06-10-2016, 06:01 AM
Former Hakalau mill site has environmental cleanup issues and is not a likely commercial development site for anything other than homes....which requires this rezoning. The whole "farm to table" whooha is smoke and mirrors. A restaurant as tourist destination, or a commute from Hilo for residents, is such a long shot that I can't imagine any business plan succeeding.
The linkage of the valley to the mill site is to tie an albatross (the valley) around the neck of a wounded duck (the mill site). The "albatross" valley is in the CONSERVATION district, not much value there due to topography and use restrictions embedded in state law. The mill site has a H.E.E.R. report available online. It's an arsenic issue, app. 6,000 cubic yards, with a $1.8mm estimated cost for cleanup (limited contaminated soil removal due to coastal issues, primarily capping with 1-3' of clean soil and then never disturbing it). No future development, for any reason, can occur over the remediation site. No work has been done to this point.
Community opposition is predicated not just on the (de)merits of this project but the previous development done by Shropshire in the same area, at the old Jodo mission property. Hard feelings are long remembered. A lot of the opposition to his Papaikou project (A'ole Papaikou Point) was triggered by the experience of the earlier Hakalau Plantation Village project of his in 2004.
Now comes the poker game with the County being assumed to be the sucker at the table. Actually it's more a game of "chicken" at this point. The real play here in my opinion....Walk away. Ignore the public. Ignore Shropshire. Then reassess the property for tax purposes to his asking price as a consequence of his hubris. Leave it for him to continue to try to develop it (NEVER happen) or find a buyer (not anywhere near his ask if at all).
Billy would never fall for this.....but it's at the Council so let's see how savvy they are.
The linkage of the valley to the mill site is to tie an albatross (the valley) around the neck of a wounded duck (the mill site). The "albatross" valley is in the CONSERVATION district, not much value there due to topography and use restrictions embedded in state law. The mill site has a H.E.E.R. report available online. It's an arsenic issue, app. 6,000 cubic yards, with a $1.8mm estimated cost for cleanup (limited contaminated soil removal due to coastal issues, primarily capping with 1-3' of clean soil and then never disturbing it). No future development, for any reason, can occur over the remediation site. No work has been done to this point.
Community opposition is predicated not just on the (de)merits of this project but the previous development done by Shropshire in the same area, at the old Jodo mission property. Hard feelings are long remembered. A lot of the opposition to his Papaikou project (A'ole Papaikou Point) was triggered by the experience of the earlier Hakalau Plantation Village project of his in 2004.
Now comes the poker game with the County being assumed to be the sucker at the table. Actually it's more a game of "chicken" at this point. The real play here in my opinion....Walk away. Ignore the public. Ignore Shropshire. Then reassess the property for tax purposes to his asking price as a consequence of his hubris. Leave it for him to continue to try to develop it (NEVER happen) or find a buyer (not anywhere near his ask if at all).
Billy would never fall for this.....but it's at the Council so let's see how savvy they are.