SPACE gets 6 months to prepare amendments

[dmbwest]

+1

aloha,
pog

[DanielP]

Is SPACE the central issue here or could the bigger issue be the behavior of our County Planners?

Dan

[Rob Tucker]

The running joke during the Puna Community Development Plan (PCDP) (and it wasn't that funny actually) was that the previous plan for Puna
consisted of three words: Drive To Hilo.

At this moment Puna has a population approximately equal to Hilo. Hilo has over 1,000 acres of commercial zoning (2,000 might be closer) and Puna has approx. 32 acres of commercial zoning.

You can see where the "drive to Hilo" theory came from.

The residents of Puna have been forced to be very creative in trying to define agricultural uses.... and for quite awhile they were left rather unmolested in doing so. But the lack of coherent zoning is stifling business in Puna. Stifling business means stifling jobs, goods and services. Stifling business contributes to poverty.

It is my opinion that the Special Use Permit (SUP) method preferred by our Planning Department is a remnant of the old Plantation System where favors were granted by those in power to those they favored and with held from those they chose.

Mayor Kenoi's single attribute and purpose as mayor seems to be to maintain the status quo and he and his Director of Planning, Bobbie Jean Leithead-Todd, have shown by their actions that keeping things they way they have been in Puna is a priority.

So as I have pointed out before... the wealthy, corporate violators of planning codes and permits are waived forward and their tracks are greased. The underfunded grassroots efforts are faced with costly obstacles sufficient to bankrupt them.

Puna needs to stand up and demand a new attitude from it's county government and this November is the time to do it.

So my answer to DanielP's question is: The behavior of our CoH "planners" is the bigger issue.

I am in favor of community planning which would be clear and concise enough to allow any investor to understand the path and costs to create a business or other use and calculate their chances of success with some degree of accuracy and be free from people with competing interests attacking them.

[Kapohocat]

quote:

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Originally posted by DanielP

Is SPACE the central issue here or could the bigger issue be the behavior of our County Planners?

Dan

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Dan -

I know you are a carpenter so NAIL - HEAD. Almost Squarely.

I do think BJ has been trying to clear up *some* issues created by past directors. With the PC made up of a broad spectrum of people, sometimes it is more development sided, and then it goes to more environmental sided.

I saw a few months ago the "planning book" from the late 50's - complete with the type face used in the 50's and all the propaganda of what East Hawaii would look like in 50 years. It is comical and interesting at the same time.

-Cat

[Obie]

Hey Rob

Back when Billy was first in office, I posted about Mayor Kenoi's subdivision approval that Bobbie-Jean approved.

You thought that it was OK.

It was just 5 lots divided from 1.He was given an exception from having to pave the road and having to provide water.

The County is not going to come back and make everything right.

We are going to have to pay for it, but Space is a joke!!!!

[Rob Tucker]

What Billy did then was legal. As I recall it required an exemption from Water Supply based on adequate rainfall for catchment. Rainfall is adequate.

But you're likely right.... the CoH isn't going to make anything right without legal action on our part.

[Kehena-Kapoho]

quote:

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Originally posted by Obie

Space is a joke!!!!

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It is certainly starting to look that way.

[liskir]

quote:

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Originally posted by DanielP

Is SPACE the central issue here or could the bigger issue be the behavior of our County Planners?

Dan

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Remove the Planning Dept. and its greasy planners. Insert Community Council where everyone gets a voice, not just those of position and money.

[DanielP]

Problem might be, an individual may loose his/her property rights if the majority of the neighbors push for it. example: SPACE and all of their supporters vs. a handful of SPACE's neighbors.

Should majority rule trump individual property rights?
Not IMHO

Dan

[Greg]

Instead of determining and acting on the needs of our community, we should wait for our Government to do it for us.

I'm afraid it all started back at the Dawn of our Country when a bunch of people dressed as Indians approached a Tea laden ship in Boston Harbor and said: "Well, dumping it would be illegal.......Lets go to the tavern instead!)

Our Neighborhood Association has put off creating much needed "mini-parks" because they may infringe on people that move here in the future(NOT).

(sarcasm above)