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Murashige, Laura COUNTY CLERK
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From: Deborah Chang [hkulaiwi @yahoo.com] u
Sent: Sunday, July 07, 2013 6:04 AM 1013 JUL 8 MI 8•.
To: County Council
Subject: Confirmation of Planning Director
July 7, 2013
Dear Honorable Council Chair J. Yoshiunoto, Vice-Chair Karen Eoff, and Members of the Hawaii County
Council:
SUBJECT: Support for the Confirmation of Mr. Duane Kanuha as Director of Planning
I've worked with Mr. Kanuha on public access-related projects and concerns for several decades. Beginning
in 1988 when he was Hawai'i County's Director of Planning, I became the coordinator of the newly created
statewide trail and access system, known as Na Ala Hele. Mr. Kanuha was very supportive of this new
program and served as an ex-officio member of the Na Ala Hele Hawai'i Island Advisory Council. Later he
became a voting advisory council member and served for years in that capacity after moving to private
sector employment.
Through the years I've known him to be supportive of the needs of the public to access our island's
mountain and coastal areas. He is aware of the balancing act that needs to occur between public access
rights, natural and cultural resource protections, and landowner concerns. While those challenges are
common, they are not insurmountable, and Mr. Kanuha has shown that he will seek creative solutions to
tough public access issues.
Mr. Kanuha's years of experience in land use planning and related controversies and his personal knowledge
and love of this island will help him to quickly assume the duties of the complex Planning Director position.
I respectfully ask your support of Mr. Kanuha's confirmation as the new County Planning Director.
Mlahalo,
Deborah L. Chang
Comm.No '3 7' /1
Ref. • P Co a�+ /
Ref.To Date
7/8/2013