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+--- Thread: The Planning Challenge (/showthread.php?tid=14968)
The Planning Challenge - kalakoa - 10-30-2014
The PCDP makes no provision for "cut off by lava" despite recognizing it as a danger.
If Puna continues to develop at the present rate within the framework of the extensive
subdivisions, there will be several types of significant, long-term consequences:
An increasing number of people and property improvements are being put at risk due to natural hazards. All of Puna lies within the three most hazardous geological risk zones: LF1, LF2 and LF3. About 6,400 subdivision lots lie in the highest hazard zone, LF1, and over 500 of these are exposed to additional risks from subsidence, tsunami and earthquakes. That 2,038 lots in the lower hazard zone LF2 have been covered or cut off by lava flows in recent decades underscores the hazardous nature of much of the district.
RE: The Planning Challenge - Wao nahele kane - 10-31-2014
Yes... there it is. Thanks Kalakoa.
Now, with this in mind, each and every proposal needs to be held to the crucible of this passage in order to determine if it's appropriate for plan entry.
A great deal of the sub proposals where not appropriate when held to this passage.
Unfortunately the above passage is also incomplete and is of no more value than an introductory passage to what should have been an entire detailed mitigation outline.
RE: The Planning Challenge - kalakoa - 10-31-2014
of no more value than an introductory passage
It is, in fact, part of the introduction; geological risk is not mentioned elsewhere.
Just below this introductory passage is a map that shows Pahoa in LF2, right up against the edge of LF1.
Much of the Plan seems to focus on preservation of native forest, historic/cultural/scenic resources, geological features, aquifers, coastal waters ... managing growth (including "selective rezoning" and "floating zone for joint-use mixed development") ... where the regional/community/neighborhood "village centers" should go and how the permit process can facilitate this ... agricultural tourism, development of "green industry" ...
No contingency plans.
Unless you include the part about County keeping foreclosed properties rather than selling them at the tax auction, in order to "Protect unknown natural and cultural sites or features" (the lava flow being both "unknown" and a "natural feature").
RE: The Planning Challenge - Wao nahele kane - 10-31-2014
I read through the plan a few years back and found it so terribly flawed, I couldn't bring myself to comment on it at the time. It appeared to be modeled after a major metropolitan/urban plan, almost as if west coast plans from the mainland were used as a template.
RE: The Planning Challenge - Wao nahele kane - 10-31-2014
For those not familiar with what I'm referring -
Here's the missing element within the PCDP and all aspect of the plan should have hinged upon this.
In particular - Geologic hazard evaluation and mitigation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologic_hazards
RE: The Planning Challenge - Shonuff - 11-03-2014
Once the path of the flow settles in there will definitely be a new paradigm for Puna that will either be addressed with better planning than what exists or get ignored so that things are worse. I will throw some ideas out there that I feel should be considered. The private subdivisions need to be re-invented so that they are not an impediment to planning for the greater community. All the subdivisions need to have adequate roads and parks and someplace to create a commercial center plus an agricultural component to encourage a self-reliant food future. We need to get over the fear of connectivity because there will be less shock to the system when we do. Having community based internet might be more important than community electric power. If we have community internet we can increase capacity and lower the cost (it has been done elsewhere)and neither T-W or Htelcom will do this in the near future. Better internet will open possibilities for home business or local business. There needs to be a discussion about where to locate services south of flow, Pahoa will be the edge and not on the way to anything and the most urgent thing is to get an emergency medical facility there. It is unfortunate that the new Police station and firehouse could be cut-off on both sides if the flow continues very long. Whatever planning is done has to be thought out with geology in mind and somewhere, someone should be giving some thought about access to the ocean somewhere other than Pohoiki. Let's try to insure that we learn from past mistakes and we make change work for us instead of against us. If we can strike while the iron is hot there will be an opportunity to get help with the funding while this is fresh on people's minds but we all know how short the collective focus is in the media age.
RE: The Planning Challenge - kalakoa - 11-04-2014
The private subdivisions need to be re-invented so that they are not an impediment to planning
Agree. However, reality is that almost everything is zoned Ag, and any non-Ag use is Special, permits for which are "difficult to obtain".
the subdivisions need to have adequate roads and parks
Ignoring the subjective "adequate", problem is/has been/will be money and collective will (some subdivisions like their substandard roads and lack of community).
someplace to create a commercial center
Agree, but see above "zoning issue", and note that PCDP actively discourages any commercial development outside of "designated zones".
If we have community internet ... neither T-W or Htelcom will do this in the near future
TW/HT are bound by one-sided "franchise agreement" which guarantees their exclusive right to provide service -- or not, as is more often the case.
Let's try to insure that we learn from past mistakes and we make change work for us
Hawaiian Acres newsletter from 1962 says similar things; over 50 years has passed without substantive changes. Nobody is coming to rescue Puna, and the residents can't seem to agree on a single course of action, so things will be mostly the same in 2062 unless the volcano destroys everything -- which could happen any minute.
RE: The Planning Challenge - punaticbychoice - 11-04-2014
kalakoa:
Indeed.
Yes.
RE: The Planning Challenge - Wao nahele kane - 11-07-2014
Unfortunately Pahoa has proven itself to be a distraction with regard to appropriate planning efforts considering the regions geological circumstances.
Appropriate planning hinged upon Punas geological circumstances would have focused on the most appropriate ingress and egress routes first and foremost. All else would have been based upon those routes.
I need not point out the most effective route planning for this area as that should be self apparent. Likewise it should also be self apparent that those routes were never adopted and even today we have wasted money in wrong decisions made in the haste of waiting till the last seeming minute. What we are experiencing today is a direct result of that wayward uncontrolled misguided planning.
RE: The Planning Challenge - kalakoa - 11-07-2014
a direct result of that wayward uncontrolled misguided planning
Two things to consider:
1. Embracing development means possibly influencing it to suit your needs and desires; if you fight development, it happens anyway, usually with "creative" solutions that aren't exactly what anyone wanted;
2. Bigger problem is we're stuck with the "expense" of having allowed development in a disaster area -- if lower Puna had been left alone (eg, a sanctuary for "wild west" unpermittedness), any development would be fully at-risk, leaving little room for complaint after the fact.
In any case, agree 100% that ignoring the situation for 50 years only made the inevitable lava catatrophe much worse than it should be... in retrospect, all those subdivisions in/around LZ1 make no sense.