HomeMy WebLinkAboutBill 161 Love, Ken Testimony 07.10.2018From:
Ken love
To:
Council Testimony
Subject:
testimony
Date:
Sunday, July 08, 2018 6:12:16 AM
July 7, 2018
The Honorable Valerie T. Poindexter
Chairwoman, Hawaii County Council
25 Aupuni Street, Suite 1402/2402, Hilo, HI 96720
Dear Chairwoman Poindexter and Honorable Councilmembers:
This letter is concerning the Hawaii County Council's upcoming hearings on the
Hamakua Community Development Plan (CDP).
While the overall plan is good and offers respectful guidance for development
as well as preservation of Hamakua's lifestyle, it unfortunately contains
provisions that appear to inadvertently act against agricultural interests.
Specifically, paragraph 4.5.4 asks the county to develop "viewshed regulations"
and paragraph 4.5.6 seeks to discourage "tall, vegetative windbreaks."
The CDP contains no clear definition of what these viewsheds or viewscapes
are nor how "enhancement" or "protection" of these mesh with factors such as
agricultural zoning, private property rights, Hawaii state law, or the protection
of watershed ecosystems — which the CDP also calls for. Nor does it
acknowledge the value of windbreaks and forestry, and other aspects of these
agricultural practices.
Current Hawaii County zoning, as well as Hawaii's state -level Right -to -Farm
statute, allow a robust range of uses of agriculturally -zoned land. The vision
and foresight that resulted in our pro -agriculture statutes and regulations
promise a good future for Hawaii's farmers and foresters to feed and otherwise
support our citizenry. In addition, the agriculture, agroforestry, and forestry
permitted by our laws offer all of us the widespread benefits of improved air
and water quality, protection of crops from tropical storm damage, as well as
carbon sequestration and adaptability to the impacts of climate change.
While we too enjoy looking at the mountains and ocean vistas of our incredible
island, we don't want to see the rights of farmers and foresters diminished in
an era where we need them protected more than ever before.
Please, in your wisdom, consider removal of the CDP paragraphs 4.5.4 and
4.5.6 identified above, and just allow agriculture and aloha itself to flourish in
Hamakua without the stricture of an ordinance that may actually harm these
goals, not just for Hamakua but for the other districts of our island also.
Very respectfully yours,
Ken Love
Executive Director
Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers.