06-06-2009, 05:48 AM
Jay has a good point about authenticity. I lived in Ventura, CA before moving here. It was a rather sleepy beach town and was generally by-passed by the tourists who preferred Santa Barbara to the north and Malibu to the south. It was derided as "Bakersfield by the Sea". Which was fine with me as it left our lovely beaches relatively uncrowded on the 4th of July.
I found it frustrating to go to planning meetings and listen to people say "Ventura could be just like _______________ (fill in the blank) if we did blah, blah blah." I asked and wondered what was so bad about Ventura simply being the best Ventura it could be. I've brought that attitude to Puna with me sixteen years ago.
I don't want to see Puna become just like somewhere else. I want Puna to simply be Puna in all it's glory. For this reason I have gotten involved in things and have joined others to prevent our highways from turning into sprawl choked commercial alleys which could easily happen. So far we have largely succeeded. The fast food joints soon to appear in Pahoa are disappointing but there was not enough local interest to do anything about it until it was too late. But at least that development is and will be part of a larger village center instead of randomly dropped at various intersections on the highway. They will fail or they will succeed. Probably succeed and encourage more such ventures to come to Puna. Pay attention.
It's not too late on a number of issues. Important issues. But it takes people getting involved and getting active.
We really can't say which businesses come to Puna. We can say where they will be located (Puna Community Development Plan) or what they look like (Design Districts). I would encourage anyone motivated in or near Pahoa to join Mainstreet Pahoa Association or Friends of Puna's Future (www.fopf.org). We can do much more together than we can alone. There's also the Volcano Community Association and our various homeowner's associations too.
Punaweb moderator
I found it frustrating to go to planning meetings and listen to people say "Ventura could be just like _______________ (fill in the blank) if we did blah, blah blah." I asked and wondered what was so bad about Ventura simply being the best Ventura it could be. I've brought that attitude to Puna with me sixteen years ago.
I don't want to see Puna become just like somewhere else. I want Puna to simply be Puna in all it's glory. For this reason I have gotten involved in things and have joined others to prevent our highways from turning into sprawl choked commercial alleys which could easily happen. So far we have largely succeeded. The fast food joints soon to appear in Pahoa are disappointing but there was not enough local interest to do anything about it until it was too late. But at least that development is and will be part of a larger village center instead of randomly dropped at various intersections on the highway. They will fail or they will succeed. Probably succeed and encourage more such ventures to come to Puna. Pay attention.
It's not too late on a number of issues. Important issues. But it takes people getting involved and getting active.
We really can't say which businesses come to Puna. We can say where they will be located (Puna Community Development Plan) or what they look like (Design Districts). I would encourage anyone motivated in or near Pahoa to join Mainstreet Pahoa Association or Friends of Puna's Future (www.fopf.org). We can do much more together than we can alone. There's also the Volcano Community Association and our various homeowner's associations too.
Punaweb moderator
Assume the best and ask questions.
Punaweb moderator
Punaweb moderator