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Dr. Fred Holschuh January 20, 2005 <br /> Mr. Gary Safarik, Chairman <br /> Honorable County Council <br /> 25 Aupuni Street <br /> Hilo, HI 96720 <br /> 1tE: General Plan <br /> Hawaii County Zoning Code <br /> Aloha and mahalo for }our attention to this brief eshression of concern from one of your <br /> Hamakua neighbors. <br /> I am not a native Hawaiian but have been made welcome here in this community near Kapulena <br /> with much aloha for the past 12 years. My neighbors and myself are farmers or associated with agricultural <br /> enterprises. Most of us are concerned thaz our way of life could be threatened. Land designated for <br /> agricultural land use is being lost, eroded by the practice of granting special use permits for non-agriculture <br /> related purposes. The granting of special use permits (and they are rarely denied) permanently removes <br /> land from agricultural use and opens formerly ag land to many types of commercial activity which do not <br /> confonn to community norms. <br /> I come here from "Silicon Valley" once known as Santa Clara Valley, a beautiful orchard community <br /> producing chemes, pears, plums and prunes, apples nuts and other tree crops. The character of the valley <br /> has completely changed. I doubt an orchard can be found anywhere in the valley today. A preponderance <br /> of my neighbors join me in adamantly refusing to accept a similar fate for Hamakua. This aina is special <br /> but allowing its commercialvatioq piecemeal though it may be, will slowly destroy it. Let us put our <br /> commercial operations in urban centers which may grow out from the center of town, not dropped into the <br /> midst of our precious ag land. <br /> There is language in our state constitution that charges our government with the responsibility of preserving <br /> and protecting agricultural lands. This Council has not only the power but the responsibility of fulfilling <br /> that constitutional charge. There should be an immediate moratorium on any special use permits which <br /> request special use of agricultural land. The General Plan must be crafted to abide by the letter and the <br /> spirit of the state constitution and the will of the people of Hamakua regarding the preservation and <br /> protection of the unique agricultural lands of Hamakua. <br /> My intent has been to briefly emphasize our concerns and to urge the Council to act on them. I refer you to <br /> previous communications submitted by my neighbors, Gayle Marquess and Lisa Anderson and others, for <br /> further amplificazion. Again, mahalo for your attention to these matters. <br /> Sincerely, <br /> R V Painter <br /> <br /> 47-4507 Waipio Rd. <br /> Honokaa, HI 96727 <br /> <br /> Haleioruss@cs.com <br /> Comm. No. ~ ~ <br /> Ref. To: Prae <br /> 4ef. Uate <br /> <br />