09-08-2014, 09:27 AM
I exchanged several emails with Marlene Hapai, who is a big part of this process, and Larry Brown at the county, and two things in particular scare the heck out of me:
1-They are basing their suggestions for connector routes solely on the public commentary given at these meetings, this is why Railroad keeps showing up on the maps, because it is a popular idea, but it is one that lacks the legal easements to become a reality outside of an emergency order like the one the Governor just signed.
2-In addition, they plan to revise the maps of suggested routes every time they have the fair, so no one can know where they could decide to put in a connector in the future.
To me that is an extremely unscientific way to collect data. One small part of Puna (the people who go to these meetings) are the only people who get to vote, someone could "stuff the ballot box" so to speak, and they don't take into account any actual reality on the ground like the narrowness of Railroad through HPP (it also crosses other roads about 10 times crossing the subdivision) number of houses on which streets, or natural features like lava tubes. The fact that they will keep changing the maps and proposed routes also means that someone who actually wants to plan a home that would not be on the route cannot know where they can do that.
The time is way overdue for a comprehensive transportation plan for Puna, one that has 5, 10, and 25 year goals, and firm lines on paper showing where the PMAR will go. That way people like me, who do not want to live on a thoroughfare, will not wake up one morning to discover the county has designated my dead end street to be a major commuter route. Creating that plan should have already been done, then during this emergency everyone would already know where the routes are going to go. Instead, we are going to have something shoved through our neighborhoods with no hearings, no consideration for the people of the subdivisions that are going to be traversed by the new route, and no public input.
There will certainly be resistance to any route, but more people move here every week, more new houses are built, and the number of homes being affected goes up every day. By setting a route in advance the county could at least let people who don't want to build their dream home on a quiet street that is about to become a thoroughfare know where to avoid, and people who want the convenience could build on that route.
When I met with Counselor Ilagan about this issue last week, he implied that the Shipman's want all the connectors built first, before they will even consider allowing the PMAR to go through their lands. My question is this: if I have to bite the bullet and live with all of lower Puna commuting 30 feet from my front door on a narrow dusty gravel road for the good of the community, will the Shipmans also have to bite the bullet and allow the route to go through their lands? Or is sacrifice strictly something asked of individual homeowners, not the largest land owner in Puna, during this emergency?
Carol
Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Polish Proverb
1-They are basing their suggestions for connector routes solely on the public commentary given at these meetings, this is why Railroad keeps showing up on the maps, because it is a popular idea, but it is one that lacks the legal easements to become a reality outside of an emergency order like the one the Governor just signed.
2-In addition, they plan to revise the maps of suggested routes every time they have the fair, so no one can know where they could decide to put in a connector in the future.
To me that is an extremely unscientific way to collect data. One small part of Puna (the people who go to these meetings) are the only people who get to vote, someone could "stuff the ballot box" so to speak, and they don't take into account any actual reality on the ground like the narrowness of Railroad through HPP (it also crosses other roads about 10 times crossing the subdivision) number of houses on which streets, or natural features like lava tubes. The fact that they will keep changing the maps and proposed routes also means that someone who actually wants to plan a home that would not be on the route cannot know where they can do that.
The time is way overdue for a comprehensive transportation plan for Puna, one that has 5, 10, and 25 year goals, and firm lines on paper showing where the PMAR will go. That way people like me, who do not want to live on a thoroughfare, will not wake up one morning to discover the county has designated my dead end street to be a major commuter route. Creating that plan should have already been done, then during this emergency everyone would already know where the routes are going to go. Instead, we are going to have something shoved through our neighborhoods with no hearings, no consideration for the people of the subdivisions that are going to be traversed by the new route, and no public input.
There will certainly be resistance to any route, but more people move here every week, more new houses are built, and the number of homes being affected goes up every day. By setting a route in advance the county could at least let people who don't want to build their dream home on a quiet street that is about to become a thoroughfare know where to avoid, and people who want the convenience could build on that route.
When I met with Counselor Ilagan about this issue last week, he implied that the Shipman's want all the connectors built first, before they will even consider allowing the PMAR to go through their lands. My question is this: if I have to bite the bullet and live with all of lower Puna commuting 30 feet from my front door on a narrow dusty gravel road for the good of the community, will the Shipmans also have to bite the bullet and allow the route to go through their lands? Or is sacrifice strictly something asked of individual homeowners, not the largest land owner in Puna, during this emergency?
Carol
Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Polish Proverb
Carol
Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Polish Proverb
Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Polish Proverb