HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-03-04 PL-SMA-2023-000046 Ashlie McGuire Opposition Testimony From: Ashlie McGuire
To: WPCtestimonv
Subject: Keep Ka'u Country!
Date: Monday,March 4,2024 9:28:17 AM
Aloha,
My name is Ashlie McGuire and I am from Maui. I grew up in Kihei and watched the small,coastal town turn into
an insane tourist trap that has ruined the town for locals.The cost of living is insanely high,and the infrastructure
was never updated to include the high volume of tourists so we regularly have roads falling apart without repair,
power outages,and ridiculous traffic.The town was built on the wetlands without proper environmental impact
studies,and now without fail every year when we get out huge rains the flood waters come crashing through town
and wash away roads,cars,and last year a fire fighter died trying to keep people safe from the flood waters.It's
been an absolute nightmare watching Kihei build up,and it all started with a few bad development deals.
This plan for Ka'u is a BAD development deal. We first would need a proper environmental impact study done,to
mitigate for things like flood,lava,and to take into account the habitat of the endangered Hawaiian Hawksbill Sea
Turtles.There would also need to be major updates to infrastructure in the area to take on the burden of tourist
accommodation.But most importantly we as a community need to consider the long term
Impacts development like this can have.It will drive up the cost of living for locals,and potentially price them out-
as has been done for so many of us here on Maui. To allow major luxury developers to come in and change an entire
way of life for thousands of people is immoral and inhumane.We the people deserve a say in what happens to our
home towns.
I say NO to development of this nature in Ka'u,especially when it's being pushed through so quickly and
irresponsibly.
Please hear your constituents and citizens,NO DEVELOPMENT IN KA'UI KAPU KA'UI