Any ideas for economic growth for Puna?

[Rob Tucker]

There are a number of things in the PCDP which may not yet have shelf space in various codes. That does not preclude them from being part of the PCDP agenda. It would mean that other department and council actions may be required to bring it all forward. In general the PCDP is trying to look forward, not backward.

[wax]

ROb, True - but when the PCDP requires use of a classification that does not exist it is either ignored or stops all reasonable actions.

[james weatherford]

quote:

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Originally posted by mdd7000

BobOrts, Many people decry Wal-Mart as evil...

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Emotions aside, there is substantive evidence that a WalMart or other 'big box' store in a small rural community is not a great thing for the local economy.
See - http://www.newrules.org/retail/key-studi...box-retail

James Weatherford, Ph.D.
15-1888 Hialoa
Hawaiian Paradise Park

[mdd7000]

I am not advocating a Wal-Mart in Puna - there is not enough of a market and it is too close to the very successful Hilo store. Look at the businesses that thrive near the Hilo store.

[Rob Tucker]

Having looked at the economic possibilities of Puna fro some time I see them broadly in four areas:

1. Eco-tourism. The upside of Puna being neglected for so many decades is that it hasn't been paved and strip malled out of existence. It is still is possession, to a large degree, of that old laid-back Hawaii of world renown. Ka`u has this too. South of Puna, in the Red Road nexus of Pohiki to Kalapana, lies Puna's version of Big Sur. Ocean, rain, sun, jungle and lovely breezes. This area should be protected and nurtured. A not long ago proposal for a professional campground in Pahoa should be revitalized and brought to reality. It would not be expensive to do. Further down the line the property known as Green Lake/Green Mountain should be acquired and preserved as an Eco-Park. If there are other shoreline resources like the Warm Ponds then then public access should be provided. Let Puna be a premier destination for Eco-tourists, the backpacker kind, from Europe, Asia and Australia.

2. Local goods, local services, local jobs: Our dependence on Hwy. 130 and Hilo as the source of all things should be reduced by investment in local business parks and village centers to provide us with our regular needs. Puna is in a decent position to develop as a world role model for managed growth and sustainability. We do not actually need to spend millions removing eyesores (yet) and can instead focus on the future. There should and can be reasonable medical services, retail opportunities, professional services and business to meet most of our local needs. Puna has reached a critical mass of population to sustain it's own base of services. Developing our local businesses should be concurrent with creating Design Districts so that the flavor of the area can be enhanced, not compromised.

3. Manufacturing: While the State of Hawaii is a relative small population of 1.3 million people mostly jammed onto Oahu they have substantial simple needs which now require massive tonnage of goods shipped in from the whole world. Maybe it is fantasy on my part but I don't think cheap oil is going to continue to allow wood to be forested in Indonesia, milled in another place, made into furniture in China and shipped to the Ala Moana Mall for many more decades. Puna has cheap land, geothermal electricity and an underemployed workforce. There is reason to believe that locally manufactured wares could find a durable state market. One simple example: A handle factory. Take Ohia, a dozen employees and produce garden and farm handles for every hardware store in the state. Don't laugh. It's just one produce that could sell regularly. The day will come when shipping EVERYTHING in over the ocean will make local manufacturing viable on a Puna scale. As that future approaches we should develop the basis for local manufacturing jobs. I think that business incubators, rarely mentioned, would and should be the first occupants of some new local and properly sized business parks.

4. Agriculture: The Big Island, and Puna in a substantial way, are capable of becoming the breadbasket of the state. Diversified agricultural need to combine with sensible land and tax policies under the guidance of a Plan of Sustainability. Puna is in better shape for this than many think but we need to protect our land and environmental assets with sensible policies and facilitate agricultural investment. This can be done with partnerships with U.H. and serious tax incentives for the right agricultural efforts.

Ooops. I ran out of time but not ideas. I'll let someone else toss out more thoughts.

[james weatherford]

Good ideas, Rob.

What ties these together is resource-based economic activity.
Food, energy, and forest products, with manufacturing of goods from raw materials derived from the land and sea. The principal markets, as pointed out, are metropolitan Honolulu and visitors from off-shore (specifically eco-tourists), in addition to this island.

An economic model of the future must based on reduction of the transportation cost component.

Too far into the future? The future will get here whether we are ready for it or not. We, as a community, can take charge of our own future, or we can let it take charge of us.





James Weatherford, Ph.D.
15-1888 Hialoa
Hawaiian Paradise Park

[mdd7000]

What would a road from somewhere near Pahoa to around Glenwood do for tourism and additional retail opportunities?

[Del Pranke]

How about a low power FM radio station to keep residents informed about emergency conditions. Tonight Kahakai Blvd was blocked for several hours by an accident at the gooseneck near Keonepoko School. Police could issue warnings to motorists along Hwy 130 or other roads if backups are inevitable. The last time this happened was about 5 years ago because of a piece of unexploded ordinance.

[mdd7000]

quote:

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Originally posted by Del Pranke

How about a low power FM radio station to keep residents informed about emergency conditions. Tonight Kahakai Blvd was blocked for several hours by an accident at the gooseneck near Keonepoko School. Police could issue warnings to motorists along Hwy 130 or other roads if backups are inevitable. The last time this happened was about 5 years ago because of a piece of unexploded ordinance.

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That is more of a question for Civil Defense instead of economic growth for Puna.

[Del Pranke]

A full time automated station which could promote/advertise local business. It could be accessed by police or civil defense authorities for emergencies. Constant info about lava flow conditions. A few signs in the community: "tune to 99.8 on fm dial" just like in volcanos park.