HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-02-24 Adriana E. Betsy Duerr Testimony From: betsyduerr(&amai1.corn
To: W PCtesti mony
Subject: General Plan 2045
Date: Monday, February 24,2025 8:54:39 AM
Sent from my iPhone Betsyduerr@gmail.com
Aloha Planning Commission,
Thank you for volunteering your time to listen to we the people of the Big Island. I
strongly oppose the Final Recommended Draft of the County of Hawaii General
Plan 2045 and humbly request you vote to reject it in its entirety. No matter how
much lipstick you put on the pig, this plan is still a pig.
I am 71 years old and my husband and I have lived and raised a family in our
Honolli Pali home for over 40 years. In October of 2023 at the dog and pony show
being put on by the county to promote the new general plan, I noticed that the future
land use of our property had been changed from low density urban to natural and
recreational. Our own family home we are hoping to leave to our ohana has been re-
disignated without compensation or consent, negating our rights of private property
ownership. This drastically lowers our future property value and opens the door
to unsolicited rezoning.
On page 28, it says: "The council shall enact zoning, subdivision, and such other
ordinances which shall contain the necessary provisions to carry out the purpose of
the general plan." And on page 34, under Regulatory Implementing Actions, it
states: "In the General plan, future land use maps, policies, and standards are
specific to the actions through which zoning ordinances, subdivisions, and public
improvements or projects are initiated or adopted because, as they must conform to
and implement the general plan in accordance with the County Charter, Section 3-
15."
On page 27, under Implementation Strategies, the first bullet is Zoning& Land Use
Regulations: Update regulations to align with the goals of the General Plan. On the next
page, it says the purpose of the General Plan is to: "Provide the the framework for
regulatory decisions, capital improvement strategies, acquisition strategies, and
other pertinent government programs within the County organization and
coordinated with State and Federal programs." What are these State and Federal
programs that usurp the rights of private ownership?
Throughout the plan (pgs. 66, 78, 86, 88, 225 ) there are references to "smart
growth strategies" and "smart growth development' and "smart growth principles"
which suggest direct reference to Smart Cities aka UN Agenda 21, now UN Agenda
30. If you aren't educated on Smart or 15 Minute Cities, I invite you to do your own
research into its restrictive and surveilled implementations and ask yourselves if this
global agenda is pono for the Big Island of Hawaii.
On page 188 (40.8), there is the requirement that "All County departments
collaborate with the County Office of Sustainability, Climate, Equity,
and Resilience (OSCER) as the lead agency to ensure the integration of the
County's goals of sustainability, climate resilience, and equity in all county
operations and planning initiatives." This is an appointed, not elected, agency that is
now responsible for the implementation of the regulations of the smart growth
principles we will be subjected to. I am disturbed this new overseeing entity will
null and void all public input and leave crucial decisions for our island to unelected
officials.
Finally, the plan, on page 29, claims to be "based on community driven values,
goals, and objectives". Yet, the District of Hilo, where I reside as well as over 22%
of the Big Island, has no Community Development Plan. Hilo has never been
represented in CDP process. Why is that? We too are entitled to our voice and input
into our future.
Again mahalo for your time and attention. Please vote to reject this plan. No matter
how much lipstick you put on the pig, this plan is still a pig.
Sincerely,
Adriana E. (Betsy) Duerr
99 Honolii Pali
Hilo, HI 96720
(808) 935-7439
betsyduerr@gmail.com