HomeMy WebLinkAboutAC-Knopp Kuwahara DEA CommentsWilliam P. Kenoi
Mayor
County of Hawaii
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
BJ Leithead Todd
Director
Margaret Masunaga
Deputy Director
PUNA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN ACTION COMMITTEE
Aupuni Center • 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Phone (808) 961 -8288 • Fax (808) 961 -8742
April 9, 2013
Mr. Graham Knopp
GK Environmental LLC
P.O. Box 1310
Honoka` a, Hawai` i 96727
Subject: B.T. Kuwahara Private Commercial Development and Related Use of State Land
Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA)
Dear Mr. Knopp,
The Puna Community Development Plan (PCDP) Action Committee offers the following comments on
the subject DEA for your consideration.
Section 3.3.2 — Traffic should include a discussion on the use of a modern roundabout at the Kahakai
Blvd. and Pahoa Village Rd. intersection as an alternative to the construction of a traffic signal. The
PCDP (Sec. 4.4.2) identifies the use of roundabouts as the preferred intersection improvement for
improving safety and traffic flow.
Further discussion in Sec. 3.3.2 on page 29 states that concurrent construction of the SR 130
roundabout by HDOT and the proposed project intersection is not expected. According to the HDOT
project timeline construction of the SR 130 roundabout is expected to begin in the summer of 2013 and
to be completed in the summer of 2014, which appears to coincide almost exactly with the construction
time frame for the Kuwahara project.
As stated under Future Traffic Conditions Without Improvements on page 27, the TIAR assumes a I%
annual traffic increase due to population increase, which appears to be roughly half of the 24.5% total
population growth in the Puna between 2000 and 2010. Additionally, the Census Bureau has recently
reported that the Hawaii Island population grew an additional 2.2% between 2010 and 2012 and we
believe that Puna continues to account for a disproportionate contribution to the county's overall
population growth.
Hawai `i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer
Mr. Graham Knopp
GK Environmental LLC
April 10 2013
Page 2
We would also like to note that the North pointing arrow on your maps need to be adjusted so as to
point to the actual North.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the subject DEA and we look forward to your response
to our concerns and comments.
Sincerely,
Patti Pinto, Chair
Puna CDP Action Committee
xc: B.T. Kuwahara LLC
P.O. Box 421
Pahoa, HI 96778
BJ Leithead Todd, Planning Director
Director
Office of Environmental Quality Control
235 South Beretania Street, Suite 702
Honolulu HI 96813