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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0225.009 2004-2006 Murashige, Laura From: MARY ANN TODD-WALLER [matwaller@msn.com] Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2005 6:58 AM To: counciltestimony Subject: Resolution 84-05 5-18-OS testimony.doc Aloha Council Members, Attached is a copy of my testimony I did not get to finish yesterday. Please use it when viewing the 29 exhibits I emailed earlier before the Matsumoto Road comes up for the next reading, which I understand will come in the form of a bill. Next time you're in Kona, check out the planned Holu-Keokeo Street connector for yourselves. Turn dawn Kaiminani from Mamalahoa and it will be the 8th street on your right. Aloha, - Mary Ann Todd-Waller - - Comm. No. ?.s.~•q Ref. To:,~(f1M1U Ref. Date MAY 2 3 7(lOS .r~lary .Ann .x" ~od~f~all r 73-4z8o .Keokeo Street, .Kailua-.Kong .lfazvaii 96740 ysoo, Phone /808/ jzs~i83 5/18/05 Council Testimony, RE: Resolution 84-05, Condemnation of Matsumoto Road, Road Lot B, TMK 7-3-005-111. I am resident and co-owner of a CPR'd lot in the Matsumoto Subdivision with a 1 /20`~ interest in the recorded road maintenance agreement for the Matsumoto Road parcel 1 l l and a 1/80` ownership interest in the Road A aka Foster Road or TMK 7-3-005-101. I am testifying today in hope the County and Council will reconsider opening the Holu-Keokeo Street connector road due to our safety and liability concerns. I realize this resolution only addresses the Matsumoto roadway lot, however I fear once the County pays her the County will be compelled to open the Holu-Keokeo connector regardless of our safety concerns and possible liability. By now I hope you all know about the great injustice done to the residents of the Keokeo Street area when the County removed the original County standard barricade with an expired construction right of entry agreement obtained from a party that did not have a vested or ownership interest in either of private road sections of Keokeo Street on July 1 1, 1996. In my letter to Gerald Takase on April 29`x, which Council members received for the May 3`d committee meeting, I thanked him for explaining the reason the County didn't do a title search, (which was because the title company wanted too much money), and ended the conversation feeling assured that he would deal with our ownership interest and liability concerns. While Mr. Takase acknowledged the convoluted ownership of parcel 101, he said that the County's plan was to proceed with process for opening the connector based on the deeds the County had received and see if anyone came forward. Well I came forward and let him know I would let the rest of the owners know what is happening. I found out Monday that Corp. Counsel was going to withdraw the resolution because they had received or were getting a deed from Mrs. Matsumoto and Gerald Takase may have prepared the deed for her. Because [ told him exactly what many of the residents' and my position was on opening this connector road, I suspect this deed maneuver was an underhanded attempt to squash our concerns from being heard by the full council in the future, thereby rendering the administrative departments involved unaccountable to the council as to the safety issues progress or lack of, as was the case in the mid 1990's. I was to some extent relieved to find out yesterday that in light of our recorded road maintenance agreement with Mrs. Matsumoto for parcel 1 I 1 that forbids her from dedicating road Iot and can only be terminated by majority agreement or condemnation as stated on page 6, paragraph 8, which I faxed to Ivan Torigoe Monday, that Corp. Counsel would probably not be withdrawing the resolution and proceeding with the condemnation process thus precluding the Matsumoto subdivision owners from having to take legal action against Mrs. Matsumoto. I have furnished Council with snapshots of all the planned connector road intersections and Holu -Keokeo Street so you may see exactly what we are talking about when we, the Kona Palisades Estates Community and three former council members claim the Holu-Keokeo Street connector is the most dangerous of all the 5 planned connectors in Kalaoa. Please look at the exhibits as I describe them, starting with the mauka most connector to the makai most connector on Kaiminani Drive and Holu-Keokeo Street. Exhibit 1 is the Iliili -Kaiminani intersection mauka view that has a fair sight distance up the hill. Exhibit 2, the makai view shows a somewhat limited sight distance down the hill and is the reason the Kona Palisades Estates Community Association recommends prohibiting left turns at this intersection. Keep in mind that vehicles are in acceleration mode trying to climb this road and when they reach the intersection the pedal is still on the metal when the grade lessens. Exhibit 3, the Keokeo-Kaiminani intersection mauka view shows the somewhat limited sight distance slightly less than the Iliili mauka site distance. Exhibit 4, the makai view has a very limited sight distance of vehicles coming up over the hill. From the time a vehicle appears in sight and reaches the intersection has been clocked between 5, 6 and sometimes 7 seconds. Bob Aeder testified at the May 3`d committee meeting that he and his wife use the partnership approach when attempting to make a left hand turn, with each looking in one direction and she letting him know when the makai side is clear to enter the intersection. Jiro Sumada also stated when he and Bob Yanabu left the Holu-Keokeo Street site inspection they used the same partnership approach. So you can imagine what it is like when you are trying to make a left turn or get across the intersection to the North side of Keokeo Street when you are the lone occupant of your vehicle. It was also stated that the sight distance is within county standards, however the reality of the speed at which vehicles approach the intersection while traveling uphill must be taken into consideration. Driver education, lack of police presence and signs are not going to deter drivers from speeding. Exhibit 5 shows a typical driver turning right onto Keokeo Street from Kaiminani Drive when approaching it from the mauka direction. You have to slow down to about 10 miles an hour to negotiate the turn without veering into the oncoming lane and believe me the people coming down the hill do not appreciate it and will let you know just as the people coming up the hill do when they have to suddenly slow down when you make that left turn to go up Kaiminani Drive. Please note there is a culvert just left of the rectangular sign with its back shown in the picture, which is also shown in exhibit 21. About 5 years ago I was involved in an accident while turning right from Kaiminani onto Keokeo because the vehicle behind me could not slow down fast enough when the driver realized I slowed down, so decided to pass me on the right shoulder rather than rear end me. I was turning right, so we collided anyway. A no left tum sign should be installed at this intersection if the County opens this connector. Exhibit 6 is the Oneone-Kaiminani intersection mauka view, which is slightly better than the Iliili's mauka sight distance. Exhibit 7, makai view, is the best makai sight distance so far going down Kaiminani Drive. Exhibit 8, Ahiahi-Kaiminani intersection mauka view sight distance is about the same as Oneone's mauka side. Exhibit 9, makai sight distance is about the same as Oneone's makai side. Exhibit l0, Holoholo-Kaimininani intersection mauka view sight distance is very good and is at the most level part of Kaiminani of all the connector intersections. This connector was opened on April 20`h without any improvements to the substandard Nana side. I understand widening is necessary from Jiro Sumada & Bob Yanabu's inspection of April 28`x'. (The County is currently exposed to liability here). Exhibit 1 1, makai view is also very good. Now we will begin ourjourney down Ahikawa Street on to Holu and Keokeo Street. Exhibits 12, 13 and 14 show the makai sight distance view, almost no shoulder and a 15ft. drop off on the makai/right side property on Holu that requires a guardrail to prevent any more vehicles from ending up in that lot and is especially dangerous after a little drizzle. The mauka view of the intersection is shown on exhibit 29. Please note the street is narrow and does not meet the county's standard width requirement on both Holu and Ahikawa. Exhibit 15 shows the current barricade between Holu and Keokeo. Notice Keokeo on the other/north side of the barricade appears to be lower than Holu. This is not an optical illusion because of the way the photo was taken. Just beyond the boulders in the left hand lane, is the area some refer to as the launch site. I will explain this later. Exhibit 16 shows the beginning of the bottom of the "S" turn on Keokeo and the limited sight distance sign on the right. The limited sight distance occurs at the top of "S" turn, which is also shown in exhibits 17 and 18. This is also the Matsumoto portion or parcel 111 of the roadway. Road B or parcel 101 starts at approximately the telephone post in front of the truck. Exhibit 19 shows a clear shot to Kaiminani with road parcel 101 ending at the end of the double solid lines and the county road begins. Exhibit 20 shows the Keokeo-Kaiminani intersection through to the other side and another vehicle veering even further into the oncoming traffic lane. Exhibit 21, shows the culvert mentioned earlier. Exhibit 22, shows a vehicle that has just popped Ltp over the hill that will be at the intersection within 4 to 5 seconds. Now we'll begin our journey in the north direction on Keokeo Street. Exhibits 23 and 24 show the top of the "S" turn and limited sight distances when traveling north towards Holu on Keokeo. Exhibit 25 shows the bottom end of the "S" turn and more limited sight distance as we approach the barricade. Exhibit 26 shows the area referred to as the launch site because the connection lacks a smooth transition, it begins to quickly slope upward to meet Holu and at least one vehicle actually launched into the air when the subdivision was being built landing approximately where indicated on exhibit 27 as the landing site. And finally exhibits 28 and 29 show the steep incline and decline on Ahikawa as seen from Holu-Ahikawa intersection. There is no park in the Kalaoa area. Holu and Keokeo are used by many for their daily exercise, dog walking and bicycle or scooter riding. When the Matsumoto subdivision was being built and on the 2 days the road was open in July 1996, speeding was rampant on Keokeo and why many of the street area residents would like to see speed humps installed if the road is open. I hope these photographs give the council a clearer understanding of our safety concerns and why 3 former council members whom made personal inspections of the planned connectors and the Kona Palisades Estates Community Association and the Keokeo Street area residents consider the Holu-Keokeo connector the most dangerous of the 5 planned connectors. The $150,000 plus required to acquire the road lots on Keokeo and make necessary safety improvements to the Holu side could be better utilized in Kailua town or elsewhere, considering there are 4 other safer and more suitable connectors planned within the 1.2 mile stretch of Kaiminani Drive the planned connectors encompass. Please defer resolution 84-OS until the aforesaid issues are in fact resolved and re-evaluate the value versus public safety of opening the Holu-Keokeo connector. If it must be open, require Public Works and Corp. Counsel to appropriately correct the safety defects and resolve the ownership issues on parcel 101 prior to it's opening. I invite all council members to inspect the planned Holu-Keokeo Street connector for themselves next time your are in Kona. (Turn down Kaiminani Drive and it's the 8`~ street on the right).