2024-09-12 PL-INT-2024-008588 GP 2045 Draft Comments - Kelly

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DeVera, Ashley From: noreply@konveio.email on behalf of County of Hawaii Planning Department via County of Hawaii Planning Department <noreply@konveio.email> Sent: Thursday, September 12, 2024 6:28 PM To: Planning General Plan Subject: Form submission from: Contact Us Submitted on Thursday, September 12, 2024 - 6:27pm Submitted by anonymous user: 66.91.34.195 Submitted values are: location_id: Name: Kelly Email: Phone Number: Question or Feedback: General Plan, Chapter 1. Introduction The purpose of the General Plan is to guide the pattern of future development in this County based on long-term goals. It should identify the visions, values, and priorities important to the people of this County. The General Plan includes overall themes, goals, principles, objectives, and policies, as well as implementation priorities and actions to carry out policies including, but not limited to, land use maps, programs, projects, regulatory measures, standards and principles, and interagency coordination. Community Response: The General Plan shows seven highway projects in the Waikoloa area, six more than could be completed with public resources likely to be available by 2045. The following objectives are described in the Plan: 32.h. Establish, map and maintain alternative and emergency evacuation routes in each high risk hazard area. 32.k. Develop and/or improve secondary access roads for those communities with only one means of ingress/egress. 32.20 Prioritize hazard mitigation projects in the CIP (Capital improvement plan). Of the seven Waikoloa area Road projects, three could meet these objectives during emergencies: 1) upgrading to two lanes the Hulu emergency evacuation road, 2) extending Kamakoa Drive to connect with Queen K near Puako Road, and 3) extending Paniolo Drive north to connect with Kawaihae Road midway between Waimea and Queen K. None of these three hazard mitigation projects are shown as a priority. We ask that the Kamakoa Drive extension be prioritized as necessary to meet the immediate need for a second emergency access route to be completed within three years. This project should be prioritized because 1) most new development is planned for the north end of the Village near Kamakoa Gulch; 2) right-of-way for a two-lane arterial exists to the waste water treatment plant and the remaining portion of the extension is being donated by the landowners (35-40% of the cost); 3) the alignment is being graded and stabilized by the landowners for an emergency evacuation route (15-20% of cost), 4) the environmental and cultural studies are being drafted, and 5) no gulches need to be bridged. Public $ could make up the cost to complete the upgrade needed for an arterial road. The other six road projects in the Plan should be prioritized in an action plan that identifies the most critical needs to be addressed first. Residents and stakeholders should be included in the decision-making process. Listing projects into short-term and long-term categories will provide a more comprehensive and effective action-oriented framework for advancing projects as resources become available. General Plan: Chapter 4. Sustainable Development and Resilient Communities Land use planning is critical to disaster resilience. The reduction of development in identified high-risk hazard areas can reduce the threat to life and property. A review and amendment of land use policies is needed to reduce risk from hazards including but not limited to floodplains, high surf, tsunami, landslides, erosion, wildfires, and high-risk volcanic hazard areas. The General Plan is intended to be used as a policy guide for coordinated growth and sustainable development across the island. Community Response: Waikoloa Village is defined as a high-risk area for wildfires but has only main evacuation route. While the population is expected to more than double by the year 2045, there are no specific plans to add a second primary arterial road to aid the evacuation of the population growth on the north side of the village. Of the seven proposed expansion and new roads in the Waikoloa area on Map, priority needs to be given to the one on the northern side of Paniolo Avenue down to the Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway. Saving lives must have precedence over convenience, traffic congestion, and reducing travel times when deciding the priority of highway projects. It makes no sense to continue to add housing for hundreds of families with children in a location where the fire risk is the highest in the state without 1