05-16-2012, 10:17 AM
Rob, I was responding to the "In our country a person's business plan should not be up for a vote" part of your post. You took it far beyond Pahoa there.
Did you mean in our county? In that case, never mind. [
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My mind went to the Historic Village concept because Tiffany wrote:
I do think Pahoa could achieve more commercial prosperity by having more vision of itself. I read the tripadvisor boards every day, and the number of people who want to visit Hawi (because it is quaint and historic and has achieved a certain rep) is very high. In fact, most visitors will include Hawi if they have time.
I can't remember the last time someone mentioned wanting to tour Pahoa, other than passing through it as part of driving a scenic loop and maybe doing the tidepools, Lava Tree, etc.. That could change, very easily. That change could result in a lot more money from tourism being left in Puna.
As for this particular case, my response has nothing to do with whether it's Tiffany saying this, even though I like Tiffany very much.
I don't know this particular neighbor nor know all the history.
I do have a personal aversion to property owners who put forth a plan to do something and who get what they want based on a positive response to that plan, only it is just a ploy to get the zoning and make money selling the property.
My aversion to that tactic has more to do with stuff going on in my own part of the island than the situation in Pahoa, I don't think it is ethical, even if it is legal. I call that a bait and switch.
If a property owner has no intent of following through on a proposed project, then I think the ethical thing to do is apply for rezoning based solely on location and viability for commercial zoning. Don't sell a dream of an attractive project unless you intend to make it reality, is my response.
If they do intend to make it a reality, then I would withdraw what I said about ethics. I put an "if" in my first response because I don't know the intent of that owner. I think that marketing the property for sale at the same time as putting forth an application to rezone to build a boutique & lodgings combo, is suspect. Either you have a buyer who wants to do that project, or you don't.
It's different (a bit) when an owner has filed plans and pulled permits and then wants to sell and includes the plans and permits as value added to the property. It's somewhat more likely to attract a buyer who will go through with it. Somewhat.
If there is no requirement at all to actualize this "Pahoa Boutiques and Bungalows," then why is that plan even a factor in the decision making process? It just sounds good. It sounds like something Pahoa may not want to turn away. So the "plan" that cannot be relied on to come to fruition IS influencing the decision.
Whereas you, Rob, are saying that the business plan shouldn't matter in a rezoning app, only the location's commercial viability. Then wouldn't you prefer that they do a straightforward application to rezone the empty lot without waving the vision of a boutique business that will not even be a condition of approval?
Did you mean in our county? In that case, never mind. [
]My mind went to the Historic Village concept because Tiffany wrote:
quote:So when you say that the Pahoa has nothing similar to a historic village design district (which is what I referenced), do you feel that these endeavors will not go through and are not worth considering as around the corner?
Why bother with a Pahoa Plan or the formation of a Pahoa Village Design District, both of which are underway
I do think Pahoa could achieve more commercial prosperity by having more vision of itself. I read the tripadvisor boards every day, and the number of people who want to visit Hawi (because it is quaint and historic and has achieved a certain rep) is very high. In fact, most visitors will include Hawi if they have time.
I can't remember the last time someone mentioned wanting to tour Pahoa, other than passing through it as part of driving a scenic loop and maybe doing the tidepools, Lava Tree, etc.. That could change, very easily. That change could result in a lot more money from tourism being left in Puna.
As for this particular case, my response has nothing to do with whether it's Tiffany saying this, even though I like Tiffany very much.
I don't know this particular neighbor nor know all the history.
I do have a personal aversion to property owners who put forth a plan to do something and who get what they want based on a positive response to that plan, only it is just a ploy to get the zoning and make money selling the property.
My aversion to that tactic has more to do with stuff going on in my own part of the island than the situation in Pahoa, I don't think it is ethical, even if it is legal. I call that a bait and switch.
If a property owner has no intent of following through on a proposed project, then I think the ethical thing to do is apply for rezoning based solely on location and viability for commercial zoning. Don't sell a dream of an attractive project unless you intend to make it reality, is my response.
If they do intend to make it a reality, then I would withdraw what I said about ethics. I put an "if" in my first response because I don't know the intent of that owner. I think that marketing the property for sale at the same time as putting forth an application to rezone to build a boutique & lodgings combo, is suspect. Either you have a buyer who wants to do that project, or you don't.
It's different (a bit) when an owner has filed plans and pulled permits and then wants to sell and includes the plans and permits as value added to the property. It's somewhat more likely to attract a buyer who will go through with it. Somewhat.
If there is no requirement at all to actualize this "Pahoa Boutiques and Bungalows," then why is that plan even a factor in the decision making process? It just sounds good. It sounds like something Pahoa may not want to turn away. So the "plan" that cannot be relied on to come to fruition IS influencing the decision.
Whereas you, Rob, are saying that the business plan shouldn't matter in a rezoning app, only the location's commercial viability. Then wouldn't you prefer that they do a straightforward application to rezone the empty lot without waving the vision of a boutique business that will not even be a condition of approval?