HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-09-12 PL-INT-2024-008588 GP 2045 Draft Comments - Kelly DeVera, Ashley
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Sent: Thursday, September 12, 2024 6:28 PM
To: Planning General Plan
Subject: Form submission from: Contact Us
Submitted on Thursday, September 12, 2024 - 6:27pm
Submitted by anonymous user: 66.91.34.195
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General Plan, Chapter 1. Introduction
The purpose of the General Plan is to guide the pattern of future development in this County based on long-term
goals. It should identify the visions, values, and priorities important to the people of this County. The General Plan
includes overall themes, goals, principles, objectives, and policies, as well as implementation priorities and actions to
carry out policies including, but not limited to, land use maps, programs, projects, regulatory measures, standards
and principles, and interagency coordination.
Community Response:
The General Plan shows seven highway projects in the Waikoloa area, six more than could be completed with public
resources likely to be available by 2045.
The following objectives are described in the Plan:
32.h. Establish, map and maintain alternative and emergency evacuation routes in each high risk hazard area.
32.k. Develop and/or improve secondary access roads for those communities with only one means of ingress/egress.
32.20 Prioritize hazard mitigation projects in the CIP (Capital improvement plan).
Of the seven Waikoloa area Road projects, three could meet these objectives during emergencies: 1) upgrading to
two lanes the Hulu emergency evacuation road, 2) extending Kamakoa Drive to connect with Queen K near Puako
Road, and 3) extending Paniolo Drive north to connect with Kawaihae Road midway between Waimea and Queen K.
None of these three hazard mitigation projects are shown as a priority.
We ask that the Kamakoa Drive extension be prioritized as necessary to meet the immediate need for a second
emergency access route to be completed within three years. This project should be prioritized because 1) most new
development is planned for the north end of the Village near Kamakoa Gulch; 2) right-of-way for a two-lane arterial
exists to the waste water treatment plant and the remaining portion of the extension is being donated by the
landowners (35-40% of the cost); 3) the alignment is being graded and stabilized by the landowners for an
emergency evacuation route (15-20% of cost), 4) the environmental and cultural studies are being drafted, and 5) no
gulches need to be bridged. Public $ could make up the cost to complete the upgrade needed for an arterial road.
The other six road projects in the Plan should be prioritized in an action plan that identifies the most critical needs to
be addressed first. Residents and stakeholders should be included in the decision-making process. Listing projects into
short-term and long-term categories will provide a more comprehensive and effective action-oriented framework for
advancing projects as resources become available.
General Plan: Chapter 4. Sustainable Development and Resilient Communities
Land use planning is critical to disaster resilience. The reduction of development in identified high-risk hazard areas
can reduce the threat to life and property. A review and amendment of land use policies is needed to reduce risk from
hazards including but not limited to floodplains, high surf, tsunami, landslides, erosion, wildfires, and high-risk
volcanic hazard areas. The General Plan is intended to be used as a policy guide for coordinated growth and
sustainable development across the island.
Community Response:
Waikoloa Village is defined as a high-risk area for wildfires but has only main evacuation route. While the population is
expected to more than double by the year 2045, there are no specific plans to add a second primary arterial road to
aid the evacuation of the population growth on the north side of the village. Of the seven proposed expansion and
new roads in the Waikoloa area on Map, priority needs to be given to the one on the northern side of Paniolo Avenue
down to the Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway. Saving lives must have precedence over convenience, traffic congestion,
and reducing travel times when deciding the priority of highway projects. It makes no sense to continue to add
housing for hundreds of families with children in a location where the fire risk is the highest in the state without
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assuring safe access during an evacuation. Without an additional road, Waikoloa Village will become the next Lahaina.
General Plan: Chapter 6. Implementation and Monitoring
The County Charter stipulates that Capital Improvements shall be prioritized based on criteria aligned with the
General Plan and Community Development Plans. Providing clear direction on where various community Capital
Improvement priorities are needed creates a reference to be easily incorporated into the County budget process and
Functional Plans for government agencies. The CIP is a 6-year schedule of improvements that sets forth the greatest
infrastructure needs of the County, anticipated funding, and timing of the projects. However, in practice, the County is
only able to fund about 30 percent of the projects that are appropriated into the CIP budget. Potential funding sources
for highway projects include general obligation bonds, general revenues, State and federal transportation programs,
special funds, land-secured financing, State revolving fund, block grants, and other reliable sources.
Community Response:
The 2045 General Plan relies on further implementation actions, such as zoning and budget ordinances, to move
Hawai'I Island in the direction of stated goals. Priority projects need to be added to HDOT's Regional Long-range
Surface Transportation Plan (LRTP) to be eligible for federal and State highway funding. Projects established in the
General Plan as a priority for the protection of community health and safety should be added to the LRTP to ensure
their eligibility for State and federal transportation funding.
The County should adopt a policy requiring that approval of new developments should be contingent upon the
obligation of developers to contribute their prorata share towards infrastructure, especially with regards to access
roads and wastewater treatment to ensure the safety of the community.
The results of this submission may be viewed at:
https://cohplanning.konveio.com/node/12/submission/62
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