HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-11-03 Eileen Downing Testimony GP 2045From:Eileen Downing
To:WPCtestimony
Subject:Testimony On Hawaii General Plan 2045/ Go Back to 2005 GP!
Date:Sunday, November 3, 2024 2:35:43 PM
The Big Island General Plan 2005 supported communities to thrive AND supported stewardship
of the land. The current 2045 plan is a complete 180 to the vision of the 2005 plan! Please throw it out and startusing the 2005 plan to move the Big Island forward!
To see the 2005 Big Island General Plan go to:
https://www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/301643/637204664141830000 Here are a some reasons to throw out the 2045 plan:
It is too vague. The language is not clear what the plan wishes to accomplish. There are MANY
concerning sections that sound like rights, freedoms, and property are at risk with this plan.
Page 111, section 17.4: "Land use application shall identify as early as possible any existing
or potential active living corridors that should be incorporated into the counties open space
network." This sounds like you'll be looking at people's property to take for open spacebecause they apply for land use. That is not Pono and is an invasion of privacy!
2.2 Biocultural Stewardship Goal (1.13): "Incentive private land management practices that
enhance natural resources and values and when appropriate pursue the acquisitions of lands
for the protections of natural resources." We've seen your incentives like the tax incentives onMaui, which is costing people thousands if they don't do what the government wants. You wantto acquire land to protect natural resources and values. Who gets to decide what are naturalresources and values? Whose values are they? Why do you think it's your right to "pursue"
acquiring someone's private property?!!
You have an entire section on climate change that looks to take away many freedoms and
rights. Did you know there are close to 2K credentialed scientists from around the world thatstate there is no climate danger? https://clintel.org/world-climate-declaration/ The reason forthis narrative is the change these policies will create will increase the pocket book of investorsin renewable energy as it reduces freedoms for the general population.
Page 116, 19.7: "Concurrency reviews should incorporate reduction in vehicle miles traveled
to mitigate traffic impacts and achieve sustainability and demand management goals." The
Constitution says we have the right to travel! It is not the right of the Planning department to"demand" that your management goals reduce that right! Anything that reads, "Reduce vehiclemiles traveled" should be removed from this plan!
The words home owner and farmer are written zero times in the General Plan 2045. Farmer is in
the 2005 general plan 14 times and home owner is written 4 times. 2005 General Plan was createdby people who know Hawaii, her people and the land. That is the plan Big Island should use movingforward.
There are many other reason to use 2005 General Plan other than GP 2045. The biggest is the
amount of regulations that 2045 would put on current and future generations as it takes away
freedoms and imposes more rules, and fines. It would completely change the way of life on the BigIsland!
Thank you,
Eileen Downing