HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0056.013 2006-2008 ~ v
S/ v'a.C LiS~-
• JNAl.A1MA O PUNA
P. O. Box 1524
Paiwa, Hawaii 9b778
(808) 965-2000
www.malamaopuna.org malamaopuna@.vahoo.com
Aa•Satvl~ Hawal7 `s Pt+et'Iotis aatwrel /~rt9ta~ss
TESTIMONY: JAN. 4, 2007, To the Hawaii County Council
1tE: Bill 220 State Land Use Boundary Amendment, and
Bill 221 Change of Zone
Applicant: Timothy Gardner
h has been a longstanding policy of the Planning Dept. and the Planning
Commission to deny applications for commercial development along Hwy. 130. The
primary reason is to prevent precedents that would create strip malls. State DOT has
concurred in this, but for different reasons - Yheu goals being to keep the traffic moving
and not create logjams. These policies, however, do not have the force of an ordinance,
and that is just what the Puna Community Development Plan participants aze working to
create.
There are some developments along the highway that are perceived as not
complying with this policy, but this is only because the perceptions are based on
insufficient information or ignorance. For example, Malama Marketplace is NOT on
Hwy. 130, but off a parallel road; the Woodlands Center now being created has its
entrance on a street off of Pahoa Village Rd.; the Sunrise Nursery by Paradise Drive is an
agricultural endeavor and is therefore exempt; Athena's hulihuli chicken is an illegally
zoned business and complaints have been filed against it by the public (although I do not
know the current status of these); and, finally, the parcel that the County acquired from
the State for Police, Fire and Parks and Recreation -this is not a Commercial use.
Timothy Gardner is requesting a State Land Use Boundary Amendmem and a
Change of Zone to allow him to allegedly build aself-storage facility on Hwy. 130. As
you are aware, both Chris Yuen and the Planning Commission turned him down. I hope
that you have all read not only the Background Report but also the hearing transcript to
understand the issues that were taken into consideration in making this negative
recommendation to you. Change of Zone runs with the land. There is absolutely nothing
to prevent Mr. Gazdner, once you approve this, from fuming azound and putting in
another type of business development that will conform to the Commercial-Industrial
Zoning. He will not need any more pemrits, other than a Building Pemrit
What will be the ramifications of this?
1. It will set a precedent for other property owners along Hwy. 130 to rezone their
property, on the basis of "if you did it once you must do it again or you will be
exhibiting prejudice". It is just a baby step from there to an ugly strip mall.
Comm. No.
Ref. To: ~asat~d
kef. Late JAN 0 4 7007 _
2. The County acquired the parcel for the FirelPolicelGym precisely for its location:
it would allow fue, police and ambulance services to get to the emergency scene
more quickly, without battling and being slowed down by traffic in Pahoa town.
At the preliminary town meetings called to inform the public and solicit input,
traffic was a major topic of discussion. 'Then, when the Fire Dept's plan went to
the Planning Commission, traffic was once again a concern. If a high traffic
business goes onto Mr. Gardner's parcel, or any other parcel on Hwy 130, it will
slaw dawn emergency response time and lives and property may suffer as a result.
The more commercial development on the highway, the worse this will be. There
are no lanes where drivers can rum off to enter the parcel from a high speed
highway, and when they try to exit there are no merging lanes either. This
development will worsen an already dangerous situation.
3. Pahoa Weed and Seed has been working diligently to define strategies for
improving the business climate in Pahoa and creating jobs within the community.
A strip mall along the highway will kill the town. Many years ago, when the
Fahoa Bypass was first proposed, there was considerable concern that, should it
be developed, P81toa would become a ghost town. The community's concerns
were assuaged by a promise that its interests would be protected by a policy of no
commercial development on the highway. If you pass this SLU Boundary
Amendment and Change of Zone, the County government will be breaking a
promise to the community.
4. Finally, Pahoa has been undergoing a CDP process. Lots of people who never got
active before have seen this as an opportunity to make a difference, tell the
County what we want to see (and not see) in our future, and put some positive
new policies and ordinances into place. There have been lots of meetings and lots
of time spent in private research and in brainstorming. One of the repeated and
cleat themes is that the plan created by the community will ask that no
commercial development along Hwy. 130 be enacted as law. To approve this
project, which is counter to the wishes of the community, would be a slap in the
face and give the anti-government naysayers the right to say "I told you so -
government can't be trusted -the whole idea of the community determining its
own future is shibai." Will you prove them right? We hope not.
Please deny Mr. Gardener's requests.
~y~_~ ~c
i livivv L Q~u~FAL~
Rene Siracusa, President, Malama O Puna