Maui Gpac, Regular Meeting Iwado Court Reporters 808
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MAUI GPAC, REGULAR MEETING Page 1 MAUI ISLAND GENERAL PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE FEBRUARY 28, 2009 REGULAR MEETING Held at the Kaunoa Senior Citizens Center Cafeteria, 401 Alakapa Place, Paia, Maui, Hawaii, commencing at 10:10 a.m., on February 28, 2009. Reported by: Tonya McDade Hawaii Certified Shorthand Reporter #447 Registered Professional Reporter Certified Realtime Reporter Certified Broadcast Captioner IWADO COURT REPORTERS 808 244-9300 MAUI GPAC, REGULAR MEETING Page 2 Page 4 1 ATTENDANCE 1 MAUI ISLAND GENERAL PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE 2 COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT: 2 FEBRUARY 28, 2009 3 Tom Cannon, Chair 3 TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS 4 Dick Mayer, Vice-Chair 4 *** 5 Joe Bertram, III, Member 5 CHAIR CANNON: Okay. If everyone is ready, I 6 John Blumer-Buell, Member 6 call the meeting to order. And Carl has volunteered to 7 Lesley Bruce, Member 7 give the olelo for us today. I call the meeting to 8 Lucienne deNaie, Member 8 order. And Carl has volunteered to give our olelo 9 Kehau Filimoeatu, Member 9 today. 10 Stanley Franco, Member 10 And thank you for that, Carl. You're on. 11 Lisa Hamilton, Member 11 MEMBER LINDQUIST: I'm not a Hawaiian speaker, 12 Carl Lindquist, Member 12 so, remember, it's the thought that counts. (Hawaiian.) 13 Doug MacCluer, Member 13 We will finally finish this work. It is something to 14 Hans Michel, Member 14 lead to peace or agreement. 15 Susan Moikeha, Member 15 CHAIR CANNON: Thank you, Carl. 16 Wallette Pellegrino, Member 16 Next up is public testimony. And we have Mike 17 Hinano Rodrigues, Member 17 Atherton, followed by Robin Newbold. 18 Warren Shibuya, Member 18 Could someone give Mike an indication of where 19 Jeanne Skog, Member 19 he might -- Mike, you'll have three minutes. At two 20 Warren Suzuki, Member 20 minutes, 45 seconds, the timekeeper will give you a 21 Frank Sylva, Member 21 little warning, and you'll have 15 seconds to wrap it 22 Stacie Thorlakson, Member 22 up. If you go past that, then you'll have -- I'll just 23 Trevor Tokishi, Member 23 ask you to finish your sentence and you will be done. 24 Chubby Vicens, Member 24 MR. ATHERTON: Thank you. 25 Warren Watanabe, Member 25 CHAIR CANNON: Thank you. Page 3 Page 5 1 STAFF PRESENT: 1 MR. ATHERTON: Good afternoon -- good morning, 2 Jeffrey Hunt, Planning Director 2 everybody. I want to, first of all, apologize for being 3 John Summers, Long Range Division Administrator 3 late in this proposal, but a lot of things changed for 4 David Michaelson, Planner 4 us in the last year. And I also want to thank you very 5 Mel Meleka, Planner 5 much for allowing me a few moments this morning to 6 Julia Staley, Planner 6 introduce myself and mention a few things about the plan 7 Mark King, GIS Analyst, Long Range Division 7 I have for Waikapu community, Waikapu Country Town. 8 Daniel McNulty Huffman, GIS Supervisor, Long Range 8 I handed out -- with the help of Mr. Hart and 9 Division 9 his associates, I handed out a brochure at the last 10 10 meeting or a meeting earlier last week. I hope you all 11 11 have a copy. If you don't, there's one in the back. 12 12 Also, Mr. Hart produced a letter addressed it to 13 13 Mr. Cannon. And I have it here this morning. I would 14 14 like to review a few things that's in the letter and go 15 15 over it with you. 16 16 Again, my name is Mike Atherton. We purchased 17 17 some property from Wailuku Agribusiness in Waikapu. We 18 18 had a couple ideas, we had one proposal. The proposals 19 19 have changed. And I have a large agricultural company 20 20 that I do and I farm quite a bit. And my farming 21 21 proposals have changed, also. The farming is still 22 22 actively going forward, but I've just changed locations 23 23 based on a lot of information I've learned in the last 24 24 couple years. 25 25 I would like to bring to your attention first 2 (Pages 2 to 5) IWADO COURT REPORTERS 808 244-9300 MAUI GPAC, REGULAR MEETING Page 6 Page 8 1 the amount of affordable housing. I've learned in Maui 1 but I suggest you take a slight -- take that just a step 2 that it's very important to have workforce housing and 2 further. I believe that our island can sustain a larger 3 affordable housing. And I felt that Waikapu was a good 3 population, but not now. Currently, our infrastructure 4 location, centrally located to the urban work areas of 4 can't handle it. Our roads, wastewater treatment 5 Kahului, Wailuku, South Maui and West Maui. There's -- 5 facilities, injection wells, water supply, ability to 6 at least 70 percent of Waikapu Country Town will be 6 deal with disaster simply can't handle it. We don't 7 affordable to Maui residents making between 90 and 160 7 grow enough of our own food. We rely too much on oil. 8 percent of the County's median income as determined by 8 Our electricity goes out when the wind blows. There is 9 the U.S. Department of Housing. 9 no adequate escape route from West and South Maui. When 10 Also, I wanted to bring to your attention that 10 you consider expanding urban growth at this time, please 11 there are complete neighborhoods. Residents will be 11 keep in mind that we're going to be in a real pickle 12 able to live, work, shop, play and attend school, all 12 when a disaster hits, even with our current population 13 within a traditional neighborhood setting, without 13 size. Maui has only one hospital. Often, our store 14 having to rely on long vehicle commutes. Again, that's 14 shelves are bare. So until we're able to address these 15 to emphasize the location for Waikapu. 15 issues, we need to be judicious about expanding our 16 Waikapu is an existing community, has been 16 Urban Growth Boundaries. 17 there for quite a few years. This proposal brings an 17 I know you get a lot of pressure from 18 identity in the form of a commercial core primarily 18 developers who just want their particular project to be 19 based where the current Maui Tropical Plantation is. My 19 permitted. But please apply a couple of criteria until 20 vision would be to turn the store into a post office and 20 we have infrastructure to handle a larger population. 21 more of a retail type operation. And the restaurant 21 I recommend that, number one, you allow growth 22 would eventually become the new Waikapu Community 22 in areas that are convenient and affordable for local 23 Center, and work with the Waikapu community in order to 23 people to live and work. 24 be able to have that location for functions and meetings 24 Development in Makena and Olowalu will not be 25 and weddings. 25 convenient, nor affordable, nor safe during a disaster Page 7 Page 9 1 And the surrounding areas, if you notice on 1 for our local people. So I recommend that they not be 2 the map, has a greenbelt that would insist -- would 2 urbanized at this time. 3 include all existing landscaping in the central core of 3 And number two, please protect our cultural, 4 the MTP. So the MTP would always remain. It would just 4 natural and marine resources as your goals and 5 change in flavor and its use. And it would become a 5 objectives encourage. 6 park in the future. 6 I applaud you for protecting Makena. I 7 Also, I would like to bring -- 7 encourage you to protect the wetland area in 8 CHAIR CANNON: Could you finish up with one 8 Spreckelsville and the open spaces -- the open space 9 last sentence? 9 across from Baldwin Beach. Wetlands are a critical part 10 MR. ATHERTON: Okay. I would like to bring to 10 of our marine ecosystem. They protect the reef from 11 your attention the outdoor recreation with over eight 11 land-based pollution. In the area between town and 12 miles of green trails, the sustainability, the protected 12 Kailua Gulch carries runoff from way above Makawao. By 13 agriculture. There was 1,100 acres of agriculture 13 leaving that as open space, you'll protect the off-shore 14 there. It's a better location for ag. It's a permanent 14 reef. 15 ag buffer and it will always be agriculture. And we're 15 You've already entitled areas in Kihei, West 16 committed to agriculture. And -- 16 Maui and Central Maui. And I really believe that that's 17 CHAIR CANNON: Thank you, Mike. 17 enough for now. Our population can grow, but not 18 MR. ATHERTON: Thank you. 18 without the infrastructure improvements. 19 CHAIR CANNON: Next up is Robin Newbold. 19 Thank you. 20 MS. NEWBOLD: Thank you for letting me testify 20 CHAIR CANNON: Thank you, Robin. 21 again today and for the time you've each given to our 21 Next up is Randy Ragan, followed by Dave 22 community. 22 DeLeon. 23 Others have testified that GPAC recognize that 23 MR. RAGAN: Hi. I'm Randy Ragan. And I'm 24 Maui cannot sustain unlimited population growth and have 24 testifying to the Olowalu Mauka residents.