HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0176.132 2006-2008 Page 1 of 1
Murashige, Laura
From: Doug Perrine [perrine@hawaii.rr.com]
Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2007 4:29 PM "1 ~ r,
To: County Council
Subject: Bill 51 testimony
Dear Councilmembers:
Like many members of our community, I stand to be personally affected by the action you take on the
revision of Chapter 27 floodplain management regulations.
In November 2000, my house and the house of my next-door neighbor were damaged by flooding from
what I believe was a 10-year storm event. To my shock I discovered that what appeared to be storm
sewer drains in the neighborhood into which I had moved aze merely dry wells that become inoperative
whenever they fill up with debris. As there is no regulaz maintenance of these dry wells, and as some aze
constructed in such a way that they cannot be cleaned without great difficulty, there is never any
guazantee that the wells will function at all, which would mean no mitigation of storm runoff whatsoever
in my neighborhood. I have learned that this situation is not at all unusual in West Hawaii. As more and
more land mauka of us is covered with impermeable surface, many of us tremble with fear that the next
big rainfall could cause the destruction of our homes and belongings. I have been forced to spend
thousands of dollazs in mitigation measures on my own property to protect my house, but these will be
totally inadequate in the event of a major storm.
I urge the council to adopt the proposals of members Hoffman and Ford to strengthen the floodplain
management ordinance ABOVE the minimum NFIP standazds, which appeaz to me to be seriously
inadequate. The tragic events in Kauai and New Orleans have demonstrated cleazly the risks of failing to.
plan ahead and take strong action to prevent disaster when the inevitable big storms come. Please be
responsible and do not expose me and my ohana to this risk, which increases with every new
development in the floodplain.
Mahalo,
Doug Perrine
Doug Perrine
76-223 Haoa St.
Kailua-Kona HI 96740 U.S.A.
+1 (808) 329-4523
Comm. No. 11G' f 3~-
Ref. To• a"""''~ unu t
Ref. Date JUL 1 Q 2007
7/9/2007