03-13-2015, 03:27 PM
All we can do is hope that the latest lava threat and damage has taken a foothold into the minds of those creating plans for this area.
It's going to take some creative out of the box thinking to address this region properly. Simply ignoring the issue in hopes no-one will move here won't work and will only exacerbate future problems.
Simple things such as a full coastal route between Hilo and Kalapana places a main route furthest from the reach of Kilauea caldera activity while still upon its slopes. Inundation of the beach road occurring from an origin position Makai 130 upon the rift still leaves 130 as a full alternative route. Where flows that inundate 130 originating mauka 130 upon the rift still leave a coastal route as a viable alternate unless both are inundated at the same time which is probably least frequent a likelihood than all the other probabilities possible but why a port should be created just in case.
I read the PCDP and I see sections of the old beach road penned in as a hiking trail? I'm sorry but that line of thinking is simply ignoring this regions future needs and replacing them with dreams, dreams that WILL ultimately prove harmful to the future community should they be adopted. 130 will be inundated everywhere as will railroad and the beach road, but the likelihood of all three being inundated at the same time will occur far less frequently than just one or two being inundated at a time. The closer to the ocean down the rift a flow begins the less likely it is to cause a full cut off of the region when a coastal route compliments 130.
As per the zoning is concerned. Specialty zones could be assigned to almost all AG 3 and select areas of Ag 1 and select areas of smaller parcel zone areas within and South of the basin. These could allow for an XYZ service to be allowed without additional special zoning requirements if no other XYZ services are within x miles of the cited project. XYZ for example, a convenience grocer, dual pump gas station with approved above ground tanks (like a 7-11 with a double gas pump). Small restaurants could be allowed on the coast with a cap on capacity every x miles. Promoting small business to spring forth would be helpful. The current agricultural restriction shouldn't be applied to this region as it's far too much agriculture area and not enough with regard to local community public services. Jumping the hurdles to get special zoning for small convenience stores or an enclosed small restaurant, etc. isn't helping things. We need more local services as to stop relying so heavily on single location box type market areas that can be inundated at any time - leaving the region without any such services. Expanding zoning uses accompanied by simplifying building codes to bare minimum standards through the zoning regulations and adopting above ground fuel storage tanks etc. would help to make this area less susceptible to any single lava flow event that would otherwise cause major problems community wide. A great deal more flexibility is necessary in this region if the State and County don't want to lose many more millions in the future regarding lava flows.
This region will never represent a typical community and should not be restricted to the common standard model. It cannot be done as long as lava flows from Kilauea and expecting it to meld into a typical community mold is neither reasonable or intelligent.
It's going to take some creative out of the box thinking to address this region properly. Simply ignoring the issue in hopes no-one will move here won't work and will only exacerbate future problems.
Simple things such as a full coastal route between Hilo and Kalapana places a main route furthest from the reach of Kilauea caldera activity while still upon its slopes. Inundation of the beach road occurring from an origin position Makai 130 upon the rift still leaves 130 as a full alternative route. Where flows that inundate 130 originating mauka 130 upon the rift still leave a coastal route as a viable alternate unless both are inundated at the same time which is probably least frequent a likelihood than all the other probabilities possible but why a port should be created just in case.
I read the PCDP and I see sections of the old beach road penned in as a hiking trail? I'm sorry but that line of thinking is simply ignoring this regions future needs and replacing them with dreams, dreams that WILL ultimately prove harmful to the future community should they be adopted. 130 will be inundated everywhere as will railroad and the beach road, but the likelihood of all three being inundated at the same time will occur far less frequently than just one or two being inundated at a time. The closer to the ocean down the rift a flow begins the less likely it is to cause a full cut off of the region when a coastal route compliments 130.
As per the zoning is concerned. Specialty zones could be assigned to almost all AG 3 and select areas of Ag 1 and select areas of smaller parcel zone areas within and South of the basin. These could allow for an XYZ service to be allowed without additional special zoning requirements if no other XYZ services are within x miles of the cited project. XYZ for example, a convenience grocer, dual pump gas station with approved above ground tanks (like a 7-11 with a double gas pump). Small restaurants could be allowed on the coast with a cap on capacity every x miles. Promoting small business to spring forth would be helpful. The current agricultural restriction shouldn't be applied to this region as it's far too much agriculture area and not enough with regard to local community public services. Jumping the hurdles to get special zoning for small convenience stores or an enclosed small restaurant, etc. isn't helping things. We need more local services as to stop relying so heavily on single location box type market areas that can be inundated at any time - leaving the region without any such services. Expanding zoning uses accompanied by simplifying building codes to bare minimum standards through the zoning regulations and adopting above ground fuel storage tanks etc. would help to make this area less susceptible to any single lava flow event that would otherwise cause major problems community wide. A great deal more flexibility is necessary in this region if the State and County don't want to lose many more millions in the future regarding lava flows.
This region will never represent a typical community and should not be restricted to the common standard model. It cannot be done as long as lava flows from Kilauea and expecting it to meld into a typical community mold is neither reasonable or intelligent.