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<br /> <br /> <br />William P. Kenoi Duane Kanuha <br /> <br />Director <br />Mayor <br /> <br />Bobby Command <br />Deputy Director <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />County of Hawai‘i <br /> <br />PLANNING DEPARTMENT <br />PUNA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN ACTION COMMITTEE <br /> <br />Aupuni Center 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3 Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720 <br /> <br />Phone (808) 961-8288 Fax (808) 961-8742 <br /> <br /> <br />December 9, 2014 <br /> <br /> <br />Mālama O Puna <br />P.O. Box 1520 <br />Pahoa, HI 96778 <br /> <br /> <br />Subject: Support of Mālama O Puna’s efforts to increase and broaden the penalties for grubbing and <br /> <br />grading without a permit. <br /> <br /> <br />Dear Mālama O Puna, <br /> <br />The Puna Community Development Plan Action Committee supports the efforts of Mālama O Puna to <br />increase and broaden the penalties for grubbing and grading without a permit. We have noted that <br />Chapter 10 of the Hawai‘i County Code barely mentions or deals with this issue. The result is that <br />developers find it easier and cheaper to grub and grade first, and only if caught apply for a permit <br />retroactively. This procedure not only encourages disrespect for the rules, but also causes <br />archaeological, cultural and geological features to be lost, and also impacts native ecosystems and <br />critical habitat. In addition, it causes impacts such as noise, unsightliness and flooding problems for <br />the surrounding community. The reason to have a permit is to allow the County to set conditions that <br />will avoid negative impacts before they happen. <br /> <br />With Chapter 10 amended to create strong disincentives to illegal unpermitted grubbing and grading <br />the County’s stated goals of protecting the community and the ‘aina will be greatly enhanced. <br /> <br /> <br />Respectfully, <br /> <br />Patti Pinto, Chair <br />Puna Community Development Plan Action Committee <br /> <br /> <br />Hawai‘i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer <br /> <br />