HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0964.061 2004-2006
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Murashige, Laura (1`1
From: Charles Flaherty [oneheart@aloha.net] C~i6
Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2006 9:56 PM C,
To: counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us 'o; s
Cc: Pilago, K. Angel; 'Pete Hoffmann'; 'Bob and Julie Jacobson'
Subject: Testimony regarding Bill 309
September 6, 2006,
Aloha mai members of the County Council,
I am sorry that I am unable to testify in person due to illness.
My testimony regarding Bill 309, an ordinance amending the Hawai'i County General Plan, as adopted by
Ordinance No. 05-25 is as follows:
1) For proposed E-2, except the Kaloko-Honokohau National Historic Park and the Shores of Kohanaiki
SMA Permit application both requested a 100-foot buffer within the Shores of Kohanaiki along the entire
boundary with the National Park. The County Planning Department and Department of Public Works
have allowed housepad site elevations within 10 feet of the National Historic Park and are allowing
housepad site elevations that impact the viewplane in violation of SMA Permit law. Please amend E-2 to
create a 100-foot buffer within the Shores of Kohanaiki along the entire boundary with the -National Park.
2) Against proposed E-4. In April 2001, the Planning Director submitted the first draft of the revised
General Plan. This revision removed the Resort nodes from 350 acres of DLNR land around Honokohau
Harbor and redesignated the property as Open. For four years, the Planning Director advocated for the
Open designation. During this time, over twenty public hearings and workshops were held during which
the public strongly supported the Open designation. Finally, in February 2005, two years after the DLNR
had submitted its RFQ/RFP to develop this property, this same Council agreed with the Planning Director
and the public and voted to redesignate the DLNR Honokohau property to Open. The public assumed
that this was a done deal, but one year later and for unknown reasons, the Planning Director reversed
five years of support and proposed redesignation of the property to Urban Expansion. The Kona
Community Development Plan public workshops made it clear that the public wants this property to retain
its Open designation. This Council should support its prior vote, four years of County Administration and
public support, and the KDCP by voting against E-4. Otherwise, this Council should hold a public hearing
in Kona before moving against over five years of island-wide support for Open designation of the DLNR
Honokohau property.
3) Against proposed F-2. This property is located at and above the 1000 foot elevation, which even Uncle
Billy Paris has acknowledged is within the Kona Coffee Belt. The General Plan and a 1999 County
Council resolution state that the Kona Coffee Belt is Important Agricultural Land. Important Agricultural
Land specifically protected by the state constitution. Therefore, the State Land Use Commission Urban
Land Use District zoning is illegal. The only legally defensible designation that this Council can make for
this property is Important Agricultural Land.
Mahalo,
Charles Flaherty
Comm. No.
" 1 X04• b l
Ref. To: {'reveres i
Ref. Date SEP 0 7 20n6
9/7/2006