03-30-2010, 03:01 AM
Kathy, a developer knows government has certain legal restrictions written into law that they are suppose to follow. Although these laws set specifics, they are still broad enough that developers can run the sidelines and get what they want. But, the sidelines are filled with ordinary people, which make running that line dangerous to the developer.
Typically if there is government opposition and people opposition, the developer needs to find a legal method to clear a path through the line of government. If they can't find that legal method, they know that if they try to push through the opposition lines, government and the people will reinforce that line. Plus its PR hell to hurt the “ordinary people” in public.
But if there is a crack in opposition, that's where developers focus their attention. Find the weakest crack and slowly widen that crack until the bulldozers can drive right on through. The developers are not splintered or out on the fringes, they are consolidated and with heavy hired guns. Of courses they pick and choose their battles as not everything is worth the expense. Everything the County does is catalogued, cross referenced and tabulated for future; use for or against something. That's why some of the west side development interest when confronted with a roadblock, brings out some county decision from 15 years ago in Hilo about some church parking to support their case.
Surprisingly, conservation land because it's "Conservation" has to have some greater purpose and that purpose can be exploited without changing the "conservation nature" of the land to meet the developer’s needs. If it's conservation because of foliage, they don't disturb the identified foliage but clear cuts everything else. And if the conservation purpose is shown to be false, they can argue the conservation zoning is not valid and needs to be changed (to what they want). AG zoned land is more a line on paper considering that some AG land can't even grow a Chia Pet. So changing the zoning on AG is so much easier for government. But, that land is probably not some large out of the way remote, nothing happening land. It’s probably within the community and that’s where people opposition is the biggest enemy. If they can’t find a crack in the people, the battle rest solely on legal rights as the County can just as easily side with the people.
I’ll say this, after almost 20 years on the side of and trying to help citizens, it’s night and day when you switch to the developers side. They are so well organized, have so many resources available, and know what they want. (not to mention they pay sooo much better)
Typically if there is government opposition and people opposition, the developer needs to find a legal method to clear a path through the line of government. If they can't find that legal method, they know that if they try to push through the opposition lines, government and the people will reinforce that line. Plus its PR hell to hurt the “ordinary people” in public.
But if there is a crack in opposition, that's where developers focus their attention. Find the weakest crack and slowly widen that crack until the bulldozers can drive right on through. The developers are not splintered or out on the fringes, they are consolidated and with heavy hired guns. Of courses they pick and choose their battles as not everything is worth the expense. Everything the County does is catalogued, cross referenced and tabulated for future; use for or against something. That's why some of the west side development interest when confronted with a roadblock, brings out some county decision from 15 years ago in Hilo about some church parking to support their case.
Surprisingly, conservation land because it's "Conservation" has to have some greater purpose and that purpose can be exploited without changing the "conservation nature" of the land to meet the developer’s needs. If it's conservation because of foliage, they don't disturb the identified foliage but clear cuts everything else. And if the conservation purpose is shown to be false, they can argue the conservation zoning is not valid and needs to be changed (to what they want). AG zoned land is more a line on paper considering that some AG land can't even grow a Chia Pet. So changing the zoning on AG is so much easier for government. But, that land is probably not some large out of the way remote, nothing happening land. It’s probably within the community and that’s where people opposition is the biggest enemy. If they can’t find a crack in the people, the battle rest solely on legal rights as the County can just as easily side with the people.
I’ll say this, after almost 20 years on the side of and trying to help citizens, it’s night and day when you switch to the developers side. They are so well organized, have so many resources available, and know what they want. (not to mention they pay sooo much better)