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No affiliation whatsoever with Graham Ellis and/or HSLA.
On the subject of "alternative motives" ... County has been stringing SPACE/Belly Acres along for years. If their land use was not going to be tolerated, it should have been "nipped in the bud" years ago. Instead, there's an eternal Special Use process which implies that permission might eventually be granted.
I side with those who fight County's idiocy. In this case, if the County doesn't want people to create their own education and commerce opportunities out of necessity, then County should step up and do their job meeting the needs of their population -- this fight is a distraction from these issues, not a solution.
Rob Tucker quote:
"As I recall Graham got a permit for the SPACE facility and part of that permit process required that the pre-existing structures at Belly Acres be brought up to code and permitted too."
Graham has violated his permits time and time again. Ask yourself why does he apply for these permits if he doesn't even intend to comply? What kind of madness is that? And what kind of madness that the planning commission allows them to continue time and time again. Check out this link to the Hawaii Volcano Circus special use permit history up to 2012:
http://www.cohplanningdept.com/wpcontent...cation.pdf.
Since then, in December of 2012, an amendment was made to special use permit 1122 by their attorney, Ted Hong. All one needs to do is look at all of the items in that amendment to see they have ALL been inserted into SB2274. Being that 2012 was an election year, this organization got busy and decided to actively campaign for Russell Ruderman, who then as Senator, introduced legislation, authored by them, to future their mission and their goals.
Also, within that amendment S.P.A.C.E changed their name to Hawaii Volcano Center and changed its mission statement to S.C.A.E.C.D.M which stands for "Self-Sustainable Community Arts and Educational Center Demonstration Model. For some reason this 501©3 nonprofit has decided to change its name and mission statement in mid stream.
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quote:
...why does he apply for these permits if he doesn't even intend to comply? ... what kind of madness that the planning commission allows them to continue time and time again.
Exactly my point. I now respectfully suggest focusing on one of these issues:
What has Graham/SPACE/VGS done to upset everyone, and did that "everyone" try to work with SPACE to sort it out? People keep using the word "community" while at the same time maintaining an "us-vs-them" posture.
or
County's failure to properly mitigate the situation constitutes a breach of their legally defined mandate while also creating a minefield of precedent, and so there needs to be (another) lawsuit to force County to do its job. Side effect: more nanny-state intrusions into people's lifestyle choices.
Keep in mind that endless arguments about what constitutes "sustainability" and who should be allowed to have how much of what kind based on their money, land, and neighbors ... is not actually sustainable, unless you mean sustenance for some poor unfortunate legal team.
Put another way, if you believe in "sustainability", help make it happen. Otherwise, move to Hilo, get a water hookup and some grid power, call the cops when your neighbors are too loud, and leave the rest of us alone to actually do something different.
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When I consider such things I also consider the ongoing violations by the county which is the single largest contributor to problems in the district.
Graham has provided more solutions than problems. The county has provided more problems than solutions.
That sums up my position.
Assume the best and ask questions.
Punaweb moderator
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quote:
Graham has provided more solutions than problems. The county has provided more problems than solutions.
I could not have put it better myself.
"Lead, follow, get out of the way" -- or do this other thing County has going.
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quote:
Originally posted by kalakoa
"Lead, follow, get out of the way" -- or do this other thing County has going.
I could not have put it better myself.
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FYI: (Update - *Snipped / More at link, incl. info on other bills)
http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2014/0...sover-day/
Sustainable Living#8236; Research bill barely passes, receiving NO TESTIMONY in support, and Hawaii County#8236; Planning Director and the Planning Department in opposition.
"Giving reasons for their opposition, lawmakers cited testimony from the director of the Hawaii County Planning Department, Duane Kanuha, who wrote:
Furthermore, we question whether the real intent of this bill is to truly foster sustainable research and testing or to create a vehicle; the proposed sustainable living research permit, to allow the proliferation of already existing “eco villages” to be legitimatized.
We also object to the proposed inclusion of“sustainable living research sites” as permissible uses within the State Land Use Agriculture and Rural districts inasmuch as such sites cannot be determined until a sustainable living research site permit has been issued by the Planning Department according to the proposed legislation.
Duane Kanuha – April 3, 2014
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quote:
allow the proliferation of already existing "eco villages" to be legitimatized
I dare suggest that such eco villages are already well legitimized by County's failure to enforce the existing rules/codes.
This is an attempt by a certain group, who authored SB 2274 with attorneys, to legitimize their non compliance to their special use permit. Plain and simple. At this very moment the county is contemplating revocation because to this date they still have not completed the necessary paperwork that they were suppose to do back in May of 2012.
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And, there it is. Period. Mahalo, Sativa. JMO.
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