2025-02-03 Richard and Lianna Estrada Testimony

Home

Richard and Lianna Estrada 876 Manono St. Hilo, H196720 February 3, 2025 • Re: Change of Zone Application (PL-REZ-2024-000072) • Applicants:Jack Vanderhoff,Jr. and Sau-Yin Yeung • TMK: 2-2-036:113 Waiakea, South Hilo Hawaii Dear Members of the Windward Planning Commission: When I received the notice that the couple who bought the house next door were planning to turn it into an accounting office complete with a parking lot, I literally cried, I don't think that anyone including yourselves would welcome the house next door being turned into an office when you live in a residential neighborhood. Construction next door is on-going. So, it would seem that they don't anticipate any problem with their application to re-zone their property being approved. I hope that there is a problem. I hope the members of the commission think carefully about the impact a change in zoning will have on the rest of the street. This is my home; this is my neighborhood and has been for 20 years. So, I care about the decision that will be made here. I'm going to have to live with it for the rest of my life. Clearly businesses already exists within the Waiakea Houselots Subdivision. There are straight out commercial properties and houses that have been converted to business use. But overall, it's a residential neighborhood. This section of Manono St. between Kekuanao'a and Lanikaula is all residential, largely owner occupants. It's all families on this street. It seems that the county favors commercial development in this area. I believe this is a mistake. This is a great area in which to live. Think about how much Hilo has changed. People used to live in town. A lot of the houses that were here are gone now or have been converted to business use. A lot of the trees have been chopped down. Hilo is taking on that barren ugly look of other well-developed areas. Flow does it make sense that people must live further and further out of town? Spending hours stuck in the car sitting in traffic. My kid's friends live far out from town. Their families must drive everywhere. That's the life unfortunately they are forced to live. But my kids can walk to the beach, to the park, to school, even the mall. We're close to everything we need to do. This is a great lifestyle. But that is going to change if outside developers are allowed to come in and turn the houses into businesses. The property in question has been vacant for years. It's time for it to be used. But what makes more sense, that it be a potential home for a family or become an office? I don't have a problem with business being conducted in our neighborhood. There is a food truck off and on across the street. But they live there as well. To be able to reside on and make a living from