2024-06-17 Kristen Counter - Laserfiche WebLink

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From: Kristin Counter To: LPCtestimonv Subject: OPPOSE Items 1&2 Kaupulehu Land LLC 6/20/2024 meeting Date: Monday,June 17,2024 3:03:15 PM My name is Kristin Counter, I live in Waimea, directly behind the subject property, and am writing to OPPOSE both applications submitted by Kaupulehu Land, LLC. This is now the 3rd hearing on this matter, spanning over 2 and a half years. During this time, the applicant has not received the required support from this commission nor the community. In fact, the last hearing was deferred at the last minute when close to 1,000 pieces of testimony in opposition were submitted by members of our community. In response, the applicant stated a need to "address the community's concerns" as the reason to defer. To my knowledge, the applicant has not made any changes, nor addressed any of the concerned neighbors over the past year since the deferral. I'd like to take this opportunity to restate several of the issues we have regarding the proposed rezoning, which I hope the commission will take into consideration. 1. There is no public support for this proposed rezoning. The neighbor he brought to support the application last summer is an employee of his; it's hard to say no to your boss. 2. The rezoning is out of place within the community and doesn't make sense with an overall plan for the area. a. This is a huge (19,000 sq ft commercial, 2-story) space sitting on the exact border of entirely Ag-5 Land (see image below). A quick drive through Waimea reveals ample vacant commercial space available for lease or purchase in existing commercial zones. b. Even if sidewalks and other improvements are required, they wouldn't connect to anything. From our house, it's barely safe to cross the street to Earl's or walk along the highway to any other commercial parcel in the area. There isn't an actual sidewalk for another half mile. This project only makes the area more dangerous for both drivers and potential pedestrians. 3. If approved, the commission is setting an unsustainable precedent for the area, not only with the commercial, but more specifically with the Residential Ag designation. There is a combination of over 20 acres directly bordering either side of this property of undeveloped Ag-5 land. By allowing the Residential Ag '/2 acre designation for this parcel, the commission is setting the precedent for another 20 acres of beautiful ag land to do the same. Once you chop up this land, you don't get it back. 4. In previous testimony, when specifically asked, the applicant declined having thought about