HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0073.013 2012-2014 Ralph C. Boyea
HC 2 Box 5626 C r; r Dv
Keaau, HI 9649 CO!
August 6, 2014 MN AUG -6 AN 8: 47
1 Yoshimoto,Chairperson
and Members of the Hawai'i County Council
OPPOSITION to Bill 25 [Draft 21
As a resident of Orchidland Estates, I speak in opposition to Bill 25 and to the amendments to this Bill proposed in
Communication 73.9 from Councilmember Kern.
All Council members should be intimately aware of the hazardous, substandard roads in many of the subdivisions in
Hawaii County. This problem is of major concern in some of the zoned Agricultural subdivisions in Puna. The problem
was created by the County of Hawaii and the Territory of Hawaii in the 1950s and 1960s and neither the County nor the
State has done anything to assist these subdivisions in bringing their roads up to minimal standards.
The roads in these subdivisions are private roads. They are owned and maintained by all of the lot owners in the
subdivisions. In many cases maintenance is haphazard at best. In Orchidland Estates,for example,there are road
sections that are not passable by ambulances or fire trucks. There are road sections that are totally impassible during
heavy rains, some of these sections are riverbeds that cannot be safely crossed following heavy rains.
The lot owners in these subdivisions are solely responsible for these roads. They have no help from the State or the
County. Increasing public access over these privately owned and maintained roads greatly increases the liability of all
lot owners. Bill 25 places the lot owners and any administrative bodies in these subdivisions in an untenable situation.
Councilman Kern is well aware of these problems. The President, Road Committee Chairperson and Secretary of
Orchildand Estates met with him in May of 2013 to review these problems and ask for assistance from the County to
help us to provide safe, accessible roads for our lot owners. Roads that would allow timely for police, fire and
ambulance service. Roads that would allow for ingress and egress during a storm. Councilman Kern agreed to look into
these issues and set up a meeting with Public Works. We called his office repeatedly after that meeting for two
months, nothing happened.
Our concerns were not addressed. Instead, we are now faced with a Bill that will greatly increase our problems. A Bill
that will greatly increase the public use of our private roadways. A Bill that will increase the wear and tear on those
roadways and increase the liability of all lot owners. This Bill was produced without even consulting with the
Orchidland Board or Directors after their representatives specifically asked for help. And, apparently, without
consulting with the other private sub-division Boards.
Bill 25 is ill-conceived and it's enactment will GREATLY,ADVERSELY impact the lot owners in the sub-standard Puna
subdivisions.
I urge you to reject Bill 25.
I urge all lot owners in these subdivisions to vote against any Council Member that votes for this Bill.
Sincerely,
Ralp C. Boyea Ref.To:
Lot owner and past Director and Officer of Orchidland Estates Ref. Date A I 1G 2014