HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-05-13 PL-SPP-2024-000075 Opposition Testimony from Jeannette Soon-Ludes, PhDFrom:Jeannette Soon-Ludes
To:Planning WPC Testimony
Subject:Special permit application by Teppy Mountain LLC (PC-SPP-2024-000075)
Date:Wednesday, May 13, 2026 3:07:29 PM
Aloha kākou ,
I am writing in strong opposition to the special permit application by Teppy Mountain
LLC (PC-SPP-2024-000075).
Hawaii imports an astounding amount of our food, upwards of 90%. If the ships
stopped tomorrow we would have seven days of food available on grocery shelves.
Many of us -- myself included -- are working arduously across the food system to
change that. Our collective efforts are reviving traditional foodways that sustained my
ancestors for generations; cultivating introduced vegetables, fruits, and animal
products in honor of our multicultural communities; and striving to revive ouragricultural lands in the wake of the destructive sugar industry. This work is done by
our communities on behalf of our communities. It is work that takes up the kuleana of
feeding ʻāina and kaiāulu, today and for the coming generations.
Agricultural zoned land is a way for the County to ensure the precious resource of
arable land is reserved for feeding our communities. The land parcel subject to the
proposed special permit application is located in what the draft County of Hawaiʻi
General Plan 2045 designates as Productive Agricultural land. Developed throughyears of community involvement, the draft plan rightly prioritizes agricultural
production in areas with high potential for sustained agricultural yields. I affirm the
reservation of Productive Agricultural land for the purposes intended -- to feed our
communities -- and, for this reason, strongly oppose the special permit application.
The draft General Plan 2045 also affirms the principles of the traditional Hawaiian
ahupuaʻa framework. This wisdom tells us that the health of our shorelines are an
indicator of all that happens upland of the coast. I trust the wisdom of my ancestors tolead us collectively toward healthy ʻāina, kaiāulu, and ʻohana. I affirm the
incorporation of the ahupuaʻa framework into cultural impact assessments for land
use determinations and, for this reason, strongly encourage deeper scrutiny into
Tippy Mountain LLC's special permit application for the likely adverse impacts to theahupuaʻa subject to the proposed activities.
For these reasons, I strong oppose the special permit application by Teppy Mountain
LLC (PL-SPP-2024-000075). Mahalo for your consideration.
Me ke aloha pumehana,
Jeannette Soon-Ludes, PhD
Hāmākua district
Pronouns: she/her
Honoka`a, Hawai`i
Mobile: (808) 217-7209
INFO GIVEN AT WPC 5-14-26 SPECIAL MEETINGOPPOSITION TESTIMONY FROM JEANNETTE SOON-LUDES, PhDPL-SPP-2024-000075
Email: jeannettesoon@gmail.com