HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0766.081 2004-2006
Caroline Smith
November 28, 2006
County Council Chairman Stacy Higa
County Council Members
Hawaii County Council
25 Aupuni Street, Suite 209
Hilo, HI 96720
Written Statements Regarding Bill 251
Aloha Council Members,
My name is Caroline Smith, and I am a member of the Kamaka and Kanuha ohanas, and an owner of
the 70 acre parcel of land adjacent to the proposed Kona Coffee Estates. I wish to state my support to
the Council for this project. I am writing this to you because, unlike a lot of vocal opponents, I have to
work for a living during the daytime as a teacher at Kahakai Elementary School, before I teach the kids
paddling for Kai Opua Canoe Club. I can assure you that I am part of the "non-vocal majority" that
supports this project, and that there are 40-50 Kona residents who do not oppose this project for every
one of the shrill opponents this project has attracted.
The developers of this project have been open and communicative with us for a long time, and they
have gone out of their way to address some concerns and issues that our family has had on the project.
We are finally going to be able to use our family land because of their efforts and installation of
infrastructure.
I have particular issues with statements made by Sammie Stanbro about mauka access. The Kona
Coffee Estates lands, along with our family lands, the Yokoyama lands, and other parcels have had and
still have legal access to their properties from Mamalahoa Highway via Ke'ala Kauwila Road, which is
on the old maps but has been abandoned below Sammie's home. This road runs right by Sammics'
property, and the Kona Coffee Estates developers agreed not to improve that access at her request,
thereby limiting increased traffic for Sammie and her project opposing neighbors. The developers went
and obtained an agreement from another mauka neighbor to use his roadway access to Mamalahoa
Highway (if necessary) for emergency access in case of a disaster in the mauka section of the area, but
Sammie and her neighbors approached that owner and induced him to withdraw his offer of use of that
roadway for emergency use.
Sammie moved here from Oregon about ten years ago, but has obviously not learned about the Aloha
spirit or how to malama your neighbors, when she and her neighbors place a higher value on their
privacy and seclusion than on public safety! If Sammie and her neighbors want a mauka road, then I
support Kona Coffee Estates improving Ke'ala Kauwila Road and using it for mauka access. It is not up
to some mauka property owners to decide our access rights that have existed for over a hundred years
to suit their own purposes!
Comm. No. 1G~
Ref. To~rei~Md
Ref. Date NOV 9 2006
The Kona Coffee Estates project is well thought out, of low density, in the urban area planned for
growth for many decades, and is contributing much to roadways and infrastructure. Please vote for the
requested change of zone.
Mahalo, I
1, T
Caroline Smith