HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0176.089 2006-2008 Matthew Calabar
PO Box 708
Kealakekua, HI 96750
(808) 7%-1213
May 31, 2007
Honorable Pete Hoffman, Chairperson
Hawaii County Council
25 Aupuni St.
Hilo, HI 96720
Re: Testimony in Opposition to Bi1151 Draft 3 Proposed Amendments to Chapter 27 of the Hawaii
County Code
Deaz Chairperson Hofmann and Hawaii County Council Members:
My family and I are residents of Kealakekua and both work in Kona. A year and a half ago, I chose
to leave the mainland to move here and many my wife and make Kona our home. After being
married, my wife and I chose to stay with her family until our financial resources would allow us to
build our own home.
Shortly after being married in February last year, we were invited by my wife's brother and brother-
in-law to jointly purchase a 3.5 acre piece of land at a great price. Excited at the opportunity to
realize our dream of owning our own home and to help our relatives in doing the same, we accepted
the invitation and purchased the land in May.
Since then, we have gone through many obstacles already to comply with current county codes. We
are on the brink of breaking ground for our homes. Please do not pass this bill as it would seriously
cripple our progress by causing the following negative effects:
• Cause greater expense and increase the time to generate income from our agricultural plan
• Make it almost impossible for all families involved to fit their homes on the land along with
the landscaping, driveways, and other things we are planning to put on the land.
I understand the need to have better flood control, but this is not the right solution. We have spoken
to a local engineer who is one of many technical experts against this bill and she said there are a lot
more simple approaches to preventing the flooding. She gave an example of how one flood victim
could have avoided his problem by not grading his land to funnel the water directly into his house.
Educating the community on how to grade their land rather than regulating how much land can be
graded is a more reasonable solution.
In summary, please do not allow this bill to go into effect. Please try and work out a different
solution before introducing such a change that will have a much more negative impact than it seems
especially on the common people like me.
Sincerely,
~ colttm. 1,,0, i7 6. g ~
Matt Calabar Ref. Tor
Ref. Date i 206