HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0267.008 2006-2008 Michael ~ Sonja Riehm -Testimony Bi1179 -10!17107
My name is Michael Riehm and 1 am here to testify against
Bill 79. All across the nation, citizens are taking great
strides in designing their communities to reduce their
dependency on the automobile and oil, be environmentally
sensitive and promote sustainability. Here in Hawaii, where
we are blessed with one of the most beautiful places in the
world and where land is so precious, we are trying to pass
Bill 79, which will do just the opposite, create more
dependency on the automobile and oil, create more
pollution, increase heat loads in our communities and
basically pave paradise.
It is my opinion, the suggested parking ratios introduced in
Bill 79 are extreme and without any type of credible
rationale. I have lived in Hawaii for 20 years and I can count
on one hand the times 1 did not find a parking place so why
are we in some cases increasing the parking 2 to 3 times
from what the existing zoning code requires? For example,
the Walmart in Kailua-Kona would need a parking lot almost
twice the size of the existing lot. Most of all the existing
multi-family projects, if built by this new bill, would required
twice as much parking area. Now { ask you, is this
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reasonable?
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I have researched a number of other cities on the mainland
and I do not find any that require this much parking so why
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ne oe
are we doing it here? One of the more credible approaches
to determining adequate parking ratios is to have more
categories for uses. For example rather than just having
commercial, break down the commercial into retail,
restaurant, office and so on and apply a ratio for that
specific category. With multi-family rather than just one
generic classification, break down the types of units, for
example efficiency unit, one bedroom unit, two bedroom,
etch and apply a ratio for that particular unit type to arrive at
an overall parking calculation. This method may result in a
more accurate assessment of the parking actually needed
than our current system. In addition to the above items,
there other flaws with this bill that will required more time for
me to discuss than the time currently allotted.
In summary, I think our current zoning code only requires
minor tweaking to improve the required parking for new
projects and not such an extreme change as is currently
proposed by Bill 79.
Sincerely. -
Michael & Sonja Rieh
75-'J~8 Kamilo Street
Kayiua-Kona, Hawaii 96740
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