HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0366.000 1998-2000 P.O. Box 827
Pepeekeo, HI 96783
June 25, 1999
co
ca
On c
Mr. Dominic Yagong ZO r'
Hawaii County Council ~ m
z
Hamakua Council p ~ rl~l
25 Aupuni Street ~2 ~
Hilo, HI 96720 ,~S ~ 1-~
~ G
- w
Dear Dominic:
I'm enclosing this article for your information in high hopes that you will address a major
loophole that currently exists in our subdivision and zoning laws that allows large landowner
in possession of multiple (contiguous) TMKs to "consolidate and re-subdivide", and thereby
end-run the codes and create "the Gentlemen's Estates" this article refers to. Obviously the
writer of this article was not aware of this loophole.
One only need to look to "Onomea View Estates" currently occurring in our ahupua'a---or at
other Brewer "diversified AG" ventures in Pepeekeo, Wainaku, and Hakalau---to observe
how the Yamashiro administration is rubber-stamping PCRS applications for their friends
around the island. I hope you'll stir the pot on this one, Dominic, before we see the lower end
of Hamakua "consolidated and re-subdivided" into small pricey parcels that no erstwhile
farmer or "diversified AG entrepreneur" could ever afford. There are lots of examples of
these "estates" here and ids significant, I believe, that we're the only county that continues to
allow this archaic practice to occur. It will also will create a bane on tourism since open spaces
is what touris~are drawn to.
As I noted above, I am hopeful that you will place this on your agenda and take action on it.
I'd welcome a call on this, at work (965-2160) or at home evenings (964-5764) and I'd be happy
to help organize an island wide support effort for a reform initiative.
' Aloha, Comm. No. ~
~ F41e No. C C` 2 ti~
Bob Williams Ref. To:
Ref. Dated Il 0 ? 1999
n
FRIDAY, JUNE 18 '999
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
pion at heart of debate in Kauai NEIGHBOR ISLAND BRIE`S
B1G ISLAND: Positions cut
The Hawaii County Council approved a
1999-'_000 budget that cuts a dozen now-
Moloa`a Bay vacant positions, part of more than
KAUAI 5600,000 in cutbacks under the plan.
~ u,~«- - The Council rejected a 22 percent resi-
~O~fl~~~„- - dermal property tax htke - an average of
~ r ; f* almost $90 per household - [hat would
~ ~ ~`y have garnered almost $2 million for the
~II , ~t~'` ~ ,~,,.~~r~,rt, county. The Council approved a $65 mil-
l ~ ' ~a~~ ,~yrr-. Lion construction project and two years of
~~Z' ~ ~ ` .c ~ revoactive pay raises -totaling $2.4 mil-
{ lion -for Hawaii Government Employ-
ees Association Workers.
The operating budget for the next fiscal
year is nearly $175 million and will go
into effect on July 1.
BIG ISLAND: Mountain control
The Mauna Kea Advisory Committee,
which has spent a year revising a master
plan from the early 1980s, has recommend-
ed establishing a management authority
prior to new construction on the summit.
The committee, in a letter to University
of Hawaii President Kenneth Mortimer,
has proposed creating a permanent author-
- rwcs.~rmcwaavmrs~ ity and an advisory panel made up of vari-
Fans land in Moloa'a is being o8ered by Sleeping Giant Realty in rronheast Kauai for about 511,000 ous Mauna Kea stakeholders.
per acre. Some home sites are available on the land for a higher cost UH has come under fire from environ-
Crowell said. ing gentlemen's estates, according to Dou- mentalists and other members of the public
However, some members of a Kauai glas Duarte, president of the Hawaii Farm who are concerned about overdevelopm6nt
public interest group said public hearings Bureau Federation. of the area, a premier site for astronomy..:
should also come into play when landown- A bill had been drafted before the state Mortimer has estimated the board would
ers seek to subdivide agriculture pazcels L.egislalure~o tackle gentlemen's estates , req~ about $40,000 in operating funds
larger than 30 acres. on every island. However, House Bill ' annually. The funds could be provided
The Kauai Citimn's Advisory Commit- 1739 died in committee before the first after the UH board of regents adopts a
tee, a 33-member group representing a crossover occurred, Duarte said. revised master plan for Mauna Kea _
spectrum of interest, recently -came up "A lot of bills got just lost, because there
with the idea to require public hearings was too much going on. $ut I don't think MAUI: New date for Damien~,;:;~; -
for subdividing the larger agriculture we need to do it at the state level;' he said. The Maui Film Festival has rescheduled'
pazcels. The group will draft an update Rather, proponents, of agriculture subdi- the premiere of "bfolokai. The Story of
for the county's General Plan, which vision without an increase in estates Gave Father Damien" to a private screening foi
guides land rue. tackled the issue county by county. Duarte the patients of Kalaupapa on Tuesday. Sept
One committee member, Tom Shigemo- said. 13e said the-movement is good for 21. The film also will be shown in a public
to, vice president for development comps- - farming because it frees up land, formerly screening on Molokai later that same day.
ny A&B Properties Inc., has said he had held by large companies, for stnallet plots The film then will pn-tnieie on Maui a[ the
concerns about the proposal, but he could mnby independent farmers. Maui Aris & Cultural Center's Castle The-
not bereached for further comment. Duarte noted Kauai doesn't have as big ater on Sept. 22 at 7:30 p.m.Call 242-7469.
`Crowell,-who called the public hearings a problem as the Big Island and Oahu with
"a tall order for Kauai," said the proposal .agriculture land not being farmed. In many Compiled by Sarah Gilman. Andrew
was only a suggestion, and was not the areas, coffee and seed corn have replaced Gomes <agomes@amciry.com> covers the
only way to preserve open space on the sugar. He still said the idea should be Kona side of the Big Island; Lyn Danninger
Garden Island. examined further. - <Idanninger@amciry.com> the Hilo side of
"There could be more effective ways the Big Island; hlalia Zimmerman <mzim
without being so drastic;' he said. Reach Timothy Rue! by a-mail merman@amcity.com>, Maui; and Timothy
Hawaii County already passed an ordi- <truel@amcity.com> or by phone at 596- Rue! <true!@amclty.com>, Kauhi. Reach
Hance to allow subdivision while restrict- 2021. them by phone at 596-2021.