HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0176.151 2006-2008 h u~q~ ~ !F~1~~,3~1•I~~d~. f3flP~A@I. 7~5 • TL~t.I~'fl3 ~2z•~".~~~
7/25/07
Re: Testimony opposing Bill St, Drafts #4 and #S
Good morning Council members,
My name is Robert Nespor. I am the President of the American Institute of Architects, Hawaii Island Section.
The Titanic, ladies and gentlemen, ...the largest, fastest, and safest ship ever built ...yes °the -
a5 fast ship
ever built unsinkable! " Yet we all know the tragic fate of this magnificent vessel. The ship didn't go down
because it wasn't safe, it went down due to human error. Our history books tell the story with 20/20 hind sight.
Officers on the crew cautioned the Captain of the potential perils ahead, and yet, a deadline to set the record for
the Atlantic crossing was the Captain's justification for °full speed ahead."
Council members have asked whether progress is being made to fine tune the worc6ng in the recently proposed
amendments. You have asked, should we try to preserve atI the hard work put into this Biil? To draw an analogy
with the Titanic, essentially, wad-smithing applied to a flawed Bill is like re-arranging the deck chairs ai the Titanic
as the ship rushes "full speed ahead " Carnal members are the respected Captains of our community that we are
depending upon to slow the ship down and set a cause that wfli ultimately reach our goal in a safe manner. Once
the course of Bill 51 is changed to include the essence of Draft # 1, we trust our Councl to cartinue to address
potential flooding issues by taking the first step, that is, to fund a forensic study to determine the actual cause of
specific flooding occurrences that have been brought to the attention of our Councl. T~ iS *_he ime to act on
Draft #7"
Flood Zone X It is not fair, nor practical, that all home and farm owners who have buiR slab on grade within this
ubiquitous designation for the past decades, who have never experienced flooding, but would be required to build
as much as 2 feet above the ground if they were ever to remodel. Is it fair that their existing slab on grade homes
will no longer be compliant and therefore unable to ohtain flood insurance? Now what happens to our existing
mortgages when we suddenly are classified to be in a flood hazard zone? Imagine, all housing and commeraal
buildings being built on stilts. Imagine our super markets, our warehouses, shopping centers, gas stations, medical
buildings and convalescent homes, all built on stilts!
A current commeraal project in Pepeekeo that will fulfill that small community's need for a convenience store, gas
station, restaurant, retail and office space will hit the iceberg and go down if the BiII passes in it's present form.
This will be the inevitable fate to our communities across the entire island.
In summary, I fully support the AiA position in this matter. That is, first, please do what is necessary at this time
to be compliant with the National Flood Inwrance Program, secardiy, appropriate funds for a forensic study to
determine the cause of the most serious flooring occurrences, third, reform any deficiencies that are found in
Chapter 27 resulting from the study by an appropriate code review process, and fourth, move forward with
legislation and/or capital improvement projects that are aimed directly at the true problems.
Thank you fo y ur~/Ly' iron,
0 /
3obert Nespor, AIA
Comm. No. ~ 7`' ~S~
Ref. Tor ~~'ae~ a,n '
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