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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0128.036 2010-2012Page 1 of 4 PfCouNcxL Murashige, Laura From: Sent: To: Subject: EH [electronicrmarme @hotmail.com] Tuesday, August 16, 2011 1:02 PM counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us If possible please replace earlier testimony with this proofread version. Attachments: CounciTestimony Proofread.pdf; EnergySystemsGrade.pdf") 07 To whom it may concern, Z If it is not too late please submit this revised proofread document instead of the one Itmailet 1 clock. IF no can - no can if can - can .- Mahalo, Ross Dear council member , F-+ ry I ask you to vote to reconsider bill 270 ( the building codes bill a.k.a Environmentally destructive, Hawaii homogenizing, Fallacious "Safety ", Unaffordable housing, Trade job killing, Poorly timed in a recession, and Criminalizing being poor bill). Myself and many others have many strong concerns with this bill. I will outline some of the primary concerns following. 1. CRIMINALIZING BEING POOR. Housing is for most individuals and families the largest cost of living. As the economy is depressed and many who are working are struggling e.g. one earner families dealing with, high inflation, high taxes, EXPENSIVE HARMFUL REGULATIONS (like this one), make it very difficult to keep up economically much less to start out and become homeowners. Many people not can obtain financing e.g. the working poor, but can over the years buy land and slowly construct their own homes. As you probably know we have a large amount of this especially in Puna. We all know home ownership makes people tax payers and can enable many of them to reduce their dependence on County Housing and assistance as their overhead for housing is reduced. The drive to own land and one's own domicile is very strong and potent. Many people regardless of regulations and possible penalties will ignore these new laws and also, in addition, a very large amount in the thousands with already existing, partially permitted or non - permitted homes. They are then subject to criminal penalties, fines, harassment and intimidation for essentially being unable to comply financially with these new, outrageous, hyper expensive laws. One of my greatest concerns is that those with already existing structures who plan to as they can, bring them to permitted status / compliance with the current laws, will ABSOLUTLY NOT BE ABLE TO COMPLY WITH THE NEW LAWS. This will cause them to be permanently non - compliant and subject to criminal penalties or having their structures torn down. Is this the American Pioneer spirit that made us great and allowed us to homestead and grow / prosper / contribute as we could ? Is this kindness, concern, and aloha for those doing their best to not be a burden on the county but struggling to make their way ? How did many of our friends Comm. No. t2 S .3( Ref. To: Promoted Couvu J Ref. DateAUG 1 7 2011 8/16/2011 Page 2 of 4 and families make it with simple cane houses ? How many died in those house due to being unsafe ? We have history here — that has proven we don't have to have overbuilt Humvee like houses. PUSHING UNNECCESSARY, UNAFFFORDABLE BUILDING CODES IS CRUEL, UNCARING, AND UNKIND ! 2. POORLY TIMED IN A RECCISION Give us a break now ? ? ?? Maybe 5 years ago this may have worked. There is no financing less cash overall for the total population, a great deal of debt, higher food, gas, energy prices etc. IT IS NOT A GOOD TIME TO PUSH REGULATIONS THAT EXACERBATE THIS PROBLEM AND CAUSE MORE TO FAIL OR STRUGGLE ALL THE MORE. 3. TRADE JOB KILLING this requires more be put into materials ( ALMOST ALL NOT MADE IN HAWAII) we by necessity will then send more money out of the Island and this will reduce labor income - even whole jobs and ancillary systems (e.g. solar / alternative energy systems — my business) there is a finite total all, even the rich, can afford. Raising prices on unnecessary items reduces funds available for other uses that would be productive and needed e.g. Solar Systems. Using much more green than necessary for actual safety requirements and counterproductive "green" goals than is required is not green and is wasteful. THE MOST ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY REGULATION DOES NOT REQUIRE USING THAT THAT IS NOT UNNEEDED AND USED / HARVESTED regardless. E.g. Promote natural light, ventilation, and solar systems. 4. UNAFFORDABLE HOUSING Even those who may have been able to finance will surely be impacted by this bill reducing those that can be financed and surely not helping affordability for anyone including the county. THIS IS NOT HELPFUL AT ALL — ESPECIALLY NOW. We already have a large enough problem with the poor / transients. This will not enable them to better themselves. It will in fact discourage them from trying to build anything of substance (due to fear of enforcement, inability to meet the Draconian standards, and building department harassment). It is likely this will cause more tents, more containers, and more hidden, unpermitted structures — some that may be unsafely built. 5. FALLACIOUS SAFETY How ridiculous to insist upon the strictest hurricane building standards in the world on an Island that has never had a hurricane in historical times, nor likely at all since the first Hawaiians arrived. Consider our two very large mountains that would diminish hurricane feeders as they arrive. Certainly anything away from the coast more than half or possibly a mile should not be required to be constructed to the same standards as on the coast. Glenwood is the same as Kapoho ? 8/16/2011 Page 3 of 4 We can also prepare for solar spots, radiation, pollution — how about a large dome over our Island ? Are we like Henny Penny "The sky is falling down ." Please consider these "safety" measures may be counterproductive and even dangerous. HURRICANES ON THIS ISLAND ARE NOT AN ISSUE - CERTAINLY NOT AT THE LEVEL OF INTENSITY AND SCALE OF AREA CURRENTLY MANDATED. Floods and the volcanoes are a much more real threat than hurricanes — if anything - more effort should be made on publicly an individually preparing for them. I contend it is more safe to make standards that people can afford and adhere to instead of those they can not. E.g. make it affordable to permit and then actually have wider usage of structurally sound buildings with "hurricane ties " on them. Should a hurricane every truly be an issue the existent Hurricane ties ( a reasonable and affordable precaution) with supplementary plywood coverings ( for those near the coast if ever necessary) are more than likely to suffice for any high wind event we will have here. I worked on building failure modes in high wind and seismic events for Simpson Strong -Tie and their engineers. I have experience and knowledge in this area. Ask if interested for more details. 6. HAWAII HOMGENIZING We are not the mainland. We have our own traditional building style, and certainly different needs from most of the mainland. This bill essentially kills or makes it extremely different to produce more resource efficient and appropriate buildings for our own unique and blessed island. We do not need mainland style subdivisions and blights on our beautiful island. How about legislation that helps to promote Hawaiian materials, companies, and jobs e.g. bamboo, native woods ( carefully balanced harvesting etc.), and materials. This legislation locks us into mainland materials and styles. 7. ENVIRONMENTALY DESCRUCTIVE This bill is contrary to most sensible green / energy efficient building measures. Green / material and energy efficiency varies greatly depending upon area, lifestyle, and home style. The needs in Chicago are not the same as most of this island. If you truly want to be green place requirements on areas and situations that need it not on areas and situations that don't. Simple modifications to existing code e.g. requiring insulation above certain elevations can more than suffice. Requiring materials, energy, and labor where not needed is very UNGREEN. E.g. insulation for higher elevations and possibly those using air conditioners. Not those a low elevations not using heaters and air conditioners. Please don't lump everything into one. Some people are thoughtful on their own and work to be conscientious and green in their own manner. Much of this code will be counterproductive to energy conservation and sustainability. 8/16/2011 Page 4 of 4 Please consider more wood means more forests destroyed, much more energy used to cut, transport to mill, mill, distribute, ship to Hawaii etc. MORE MATERIAL, MORE ENERGY, MORE SHIPPING, MORE INSTALLATION LABOR ( fuel and time) is hardly green. I would encourage the council to promote natural lighting and ventilation and even earth derived heating and cooling systems (promoting jobs and development here instead of importing air conditioners and heaters from China) instead of artificial light and air conditioning. Green and energy conservation is more a state of concern, mind, and intelligent application than simply mandating more materials upon us. On all these points I have knowledge and am willing to volunteer a reasonable amount of time to work with all involved to bring us to a doable, kind, yet truly safe and effective, compliant bill with the state. I have attached my Energy Systems and Sustainability course grading to prove I know something about this subject — likely more than anyone in the room and am not inconsiderate of the goals stated in saving energy. I am aware the state is pressuring the county to adopt or AMMEND, I am aware there are departments needing to fix on something tangible. Having said that I strongly urge the council to delay this and fight / work with state and county agencies as necessary to find ways to serve your constituents truly, to help develop affordable housing, an ownership society, law abiding and tax paying citizens, and suffice the regulators in a reliable, safe, and truly green manner. Aloha and thanks for your consideration. Ross Armetta, Alfalfa's Alternative Energy 8/16/2011