HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-10-29 David & Susan DeCleene Testimony GP 2045From:David DeCleene
To:WPCtestimony
Subject:Windward Planning Commission - General Plan - 11/1/24
Date:Tuesday, October 29, 2024 4:02:57 PM
WINDWARD PLANNING COMMISSION DENNIS LIN, Chair
RE: County of Hawaiʻi General Plan 2045, Final Recommended Draft dated July 2024
Commissioners:
I request that the Final Recommended Draft of the General Plan (GP) 2045 be rejected by the Planning Commission for tworeasons, both deriving from a failure to provide for true public input.
1) LACK OF A HILO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN (CDP)
CDPs were established for Kona, Puna, N Kohala, S Kohala, in 2008; for Kau 2017; for Hamakua 2018 (35). What happenedto Hilo?
CDPs are referenced in the GP on 16 pages, establishing their primacy in constructing our GP. The clearly stated purposes are:as a vehicle for the people's vision, as foundational documents of the GP, and as the way to foster priorities of the communitythrough a conversation. Three samples from the GP:
"...CDPs are synthesized to form a singular vision statement for Hawaii Island" (35).
"The goals of the GP were formulated by incorporating concepts and value statements from the 2005 GP and thevarious CDPs. These foundational documents..." (35).
"The purpose of a CDP is threefold...#3 Provide a process for citizens to engage in civic dialogue and contribute to theidentification of community priorities (217).
The absolutely crucial nature of each district's CDP renders incomprehensible the lack of one for Hilo. Below are two hostedmeetings with the Planning Department and the community where twice the question was asked as to why Hilo has no CDP.
At the Arc of Hilo, the Planning Dept member said they were "...so close into this process we didn't feel we needed to startanother whole process of doing a CDP for Hilo..." We Hilo residents might ask: What gives employees of the county the powerto determine that the 40,000 people of Hilo can have their voices dispensed with? Because the inconvenience foreseen ofcommencing a CDP for the largest city in the county seems like it would dash their plans for an early 2025 wrap-up? Orbecause of the inconvenience of 40,000 voices perhaps in disagreement with points in the already-drafted GP?
At the Puna presentation, that same Planning Dept member said: "We are meeting with the council members of Hilo in the nextcouple of weeks and we're going to talk about the next steps for initiating a Hilo CDP." Why would we set in stone a GP now,when a Hilo CDP may be initiated, and could take a couple of years to finalize? Is there a timeframe that dictates a completiondate which overrides the voice of Hilo residents? Surely the document which combines the purpose and authority to establishthe policy document for the long-range comprehensive development of the island of Hawaii (28) is only complete whenthe largest city in its purview is represented in the same way that the other areas, and towns, and cities are represented.
Hilo Workshop at Arc of Hilo 8/29/24 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTxYmRTxUjA1:14:45 (begin referenced part)
Puna Workshop 10/3/24https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#search/pahoa/FMfcgzQXJkSJVPzhchSBNDQJGVmVJrxB?compose=CllgCKCDkpKzHgrbBxDgqJtpwKbjgmcwTTLhqXpxjbZTTkvXwJzCcVXcrWFcvxXbdSsQGDKQwjq&projector=11:36:00 (begin referenced part)
2) LACK OF LOCAL DISCUSSION AND ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS/CONCEPTS THAT UNDERGIRD THE GP INFUNDAMENTAL WAYS
Much of the GP sits on the substrate of a theory for which there is no scientific consensus: man-made climate change,formerly called global warming. There have never been townhall meetings and discussions on Hawaii Island to determinewhat the residents think of this theory. Yet a GP has been written that accepts this theory as scientific fact. In the interest ofdeveloping a GP that truly echoes the voice of the people of Hawaii Island, isn't the democratic path one that either: 1)neutralizes any theory in the interest of leaving it an open question for the purpose of reaching a common purpose, or 2) hasfully discussed this and other theories through a series of open forums for the purpose of deciding a course of action basedupon majority opinion. Chapters 3 & 4 are largely devoted to this theory, but riddled throughout the GP are the terms that
derive from current literature on this subject.
GPs across the country are set on a similar path. The genesis of this "green movement" as it relates to planning anddevelopment is the introduction of Agenda 21 at the Earth Summit in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro. It was through this document thatgovernments around the world, including at our state and county levels, have adopted the tenets of climate change as defined inthis landmark document. But wide acclimation and enthusiastic implementation do not necessarily equate with scientific truth.Because the stakes are so high - our natural environment, our lands, our buildings, our roads, our industries, as well as ourrelationship to government and the liberties we hold fast - the decision by Hawaii County employees and elected officials toadhere to a single theory without knowing the will of the majority is unwise, and unDemocratic.
While the Hilo CDP is being assembled, can we not have this discussion about scientific theories?
David & Susan DeCleeneHilo