HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-11-18 Lisa Hall From: Lisa Hall
To: LPCtestimonv
Subject: IMMEDIATE DELAY REQUIRED FOR THE OPPOSED JEKATERINA MYSIN SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREA USE
PERMIT APPLICATION SMA 21-000078 IN ORDER TO CORRECT THE DEFECTIVE PUBLIC RECORD.
Date: Monday,November 18,2024 1:58:26 PM
Aloha to the Esteemed Planning Commissioners and Department Staff,
I write to request an immediate delay and continuance of the upcoming
review of the JEKATERINA MYSIN SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREA USE
PERMIT APPLICATION (SMA 21-000078), scheduled for the Leeward
Planning Commission meeting on November 21, 2024. It is my firm belief
that moving forward under the current conditions would be a disservice to
the public, as serious issues related to multiple contradicting and duplicate
revisions submitted into the record, lack of clarity, clouded transparency,
and due process with correct information remain unresolved.
First and foremost, there is widespread public confusion surrounding the
site plans associated with this project. The public has been presented with
conflicting versions of these plans, each outlining different uses and
developments for the site. This ongoing inconsistency has left the
community in a state of uncertainty, unsure of exactly what is being
proposed or how to effectively weigh in. Without a final, clear proposal of
record, it is impossible for the public to provide insightful feedback, which
undermines the entire process for which the commission was set up to
protect.
The public comment period concludes today, yet the specific permit and
plan versions under review remain unclear and there is undeniable
ambiguity regarding which permit and plan versions in the record are being
evaluated and reviewed for potential approval. Unfortunately, critical
information is missing and the record is not transparent and as such it is
essential that this meeting be postponed until a single, cohesive site plan is
presented, one that accurately reflects what is being asked of the
Commission and of the Public to Approve or Deny in the official public
record.
The Sunshine Laws that govern public participation in such decisions have
been violated by the ongoing submission of conflicting and incomplete
materials. With multiple plans still circulating and little time for review the
public cannot fully grasp the impact of the multiple submissions by the
petitioner. This violates the spirit of transparency mandated by law.
Another major issue is the outdated background report provided by the
Planning Department. The current report was based on preliminary
proposals and fails to account for the significant and drastic changes in
nature and scope that have since been made to the project, including the
addition of an underground parking garage and major excavation work.
Originally, the plan involved minimal grading at ground level, but the
revised proposal involves digging 9 feet into lava rock. This drastic change
in scope renders the original background report irrelevant, inaccurate and
obsolete. Given how important this report is to the public's understanding
and participation, it cannot serve as a valid reference for any decision-
making or public comment. It is essential that the report be updated to
reflect the current plans before it is presented to the Leeward Planning
Commission.
Currently, the record reflects 346 Signatures OPPOSING THIS PERMIT, and
67 Written Letters AGAINST THIS PERMIT and 0, none, not a single one,
zero, for issuing this permit as requested. This high level of community
concern cannot be ignored. The Planning Commission must take the time to
carefully review the reasons behind this opposition before making any
decisions and allowing an already unilaterally opposed permit request to
move forward with the conflicting and confusing record presented to the
public. The community deserves accurate records and documents to review,
particularly given the scale of the project and the deep concerns it has
raised.
In conclusion, I respectfully urge the Commission to postpone the Leeward
Planning Commission Meeting on November 21, 2024 to a later date to
maintain the integrity of the public record and ensure that clear and
accurate information is being presented to the public in a clear, transparent
and easily understandable way.
This is essential to preserving public confidence in the planning process and
maintain the collaborative relationship with county officials and the public.
Mahalo for your immediate attention to this confusing and unclear matter of
record. I trust you will prioritize the public's interest and need for
transparency by granting this continuance request, so that the necessary
corrections and clarifications can be made to ensure an accurate public
record is presented to both the public and the Leeward Planning
Commission for comprehensive review.
Lastly, please make sure that this letter is forwarded to Jeff Darrow in the
planning department, that I had the pleasure to speak with last week.
With Sincere Respect and Much Aloha,
Lisa Hall