HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0739.140 2016-2018JNt. OF q ;
Susan L.K.Lee Loy Office: (808)961-8396
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Council Member Fax: (808)965-8912i ''
District 3 Email: sue.leeloy@hawaiicounty.gov
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HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL
25 Aupuni Street,Hilo,Hawai`i 96720
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MEMORANDUM
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DATE: June 18, 2018rn
TO: Valerie T. Poindexter, Council Chair; and
Members of the Hawai`i County Council
FROM: qrSusan L.K. Lee Loy, Council Member
SUBJECT: Bill 108; Short-Term Vacation Rentals
Attached for discussion purposes is a letter that I received regarding the establishment of short-
term vacation rentals on agricultural land.
Please distribute copies to Council Members for the discussion on Bill No. 108, scheduled for
the Planning Committee on June 18, 2018.
SL:so
Att.
Comm. No. 7 3 • 1 d
Ref.To: f
Ref. Dot—e-4 2018
Hawai'i County Is an Equal Opportunity Provider And Employer
Wayne & Pia Cummins
87-3022 Mamalahoa Hwy
Captain Cook, HI 96704
808-328-8003
June 03, 2018
Aloha e Council Member, Susan L.K. Lee Loy
We own a 9.6 acre agricultural lot in South Kona, surrounded by other agricultural land, near the South
forest Kona reserve. The subdivision we live in, is an Ag-5, 5-lot agricultural subdivision (Kukui'Opae II).
We practice agriculture, we have livestock on our farm and we have 5 acres enrolled in the Native Forest
Dedication with Hawaii County and are actively working with USDA-NRCS in a conservation reforestation
project. We have lived here since 2002, and over the last 10+ years, several of the neighbors in this
subdivision are renting out houses, studios, and other structures via AirBnB, VRBO and other services.
These commercial activities have led to increased use of our small easement access, and harassment
from the renters of these structures. Complaints from renters about the noise of the poultry and sheep on
the advertising websites, renters trespassing and verballyconfronting us about the farm and the animals,
etc.Although some of the owners advertise as Eco-tourism and Farm-tourism, none of these renters have
ever helped out on these properties or have "explored"the grounds.
Several of the neighboring lots to the north are practicing coffee farms, and in our area are also wild herds
of mouflon, various pheasants and other wild birds, feral pigs and cattle. None of these coffee farms are
fenced in.The coffee farms in our subdivision are merely"gentlemen" coffee farms, and the wild animals
easily travel across them. These lot owners also take pride in planting ornamental shrubs and trees that
are on the State and CTAHR invasive species lists. Our farm is completely fenced in according to
USDA-NRCS.standards for livestock, and our gate is always closed and locked-unless we expect the rare
visitor.
We are pleading with you for your help in protecting true agricultural land, and protecting working farms
and agricultural land from commercial vacation rentals, transient accommodations and other
non-agricultural commercial activities of agricultural land, so that we can protect our own agricultural
lands, farm practices and food security. One of the means you can do that is to stop vacation rentals and
transient accommodation facilities on agricultural land, whether they are new or old businesses. Please
do not allow these old facilities to become grandfathered in.
Airbnb has set up this fantastic airbnb citizen link to allow us to send our concerns all at one time to the
appropriate council members. How can the regular citizen compete with such big corporate support to
protect our peace and tranquility where we live.
0 au iho no me ka `oia`i o,
Wayne & Pia Cummins