HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0042.093 2004-2006 Dr. Fred Holschuh January 20, 2005
Mr. Gary Safarik, Chairman
Honorable County Council
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, HI 96720
1tE: General Plan
Hawaii County Zoning Code
Aloha and mahalo for }our attention to this brief eshression of concern from one of your
Hamakua neighbors.
I am not a native Hawaiian but have been made welcome here in this community near Kapulena
with much aloha for the past 12 years. My neighbors and myself are farmers or associated with agricultural
enterprises. Most of us are concerned thaz our way of life could be threatened. Land designated for
agricultural land use is being lost, eroded by the practice of granting special use permits for non-agriculture
related purposes. The granting of special use permits (and they are rarely denied) permanently removes
land from agricultural use and opens formerly ag land to many types of commercial activity which do not
confonn to community norms.
I come here from "Silicon Valley" once known as Santa Clara Valley, a beautiful orchard community
producing chemes, pears, plums and prunes, apples nuts and other tree crops. The character of the valley
has completely changed. I doubt an orchard can be found anywhere in the valley today. A preponderance
of my neighbors join me in adamantly refusing to accept a similar fate for Hamakua. This aina is special
but allowing its commercialvatioq piecemeal though it may be, will slowly destroy it. Let us put our
commercial operations in urban centers which may grow out from the center of town, not dropped into the
midst of our precious ag land.
There is language in our state constitution that charges our government with the responsibility of preserving
and protecting agricultural lands. This Council has not only the power but the responsibility of fulfilling
that constitutional charge. There should be an immediate moratorium on any special use permits which
request special use of agricultural land. The General Plan must be crafted to abide by the letter and the
spirit of the state constitution and the will of the people of Hamakua regarding the preservation and
protection of the unique agricultural lands of Hamakua.
My intent has been to briefly emphasize our concerns and to urge the Council to act on them. I refer you to
previous communications submitted by my neighbors, Gayle Marquess and Lisa Anderson and others, for
further amplificazion. Again, mahalo for your attention to these matters.
Sincerely,
R V Painter
47-4507 Waipio Rd.
Honokaa, HI 96727
Haleioruss@cs.com
Comm. No. ~ ~
Ref. To: Prae
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