HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0056.014 2006-2008 Kim Tavares
PO Box 338 -Volcano, Hawaii - 96785
TO: Council Chairman Pete Hoffmann, Vice Chair Angel Pilago
& all Hawaii County Council members
RE: Oppose Bi11220 & Bi11221
2007 January 4
Greetings,
At this moment, hundreds of Puna residents are involved in a relentless battle to keep ahead of
unplanned, chaotic development across Puna. We are participants in the Community
Development Process, the Puna CDP. My name is Kim Tavares, and I am a member of the
steering committee. The Planning Department, along with consultants and the community at
large, are forming recommendations right now, that will guide planning decisions for the district.
The Puna CDP is made often working groups. Agriculture, alternative energy, culture &
historic preservation, economic opportunity, land use, natural resource preservation & protection,
parks & recreation, public services & infrastructure, social services and transportation. It has
generated, and continues to generate more comments from 130 small group meetings,
workshops, mailed in testimony from community organizations and non-profits, email list serves
and message boards in an effort to really know what the people of Puna want and don't want.
Many participants are members of more than one group, and so a lot of cross-talk and overlap on
issues occurs. Ultimately, everything boils down to land use.
We have been at it for about a year now, so we have a pretty good idea what each group wants or
doesn't want. I have attended all workshops and steering committee meetings, many working
group meetings, held neighborhood meetings and interviews with non-meeting goers, and I have
heard the overwhelming public outcry to save our natural views, rural atmosphere and to prevent
strip malls (unsightly or beautiful), commerce and industry from developing along Highway 130.
Any commercial activity along the highway creates traffic and safety problems, and Highway
130 already has enough of that. It is also widely unpopular in the Agriculture & Natural
Resources groups, to rezone lands from agriculture to urban or industrial-commercial mix.
Please oppose Bill 220 and Bill 221, allowing the CDP the opportunity to plan commercial
centers and their preferred locations.
Sincerely,
~ s~
Kim Tavare3;-3frfenng Cmte Puna CDP ~ Natural Resources ~ Culture & Historic Preservation
Comm. No. ~ G
Ref. To: Pres
Ref. Date JAN 0 ~ 2001