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- ~ - y~~ 75.5737 Kuakini 1 {~yy„ Sude 208 Cfi~B~ Kaikia-Kara. H196740 A~ M~ Phone 808-379-1758 Pax, 808-329-8564 VK ~i ~y„~,korw-kohala.com kcmakcc;~gle~nea May 30, 2007 Hawail County Council Pete Hoffmann, Chair 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, HI 96720 Re Bill 51 Draft 2; Proposed Amendment to Chapter 27 of the HCC Deaz Chairman Hoffmann and Members of the County Council, 'T'his testimony is on behalf of the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce. The Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce (KKCC) represents nearly 750 business and individual members and is the leading business advocacy organization on the west side of the Hawai i Island. The Chamber recognizes the risks and issues concerned with flooding on the Big Island and in West Hawaii given the topography and the possibility of heavy rainfall, albeit a relatively raze occurrence. We fully support the efforts of this Councfl, the Public Works Department, and all branches of County administration and the Council, in seeking appropriate safeguazds, both administrative and practical, in reducing the potential for damage to property and injury to people in the event of severe rainfall. However, we also recognize the lack of effective flood zone mapping and inadequate information on which to base good policy and plaiuiing in this area. We also recognize and agree the issue of flood control policy and regulation does need to be addressed seriously and in-depth, but believe this needs to be done on the basis of better information (i.e. mapping) and most critically, with the input of professional engineers and flood control experts. Without this as the basis for review, any proposed changes in the level of control can either be potentially inadequate or onerous as to cause unintended consequences for the azea while still not achieving the desired result. We have been advised that engineers will confirm the level of pond volume required to contain the water from a 100 yeaz/24 hour flood becomes very large (2200 sq ft and 5 feet deep on a 1 acre lot) and since the watershed azea is above almost all development, the property and the properties below it will still be subject to water flow and flooding in the event of very heary rain. On the Hilo side the pond area required will be around three times as large, but in a severe storm the water will still flow from azeas further up the mountain. Please be assured the Chamber will be very willing to support and assist in any move to improve the currently inadequate FEMA maps and all other aspects of the information base that will allow this issue to be addressed sensibly, reasonably and as a matter of some urgency as the population inevitably increases. Further, the Chamber will fully support any request for federal assistance and funding to address the issue, again, as a matter of urgency.'.r`'~ Comm. No. '1 Rsf. 1c~fe~eeted 1M1O/ Ref. Dm~d