HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0208.075 2004-2006 Murashige, Laura
From: The Maynards [haoles2@verizon.net]
Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2005 2:09 PM
To: Hawaii CO. Council
Subject: Bill 78
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To all members of the Council,
I would like to take this opportunity to urge all the members of the ~`;Y_;
council to vote in favor of the passage of Bill 78. As someone who
moved to Big Island from the mainland and one who is making this
beautiful place her permanent home, I would urge you to take every
measure possible to preserve those things about the Big Island that
made me and my sister choose to relocate here. Chief among them was
the existence of open space and the lack of the "wall-to-wall"
development we left behind.
Once the land that is currently undeveloped is developed, there is no
way to put that genie back in the bottle. Once we have lost our
shorelines to hotels, houses, condominiums etc., there is no way to put
that genie back in the bottle. Once we have lost access to the
shoreline we cannot put that genie back in the bottle.
I am not opposed to progress but I am opposed to that progress which
will destroy the very things about this place that make it such a
wonderful place to live year round. Last year when this same topic was
discussed in the form of putting a referendum on the ballot, it was
pointed out that in a survey some 70% of island residents were in
support of establishing a land protection fund. Last year Mayor Kim
was in favor of this project and I ask you to not be swayed by his
threat to veto the legislation this year. In passing Bill 78 you will
be doing the will of the people of Big Island, which is your
responsibility as members of the council. I fail to understand the
Mayor's position myself and intend to tell him so in a separate
communication. The merits of the project have not changed in one year.
As I remember last year's debate, it was the idea of establishing the
fund by charter amendment not the merits of the proposal which caused
the then members of the Council to fail to support Bill 270.
If you feel the 2% figure is too large a commitment (I do not), I would
urge you to pass this legislation with nothing less than a 1 % figure.
Kauai and Maui already have land protection funds established and have
used the same to purchase significant tracts to preserve their islands.
We cannot always depend on the generosity of landowners to deed their
property over to the County or State in order to maintain it so that
future generations may experience this island as we now have the
opportunity to experience Big Island.
Remember, once the land is gone to development or been altered it any
way, it is gone, never to be the way it is now. We cannot put that
genie back in the bottle.
Thank you for giving this testimony your serious consideration.
Marianne Maynard
73-1212 Hi'olani Street
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 Zo
Comm. Prose )
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