HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0315.008 2018-2020 P/ PC
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Comments on Bill 83 and Bill 84, draft 2, re. Olson property in Pu'u'eo
for Hawai'i County Council Planning Committee, 1:00 PM Tuesday, July 23, 2019, Kona chambers
from Cory Harden, Hilo 333cory(cgmail.com
Mr. Olson is to be commended for his many years of contributions to our community, and this project has
great potential to add to those contributions.
However, please require written approval from SHPD (State Historic Preservation Division) and BLNR
(Board of Land and Natural Resources) before Council approves the project.
The law requires Council to get DLNR (Department of Land and Natural Resources) "review and
comment" before approving land use changes, so impacts to cultural and historic properties are
addressed. The issues here are illegal land disturbance, cemetery damage, and perhaps other forgotten
cemeteries. And as Ms. Villegas said, people were there long before plantation times, so there ma
cultural sites or areas important for gathering.
Approving this project now, as Ms. David said, would set a bad precedent of the County going forwA5d
with dubious authority because another agency is taking too long. -
a r--
Note also several eyebrow-raising moments from your June 18 meeting. -`
• Mr. Fuke said "all of this delay is SHPD's responsibility" and said there is already an AIS
(Archaeological Inventory Survey) and burial plan—leaving out the fact that SHPD approvcV
neither. Mr. Fuke proposed that to speed things up, Council should subpoena SHPD to appear at
the next meeting. But it's not the Council's job to grease the skids for a developer. That could give
the appearance of favoritism. Any legal action against SHPD should be taken by the injured party,
Mr. Olson.
• Mr. Fuke and Mr. Cross gave the impression that SHPD has not responded to them for over a
year. But Ms. Kierkiewicz noticed there was a phone call to SHPD staff, documented in the
Planning Department background report, indicating SHPD may be changing course and pursuing
the violations. And when Ms. David called SHPD, she was told there are ongoing negotiations.
• There were contradictory statements. Mr. Cross' timeline said "January 2018...Olson denies all
fault and wrongdoing". But Mr. Fuke said there is"some amount of culpability on the part of
Olson trust", and the December 2017 letter from SHPD documents illegal ground disturbance.
• Mr. Fuke answered a question that should have been answered by Planning Department staff:
Mr. Kaneali'i-Kleinfelder asked if the County could approve the project if SHPD did not respond
within a certain time, and Mr. Fuke suggested doing one track for the AIS and one for the illegal
ground disturbance. Several months ago, Mr. Fuke also gave advice about County procedures at
a meeting on Pi'ilani Partners. Councilmembers relying on a developer for advice about County
procedures could be seen as favoritism, especially when Planning Department staff are sitting
right there, ready to answer.
Please also address two other lingering issues: will the agriculture lots really have agriculture?And how
will this project help reduce homelessness?
Mahalo.
Comm. No.
Ref. To:
Ref. Date J U L 2 2 2019