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Well, HPP management has run afoul of the State Health Department and is facing fines yet again. This time it is apparently for illegally establishing a green waste dump behind the maintenance barn at Makuu and 16th. This was said to have been done to save a little money on some pre-paving grubbing that was done. Unbelievably, no permits were applied for, and a complaint was filed about the unsightly and unsanitary dump. I went by and looked at it, and it is indeed a big nasty mess.
One suggested remedy is to build our own greenwaste processing facility, something that would likely require rezoning, a host of permits, and a pile of money. A special BOD meeting will be held at 6 pm on Thursday, May 1 to discuss all this. Should be entertaining. What were these people thinking? Oh wait, they weren't thinking at all.
Edited for typos.
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I just posted the meeting info in the Puna Events section.
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Well, you should probably give a bit of slack. Throughout this island people take green waste to empty lots they own or that friends own and allow the refuge. After all, most of it will be gone sooner than later (deteriorated). The law the DOH uses is based on Oahu problems where people are on much smaller lots and very urban so that taking green waste to your backyard (or someone else's) may be an actual problem. On this island if handled reasonably - moving green waste is not a big deal from a health standpoint.
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Wax, it's one thing when you leave green waste on your own land. It's another when you leave it on the side of the road. It encourages other people who are also too lazy to stop at the actual dump as they drive by going to Hilo or Pahoa to drop things in the same spot. Last time I went by, aside from the huge piles of greenery there were multiple trash bags and a twin mattress. If you don't allow a spot to look like a dump site, most, people won't treat it like one.
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HPP should have gone through the process and gotten the permits first, right?
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Kalakoa, I was told that there were two options. One was to use a contractor who would have charged more to chip the material at the grubbing site and spread it as mulch or to haul it away. The other was to get a permit for the dumping site. At least one person familiar with the situation claims to have told the management a permit was needed before any material could be dumped.
What bothers me perhaps more than the potential cost of all this is the mentality of creating an eyesore that attracts yet more dumping. The trees and brush may seem benign until you consider the knock-on effects of providing cover for vermin and the example it sets. I went by and looked at it before starting this thread to be sure I knew what was there.
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quote:
Originally posted by Chunkster
What bothers me perhaps more than the potential cost of all this is the mentality of creating an eyesore that attracts yet more dumping. The trees and brush may seem benign until you consider the knock-on effects of providing cover for vermin and the example it sets.
Exactly! By starting these waste piles it has basically given others permission to add to them. I was so happy when they cleaned up some around the maintenance building last year and so sad to see an even bigger mess growing soon after. Deciding to store green waste until they have a fill truck load, to make a dump run worth their while, is one thing but to let it grow out of hand is another. [V]
A friend goes to Kimpo karate at the community center on Thursdays and told me this week it's canceled so there will be plenty of room for people who want to come to this meeting. Please come and let your voices be heard!
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quote:
Originally posted by wax
Well, you should probably give a bit of slack. Throughout this island people take green waste to empty lots they own or that friends own and allow the refuge. After all, most of it will be gone sooner than later (deteriorated). The law the DOH uses is based on Oahu problems where people are on much smaller lots and very urban so that taking green waste to your backyard (or someone else's) may be an actual problem. On this island if handled reasonably - moving green waste is not a big deal from a health standpoint.
Yeah. We found out that it's "normal" for our neighbors to dump their green waste on our lot, despite the fact that they know we don't want them to do it. They will also cut down trees to improve their view. Apparently since we don't live on the lot yet, THEY "own" it.
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There were a lot of pig carcases being dumped alongside the green waste there, I would also guess from driving by that more of the stuff being dumped was not coming from the road crew, but from people in the subdivision. We live right by there and it has been happening there for at least 5 years, it would build up and then get hauled off, usually right after somewone dropped off a TV an box spring.
As far as permitting goes, I thought composting was an approved ag land activity, since HPP is all zoned ag I do not see why the HPPOA cannot compost materials generated on HPPOA property on HPPOA property. It isn't like they are importing the material, it was generated on site.
Carol
Carol
Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Polish Proverb
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You make a good point carol. What precedent does this set? And whats next? Is/will it be illegal to compost on our own properties?
