Building a new town in South Puna

[SBH]

If the inevitable happens as the USGS suggests and Pahoa Town becomes inundated with lava and eventually cuts off Hwy. 130, Beach Rd. and Railroad will only buy weeks of time until it eventually goes all the way to the ocean.

Commuting four hours round trip to Hilo on Chain of Craters Road from sea level to 4000' everyday for possibly years to come will become unsustainable for most people. Let's face it a bridge over lava and a car ferry aren't going to happen either. Kelena's zipline could be interesting though (funny).

Lower Puna will become an island within an island, very isolated, without basic needs for over 9000 people. Goods and services will have to eventually be brought to the people in lower Puna to avoid the area from becoming mostly abandoned and the new wild west for those that remain.

In the long term if this flow continues, a new town will need to be built to replace Pahoa since there are no grocery stores, gas stations, urgent care, car repairs, post office, etc. south of Pahoa.

We could follow the example of Greensburg, Kansas, which after a tornado leveled the town they rebuilt a new town totally green.

http://www.greensburggreentown.org

We will need to build a small village at least as big as the Malama Market Shopping Center with the basics: groceries, medical urgent care, fire and police, gas/car repairs/parts, propane, a new farmer's market, a restaurant, etc.

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=tow...er+tornado

My question is where would you recommend a new town be built and what would you call it? Any location would still be under threat of a future flow, even if it's 30 years from now. Do you site it above the tsunami zone and near an elevated location that is less threatened by lava if there is such a thing or do you site it where it's most convenient for the most people.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story...=126833862

What would be your vision for a new town if we were to build a new one from scratch in a new location? Would we follow Greensburg, Kansas and build it green with photovoltaics and become as self-sufficient as possible?

This could create jobs for those in the effected areas assuming the region could see some Federal dollars coming in to help. Lower Puna would need to create more of it's own micro-economy, maybe even based on the barter system. South Puna could become one of the most isolated places on earth.

This could be a good assignment for the UH School of Architecture designing a new, small eco village. Any ideas?

Still hoping for an "event" at Puu O o to stop the flow from coming into Pahoa and sending the lava back south harmlessly away from any more homes. Stay safe, aloha

[leilaniguy]

Probably not at Kalapana or Kapoho, given recent history. Everywhere south of the flow is high risk. I'd say maybe Pohoiki, just above Red road intersection to be tsunami safe, but close enough to the boat launch which I think will be much more important in the future.

[PunaLover]

I would love to see a town that becomes known for being 99% self sustainable. Locally grown food, solar powered businesses, strong focus on recycling and composting, even an algae pond for growing/refining biofuel for Diesel engines or cooking/heating. If we're going to be cut off May as well make it a feature and build on that reputation. Eco-tourism is a growing trend too.

[Rene Siracusa]

The Puna Community Medical Center urgent care clinic is taking steps to add an adjunct clinic on the south side of the lava. At present we have been offered use of some space at the community center, but really need a larger venue, so that would only be temporary. If any of you have any ideas, please contact me at renesiracusa@hotmail.com.
Mahalo nui,
Rene

[bananahead]

the town would be on the coast wherever they put in a Port,...

then the gas station and smaller stores and larger box stores will follow..... then the schools, small hotels, restaurants, post office, hospital, car dealerships, government buildings, and maybe an airport lol

then tourists out number locals and Puna becomes a poor mans Waikiki w/lava and shatty beaches, and the punatics leave and go to Kauai or Hana and longtime Puna peeps will yearn for the old boardwalk wild west Pahoa they grew up in....


******************************************************************
save our indigenous and endemic Hawaiian Plants... learn about them, grow them, and plant them on your property, ....instead of all that invasive non-native garbage I see in most yards... aloha

[reni]

How about celebrating the old first?
We've been visiting Pahoa town and it's restaurants more than usual lately , for our own enjoyment as well as for the business owners. If the prediction is now first week in October, for lava to enter the village, maybe the upcoming weekends would be a good time for many to "Celebrate Pahoa Town"..... maybe a little street music, some positive group mana'o....... like Rob suggested, call first to see if the restaurants are still able to serve us!

[SBH]

Reni - That's the best idea I've heard yet, have a big street dance party to celebrate Pahoa. Sorry I missed Rob's post.

[davidr]

I doubt that many businesses will want to locate with a permanent structure anywhere near lava. How about some sort of floating city?

[leilaniguy]

Mobile homes, food trucks and Matson boxes?

[csgray]

The county's solution to lower Puna's needs has always been "drive to Hilo" and demanding a high level of infrastructure has been part of that. It is now very clear that the solution to meeting needs in lower Puna is to allow small nimble, low infrastructure businesses to meet the needs of the people. Structures that can be moved easily or just written off is the lava moves in, instead of large scale mainland style strip malls. People are going to want and need things from the Hilo side, and entrepreneurs will meet that need, if allowed to do so in a low infrastructure way. lava zone one maybe just needs to have different minimum requirements, as long as basic health and safety considerations are met.

Carol

Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Polish Proverb