HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0936.006 2008-2010 , Pi PWt32C
Murashige, Laura COM O - q (( 1L 2 -i 5)
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From: Cherry Ward [cward @greenwellfarms.com] " ,.
Sent: Monday, October 18, 2010 9:40 AM (WI )
To counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us V i , 3 (.-\ 1 ij
11
Cc: gwen @ greenwellfarms.com
Subject: Proposed Amendment Chapter 27
Importance: High C(,),..,,
Attachments: img- X18044115 -0001. pdf
it
mg- X18044115 -00C
1.pdf (38 KB)...
Enclosed is a testimony regarding the Proposed Amendment for Chapter 27.
Mahalo,
Cherry M Ward
Greenwell Farms Inc.
Phone number: (808) 323 -2862
Fax number: (808) 323 -2584
COIlliab No. 6 1 . 3� •!e____
Ref. Tax w
1 liefi Dote, ► 19 2010
P.O. I3ox 2.18 • 81-6 581 Mamalahoa Ilighway • Kealakekua, Hawaii 96750
toll free 8$$ -592 -5662 • t : ti()8- 323 -2862 • f: SIN-323-2581 • wwv, w.greenwellfarms.com
GK EL-NWELL
1: l\ 1:M s
October 18, 2010
Councilman Guy Enriques, Chair
Chairman of the Public Works Committee
Hawaii County Council
Address: 25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
RE: Proposed Amendment Chapter 27
Dear Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee,
Greenwell Farms, Inc. is a coffee farming, processing and marketing company
in South Kona located on land that my family has farmed and ranched through
four generations from the mid 1800's.
One of the primary drainage channels in South Kona comes down through our
operation located on TMK 3 -8 -01 -04:52 and TMK 3 -8 -1- 04:75. The heavy
flooding conditions of 2004 and 2005 generated significant flows through this
channel several times over the course of two years. These flows greatly
concentrated the channelization of this floodway which is no longer aligned
with the original special flood hazard areas recognized by the County. Further,
one of our family's most important structures, the Old Kona Meat Market
Building, was never threatened during all of the flooding in 2004/05.
The inclusion of the 50' buffer zone requirements in the 2006 version of
Chapter 27 has been a significant curtailment in our plans to renovate The Old
Kona Meat Market Building. This impediment has harmed our company's
ability to expand our coffee business in the commercially zoned area occupied
by this building. We understand the public concern for adequate drainage and
protective measures within recognized flood zones in Kona. However we believe
that the "cart blanche" addition of 50 extra feet of buffer zone on maps that are
outdated in many areas in Kona is harmful to the community and the economy
of the Big Island.
Further, to bring this building up to current commercial building standards,
we will need to invest significant amounts of capital. We, like so many local
businesses, can only perform these improvements on an incremental basis.
The proposed reduction of the threshold for "substantial improvement" from
50% of the value of the building every 10 years to 50% every three years will
greatly enhance our ability to finance needed improvements to this building to
bring it up to today's standards.
We strongly urge you to pass the recommended amendments to Chapter 27.
These changes will directly affect our company's ability to move forward with
our business plans.
Respectfully Submitted,
Thomas F. Greenwell
President.