Building a new town in South Puna

[snorkle]

Carol says;
"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."

Snorkle says, enthusiastically;
Nailed it!

[leilaniguy]

That's what I mean, Just the basics, nothing fancy.

[Justin]

The "safest" spot would be at the top of the ridge, between Leilani and Opihikao, near the Steam Vent Inn. The odds of a flow from Pu'u O'o staying at the very top of the ridge is very slim - it will invariably slide off to either the north or the south. The other advantage of this area is that it is right along the 130, which is already built. It's also "central" for the area that seems likely to get cut off should the current flow go as forecasted. All we really need is a supermarket and a drug store - we will still have access to the northern part of Pahoa, at least for awhile.

[leilaniguy]

Except the steam vents are zone 1 and have only existed since 1955 , a very high risk area.

[geochem]

I can't believe this thread...

I suggest we call the town Keaau and forget about any thought of putting more people and more infrastructure in what is clearly harm's way. A bunch of people are likely to lose a big piece of their net worth before this eruption (Pu'u O'o) is over. One can argue that the County has a responsibility to provide access to land that "it" zoned for 1 acre development - but it is under no obligation to facilitate - or more appropriately enable - future residential development in a high hazard area that will inevitably be lost.

[csgray]

quote:

---

Originally posted by geochem

I can't believe this thread...

I suggest we call the town Keaau and forget about any thought of putting more people and more infrastructure in what is clearly harm's way. A bunch of people are likely to lose a big piece of their net worth before this eruption (Pu'u O'o) is over. One can argue that the County has a responsibility to provide access to land that "it" zoned for 1 acre development - but it is under no obligation to facilitate - or more appropriately enable - future residential development in a high hazard area that will inevitably be lost.

---

I don't think anyone is talking about future residential development, there are going to be plenty of unoccupied houses as it is, but the people who do live on the far side will need things like a grocery, a pharmacy, hardware store, and gas station. Either the people who live there are allowed to fill those needs in low infrastructure creative ways, or the current infrastructure heavy way of doing business will just keep recreating the same scenario we have now, expensive infrastructure heavy development being taken by lava with no way or place to relocate it.

Carol

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

[Guest]

geochem is talking good sense. Creating a new town in a lava hazard zone, after losing Kopoho, and now Pahoa, in a single generation, is a non-starter. That said, there are already sustainable alternate lifestyle communities in lower Puna and every effort should be made to grease the skids for them to continue what they are doing. These people are creative, intelligent, their intentions are pure and their view is long term. If anyone can figure out a way to make this work long term in a sustainable way, they will. It may not fit our preconceived notions of what daily life is, but they will come up with something that will work and be peaceful and supporting to the community. I do not see them folding up and going away. I say look to the sustainable living folks for guidance. They've been at it for awhile here.



You can't fix Samsara.

[SBango]

Let's not rebuild Hilo after a lava flow from Mauna Loa wipes it out either. Good thinking.

Sheila Bang

[lavalava]

If you end up on the "other side" of the flow - try to plan for self sufficiency instead of a pipe dream of a new town. You will need to drive out of the affected zone to make your purchases. Get ready to triple your monthly gas expenditure, or move.

[geochem]

quote:

---

Originally posted by SBango

Let's not rebuild Hilo after a lava flow from Mauna Loa wipes it out either. Good thinking.

Sheila Bang

---

Mauna Loa resurfaces itself at an interval of several thousand years, Kilauea at an interval considerably shorter. Nowhere in Hawaii (or anywhere else) is perfectly safe from loss, but it's just plain foolish to encourage - or enable - development in high hazard areas. The cost to the County and the State of responding to this disaster will be in the $100,000's to $Millions that neither government has to spare - and that's aside from the State and County infrastructure that will be lost. And, no doubt, the HPIA will be calling on State General Funds to cover their losses from this inevitable event. Why should the State and County taxpayers subsidize/indemnify against predictable losses?