2024-09-03 Megan Isaac Testimony -Oppose

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From:Megan Isaac To:WPCtestimony Subject:Oppose # 8 Date:Tuesday, September 3, 2024 10:51:19 PM Dear Planning Commissioners, Please oppose #8 PLANNING DIRECTOR INITIATED (PL-PDI-2024-000008) AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 25, ARTICLE 2, ARTICLE 4, ARTICLE 5, AND ARTICLE 7 OF THE HAWAI‘I COUNTY CODE 1983 (2016 EDITION, AS AMENDED), RELATING TO TELECOMMUNICATION ANTENNAS AND TOWERS As a resident in East Hawaii I have seen you deliberate on some very important issues concerning the wellbeing of our East Hawaii residents. I hope you will continue to offer protections for our community from poor planning or lack of oversight where safety and aesthetic concerns arise. I would urge you to take note of the excellent bill 194 proposed by Councilwoman Cindy Evans which enjoys the support of the community. It concerns me (and many others I've spoken to about this) to see that yet again our County Planning Director Zendo Kern appears to be taking his cues from an industry that has up until now beenunderregulated. Mr Kern's proposal runs in direct opposition to the safety concerns and other concerns being addressed by Councilwoman Evans' Bill 194. I am asking you to please oppose Agenda item #8 for this reason. The burden should rest on Mr Kern to explain why he is yet again recommending to this Planning Commission that he ignore the concerns of residents of the island? There is not sufficient safety data to prove beyond doubt that there aren't serious harms done to those living in close proximity to the towers. I specifically object to his recommendation to allow a proliferation of these cell phone antennaes and towers. Some studies do show evidence of harm and it should be noted that a moratorium was already passed by Council which was to have required more studies showing the towers are actually 'safe.' The burden should now rest with Mr. Kern to show multiple cited and legitimate studies showing that these towers come without risk to the community when placed in neighborhoods, on farmland in proximity to livestock, on the rooftops of condominiums, schools, churches and shopping centers. We don't believe that he will be able to prove these are without a doubt safe and so we feel item #8 should be opposed. Further, by recommending that towers not be subject to a regulated planning process before installing in the landscape, Mr Kern ignores how unsightly these are for our skyline. For the wellbeing of our community and also because we depend on a thriving visitor industry to sustain our economy we should see standards of beauty be upheld in the planning & permit process on our island. Please oppose # 8. I ask you to please wholeheartedly support Bill 194 because I do believe it is addressing genuine safety concerns that uliimately needs to be your priority and a priority for our entire county.