the Future of Puna

[Rob Tucker]

What makes you think the PCDP offered instant solutions?

It is a long term planning document which the planning department tends to ignore.

[kalakoa]

It is a long term planning document which the planning department tends to ignore.

Exactly -- and if ignored often/long enough, the long-term future never arrives.

Meanwhile, the development paradigm is rapidly becoming obsolete. Adding lane-miles of highway so that more people can make trips to town is a poor investment strategy for "the future", but it's pretty clear that the landowners and/or NIMBYs want to keep everything stuck in the past.

CDPs were needed by the state to secure federal funds

In other words, a checkbox requirement for funding eligibility, not an actual "planning document" -- when viewed in this light, the whole thing makes a little more sense.

[Seeb]

How about do-able solutions
Mixed use zoning to make small business affordable
2 lane paved road railroad>19th>to wherever Shipman will let it cross

[Rob Tucker]

Kalakoa, That is generally correct except the long term future is inevitable.

Concerning the ability to plan for volcanic events: The volcano has been here forever and it will continue here forever. Man could consider abandoning any or all of the 2,000 volcano locations in or around the Pacific but that is not going to happen. There are simply too many of us.

[Rob Tucker]

quote:

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Originally posted by Seeb

How about do-able solutions
Mixed use zoning to make small business affordable
2 lane paved road railroad>19th>to wherever Shipman will let it cross

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Seeb,

Zoning is a big problem. Glad you quickly identified it. On the PCDP we used to joke that prior to the PCDP the plan for Puna consisted of three words: Drive To Hilo.

If you look at where the money is spent and the lack of intelligent planning for Puna those three words are still the effective plan.

The only thing I can see that the PCDP has accomplished is to slow down the rush to turn Puna into a Hawaiian San Fernando Vally.

[kalakoa]

The volcano has been here forever and it will continue here forever.

Most of the C-zoned land in Puna is right in the path of the lava flow. Good plan?

prior to the PCDP the plan for Puna consisted of three words: Drive To Hilo

After the PCDP, everyone would rather drive to Hilo because it "preserves" their "country lifestyle choice". Again: good plan?

[Seeb]

If Shipman turns down a route of their own choice. It will be way easier beat them in court.

Sweeten the pot for the people on 19th make that the commercial/ mixed use zone so they can make a buck if they want to move.

[ironyak]

I'm not following - why would Shipman be in court?

Are zoning changes an area that the PCDP may have some influence over? If not, what can be done to provide input on the zoning process?

[kalakoa]

Assume the court proceedings against Shipman would be for condemnation via eminent domain, at which point their refusal of a more reasonable offer would be used against them.

That said, I further assume that legal action against Shipman is "highly unlikely" simply because Shipman represents a large share of the local economy (despite the unnaturally low property tax assessments on large Shipman acreage).

PCDP does, in fact, suggest "appropriate" zoning, in which all commercial uses are concentrated in "centers" (map, page 3-6; designations, page 5-3), with other locations to be denied.

PCDP says lots of other happy shiny things too, like "Puna lowers its dependence on fossil fuel as an energy source, becoming a demonstration area for alternative sources, systems and fuels" (page 3-20). If enough people drive to Hilo with biodiesel-powered vehicles, presto, they've met that goal, right?

[Seeb]

On the zoning part.
If there is a very limited amount of land zoned commercial use them the price of it is so high that only big chain or high profit businesses like burger king and 7/11 can afford it.
If you want to create jobs in puna without counting on someone else's money then you have to make it so small businesses can survive. All having to rent a tiny storefront in Malalma market for 2k a month is going to get you is chest pains every morning when you open your eyes.