z These plans, together with the additional traffic signal at Queen Ka'ahumanU Highway and Malulani Drive with another traffic signal in the future at Pualani Terrace, will undoubtedly result in unacceptable delays and congestion at a time when traffic levels of service in Kona are already at the minimum requirements of the U.S. Department of Transportation (D or "desirable minimum"). The pending substantial increase of traffic onto Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway from Malulani Drive reflects the County Department of Public Works (DPW) continuing failure to provide access management on regional arterial roadways. Access management has already been identified as a County problem by a County consultant, Townscape, hired to develop a Keahole-Honaunau regional traffic circulation plan. good access management occurs when arterial roadways have less than 20 access points within each mile. Restricting the number of access points reduces accident rates while at the same time increasing traffic flow. Roads with less than 20 access points average 2 accidents per mile annually. Roads with more the 20 access points per mile have 4 accidents per mile or twice as many. Townscape found that the County DPW has not considered access management at all. Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway, a State highway, was cited by Townscape as being the one Kona traffic arterial that had still had reasonably good traffic circulation. Now the County Planning Department and DPW are actively working to disable the Kona community's last remaining relatively limited-access, unimpeded arterial roadway simply to enable a private developer (HDC), who has thus far not fully disclosed the cumulative effect of full commercial development of this area. Given the impending failure of traffic circulation in our community, it is time for the residents of Kona to take action. Some options for action: • A legislative moratorium on rezoning and building permits in North Kona, except for affordable housing units, on the basis of endangerment of the public health, safety, and welfare by our government. • Creating alternative means for transportation (light rail, regional bus system, community-based carpooling, etc.) to reduce roadway usage. • Community-based regional plans to avoid aquality-of-life disaster. Meanwhile, a hearing is currently set for November 7, 2002 in the Third Circuit Court at 8 am to hear Malulani Gardens residents' complaints against HDC. These residents are opposing the planned commercial access from Lowe's through Malulani Gardens. Meetings have already been held by representatives of all parties, but no settlement has thus far resulted. 3 Gegeral;l"" prm: xipn Business Entity Name SUFFOLK INVESTMENT, LLC Record Type Master Name for a Domestic Limited Liability Company (LLC) File Number 8621 C5 _ Status dive Place Incorporated Hawaii UNITED STATES Registration Date 02/17/2004 Mailing Address 650 S CHERRY ST STE 920 DENVER Colorado 80246 United States of America Term T-WILL Managed by MEMBER(S) A 'brit Info. Agent Name RON LUNSFORD Agent Address 53-549 KAMEHAMEHA HWY STE 301 HAUULA Hawaii 96717 United States of America AMnp~~ FiJin Info Filing Year Filing Status .2005 Pending i~~ itittaY'on Name Office Date SHAMROCK HOLDINGS GROUP, LLC MEM 2/17/2004 tra~rii#~a~f ° ~''1i~fo1•mation Date Code Remarks 2/17/2004 rticles of Organization rticles of Organization General, InfQrmatign Business Entity Name PUA'A DEVELOPMENT, LLC Record Type Master Name for a Domestic Limited Liability Company (LLC) File Number 7258 CS Status 1 Place Incorporated Hawaii UNITED STATES Registration Date 4/05/2001 Expiration Date 12/31/2099 Mailing Address MAUKA TOWER STE 2600 737 BISHOP ST HONOLULU Hawaii 96813 United States of America Managed by MANAGER(S) eri't Info Agent Name DENNIS M LOMBARDI Agent Address MAUKA TOWER STE 2600 737 BISHOP ST HONOLULU Hawaii 96813 United States of America Annwal Fllin Info Filing Year Filing Status 2004 Delinquent 2003 Processed 2002 Not Filed 2001 Processed ()ffiGBr Information Name ffice Date CHULER,JAMES K MGR 12/31/2001 Trttiti~~~tionlnformation . Date Code Remarks 4/05/2001 rticles of RTICLES OF ORGANIZATION FOR LIMITED LIABILITY CO - Organization IMAGED