HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0255.003 2006-2008
05/14/2007 21:57 8089594757 RICHARD LIONHEART PAGE 0:..
Please distribute to all Planning Committee members?
Communications 255, Blll 74. f:i„~.. 1 ~ ~
Hearing, May 15, 2007, 1:45 PM
Attention Chairman Pilago,
Excuse me for not presenting this before the Planning Committee meecind es I am
unable to attend in person due to work commitments.
I have become concerned to see how the rezoning of so many propen:.2s'ir :!he Hilr,
area is adding to our traffic congestion. The section of Puanako St. be~~:o+~~r;~~ ICilaue~;
and Kanoelehua are already over congested. During after work hours. than traffc is.
bumper to bumper from Kanoelehua all the way to Kinoole, as well as ur, 5at~riays. I
know for I have to drive to work and shop using this area.
It is also a concern to see how any developer, in this case Jon Gomes, :a~it hi-~a an~r
consulting firm, in this case M&E Pacific Inc to give results that are usu~tl!;r IavcH~abls t.;.
the developer. The consulting firm can give estimated numbers from thE;i ~ research
data, and if their numbers are wrong, there is not accountability to concca t'ie ~~ur~rn;i.
How can we rezone a parcel of land where there is no solid data excetr4: th;3: we alr~aa~Chy
have a traffic problem in this area. Our own traffic engineers cannot p•Eacl ct +:raffic:
volumes since they don't know the specific commercial uses for this re,~~u^iiiral. T'he~y L'r!r
to fix the problem by demonstrating different levels of wait time for drivt rs. Nam'
ridiculous is this as I already have to wait up to four Gght cycles before; I c.:~n rnake a
left onto Kanoelehua from Puanako especially on Saturdays. And we all k' cnv very we~;l
that the taxpayer will have to eventually pay for and maintain a traffic rr<rl in the iie~rr
future to try and manage the chaos the Planning Committee helps to crr~crt.<~.
We don't need anymore stress to go to work or to shop at the Puanak:,:~ :;hcrFq~ ng
Complex. Instead of wasting time to create more traffic and dangerous ~~i a~ a•:~c,ns an
our roads, I would recommend the Planning Committee work on securinll t hu F'uanakrJ
Kilauea, and the Puanako -Kinoole intersections with left-hand lanes, tlusn, aitd only
then should you even consider any rezoning projects. First, be sure you hove the ri<Ihrt
infrastructure in place and that developers provide the correct data sc~ tlhdt: thfr
Consulting firm and our traffic engineers can provide real data so you rai° make an
intelligent and responsible decision that serve the people & County of F;i+v,aii
Sincerely,
Richard Lionheart
Hilo, Hawaii
r~. _ P/..~~
YIi~~B.