HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-06-08 Letter to Suzanne Case re Sale of General Lease at Public Auction for Hotel Resort Purposes
WilOkabe
Managing Director
Harry Kim
Mayor
Barbara J. Kossow
Deputy Managing Director
County of Hawai‘i
Office of the Mayor
25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2603 Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720 (808) 961-8211 Fax (808) 961-6553
KONA: 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy., Bldg. C Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i 96740
(808) 323-4444Fax (808) 323-4440
June 8, 2017
Ms. Suzanne Case, Chairperson
Board of Land and Natural Resources
P.O. Box 621
Honolulu, HI 96809
Dear Ms. Case and Members of the Board,
RE:Testimony regarding Saleof General Lease at Public Auction for
Hotel-Resort Purposes; Authorization for Staff to Prepare and
Publish a Request for Interest in a Long-Term Disposition of State-
Owned Lands,Wai
Tax Map Key: (3) 2-1-005:033, 034, 035, & 045
Hearing: June 9, 2017 @ 9:00 a.m.
not authorizethe public auction
of a three-year general lease of the above-described property for the following reasons:
1)We strongly believe that the subjectproperty cannot be safely occupied, especially
for those purposes offered by the proposed three-year general lease, and for those
1
reasons highlighted in the Erskine Report. To emphasize the County’s position
regarding the life-safety concerns of this property, we have taken the initiative to
the next week or so to further validate the findings of the Report. We will gladly
share this information with the Board.
2)We have obtained credible information that there is at least one party interested in a
long-term lease of the subject property, potentially offering the scope of
improvements and services that this area deserves, and needs. This being the
case, we fail to see thevalue of a short-term lease that would preclude the prompt
consideration of long-term solutions and opportunities that could return the property
to its rightful place as an asset to the Banyan Drive peninsula, a goal clearly desired
by the Banyan Drive Hawhich should be
pursued without any further delay.
County of Hawai‘i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.
Ms. Suzanne Case
June 8, 2017
Page 2
3)
demand appropriate actions by the Board in light of the formal declaration of this
area as “blighted” by the Windward Planning Commission. It would be a disservice
to our residents to not take positive actions towards promptly demolishing the former
Uncle Billy’s hotel complex and exploring those opportunities that would bring about
a revitalization of this property.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Harry Kim
Mayor
County of Hawai`i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.