HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOMM. 147 Wilkens, G & M - Land FundTESTIMONY ON CA 15, FUND FOR PUBLIC LAND
January 16, 2010
To: Charter Review Commission
From: George and Marian Wilkins
We urge you to support a Charter amendment to establish a fund to acquire public lands. In our
view, taking this action could be the most important item that you or any other Commission has or
will have taken for the future of Hawaii Island.
We also urge you to increase the recommended amount to be set aside to 2% which is the
amount that voters overwhelmingly supported in the 2006 election. Your support will validate the
will of the people.
We know that there are those who argue that we can't keep up the land (especially parks) that
the county already controls. We agree that more should be done at both the state and county
level. But we do not have to develop every piece of land that has been or will be acquired. The
goal is to secure these lands while they are still available or available at a price the county can
manage. It would be very shortsighted to look only at what we can do today.
We have seen what has happened and is happening to the open remaining desirable lands in
recent years and they are going fast. Just in Kona we have lost Kohanaiki (Pine Trees) and will
soon lose O'oma as well as smaller parcels. The public access guaranteed by developers does
not always live up to expectations as we have seen many times over.
We also need to preserve forest and mountain lands, not just coastal areas. As soon as the
economy picks up we are bound to see aggressive land development from mainland and local
developers who know a good thing when they see it. We have a great opportunity to start now to
build up our funds and also to issue bonds to acquire land. The information from other
counties supplied by Finance Director Nancy Crawford shows how this can be done and
deserves a good examination by the Commission.
Thank you for your hard work and for your consideration on this issue. Our grandchildren and
yours will thank you, too.
73-1410 Kaloko Dr., Kailua Kona, HI 96740
325-6116