HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-03-01 Joanna Weber Testimony From: Joanna Weber
To: WPCtestimony; LPCtestimony;Council Testimony; Kimball, Heather; Kaaiwada.Jennifer;Onishi. Dennis;
Kierkiewicz,Ashley; Kanealii-Kleinfelder, Matt;Villeaas, Rebecca;Galimba. Michelle M.; Inaba. Holeka; Hustace.
James
Subject: DO NOT Recommend the Hawaii GP 2045!
Date: Saturday,March 1,2025 10:30:16 AM
Attachments: imaae001.oif
Aloha Commissioners,
The Big Island Plan cannot go through the way it is designed. It is hard to
believe any locals helped design this plan.
Here are some concerns:
• There is a huge part of the plan dedicated to "Climate Change".
However, why do most experts state there is NO climate
danger? Climate Experts Speak Out gainst Climate Danger Click
• The word "Stakeholder," defined in the plan, is written 86 times and
literally means anyone in the entire world can have input on this plan.
• Please, recommend "Stakeholder" to be changed to the following:
"Local Communities". Local Communities are local Big Island farmers,
homeowners, renters, organizations, businesses, and individuals who
live on Big Island or have property on Big Island that will be
personally affected by projects, decisions, or activities in the general
plan. Effective local community engagement and management are
crucial for the success and sustainability of any initiative, as it helps
ensure that diverse perspectives and interests are considered.
• The OSCER Department in the plan will null and void all public input
and leave decisions to unelected officials. This is NOT okay! This
department should not be created. This is on page 188, 40.8.
• The Planning Department has sent out letters to many homeowners
telling them their land use will be changed from resident to recreation
due to the General Plan 2045. This will drastically lower their property
value and opens the door to re-zone the area. This is not pono. It
breaks the Aloha Spirit law § 5-7.5. To reduce someone's property
value is not okay. This must be made pono again.
• There is a huge section on climate change and things that will be
affected. This needs to be further researched. There are over 1900
credentialed scientist who say there is no climate danger. Here is the
pdf showing the scientists and which country they are
from. https://clintel.org/wp-content/u Ip oads/2024/10/WCD-
241023.pdf John Coleman, the first weather man for Good Morning
America and the Founder of the Weather Channel has gone on CNN
and other media outlets stating, "There is no climate danger". He
explain the reason for this narrative is the investors, in renewable
energy, want to make these changes.
. Hilo does not have a Community Development Plan. How can a Big
Island General Plan move forward without that? Hilo is 22% of the
island.
• 1.13 under "Increase the biodiversity and resilience of native
habitats" it reads, "Incentivize private land management practices
that protect and enhance natural resource values and, when
appropriate, pursue the acquisition of lands for the protection of
natural resources. " "Incentives" means more taxes. "Protection"
means more rules. Whose "values" is this plan referring to, because
it's not the locals'? "Pursue the acquisition of lands", does this say,
they are going to pursue taking people's private property? Again with
"protection of natural resources". This plan should be focused on
people growing more food and it is doing the exact opposite!
• This plan wants to turn land into "conservation". The exact opposite is
what is needed for Big Island! We need to turn land into Ag Villages
and grow more food! Steve Shropshire, a resident of Papaikou, has
created an Ag Villages plan.
Ag Village to add to the General Plan:
Papaikou Ag Village Objectives:
https://www.standtogetherhawaii.com/ files/ugd/86fc0c_2cbicc6d604f4c
dd971ad40831c745bc.pddf
Papaikou Site
Plan: https://www.standtooetherhawaii.com/ files/ugd/86fc0c 5e4cdb02
efeb46a5ae949a3579aff00d.pdf
Papaikou Development:
https://www.standtogetherhawaii.com/ files/ugd/86fc0c_c2af52c8b3c645
bla6868a724eee8304. ddff
A Hawaiian-born Kanaka revised the Collaborative Biocultural Stewardship
which is in the plan. You can see it in the pdf below
One: https://www.standtogetherhawaii.com/ files/ugd/86fc0c_0a1d5be8f
1d 140069415f7b691725786.pddf
Part Two: https://86fcOcbd-8207-4076-85fa-
5a62e4e933b4.usrfiles.com/ugd/86fc0c_ecc498ba192d4a7689ebf31c3681
c2ec.pdf
Here is a longer revised version of the plan from locals:
https://www.standtogetherhawaii.com/ files/ugd/86fc0c_b34739e4c99c46
1685de4c0207bf286e.pddf
The way this plan is written is very far from what will support our island.
ALOHA, JOANNA WEBER