HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0176.088 2006-2008 Page 1 of 1
Murashige, Laura
From: Shawn Saito [ssaito@parkerranch.comj
Sent: Friday, June 01, 2007 8:12 AM
To: counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us
Cc: 'Riley Smith'
Subject: Testimony on Bill 51 for Council Meeting 611/07
Attachments: testimony to hoffmann on Bill 51 photos 060107.pdf; testimony to hoffmann -council on bill 51
060107.pdf
Please find attached Riley Smith's testimony for Bill 51 that will be heard at 10:15 today. If you should have any
trouble with either of the 2 attachments, please contact me.
Thank You,
Shawn Saito
Shawn Saito
Property Management Assistant
Land & Asset Management-Parker Ranch
Tel: 808.885.2320 Fax: 808.885.5602
Parker Ranch -Home to Hawaii's Paniolo since 1847 _
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6/1/2007
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Drain Channel by Waimea Fire/Police Stations
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June t, zoos
Pete Hoffmann, Chair
Hawaii County Council
Councilroom
Ben Franklin Building, z°d Floor
333 IZilauea Avenue
Hilo, HI 96~zo
Via fax: 961-89iz
Email: counciltestimonyC~co.hawaii.hi.us
Dear Chair Hoffmann:
RE: Bi115i, Draft 3 -Ordinance Amending Chapter z~, Flood
Control, Hawaii County Code 1983 (zoog Edition), as Amended,
Relating to Stormwater Management
My name is Riley W. Smith, licensed professional engineer, former Deputy Chief
Engineer of the D epartment of Public Works (1993 to 1995) and former State President
of the Hawaii Society of Professional Engineers (zoo4). I am speaking on behalf of my
employer, Parker Ranch, Inc.
I again reiterate similar concerns with provisions of the current draft of Bi115t. Although
it was originally intended as a "housekeeping° effort, its scope has been broadened to its
current state. It has over stepped its purpose and has the following problems:
• Conflicts with existing law and rules;
• Technical requirements based on ambiguous and undefined terms;
• Procedural inaccuracies;
• Arbitrary design standards that are much more restrictive than EPA
requirements; and
• Detrimental impacts to land use and development cost
In its current form, it is likely that it will result in extensive additional development costs
for new housing developments, including affordable housing, that will be passed on and
result in price increases too high for most Hawaii County residents. This is especially
true for those who are first-time home buyers. This bill will drastically increase the cost
of housing and make it more difficult for our children to reside in Hawaii, and for our
employees to live within close proximity of their work place.
A case in point is the Waimea Town Center, or Parker 2ozo project (as envisioned by
former Ranch owner, Richard Smart). In 1995, Parker Ranch contracted for the design
and construction to redirect both IZamuela and Lanimaumau Streams. These waterways
were FEMA designated flood zones and appeared on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps.
They impacted the North Hawaii Community Hospital site, as well as portions of Parker
Ranch Center and Pukalani Road. Federal requirements dictated that a loo-year flood
6r-1435 Mamalahoa Hwy., Kamuela, Hawaii 9673
Tel.: (808) 885-731 1 • Fax: (808)885-5602 ~ wv?w.parkerranch.com
June 1, 2007
Page 2
recurrence interval be followed for this Soo acre drainage basin. Based on the
magnitude of a storm that could be expected once every ioo years, a peak flow of iSoo
cfs was calculated. This flow required that a trapezoidal, earth-lined drain channel be
constructed that was zS' wide (at the bottom) at an average depth of 8'. This drain
channel was two miles long and terminated in one three acre and two twenty acre
retention basins.
This drainage improvement cost $4.S million. Its cost is spread over the expected 730
residential units within this project. The allocated cost per unit is $6,200. In other
words, each unit within this development is "charged with" this amount to address
offsite drainage infrastructure. Remember, this is in an area that receives about 30" rain
per year! Also, the ground slope in this area is only about i% - 2%, with deep soil ground
conditions. So, the land characteristics are very conducive to an economic and cost
effective drainage design. In its 12 years of existence, water flow in the drain channel has
never exceeded 3" in depth (for an 8' deep channel) and water has never reached either
of the two 20 acre retention basins. I have attached a few photos, to show you what this
drain channel and retention basins look like.
In addition, the requirement to address the ioo-year storm has been expanded beyond
the modification of FEMA designated flood zones and is proposed to also apply to the
alteration of any water course. This is impractical and unnecessary.
Can you imagine what impacts these proposed requirements would have on the planned
Waikoloa Workforce/Unidev Housing project in Waikoloa? That drainage basin is
probably 20,000 to 30,000 acres, as it starts at the summit of Mauna Kea and fans in the
Westerly direction towards Waikoloa Village. The cost to contain all rainfall from a ioo-
year storm would be astronomic! These units would not be able to be constructed and
sold in the affordable category.
We ask that you and your colleagues on the Council defer action at this time, work with
the Department of Public Works and revise Bill Sl back to its original intent and content.
Sincerely,
Riley W. Smith, P.E. (#4959)
Vice President
Land & Asset Management
Attachments: Photos
67-1435 Ivlamalahoa liwy., Kamucla, I-[awaii 96743
Tel.:(808)885-7311 • Fax:(808)88~-5602 ~ wvvw.parkerranch.com