HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0739.193 2016-2018PIS
From: Margaret Wills
To: Council Testimony 0111 IDS
Subject: RE: Bill 108
Date: Friday, June 15, 2018 1:34:48 PM Comm Wi
Aloha Committee on Planning Hawaii County,
As an Airbnb host on Hawaii, I urge you to make important changes to Bill 108. This bill, if
adopted by the County Council, will disproportionately impact residential and agriculturally
zoned communities that depend on vacation rentals across the island.
While I support the intent, I am opposed to Bill 108 in its current form as it will unfairly
impact communities like mine that see the benefit of creating new rentals in the area. I
strongly support grandfathering of existing rentals, this is only fair to those who have come to
depend on this important source of income. In addition, to encourage compliance, I believe
this process should be simplified: reduce the $500.00 renewal fee for NUCs and change the
renewal process to a bi-annual requirement, rather than an annual one.
In my particular case, income from sharing my home greatly helps to keep our small family
farm operating. Although we raise and sell grass fed lamb and beef as well as honey from our
bee hives, that income alone is not enough to support us in Kohala. Most of my visitors
specifically choose my rental to experience being in a rural community and learning about
agriculture practices on a small family run farm in Hawaii. Instead of discouraging this kind of
visitor experience and education, the State of Hawaii should welcome and perhaps consider
supporting this kind of agrotourism as most of Europe does for it's farmers.
Thank you for considering these important changes. I encourage you to revise Bill 108 to
ensure that the unreasonable parts do not hurt the short-term rental community, and our island.
Mahalo,
Margaret Wills,,a
54-396 Union Mill Rd GO
Ka HI 96755
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41ASM
77
CQMM. No. -112_l
Ref. To.. 91 rce
Ref. Date A& 'AO 1