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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0598.018 2006-2008 08/22/2007 10:18 3265697 KCO =''GE ':L . o.-a "'c: ''''-'!~4 Brenda J. Ford ar, Phone No.: (8(131 ~b ~-:iGE4 Couttci{ AAcmbcr ~ Tax NO.: ($08j )-A79b Dislric{7-Cenral Kmm E-Mail: 1>krd(a~co.ha~r~ii.hi.l~; HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL C"ounly q f Hcrwuz `r Xadun Trade (:enter i5-57Q6 /ianama Place, Sui1c lf)I KnAvn-Knnn. linwnr'i 9h74l7 ci , .FAX TRANSMITTAL DATE: August: 22, 2007 T0. Laura Murashige 961.-8912 (fax) PROM: Debralee Kailiwai-Ray SUBJCCT: Teslimolay nn Bill 151 - from Kathy McMillen PAGES SENT INCLUDING COVER PACil: 3 pages COMMENTS: Please deliver as soon. as possible. comm. No. 5 R $ • 1 S Ref. Toe Ref. Date 22 2 2007 llrrwai `i Cbu+:fy Lc .1 n CgaQ{ Op{JOrrp++ity Prm~idvr.4Md llYffp{Q{'ar 08/22/2007 10:18 3265657 KCO Fm:? 02 My name is Kathy McMillen, I work as an administrative rnanager in my husbutd's small land siuvtying basinecs. Tf Bill 151. passes, it wtli lkely create mare work for land surveyors. so let me be clear I am not here to represent attyone other rnY self. Prior to my present posirinn, i worked in construction management for 18 years. In my last position I was in charge of the Constntction xrta»agement for Keaholc Aitport, the main project being the runway cxteosion during the 1990's. !n ttry career I spent S year working or. 3 major flood condo] projects that were administered by the Corp of Engineers. 1've attE7ttpted to read differertt versions of this bit] and the only t}tnig chat is clear is dr•cinoge design issues are confined with Hood plain management issues. While there may be gcx~d inventions backung this bt71, it is clear to the by the way it is written that no one on this council really understands the technical issues. I do have a basic wtdcrstanding but even I wou'd never presurws to write this kind of tegislation. I wouldn't even sponsor this bi11 unless the lead was taken by a PItAC'TICiNG licensed DESIGN HYDROLOGIST with intimate knowledg a of the venous conditions on the liig Island No one else has the expertise needed to do the analysis frn this kind of legislation. And no such person has been seriously involved in Creating this legislation. If anyone on this council really did understand the tecbttical issues, they we old kno~ca that Bill 151 does not solve tlce kind of drainage pmblo*rs we have actually have nn this island. If you want to be productive, focus your attention on. ENFORCEMENT of the laws we aheady have, primarily the GRADING ordinance. An inspector should be on site fnr every grading and grubbing permit when land is broken open. Staff positions need to be funded to make this happen. T'l'ncs for violations need to be stiff, but before you implement penalties you need to work with the Stain to Ket grading pcnmits processed in a reasonable amntmt of tithe. There were several yeatx of an out of control pradevelopment council. Now you are getting a. reputation of being an anti-development connctl. You are all briiht, dedicated people who have great potential and what I'd prefer to see is a counct7 who supports sensible devclopm.^nt. Please don't start passing legislation because it feels right ar sounds good. That is no way to tun our County. 06/22/2007 10:18 3265697 KCO FA~iF fJ3 I've witnessed a drainage code go from 14-year flood design to 100-year to 23-year h7ct you worn bartering for dry goods at a rnarkct_ Do not change technical codes like this withrut sound enginec~ing prutcipals to back up your argurrtent. Copying something from a California code or listC+ting to an administrative engineer with zero design experience is not the way to go. Please, get the P&M.A requirerr~n+c rnet and then take a good long hard look at what you are doing and WHY you aze doing it. And don't forget HOW you are going to fund the enforcement of whatever you decide.