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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0979.012 2014-2016 P!Pc COW/Ciui1 qII ' comments on Bill 227 Draft 2: Ag Touris'na„ r for Hawai'i County Council Planning Committee, 1:00 ' Tausday, October i3, 2016, Hilo chambers from Cory Harden, Sierra Club, Moku Loa grow,I!. U l7f 8i1 a'j,96720 959-7747 nu We appreciate everyone's work on this bill, but it needs to go further to support agriculture vs.tourism, protect health and safety, and protect neighbors. If you look at the Integrating Safety into Agritourism checklist, 200-plus items, you realize there's a lot we are missing. The checklist includes: There is an established procedure to warn visitors of hazards that may be found in various areas of the operation. ; There is emergency information posted by phones for easy access during an emergency. Maps are available with routes to the nearest clinic or hospital. Employees have a method to contact other employees in other areas of the operation in case of emergency. Guests are offered drinking water and encouraged to drink frequently. Guests are informed not to consume unwashed produce. Employees are trained on the risk of disease and injury associated with animals and how diseases can be transmitted from animals to humans. Employees are trained to share this information with visitors and educate visitors about the animals. If large numbers of guests are expected,workers (wearing bright/reflectiveclothing) are directing traffic. Are gates checked regularly to ensure they close and latch properly? Are all front end loaders, three point hitch attachments and implements lowered to the ground when not in use? Are storage areas with guest access kept free of hazardous materials at all times and supervised by adults when guests are present? Have you inspected your operation for...things that are hazardous to children, but which they find attractive... ? http✓/safeagritourism.orqfwp-content/uploads!Checkllst-Booklet-9.pdf Here are specific comments on Bill 227, Draft 2:: p. 1 " 'Agricultural products' means...game...propagation" allow only bow hunting, and require that carcasses be removed(not left to attract scavangers, insects and disease-causing organisms) p. 2 (g)have ag tourism, not just structures, trigger requirement for plan approval p. 2 (2) "on-street parking" Allow street parking only if ag tourism operation owns entire road. Note contradiction:p. 4(B)says on-site parking only. Require designated loading/unloading zones Require Americans with Disabiltiies Act parking q1611 1 g- tt mm No. Ref. To: s _ or, °i .. p. 2 (3) no private road access unless ag operation owns enti e road or has easement for ag tourism (difficult to prove wear/damage from ag tourism;safety issues with large vehicles, extra cars, farm equipment, pedestrians, an_d driiipal ,mixing on ubstandard roads) S p. 3 (b) site inspection before approval p. 3 (d) add 5-acre minimum lot size add 1,000-square-foot limit on facilities used principally for ag tourism, including covered decks, lanais, gazebos, tents, and canopies p. 4 (2) commence at 8:00 AM, not sunrise operate only 5 days a week p. 4 (4) count as ag tourism revenue—revenue from sales of-- • items containing ag products grown or processed by the associated ag or ag processing facility • non-ag promotional items have operator verify revenues each year with a schedule F ge eral excise tax declaration. p. 6 (6) add to events not allowed:musical events, dances, m chanical amusement rides, dirt bikes, all-terrain vehicles, and other off-road motorized vehicles, hun ing with guns p. 6 (7) "Annual events...are permitted..." NO large annual events—they mean many new people in neignborhoods, traffic, road wear, and crime risk p. 6 (g) specify"completed"applications p. 6–7(e)-(h) automatic denial if county does not approve in 0 days p. 7 (g) give 60 days, not 90, to cease operations (h) give 60 days, not 90, for application p. 7 (g) and p. 8 (k) one unannounced compliance check per y ar;more if there are neighbor complaints p. 7 (i) and p. 8 (I) fees and fines sufficient to fund enforcement,placed in a separate revenue account p. 8 (I) give 60 days, not 90, to correct violations Add these: Limit on number and size of ag tourism operations in each neighborhood Buildings and activities compatible with character of neighborhood Noise from ag tourism not audible past property line Measures to prevent trespass and theft on neighbors'property Clear designation of areas off-limits to visitors Adequate sewage and solid waste disposal faciltiies Animals kept safely and humanely, with adequate confinement to protect visitors and neighbors Dust control on site and access roads No property tax hike for neighbors Measures to avoid rise in farmland prices as ag tourism operators buy up land General liability and product liability insurance . Operator of tourism business must be owner, operator, or occupant of farm Expenditures for inspectors given a separate line item in plannin' department's operations budget Notification to neighbors by letters and lot signs of proposed ag ourism Procedures for neighbors to raise concerns about proposed and existing operations—e.g.. planning dept. complaint form, police for nights and weekends