HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0064.017 2018-2020 P/Goodell
COUNT CLERK
Comm bel
COUNTY OF HAWAII
Opposition to Bill 16, time extension on zoning requiremeryippoi;R'i125 PirtlinfiN 0
for Hawai'i County Council, 9 AM Thursday, March 28, 2019, Hilci Council Cham ers
from Cory Harden, Hilo 333corya,gmail.com
Thank you to Ms. Poindexter and Ms. Villegas, who voted "no" on this on February 19.
I urge all Councilmembers to vote"no". If Bill 16 passes, and Pi'ilani Partners wins a Special Management
Area permit on appeal, we'll end up with a bottling plant.
After nine months of about one meeting a month on this, I've seen and heard dozens of testimonies
against the plant, and zero support—except from people paid by Pi'ilani.
I have many concerns from the February 19 meeting.
"SQUATTERS"
I'm appalled by a comment Mr. Chung made February 19. He said the people living in the area"are all
squatters" and "we're trying to drive them out." But aren't homeless people his constituents too?
Shouldn't he be working to help them?
TIME CRUNCH
Mr. Fuke was concerned about the time crunch before the zoning expires. But the owner could have
started this process earlier.
"IN LIMBO"
Mr. Fuke said if Bill 16 fails, the land would be in limbo, and that the owner couldn't go backwards or
forwards. But couldn't the owner apply for rezoning?
NO SPECIFIC PROJECT
Would a bad precedent be set by approving zoning not tied to a specific project? Mr. Fuke said the uses
of the property cannot be restricted. But the original ordinance did specify a fish processing plant.And
one Council member said a zoning request with no specific project was highly unusual.
PRIVATE INDUSTRIAL LAND
Mr. Fuke and some Council members said State and Department of Hawaiian Homelands own most of
the industrial zoned land in Hilo, so more privately owned industrial zoned land is needed. But have they
provided evidence to back up their statement?
COMMERCIAL AREA
Ms. Lee Loy and Mr. Chung said entire Manono area is becoming more commercial. But is this in line with
the County General Plan, current zoning, EnVision Downtown Hilo, and the Hilo Bayfront Trails project?
DISCLOSE OWNER
Shouldn't the owner of the land (Matsuno Enterprises) been disclosed to the public in the agenda? Mr.
Fuke said the most critical entity was the landowner. But the landowner was only disclosed after Ms.
Villegas did quick research during the February 19 meeting.
DISCLOSE CONNECTIONS
Shouldn't Ms. Kierkiewicz have disclosed her connections to Suisan and to Steve Ueda, who is president
of both Suisan and Matsuno Enterprises?
"Barbara Hastings, one of the communication firm's [Hasting and Pleadwell'] partners,
acknowledged her company did provide Suisan with 'messaging points' last September regarding
the company's role, or lack thereof, in the proposed [Pi'ilani Partners] bottling
facility....Kierkiewicz...said she was part of those discussions, which,involved crafting a message
to clarify that Suisan is not developing the proposed bottling plant, in response to a media report
Comm. No .11
Ref.To: PIcouncd
Ref. Date MAR 2 5 2019
to the contrary." "Ethics complaint targets Puna councilwoman,"Hawai'i Tribune-Herald,March 2,
2019
•
Kierkiewicz and Ueda were co-chairs of the Government Affairs Committee of the Japanese
Chamber of Commerce as of November 2018.
Kierkiewicz, as an employee of Hastings and Pleadwell, wrote a press release in January 2017
about Ueda becoming president of Suisan.
WHO ANSWERS QUESTIONS?
On February 19, it appeared Mr. Fuke was answering some questions that should have been answered
by Planning Department staff.
REQUIREMENTS MET?
Were requirements met under the original ordinance, 92-122?
Were annual progress reports done? (condition M).
Tasks required to be completed within one year can only get a time extension for one more year...within
two years, for two years; etc. (condition;N 4)
But it's been two decades.•
If requirements aren't met, "the Director shall initiate rezoning of the area to its original or more
appropriate designation." (N 5)