HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-03-01 PL-SMA-2023-000046 Guy Enriques Opposition Testimony From: Guy Enrioues Team Volleyball Camp
To: WPCtestimony
Subject: Punalu"u Testimony
Date: Friday,March 1,2024 4:18:36 PM
Attachments: Keep Ka"u,Ka"u.pdf
Aloha Planning Commission:
I am a resident of Punalu'u, we own the lei stands on Punalu'u Beach which has been there
since the early 50s in one form or another, my family has been commercial fisherman as long
as I can remember, I am the President of an all volunteer group called Malama Pono Punalu'u,
who's mission is to protect and preserve the Beach and the Honu, and I am a former Ka'u
Councilman. There is no family with more ties to Punalu'u alive and because of all this, I
hope you take my testimony under serious consideration.
I am open to follow-up calls and hope you take this invitation if you truly want to know how
the People of Ka'u feel about the project. I am pro-development, but it must fit in the KCDP
and put the land and the people in priority.
Guy Enriques
guyenriques@gmail.com
(808) 217-2253
Keep Ka'u, Ka'u
The first piece of my testimony requests the Planning Commission to schedule a
Saturday meeting to give the People of Ka'u a chance to voice. Having the Kendo
Kearn approve the SMA without public input before granting approval seems very
backwards. Holding the March 7 meeting on a Thursday removes the opportunity for
all working people of Ka'u to testify. Yes there is zoom, but what working person can
sit in front a screen and wait their turn to testify. We never know when your time to
speak will come up. Let's treat the people of Ka'u with respect and dignity by giving us
fair opportunity to represent ourselves. Yes, Saturday it is a weekend. Yes, I know the
rational of we are short handed, but this is huge for Ka'u. Ka'u is the Big Islands last
frontier, this will change the face and the culture of Ka'u. Schedule a Saturday meeting
please.
The Special Management Area Use Permit Application submitted by Black Sand
Beach, LLC, owner Eva Liu, should be denied for the following reasons:
1. The Ka'u Community Development Plan's (KCDP) #1 objective is stated
below:
Encourage future development patterns that are SAFE, sustainable, and
connected. They SHOULD PROTECT PEOPLE AND COMMUNITY
FACILITIES FROM NATURAL HAZARDS, and they should honor the best
of Ka'u's historic precedents: concentrating new commercial and
residential development in compact, walkable, mixed-use town/village
centers, allowing rural development in the rural lands, and LIMITING THE
DEVELOPMENT ON THE SHORELINES.
a. The proposed market place is approximately 50 yards away from
the actual black sand and beach itself. This puts the development
and all the people that attend in harms way of a potential tsunami.
This development plan goes against the #1 Objective of the
KCDP.....to create development patterns that are SAFE and that
PROTECT PEOPLE AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES FROM
NATURAL HAZARDS. I would be irresponsible and a potentially
a liable decision to approve plans (Market Place) that is not
Coastal dependent and in harms way.
b. The proposed market place also goes against the last statement in
objective #1 , which is, "LIMITING THE DEVELOPMENT ON THE
SHORELINES. The KCDP recommends development setback be
1320' (1/4) mile from the shoreline.....this development should not
be approved or be moved to another area of the property at lease
a 1/4 mile from the shoreline.
C. POLICY #26 (p52 of KCDP)): Encourage those developments that
are NOT COASTAL DEPENDENT TO LOCATE IN LAND AREAS.
The Market Place is a NOT COASTAL DEPENDENT Project, and if
allowed to be built, should be moved inland and away from the
shoreline.
POLICY #23 (p52): Protect the Shoreline from encroachment of
man-made improvements and structures
d. POLICY #6 (P.39): The development of visitor accommodations
and any resort development should complement the character of
the area: protect the environment and natural beauty: respect
existing lifestyles, cultural practices and cultural resources:
provide shoreline public access; and provide affordable housing to
meet the demand created by the development.
The number of Visitors to Punalu'u are starting to see more days
that are approaching the Caring Capacity of the beach. Adding a
market place to the same vicinity drastically increase the already
stressed area, which creates a safety hazard that is avoidable by
stopping this ill-planned project.
2. No Shovel in the ground until current infrastructure at Punalu'u brought
up to par. If the developer is seeking approval of this project before the
infrastructure is complete....this project should be stopped.
a. Million gallon water tank leaking in two areas, cannot be filled
to capacity. Affects the
b. Sewage treatment plant is barely functioning and currently
operating manually, which in contrast should be automated
by a Supervisory Controlled and Data Collection System
(SCADC). A regular system should be automated
for safety and efficiency to insure proper handling of sewage
and critical drinking (potable) water.
c. Of the 18 fire hydrants, eight of them do not work. With the
annual fires we have at Punalu'u, this is a Maui just waiting
to happen. The County Fire Department, Colony One
Condo Residents and Punalu'u Mauka (Kalana Estates),
have pushed to have the issue addressed, but in 3 years of
Black Sand Beach, LLC ownership, these are fire hydrants
are still inoperable. For first hand information on
infrastructure issues at Punalu'u....please contact:
Jeff Silva: Board Member Colony One
Condo Owner Colony One
Grade 4 License Water Distribution
System Operator
Grade 1 Water Treatment System
Operator
Long-time resident Ka'u
(808)345-8024
Hawaii County Fire Department - Pahala
3. CORE VALUES p.8: The KCDP Steering Committee identified Ka'u's 3
Core Values and one of them is Country or Rural Style Living. This is
defined as _quiet, lifestyle, country, agriculture, isolation, little traffic,
culture, uncrowned, history, freedom, pace. Although this development
proposal says it is doing this to help the community, it ignores one of
Ka'u's major values....Country or Rural Style living.
Stop this project or move it away from the beach to allow the people of
Ka'u to enjoy and maintain their County and Rural Lifestyle.
4. Straight from the Ka'u CDP: 1.3.2 Values and Vision Statement p10
Importantly, though economic development was clearly the community's
highest priority for the future, the five additional priority areas focused on
areas related to quality of life and place - recreation, education,
healthcare, `aina, and public services. Though greater economic
opportunity is critical, the people of Ka`u do not want to sacrifice
their other values and priorities for the sake of the economy.
Importantly, many of the same themes resonate when the people share
what they love about Ka'u and what hopes they have for its future:
Q Preserve our lifestyle rooted in the unity of land, community, and
livelihood
Q Building a future on what already is, as opposed to what someone
else would make it
Q Continue to create and share ho'owaiwai.
5. The Ka'u CDP took over 10 pain-staking years to complete and is one of
the most honest and true
depiction of the People, Land, Culture and
Ka'u CDP Steering Committee
history of Ka'u. The faces below
is only a fraction of the people who
donated countless, hours, work and
effort to bring this Award Winning
® " CDP to fruition. For the County to
approve the SMA application put forth
by Black Sand Beach, LLC and
°' Eva Liu is a demonstration of disrespect
'to the people of Ka'u, a derelict
of duty, prefer development over people
and land and is a dis-service to
Ka'u and the Island of Hawaii.
�I
Please give the People of Ka'u a
chance to speak, by scheduling another
Front row:Leina'ala Enos,Patti Barry,Eldridge Naboa,John Cross,Simon Torres
Middle row: Loren Heck,Michelle Galimba,Ron Whitmore(CDP Planner),
BJ Leithead-Todd(Planning Director)
Top row:Bob DaMate,Ron Ebert,Donna Ambrose,Marino Ramones
hearing on a Saturday. Most working people of Ka'u will not be able to
attend the March 7th hearing nor sit an wait on a zoom monitor for their
turn to speak.
APA Award Winning Plan for Best Practices