HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0106.050 2004-2006
To
Chairman Stacy Higa and Hawaii County Council Members
Public Meeting Kona 4/12/05
Testimony on Bills 29, 30, 31, 32 regazding Puaa Development and Suffolk Investment.
I am Rick Vidgen and this Testimony is in support of the rezoning and redesignation
proposed by Puaa and Suffolk Development.
I have been a resident of Kona for over 20 years and live south of town just off the
Highway. For much of my time here I traveled daily to MacFarms in South Kona and
thus I am very awaze of the traffic issues and growth.
I am now a Realtor and Agricultural Consultant and pazticipate in various community and
realtor association committees which allows me to be both involved and informed with
our community government process.
I am here tonight as a concerned local resident to support the development proposed by
Puaa and Suffolk.
I am not necessazily for or against development but see it as inevitable on an Island that
provides a lifestyle that is very appealing to a lot of other Americans. I am very definitely
for the sensible and effective management of development and I believe that this project
represents a planning direction that Fits with this concept.
The project provides affordable rental housing and a neighborhood shopping facility and
that seems to uniquely "fit" the eminently logical concept being proposed by the County
Planning Director for such urban expansion.
The concept is, I believe, intended to optimize the use of existing and future
infrastructure and reduce the traffic problems that currently plague our community.
I believe this project does just this.
I understand that there are public concerns that the project will increase the traffic issues
but I would contend Chat since it is "traffic miles" rather than actual "traffic" that have
created our problems....the project is a distinct positive.
At present it is inevitable that the population will increase and, at affordable levels, we
currently force newcomers to HOVE/Milolii.
The project will offer affordable living to such people and thus potentially take up to 350
cars per day OUT of the real "blockage point" for the Sth Kona traffic which is at
Honalo, not anywhere near this property.
This is one way in which the project will reduce, not add to, traffic problems.
The second factor is much harder to quantify and this concerns the Neighborhood
Shopping that the project will offer.
This will allow people from the project itself and perhaps even Puulani to actually
WALK to the supermarket....a novel idea in today's world. The shopping center and
commercial services will also allow a significant "circle" of people to avoid the trip to the
Kailua Kona or Keauhou centers which are all stretched for access and parking.
I[ is good to manage development and to secure maximum community input.
However it is not in the community's best interest to defer or prevent projects that provide
virtually ALL of the elements we currently lack. Affordable rentals, neighborhood
shopping, and real Mauka/makai connectors.
I would urge you to allow this project to proceed. _
Comm. No. __/~,.~_(~_-C~
Ref. To: Pr G
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