HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0732.007 2012-2014 C.oMM• 732
Murashige, Laura
From: Lucas Dave[dlucas @koarealty.com]
Sent: Saturday, March 15, 2014 1:42 PM
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
Cc: kvanbergen @co.hawaii.hi.us; cohmayor @co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: Testimony for Resolution 332 14,
Attachments: Lucas Testimony Reso 332 14.pdf
Lucas Testimony
Reso 332 14.p... ]
Aloha,
Please give consideration to our attached testimony. "t
Sincerely
Dave & Shelly Lucas
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Comm. No
1 Ref. To: L
Ref. Date MAR 18 2014__.
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David and Shelly Lucas
Po Box 855
Holualoa,HI 96725
Hawaii County Council
25 Aupuni Street,Suite 1402/2402
Hilo,HI 96720
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March 13,2014 j
RE: Support for Resolution No.332-14 to Purchase TMK 3-5-5-15-42,Banyan Trees Area,Hawi,with 2%
Open Space Funds
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Dear Members of the County Council: 1
I am writing this letter as the owner of the area near the Banyan Trees in downtown Hawi,Tax Map Key 3-5-
5-15-42. In 2013,my wife and I purchased the property with the plan of building our home and a gallery.
My wife is Shelly Maudsley White,a well-known local artist. We were not aware'that this area had been used
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informally as a park for more than fifty years.
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Shortly after we closed on the property,Christine Richardson of the North Kohala Community Resource
Center informed us of a project to preserve this area. After lengthy conversations with Bill Shontell of Surety
Kohala Corporation and Gail Byrne Baber,who volunteers her time on open space projects,we decided to
give the community the opportunity to find a buyer for the property to preserve it as a park. My wife have
been on island for thirty plus years. We have volunteered our own time and resources to help restore a
number of historic buildings in Holualoa so we have great empathy with the effort to preserve this area for
the community.
Unfortunately,we are running out of time. Ms.Byrne Baber has yet to secure an investor that could hold the
land for the community until a land trust could purchase it so we are hoping the County can help out now.
We are not wealthy people. We sold our farm in Kona to be able to purchase this property and build our
retirement home. We expected to be in a new home on this land by last fall,but we have given the
community this opportunity instead.
Our resources are tied up in the land and we've incurred over$20,000 in rental expenses since we sold our
home and land in Kona because we expected to build immediately in Hawi. This is money we could have
li used to build our home. While we've waited for a potential buy out,many other suitable properties in Hawi
have sold. We are hoping the County will act quickly to help us and the community create a palatable win-
win.
` I am happy to provide any additional information you may need.
Sincerely
Dave Lucas
Owner,TMK 3-5-5-15-42
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Cc: Mayor William Kenoi
Ken Van Bergen,Property Management,Department of Finance
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