HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0489.376 2018-2020 From: Antu Harvey
To: Council Testimony
Cc: Villegas,Rebecca;Eoff.Karen
Subject: HERBICIDE-FREE parks&roadways
Date: Tuesday,October 15,2019 9:04:24 AM
I just received notice about this Council meeting and that testimony was due yesterday.
I feel strongly enough in support that I will go ahead and write, anyway.
We need to find feasible alternatives to Glyphosate and other likely toxic herbicides.
Weeds will become a public safety hazard if we stop using herbicides but have no alternatives
ready. Public Works can't keep up with the roadways as it is. The parks and school
maintenance crews are also struggling to keep up (and I am on the dry Kona side).
But, spraying toxic herbicides is not OK. It was convenient and the hazards and damage not
obvious. But, now there is wider recognition that it is harmful.
I am especially interested in the area of the Mamalahoa Hwy (CRI 80)which is the
Mamalahoa Kona Heritage Corridor- State of Hawaii's First Scenic Byway.
Alternative weed control here could include:
• pave 6 feet of mauka shoulder(per the Kona Community Development Plan) as a
walking path- besides filling in part of our intermodal transportation network, it will
push back the weeds at least that far!
• Public Works has been using brush cutting where feasible
• alternative less toxic sprays
• promote and support a grassroots 'adopt a roadway' program -we need help (flags,
cones, vests) to get the traffic to go around our volunteer work crews S-L-O-W-L-Y.
• promote and support adjoining property owners to maintain their frontage (offer safety
training and the above equipment- and better traffic safety enforcement)
• mulching where feasible
• stop widening the right of way! (taking frontage from adjoining TMKs) -this places
these margins into a neglected limbo status. Property owners no longer have
rights/responsibilities -but Public Works doesn't have the resources to maintain-this is
the opposite of a healthy public/private partnership and is counterproductive.
Multiple alternate solution models are needed based on location-specific needs. But, for our
health, we need to ween our County from the use of potentially toxic herbicides. Please pass
this bill and help us recover our heritage of this being a healthier place to live.
Regards,
Antu
Antu Harvey
Pulama la Kona Heritage Preservation Council
Holualoa 20/20 Action Committee
Comm. M WIN
Ref. o: ��
Ref. nate NOV 0 6 2019