HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0362.009 2004-2006 Kailua Village Merchants Association
% Kona Marketplace
5729 A1ii Drive C-110
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740
334-0562 phone 331-0562 fax
email kvmamarie@hawaii.rr.com
September 20, 2005
Hawaii County Council's
Committee on Planning
Pete S. Hoffmann, Co-Chair
K.Angel Pilago, Co-Chair
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo Hawaii
Aloha
We would like to thank the County Council for allowing a public hearing to
voice the concerns of West Hawaii residents and business owners the
opportunity to discuss the Bill 123, which involves the changing of the
District Classification from Multiple Family Residential (RM-1) to Resort-
Hotel (V-75) at Puaa ls`, North Kona, Hawaii, covered by Tax Map Key 7-
5-9-23 by owner, KPC Villages, LLC from 656 Hudson Ave, Los Angeles,
California 90005.
First, let us begin with what this outcome of changing a zone would do for
Kailua Village. Every single resident of Kailua- Kona, whether they
travel Alii Brive to work each day or have lunch or shop in Kailua Village
knows the frustration of traffic backed up during the day, and even during
the evening hours when Craffic through the village is for dinning and
shopping. Now, consider our visitors from the mainland and non-
mainland who come stay in hotels and condos and drive Alii Drive to
shop and dine within Kailua Village. Many of our visitors spend many
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hours of their vacation dinning and shopping at our nearby shopping
villages and shopping centers along Alii Drive. There is an enormous
amount of recreation activates within Kailua Village in water sports,
swimming, snorkeling, Kailua pier pick-up for several tour boats, all
activities that require the use of cars to the village. Parking in Kailua
Village has become a nightmare, there are so few Public Parking spaces
within the village that it has created a void for those who can not find a
convenient place to park. We want to save Kailua Village as a visitor
destination.
It is the responsibility of the County Council, the Mayor, and the Planning
Commission to raise questions about this change of zoning. With the size
from each apartment being reduced from 1000 square feet to 750 square
feet and the additional units to changed from 48 to 67 and the now an
additional commercial space to be added. We not only lose the possibility
of having more housing for residents, it will now become a Hotel with
commercial property. This is not housing made for our residents, it is just
another plan to decrease our quality of life in Kailua Village. Alii Drive
can not be made into a four lane highway, there is no possible way to
decrease traffic today, but to increase more development on Alii Drive is
wrong. KPC Villages has offered to make you an access road if you give
them this zoning. Well, guess what there should be a requirement with the
existing zone now. Every developer in this country knows how to make
amends to get their development approved, but today it can not be re-
zoned just for the benefit of profits for a developer. Let KPC V illage, LLC
build their 48 apartments with an access road and leave the Hotel out of
our village. It is very likely that residents of West Hawaii will read that
this property will be for sale and a large corporate hotel has bought it.
End of story.
Please we ask that this zone change be voted down. Residents and
visitors can deal with the existing zone to this property, which is under
the guild lines of the Kailua Village Design Plan. Tts time now that
we ask KPC Villages LLC to give an access road and be happy to build
their apartments, Remember, traffic begins from Keauhou and continues
to Alii Drive up through Palani Road every day, every hour of the day.
Mahalo for your time today. Please make the right decision for Kailua
Village. The General Plan was passed by this County Council and we
want it to be implemented for our quality of life. It's your responsibility.
Aloha
Respectfully,
~(iL
Ma ' Aguila
President
Kailua Village Merchants Association