HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0495.001 2008-2010
Testimony from Bo Kahui
September 1, 2009
Sheraton Keahou
To: Ronald Ikeda, Chairperson
Hawaii County Council- ]Planning Committee
Regarding: Palamanui Global Holdings Amendment to various
conditions of Ordinance No. o6105
My name is Bo Kahui. My family and I live in the Hawaiian Home Lands residential development
of La'i'Opua, in the Kealakehe ahupua`a. I also serve as a Director for the Homesteaders
Association, and Executive Director for Laiopua 202o, a 50 IC-3 non profit corporation whose
mission is to provide social infrastructure to include public facilities.
I write to this commission in support of the Hawaii Community College component of Palamanui.
When you look at the regional plan for the area from Kailua through the ahupua`a of Keahuolu,
Kealakehe, Kaloko, continuing on to Palamanui, I believe our residential development areas cry
out and demand a higher education component.
Our keiki throughout this region will be the ones to benefit. This is a win-win opportunity for our
West Hawaii region including the homesteaders in Lai o pua, the planned affordable housing
project at Keahuolu and the Palamanui community.
As I understand it, Palamanui plans to start construction on the college's infrastructure in the
fourth quarter of 2oog. This means classes for our opio and makua in the West Hawaii community
could start in the fall of 2011.
As we plan for the growth of the Kona region, we must not to draw hard lines that limit Palamanui
to bring to fruition higher education to our community. More importantly, your duty is to seek and
inspire balance and flexibility to reflect the current economic conditions that warrant the changes
and amendments to Palamanui's conditions of COH Ordinance No. o6105.
1 urge this Hawaii County Council Planning Commission to allow the conditional changes that will
allow Palamanui to move forward in these tough economic times and help us build the Hawaii
Community College at Palamanui effectively in my lifetime.
Aloha
Craig "Bo" Ka i
G .
Ref. Too .07
Ref. [ate SEP 12099