HomeMy WebLinkAboutINDIVIDUAL COMMENT EMAIL - 128990Mori, Ashley
From:
Sent: Wednesday, October 30, 2019 4:23 PM
To:General Plan; Planning Internet Mail
Cc:
Subject: RE: proposal to amend the Charter to revise land acquisition and preservation
regulations and criteria (PONC) to include lands "with beneficial attributes for climate.
adpatation and mitigation."
Aloha Planning Department,
On page 30 of the draft Hawaii County General Plan 2020, the following language exists.
36. 1.38 Amend Charter to revise land acquisition and preservation regulations and criteria(PONC) to
include lands impacted by climate change or those with beneficial attributes for climate adaptation
and mitigation.
This sentence actually contains two separate concepts. One is very good; the other is very bad.
The first concept is the bad one: to "amend Charter to revise land acquisition and preservation regulations and criteria
PONC)to include lands impacted by climate change..." PONC does not exist to acquire and preserve lands impacted by
climate change,just as it does not exist to preserve lands impacted by the volcanic eruption. In 2019, there was an
incident in which PONC was considering acquiring a parcel which had been inundated by lava.There was a public outcry,
and finally Mayor Kim pulled out of the transaction.
The purpose of the PONC fund is to purchase properties that can be enjoyed by the public as open spaces in perpetuity.
The purpose is not to purchase properties from people who own coastal real-estate that will soon be underwater and
un-usable.
The second concept in the current General Plan language is very good, in that it serves the purpose of the PONC fund
while also serving the current dire need for meaningful climate action.That is the proposal to amend the Charter to
revise land acquisition and preservation regulations and criteria (PONC) to include lands "with beneficial attributes for
climate adpatation and mitigation." I support including this concept.
Mahalo,
GO
128990