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HomeMy WebLinkAboutINDIVIDUAL COMMENT EMAIL - 129014Mori, Ashley From: Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2019 4:24 PM To: General Plan Subject: Remove Resort designation for Mahukona Attachments: Mahukona - We don't need more resorts.docx The following is my comments on General Plan 2040. I ask you to remove the resort and low density urbanidesigrtions from the North Kohala map. Our County does not need more resort zoning. I am a life-long resident of Kohala. I Mahukona — We don't need more resorts The already-zoned capacity of Hawaii County is 852,000 hotel units allowed, but only a quarter of that number is used now, according to Planning Department data. There is no need to provide zoning for more resorts. It will take years to build those already zoned. In fact the General Plan 2040 draft in the Resort section page 135) says: 547. Prioritize the rehabilitation and utilization of designated resort areas that are presently serviced by basic facilities and utilities before allowing new resorts in undeveloped coastal areas. Mahukona is an undeveloped coastal area, lacking potable water, reliable electricity, wastewater facilities, or County standard road. PROTECTING THE SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREA (page 144) says: 585. Designate coastal areas to be preserved, protected, and connected to the rich network of natural and cultural resources. The Mahukona land has already been designated over and over by the Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission in the Mayor's Annual Report to be among the richest properties of natural and cultural resources. It is designated in the North Kohala Community Development plan as one of four most valuable coastal lands to be purchased for preservation using the Open Space Fund. Two of the four lands have already been purchased using funds raised by Kohala residents to match funds from the County's 2% Fund. Mahukona is next. 586. Encourage those developments that are not coastal dependent to locate in inland areas. Because Mahukona has a totally rocky shoreline with no place to safely enter the water, except from a ladder at the State-controlled pier, and because it is arid and susceptible to wildfires, it cannot be considered "coastal dependent." For these reasons the Planning Department should remove the resort and urban designations at Mahukona and return it to the original open designation. Sent from Mail for Windows 10 1 129014 Mahukona — We don't need more resorts The already-zoned capacity of Hawaii County is 852,000 hotel units allowed, but only a quarter of that number is used now, according to Planning Department data. There is no need to provide zoning for more resorts. It will take years to build those already zoned. In fact the General Plan 2040 draft in the Resort section (page 135) says: 547. Prioritize the rehabilitation and utilization of designated resort areas that are presently serviced by basic facilities and utilities before allowing new resorts in undeveloped coastal areas. Mahukona is an undeveloped coastal area, lacking potable water, reliable electricity, wastewater facilities, or County standard road. PROTECTING THE SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREA (page 144) says: 585. Designate coastal areas to be preserved, protected, and connected to the rich network of natural and cultural resources. The Mahukona land has already been designated over and over by the Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission in the Mayor's Annual Report to be among the richest properties of natural and cultural resources. It is designated in the North Kohala Community Development plan as one of four most valuable coastal lands to be purchased for preservation using the Open Space Fund. Two of the four lands have already been purchased using funds raised by Kohala residents to match funds from the County's 2% Fund. Mahukona is next. 586. Encourage those developments that are not coastal dependent to locate in inland areas. Because Mahukona has a totally rocky shoreline with no place to safely enter the water, except from a ladder at the State-controlled pier, and because it is arid and susceptible to wildfires, it cannot be considered "coastal dependent." For these reasons the Planning Department should remove the resort and urban designations at Mahukona and return it to the original open designation.