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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0137.003 2010-2012 Page 1 of 3 PICOLrnJ�L. Murashige, Laura CO M M. i 37 From: Steph Bath [stephbath @gmail.com] Sent: Monday, May 02, 2011 4:43 PM 1 1-1 To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us Subject: Fwd: testimony -Bill 35 buses, Bill 37? HA parks pcdp amendment Aloha Council members, I am sending you a copy of my last correspondence relating to these bills to refresh your memories on the position I take. I was hoping to be in the Hilo Council chambers to testify on May 4, 2010 My client schedule disallows for me to be present.(unless there is a cancellation.) Regarding the HA parks issue. If you have done your research since my April 20 correspondence to you, it is likely that you have found that Ms MacDonald is not up to speed on certain elements of the PCDP. She most certainly does not represent Hawaiian Acres, nor does ALOHA. Hawaiian Acres subdivision is unique in that we do not have a homeowners association or road association that represents the lot owners as does HPP or Ainaloa. Please take this into consideration. The PCDP action committee parks subcommittee to my knowledge, did not have this amendment on the agenda. The public was not part of the discussion. This was an unfortunate oversight. Had the public been allowed to be part of the discussion the opportunity would have presented itself to reveal the misrepresentation by Ms. MacDonald. Although this amendment to our CDP may not alter the document in a substantive way, this is a matter of principle and process. Let's keep the CDP as is. In the hopefully near future the Ac transportation subcommittee, will decide to hold subcommittee meeting allowing the public a place for discussion. This matter can be addressed along with the parks subcommittee. There are overlapping elements of the PCDP that this proposed amendment will effect. Respectfully submitted, Stephanie Bath Forwarded message From: Steph Bath <stephbath mail.com> Date: Wed, Apr 20, 2011 at 9:04 AM Subject: testimony -Bill 35 buses, Bill 37? HA parks pcdp amendment To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii hi.us Aloha Concilmembers, PCDP park proposed amendment Without getting into details about this bill, the question arose "who generated the bill /amendment ?" At the April planning committee meeting it was disclosed that the AC had recommended the proposed amendment based on the testimony of Beatrice McDonald ?, a resident of HA. Apparently she was representing an organization called ALOHA.. The questions I have for you to find answer to before voting are: Comm No. / 3 7.3 Ref. ToPP•141,rai C 5/3/2011 Ref. DeteMAY 4 7011 Page 2 of 3 1. Who is ALOHA? What does the acronym stand for? 2. Who do they represent? Are they Puna based? 3. How many members are there in ALOHA? 4. Who is the official spokesperson for this organization? 5. What is their contact information? 6.Did the community have a chance to discuss this amendment in an AC subcommittee meeting. AC meetings do not allow for this public discussion do to sunshine laws.. 7.At least one of the locations that the amendment removes is a park that would be shared with HA and Orchidland. Is there evidence that Orchidland weighed in on the deletion of a proposed park site that impacts them ?. The amendment to remove references to specific proposed park locations from Hawaiian Acres and adjacent subdivisions such as Orchidland, and leave the specific references to other proposed park locations in Puna is problematic. At the writing of our PCDP there was not time for community input into where parks specifically are to be located. John Whalen, of Plan Pacific, our consultant, placed dots at these locations throughout Puna as markers. These markers were representative of the lack of a particular level of service and possible places for them. Some circles represented the possibility of overlap. For example: Connectivity and the creation of road links between subdivisions is present in the PCDP. Buffering these connection points with parks and /or open space corridors was a thoughtful way of easing the impact on residents close to the connectivity points. Where the dots and references in the plan are placed are not meant to be in stone. The intent is for the community to have discussion as part of the implementation plan. There may or may not be a park at the top of Orchidland /lower HA. There may or may not be a road connection point there. If references to HA proposed parks are removed, then all proposed park locations in the PCDP need to be removed. For an amendment to be presented and to make it to the County Council on the testimony of ALOHA is concerning. Again, I refer you back to the questions previously asked. There has seemed to be more amending to this plan of late than implementation of goals.It will do no harm to keep this part of the document intacted. It is not going to make any substantive change. Buses -Bill 35 For the past few weeks effort has been made to meet with MTA relating to buses in Puna. One topic is airport service. For whatever reason MTA has not committed to an appointment time with us. Although not intentionally, MTA has put out the impression of not prioritizing community input relating to buses and service, or perhaps its just a disconnect with the public. It is my understanding that MTA is currently working on a master plan. Now is a great time to hear from the public. Bus routes to the airport is a normal service provided in every city I have flown into. We request it here. Protecting the special interests of cab companies does not serve the general public. (this was the justification for not having airport service) 5/3/2011 Page 3 of 3 I would like to request that this body put in place a Puna hele -on bus advisory board. Those who ride the bus or seek to but can not due to current routes and scheduling have insights that clearly our mayor and MTA do not have. Mr. Brown does a fine job in general operations. Please allow us to help him with community/ visitor /tourists needs. Let's begin by introducing user- friendly bus service to the airport. Stephanie Bath 5/3/2011