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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0088.025 1998-2000 ' a rill fir, -t-; `s O O V "�^�4 "� 1 Tonight, I am speaking for a revision of the zoning code II have read draft 8 of the code and my e glj,, neighbors and I have submitted a two -page letter plus, N additional 2 pages of correctable issues to 1 each Councilmember. t CIc tt �� `ti -e.' J Hawai'i County needs to revise existing and pass new ordinances that will protect our agricultural land, create ordinances that will make the Hawai'i County a much safer and healthier place to live and work and improve the appearance, accessibility, and infrastructure of our communities. Such protection and improvements should be made with a very long view to the future. Our zoning code needs to be revised not to loosen zoning standards but to make the zoning code unambiguous, strict, and protective and then apply the code equally and fairly to all. We live on an island subject to tsunamis, hurricanes, floods, landslides, lava flows, and earthquakes. We need to prepare our community for safe responses to these potential hazards. We can create a safer place to live but it takes good planning now and a total commitment to ensuring that each of us is safe. We are all neighbors, we are all one community, we all live on and love this beautiful island we call home. We must think and act as one. Some say that things have always been this way but our island has changed. Our population has increased and will continue to increase. It is now necessary to improve the existing infrastructure and require future developments to construct adequate infrastructure for our residents. We can no longer afford to have our homes and possibly communities burn down nor can we afford the outrageous insurance rates for lack of water mains, hydrants or sufficient fire stations to protect us. We should no longer consent to developers creating new developments and building substandard and non - dedicable roads without water mains and hydrants. Such roads cannot provide safe evacuation, allow fire safety equipment, police, and medical emergency vehicles to travel rapidly in case of an emergency. We should no longer consent to developments without connector roads mauka -makai to move our population in an emergency. Some developers want to reap high profits but leave the bills for infrastructure for the taxpayers to pay in the future. There is nothing wrong with making a profit. It is the duty of the HCC to make sure that there is an appropriate balance of profit for the developer and a positive gain in infrastructure, services, revenue, and protection of ag land for the County so that taxpayers don't continue to subsidize developers and their profits. And certainly, it is the HCC's fiduciary duty to prevent a financial loss to the taxpayers whether in the short-term or in the long -term. We need a strong and diversified agricultural base. To encourage such diversification, our zoning code for ag land should require lots to be 5 acres or more in size and limit residences on ag land to a Comm. No. O o2•2Js File No. HCC /ZNG Ref. To: Preseeted c-ou jc.t`: ° v,.r r_t_ CFR 1 8 1999 maximum of one residence per five acres. Our ag land is one of the greatest resources that we have. Continued encroachment in ag lands by subdividing into <5 acres or allowing more than one residence on 5 acres defeats the purpose of ag zoning. Ag lands that are considered "marginal" are still in areas where the climate is conducive to agriculture and need to be protected as well. We currently have 4 different ag zones with redundant requirements (RA, FA, A, IA). We do not need a 5 zone of Agricultural Project District. APDs allow residential building lots to be a minimum of 1 acre. This obviously defeats the purpose of ag zoning and encourages developers to subvert the intent of good planning and protection. 1 and the others who signed the letter request that APDs be eliminated from the zoning code. We also request that revisions be made to the Optional Development Regulations (PD, PUD, CPD) as indicated in the previously mentioned letter. Optional Development Regulations are currently a financial detriment to the taxpayers. Further, we would like to see that the zoning code contains requirements for: 1. Control and enforcement measures. 2. Complete infrastructure in new developments. 3. Dedicable streets. 4. Written notification to all adjacent and all property owners within 1,000 feet of a proposed development. 5. Zoning regulations for ohanas placed in its own, separate section. 6. if Article 6 is retained in some format: a. Proof of benefit to the County is provided by the developer. b. HCC not the Planning Director concurs that Article 6 is appropriate. As we will soon enter the 21s century, we recognize the need to improve some aspects of our island home and certainly its economic base. Improvement requires that the HCC provide strict requirements for planned growth, as well as safe and adequate infrastructure for the future. Intelligent, long -term planning and design for Hawai'i County should be reflected in a General Plan and Zoning Code that supports both the community and our ag lands. Specific requirements for adequate infrastructure need to be passed, adequate not just for today but adequate for many years into the future. These zoning requirements must be standardized as well as being consistently, fairly, and equally applied to all future developments. We can no longer afford anything less.