S.P.A.C.E. Community Meeting - March 6th

[Greg]

Bob,
Our zoning doesn't allow for public parks, athletic fields, basketball courts, or children's playgrounds that I know of. We're winging it here.

What does AG1 allow relative to non agricultural development?



Stoneface

[JWFITZ]

James is right again. The only entity qualified to comment on the relative value of an activity to the community is, gasp, the community itself.

No, way-- real democracy? Can't be.

Oh, and edited to say Rob's link is interesting indeed. Doesn't surprise me a bit. What next?

http://sensiblesimplicity.lefora.com/

[Obie]

Here is a chart of permitted uses.

http://www.co.hawaii.hi.us/planning/rule...public.pdf

Should these just be ignored ?

Is it fair to a person who has studied these permitted uses and bought their property knowing that they are protected from having something they view as undesirable built across the street from them only to have someone abuse the rules that are in place and just do whatever they want ?

The zoning rules are in place to stop the squabbles that have been going on.SPACE needs to work within the rules.

[peregrine]

And I will say yet again, that "the community" is not being heard, only the community that supports SPACE has a voice at tomorrow's meeting. Real Democracy? Can't be.

[Kapohocat]

quote:

---

Originally posted by peregrine

Written in large letters at the top of the page Mr.Tucker linked to: "If you get equal treatment right, the rest is easy."
When SPACE treats it's neighbors as equals, not as underlings to their privileged Private Property, the rest will be easy.

---

And i would bet this is at the heart of the issue.

It not about the tons of people who forwarded emails across the country to support space, its about the people who actually are residents there.

[Bob Orts]

Rob, I fully agree that the County's allocation of service is unequal. I also agree that the allocation of zoning types is also unequal.

But I have to ask; can't all the other districts make similar claims? South Hilo can claim they have an unequal allocation of zoning types compared to agricultural. N. Hilo District can equally claim they lack the necessary zoning for development of industries. These zoning existed for sometime. Now if you're saying that the zoning was changed after people moved in, that's one issue. But if the zoning existed before people moved in – with all the limits attached – is it the fault of the zoning or the fault of people for assuming they could have something that wasn’t allowed?

This is the very item you hear over and over again, new arrivals are expecting the area to change for them because that’s what they want, not what they were entitled to when they made the decision to purchase. By that reasoning, if scores of people move from the mainland to Seaview and started converting the area to Mainland Suburb USA, they should have the right to demand that the County zone land for a WalMart SuperCenter. The historical character and zoning of community has less value than the wants and needs of the newcomers desired changes.

Further, isn’t that what is being done when lands are rezoned to purposes other than residential/agricultural? If changing zoning is based on new needs, it applies to business interest as well? A community is not just houses. People talk about the need to have services in Puna so the district is not a stepchild of Hilo. If the county makes changes to bring business closer to the community, people complain. If the county does nothing to bring businesses closer to the community, people complain.

Now, as far as the inequities of County services and funding, I suspect that if the County was to provide equality between all Districts, along with that equality will come conformity equality. You want equal services, are you prepared to accept EQUAL services? Do the people of Puna really want equal police services and equal enforcement of building codes? Do the people of Puna really want equal road construction and equal enforcement of planning regulations? Do the people of Puna really want equal county recreation projects and equal enforcement of sanitation rules? I think they want equal something’s but not equal other things.

And, lets face the smell Puna has been masking with gallons of Glade air freshener. Puna doesn’t want to be like the other districts, they want government to stay out of their lives, so they can do the things they wouldn’t get away with if they were equal to the other districts. Puna wants to be equal, but they really Don’t Want To Be EQUAL.

[Greg]

I object, your honor!

Counselor Orts is painting all the people of Puna with the same brush.

[]

Stoneface

[Rob Tucker]

The county does not bring business. Business brings business. Up to the present the Plan for Puna has been three words: Drive to Hilo. If a business had hopes of establishing itself in Puna it would be hard pressed to find a zoned location. Hilo has approx. 2,000 acres of commercial. Puna has approx. 35. Puna is larger than Oahu.

It is true that the other districts are in a similar situation.

The Puna Community Development Plan (PCDP) is an attempt to change that. At this moment the PCDP is under rather strenuous attack. The first CDP to become law it is the last to approach implementation and is now subjected to 83 proposed amendments. The PCDP is the closest thing ever put together for what the community wants. Hilo appears to be unhappy with it.

My point here is tangential to SPACE. My point is that chronic lack of planning and zoning has forced residents to become creative. The CoH is complicit in that. SPACE is one of hundreds of such examples.

I am looking at another SUP application for Orchidland which I understand is getting a negative recommendation from Planning. It is time consuming and costly for a business person to do a "Where's Waldo" search for locations. The PCDP will help if it is allowed to.

[JWFITZ]

I think the PCDP is an excellent example of values in flux, as our society is in flux as well. I'd suggest that even one or two key elements, if added, could bring out a great deal of community support. I'd personally be happy with one.

http://sensiblesimplicity.lefora.com/

[Rob Tucker]

Jay,

I'd really like to hear your suggested key elements. Please feel free to start a topic on Puna - values in flux or some such.