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From: nancy redfeather [nredfeather @kohalacenter.org]
Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 2009 11:54 AM��.
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
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Subject: Strong Support Bill 132 ( ,,, 0UN - A IF- H AWA II
Attachments: Testimony Bill 132 10- 21- 09.doc
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Ref. To:
Ref. Dare OCT.2_1_2
10/20/2009
October 21, 2009
Testimony: Bill 132
Strong Support
Nancy Redfeather
P.O. Box 906
Kealakekua, Hawai'i 96750
Aloha Chair Yoshimoto Members of the Council,
Mahalo for the opportunity to testify on Bill 132. I would like to add strong
support for the intent and language of this Bill that would provide fiscal
transparency to County Government.
The People and the Hawai'i County Council have a "right to know" who the
buyer is, the price of the lands, and the intended use of the land. The County
Council is responsible for helping to keep important agricultural lands in
agriculture as mandated by the Hawai'i State Constitution.
I think there is another overarching need in this County that these lands
could address. That would be to create available farmland for young farmers
and other members of the community who might wish to begin farming, and
cannot find available land. Development of greater food self - reliance for
Hawai'i County is important to everyone. It would be my suggestion not to
sell these lands to one developer, but instead, rezone the larger parcels to 5
and 10 acre farms, make them available at the same cost per acre that the
Mayor is currently looking at, and open them for sale to young farmers and
others in the community who wish to develop a small family owned and
operated farm.
Infrastructure costs, water lines, roads, and electricity would be incurred by
the buyers themselves since the land would be available at such an
affordable price. The County has the ability to rezone, and has permission to
sell, lease, or assign these lands. I would suggest NOT leasing. Farmers
need to own land, improve land, live on land, and pass land along in families
for there to be the commitment to long term development. Please consider
these possibilities. The County in the long run, would earn way more money
than selling it to one landowner, and would be creating the possibility for the
development of an agricultural economy that could begin to fuel our large
Island economy.
Mahalo to Councilman Yagong who has fought for the past 10 years for
these lands to be kept in ag and leased or sold to farmers not sold to
developers.
The County once again has the opportunity to regain some of the public trust
that was so recently lost by doing the right thing. Ag lands should remain in
agriculture for the benefit of current and future generations.
Aloha,
Nancy Redfeather
Kawanui Farm
Honalo