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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0128.016 2010-20128 Aloha Hawaii County Council, y July 26; 2( 1 I am Lois Kemp. I have been working with the Hawaii County Building department and the Puna Council since January regarding a complaint of my neighbor's security lights and the situation seems to have come to a stand -still. I need help and it seems the only way I have a chance of getting help is to go farther up the ladder. Enclosed is a copy of my complaint, photos, and a few copies of emails. The very last contact about my lighting complaint is an email I sent to Michael Quinajon on July 10. I never received a reply. Please read the copy of this email - I think it is important. I know you have more important things to deal with - but I would certainly appreciate your help. Thank You and Much Aloha, Lois Kemp ' /(2--fryi7.61 I am sending copies of this material to: Mayor Billy Kanoi Hawaii County Planning Department Comm. No. /2 SP. /4 Ref. To Ref. DateAUG 0 3 Mil Page 1 of 1 Print Subject: lighting complaint From: Lois Kemp <Imkdk28@hawaiiantel.net> Sent: Sunday, July 10, 2011 11:43:25 AM To: mquinajon @co.hawaii.hi.us Cc: Im kd k28@ ha wa i is ntel. net Aloha Michael. On May 26, 2011 I recived an email from Kelvin Kelii stating that Mr. Siregar is in violation of your lighting lighting ordinance and has been notified. He was given thirty days to respond to your department as to what his plans are to remedy the situation. Has he made plans? What are his plans? When will the situation be remedied? The bright, glaring security lights are more than just a nuisance - they are dangerous! At night when a bright light hits you in the eyes it takes a few seconds to ajust to the dark. The older you are the longer it takes. There have been at least thee times the lights have cause near accidents. 1 - I had a family get-together for my brother's 87th birthday. He has been in bad health and has become very fragile and weak. He was sitting on my deck facing away from the bright lights. When he got up the light caught in the eyes. He falterd and almost fell. Even a small fall could have put him in the hospital. 2 - I was coming down from the steps from my son's house. I got the light in my eyes, got off balance, grabbed the rail and scraped my arm. There was blood running down my arm when I got in the house. 3 - At night my son had to go outside (in his yard) to turn off a water valve. The light hit him in his eyes and he was blinded walking on rough ground. This isn't right! Please - something has to be done. Aloha, Lois Kemp http / /mail.hawaiiantel.net/webmail /driver ?nimlet = showcanvas 7/14/2011 Page 1 of 1 Print Subject: lighting complaint From: Kelii, Kelvin <KKELII @co.hawaii.hi.us> Sent: Thursday, May 26, 2011 8:10:35 AM To: Imkd k28 @hawai iantel.net Cc: mquinajon @co.hawaii.hi.us Aloha mrs. Kemp, First of all, let me apologize for taking so long in responding to your complaint, but I needed to do researching and communications with your neighbor, mr. siregar. I just wanted to be sure that I was trying to be fair to both parties. Mr. siregar is in violation of our lighting ordinance,he has been notified, and he has thirty(30) days to respond to our department as to what his plans are to remedy this situation. I have cc'd my superviser Michael quinajohn, he is aware of whats going on. As of this time,my part of the investigation is complete, but I would be happy to answer any questions that you may have. Thank and aloha Kelvin kelii http : / /mail.hawaiiantel.net/webmail /driver ?nimlet = showcanvas 7/14/2011 [updated from January complaint] May 11, 2011 Aloha am Lois Kemp. I live in Nanawale Farm Lots at 14 -3619 Forest Road. My mailing address is: Lois Kemp P.O. Box 595 Pahoa, HI 96778 Phone - 965 -0656 email - Imkdk28 @hawaiiantel.net I need help solving a problem with my neighbor's invasive security lights. In January I reported my problem to Hawaii County Dept. Of Public Works, Building Division, and the Puna Council. Nothing has been done about it. My complaint is about my neighbor's security lights. My neighbors are: Mr. And Mrs. John Siregar. - phone # 965 -6328 14 -3615 Forest Road (This is not their mailing address. I do not know what it is.) This is in Nanawale Farm Lots between Hapu'u St. and A Road. They have a locked gate. There are pairs of overly bright security lights on the front and back of their house. They put out a HUGE amount of horizontal and vertical glaring Tight. These lights are on from dusk to dawn. The lights on the front of their house are approximately 150 feet from my house. The bulbs do not have a coated shield extending as far up the bulb as should be. This allows the light to spread out even if pointed to the side or downward. Security lights sold at Wal Mart and on -line do have good coated or other shielding and are cheap. One of the lights is aimed directly toward my house. - The bright, glaring Tight shines on my deck/lanai so that it is no longer an enjoyable place for me, friends or relatives to be in the evenings. There are few places to sit without having the light in your eyes, and if you walk about there is no escaping flashes of blazing light in your eyes. - It shines directly into my living room in an area where it is blinding to sit in one of my easy chairs. - It shines into my kitchen. - The light is so bright I can walk through my house on the darkest of nights without having to turn on a Tight. - The blinding glare shines in my eyes at the head of and along my back stairs. There are 12 steps. I am in my 80s and a fall caused by the Tight could be serious. It also shines in eyes at the head of the steps down a rocky slope from my son's property next door which is about 150 feet from the light source. - I have less security. Light shines in places under my house, in the carport, and on the car. This makes it easy for a prowler to get around. - The light shines onto most of the west side of my house, portions of the north side, on my roof, beyond the south side of my house where it shines up to near the tops of tall ohia trees. - The light can be seen across Forest Road lighting vegetation of State Forest Reserve land. This is up hill 300+ feet from the Siregar's security lights. - The lights at the rear of their house shine on vegetation100 feet across my property, another 100 feet across the adjoining property, and about 50 feet onto the next property for a total of about 300 feet. The Sirergar's have been very difficult to deal with. I tried to be friendly with them and explain the situation but they insist they are doing no wrong and will not correct their lights. ( They are from the mainland and apparently have not learned the meaning of "Having Aloha ".) I have not been harassing or threatening them about this. I have only called them two times. The first call to explain the effect of their lights, then a brief call to tell them I have some articles about security lights I would like to give them. The next day after I gave them the articles I received two nasty calls from them. This was in January before I contacted the county and there has been no communication with the Siregar's since. Their reasons for not correcting their lights are: - An electrician installed the lights so they are okey. - You are 100 feet away so it should not bother you. ( it's actually more like 150 ft.) - This is my property so I can do what ever I want. I will talk to my lawyer. - It's free here. We have freedom in this country so we are free to do what we want. - I gave them copies of excellent articles I found on the internet about the adverse effects of un- shielded lights. Their response was: That is for cities - this is the country and so is not for here. They have solutions for me to take care of the problem. - Pull the curtains. I don't have curtains - Wear sunglasses. At night? I have lived here for 17 years with no problem with neighbors. Lois Kemp 150 ft from light source North of my house Lois Kemp Subject: complaint about neighbors lights From: Kelii, Kelvin <KKELII@co.hawaii.hi.us> Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2011 8:28:36 AM To: Imkdk28 @hawaiiantel.net Cc: mquinajon @co.hawaii.hi.us Page 1 of 1 Print Aloha mrs. Kemp, this is in regards to your complaint about your neighbors flood Tight shining into your property and on your deck and dwelling. After further investigation into possibly falling into the lighting ordinance violation, it seems that your neighbors are in compliance with our lighting ordinance, and there seems to be no other recourse at this time that we as the county are able to help you with. Thank you for all your help and if you should have any questions, feel free to call me at 808 - 961 -8480 or e-mail me at kkelii @co.hawaii.hi.us.. Thank you and aloha, Kelvin Kelii ( !electrical inspector) http: / /mail.hawaiiantel. net /webmail /driver ?nimlet= showcanvas 7/14/2011 Page 1 of 1 Print Subject: neighbor's security lights From: Lois Kemp <Imkdk28 @hawaiiantel.net> Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2011 8:29:15 AM To: kkelii @co.hawaii.hi.us Cc: Imkdk28 @hawaiiantel.net, GKupahu @co.hawaii.hi.us Aloha Kelvin, You still have not answered my question: Was an inspection actually made at the Siregar residence, or were the security lights "inspected" only from my yard? Please answer. I need to know. Lois Kemp http : / /mail.hawaiiantel.netlwebmail /driver ?nimlet = showcanvas 7/14/2011 Page 1 of 3 Print Subject: FW: Re: Re: complaint about neighbors lights From: Gwendolyn Kupahu <gkupahu©co.hawaii.hi.us> Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2011 12:23:33 PM To: rthiel @co.hawaii.hi.us Cc: jcheng @co.hawaii.hi.us, Imkdk28 @hawaiiantel.net Aloha Jai Ho, Please help Lois Kemp, Mahalo Gwen Kupahu ................ From: Lois Kemp [mailto:Imkdk28 I hawaiiantel.net] Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2011 12:08 PM To GKupahu@co.hawaii.hi.us Subject: Fwd: Re: Re: complaint about neighbors lights Aloha Gwen, HELP ! ! You have been a great help with this issue and maybe you could help even more. I just do not believe the neigbors security lights meet code and I doubt that an electrical inspection was made at the Sirega's house. On March 28 a county electrical inspector was at my house and from my deck and yards did a visual inspection of the neighbors lights. The help I need is name's and postal and email addresses of others higher up the ladder that I can contact. This has gotten to be a never - ending story - more things happening. Last night I was at loose ends and couldn't settle down. Some time between 10:00 and midnight I went for a walk in the moonlight. When I got down towards thier house an extremey bright tight came on shining right on me. Scared the heck out of me. I don't know if they have a motion detector or if they heard my foot steps. (I was at loose ends because my son in Oregon is in a hospital in Portland - they didn't think he would live through the day. He did make it through the day and last night. So today is being spent near the phone. If he makes it today or not, tonight I'm going for a walk again and if that light comes on I will yell the same thing I yelled last night, "I can't even walk in the moonlight in my own yard!" Excuse my for passing on personal problems - but at least the light gave me other things to think about.) Lois Kemp Forwarded message http://mail.hawaiiantel.net/webmail/driver?nimlet=showcanvas 7/14/2011 Page 2 of 3 From: Lois Kemp < llnkd k28!khawaiia.ntel.net> Date: Apr 14, 2011 Subject: Re: Re: complaint about neighbors lights To: KKELII gco.hawaii.hi.us Aloha Kevin, You did not answer my question. I would like to know - was the inspection actually made at the Siregar residence, or was it just a visual inspection fron my house and yard? PLEASE let me know how the inspection was conducted. (I might not have sent my first reply to at the correct address - hope this gets to you) Lois Kemp On Apr 13, 2011, Lois Kemp <lmkdk2Whawaiiantel.net> wrote: I Aloha Kevin, I I don't believe it! ! ! Was in inspection actually made at the Siregar residence, or were the lights "inspected" only from my yard? Please answer this. No way could lights less than 90 watts be as bright as what we see from 150 and 200 feet away. These lights are dangerous. As an example, last light I was going down the steps from my son's place and had a near fall. I had a flashlight but was distracted by the bright light, slipped, grabbed a better hold of the railing, scraped my arm and came home with blood running down my arm. It I could have just as easily turned into a fall. I am 82 and a fall could be very serious. If I would have had a fall, who's fault would it be - my fault? - the neighbors fault? or the counties fault? Lois Kemp On Apr 13, 2011, Kelii, Kelvin <K KELII ii2co.hawaii.hi.us> wrote: Aloha mrs. Kemp, this is in regards to your complaint about your neighbors flood light shining into your property and on your deck and dwelling. After further investigation into possibly falling into the lighting ordinance violation, it seems that your neighbors are in compliance with our lighting ordinance, and there seems to be no other recourse at this time that we as the county are able to help you with. Thank you for all your help and if you should have any questions, feel free to call me at 808 -961 -8480 or e -mail me at kkeliir co.hawaii.hi.us.. http://mail.hawaiiantel.net/webmail/driver?nimler-showcanvas Thank 7/14/2011 Page 1 of 1 Print Subject: RE: neighbor's security lights From: Kelvin Kelii <kkelii @co.hawaii.hi.us> Sent: Thursday, April 21, 2011 9:29:58 AM To: Imkdk28 @hawaiiantel.net Cc: mquinajon @co.hawaii.hi.us Aloha mrs. Kemp. Sony to be so late in responding to you, as to your question, yes I did meet with mr. siregar, and I saw what he has on his dwelling as far as lights go. We had a conversation about the lights and I will be making a report to my superiors as to my findings . this will be done as soon as time allows me to do it, and I will be keeping you in the loop. Thank you Kelvin kelii From: Lois Kemp [ mailto:lmkdk28 @hawaiiantel.net] Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2011 8:29 AM To: kkelii @co.hawaii.hi.us Cc: Imkdk28 @hawaiiantel.net; GKupahu @co.hawaii.hi.us Subject: neighbor's security lights Aloha Kelvin, You still have not answered my question: Was an inspection actually made at the Siregar residence, or were the security lights "inspected" only from my yard? Please answer. I need to know. Lois Kemp http : / /mail.hawaiiantel.net/webmail /driver ?nimlet =showcanvas 7/14/2011 Page 1 of 2 Print Subject: Re: FW: neighbor's security lights From: Lois Kemp <Imkdk28 @hawaiiantel.net> Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2011 1:43:44 PM To: gkupahu @co.hawaii.hi.us Cc: Imkdk28 @hawaiiantel.net Aloha Gwen, I have never heard if Kelvin Kelii made a report or if Michael Quilajon recieve a report or read it if he did get one. I still do not like Siregar's light inside my house - which it is every night from dusk to dawn - or lighting many other places on my property. Lois Kemp On Apr 21, 2011, Gwendolyn Kupahu <gkupahu @co.hawaii.h.us> wrote: Aloha Kelvin, Thanks. I am forwarding this email to Lois. Gwen From: Kelvin Kelii [mailto :kkelii @co.hawaii.hi.us) Sent: Thursday, April 21, 2011 9:24 AM To: gkupahu @co.hawaii.hi.us Cc: Quinajon, Michael Subject: RE: neighbor's security lights Aloha gwen ,just to keep you in the loop. yes I did stop by to see rnr. siregar. but 1 haven't had time to make out my report on my findings to my boss Michael Quinajon. I will work on this as soon as possible.. Thanks Kelvin keiii From: Gwendolyn Kupahu [ mailto:gkupahu @co,hawaii.hi.us] Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2011 12:55 PM To: Kelii, Kelvin Subject: FW: neighbor's security lights ° Aloha Kelvin, Please answer Lois question. Thank you Gwen Kupahu 4/20/2011 http: / /mail.hawaiiantel. net /webmail /driver ?nimlet = showcanvas 7/14/2011 Page 2 of 2 From: Lois Kemp [mailto:Imkdk28 @hawaiantel.net] Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2011 8:29 AM To: kkelii @co.hawaii.hi.us Cc: Irnkdk28 @hawaiiantel. net; GKupahu @co.hawaii.hi.us Subject: neighbor's security lights Aloha Kelvin, You still have not answered my question: Was an inspection actually made at the Siregar residence, or were the security lights "inspected" only from my yard? Please answer. I need to know. Lois Kemp http: / /mail.hawaiiantel. net /webmail /driver ?nimlet = showcanvas 7/14/2011 PS I wasn't going to mention this in my report, but as an after thought, I thought I should mention it to help you realize what kind of people these neighbors are. On the day the electrical inspector did the inspection at the Siregar's, a police car pulled up in my yard and asked if I was Lois Kemp. I asked why they were here. All I was told was it had "something to do with a disagreement about my neighbor's security lights ". We talked about the situation and the policeman suggested having the police come at night to see how bad the lights were. About 15 minutes after the police left, the inspector showed up to do the inspection! Had Mr. Siregar reported me to the police when he found out I had reported them to the county ? ?? That is the ONLY thing I had done. Two nights later two police cars with their blue lights flashing came down my driveway! We had along talk. They agreed it wasn't good having those lights invading my yard, my house, inside my house and in people's eyes. But there was nothing they could do about it, that wasn't their job, but they would call my neighbor and talk to them. I do not know if that happened. Lois Kemp