HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-06-24 Heather Korotie Testimony
From: Heather Korotie
To: Planning LPC Testimony
Subject: Written Testimony - Against Bill 147
Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2026 2:47:29 PM
Chair, Vice Chair, and Members of the Commission,
Thank you again for the opportunity to provide written testimony and for considering it carefully as this is a very
complicated topic and Bill.
My name is Heather Korotie and I have lived in South Kona with my husband for 16 years, where we run a small
farm.
Unfortunately, Bill 147 as written unintentionally harms residents who live and work in the
State Agricultural District on parcels created after 1976 by making it very challenging and costly to continue the farm stays that allow us to survive financially while we steward the land
we live on.
I am asking you to pause Bill 147 so that the Bed & Breakfast Special Permit process
specifically in the Agricultural District can be refocused on its true purpose: protecting and advancing agriculture. That can be done with clear, agriculture-centered requirements such as
an active and approved Farm Plan, at least 85% of the land dedicated to agriculture, and proof of real farming through inspections and Schedule F farm income.
Instead, the current and proposed special permit process layers on expensive, non-agricultural requirements that are only imposed on residents in the State Agricultural District who host on
their own farms. These conditions can cost a minimum of tens of thousands of dollars, up to hundreds of thousands of dollars, and have nothing to do with growing food or keeping land in
agricultural production.
The examples feel over-the-top. If you want to host or have a farm stay in the State
Agricultural District, you are the only category of host that:
Cannot host guests in a fully permitted room that is a den, workshop, office, converted
garage, pavillion or storage room; you can only host in official “bedrooms” recognized by DPW.
Cannot host in unpermitted structures, even though all other B&Bs in Bill 147 can.
Is subject to extensive requirements and approvals from Planning, DPW, and the
Department of Health, even though other B&Bs in Bill 147 are not.
Is required to upgrade to septic if any sort of building permit is required, even if there is
no actual building project.
Must apply for a Special Permit and is advised to hire a land planner, which can cost
upwards of $10,000.
Must spend months and months, if not years on the process instead of simply registering
via an online form. This adds stress and takes time away from work on the land.
Might not be approved after going through the entire process
Might not be able to operate until all requirements from Planning, DPW, and the Department of Health are met.
And even if you have been hosting for years, have had your property tax cap removed (which doubles your property tax in 10 years), pay higher property taxes, and have paid all the GET,
TAT, County surcharge, and income taxes, this part of your agritourism business can still be taken away unless you can afford the expensive Special Permit process.
Clearly, this has become an equity issue: the highest costs, the most time‑consuming process, and the strictest rules fall on those who are actually living on and working agricultural land.
Having these kinds of requirements imposed on us changes the trajectory of our lives. Please level the planning field.
I know this is not the intention of Bill 147, but unfortunately it singles out resident farmers in the State Agricultural District with requirements that are unrelated to preserving agriculture.
Give us a path to legal, modest farm stays that preserve the character of our farms and truly support working farms, so we can continue to support ourselves, keep farming, keep our land
in production, and keep contributing to our rural communities. Please do not allow this Bill to move-forward as currently written.
Thank you for considering my testimony.
Heather Korotie (The Mango Farm, South Kona)