Leave agricultural land in agriculture
Leave agricultural land in agriculture
I’m writing in response to a story The Garden Island published (May 31) about the proposed manufacturing facility that Hawai‘i Planing Mill wants to build in Koloa near the old Koloa Sugar mill.
The story really made it seem as though those opposed to the project are against affordable housing and the jobs that HPM will be providing. That couldn’t be further from the truth. The concern with the project is that HPM wants to build a factory on land designated for agriculture.
HPM’s president was surprised by the backlash from the opposition, but this seems disingenuous, as concerns were raised early on and have continued to grow as more and more people in Koloa have learned what is being planned.
Furthermore, by vehemently rebutting all petitions to intervene, HPM’s attorney has worked hard to make sure people who have legitimate concerns about the land use do not get to be a part of the Planning Commission’s discussion. As a 100-year-old, Hawaiian-based company, HPM should care about these concerns instead of trying to silence them.
I agree wholeheartedly with HPM’s president that this is “basic economics.” Everyone agrees that Kaua‘i needs more affordable housing and jobs. HPM can accomplish this on land zoned as industrial and leave the land in Koloa for legitimate agricultural uses.
Christine Martin, Beaverton, Oregon and Po‘ipu property owner
Ms. Martin:
You write “The concern with the project is that HPM wants to build a factory on land designated for agriculture.”
#1 Sugar mills were loud, dirty, and, for all intents and purposes, “industrial” in nature.
#2 You seem to be one of those who “love” agriculture and have never raised much of a finger in terms of agriculture. What you seem to like is the open spaces that ag lands, especially those used minimally like the ag lands in question, offer. Serious, large scale agriculture is a thing of the past, as it no longer attracts workers willing to work hard at reasonable salaries. Re-zoning a piece of land near to the old sugar mill for use as a facility that could bring the cost of affordable housing down, is a no-brainer. There is plenty of surrounding ag land for cattle to graze.
#3 We do not need mainlanders who bought a piece of land and joined the Not-In-My-Backyard chorus raising their voices to kill the idea, especially when the project would not really be in your backyard, or in anyone’s backyard, for that matter.
Christine is just trying to say she is upset because she bought land nearby and no idea that one day that someone would come up with a business plan to make use of that available space. By her logic she would have shut Koloa Mill itself down if it was in operation by saying the mill is more industrial in nature on AG land. They should have to truck the material to Lihue or other properly zoned areas to process it. No way she could have handled the trucks, the dust or the smell of the rotting sugar. She would have really flipped out about the smoke from burning the fields blowing her way. Those opposed to the project have one thing in common I would bet. None of them are from here. They all have second homes here. They talk in echo chambers of others who are in the same boat and think they have a consensus. HPM has demonstrated the environmental impact is minimal and the real value is them providing a facility so local people can get access to materials at a much more affordable price. So then you can do things like build “affordable” homes. If one cannot see the greater good in that vs the trade off then we will be stuck with the same problems we have always had. Nothing will change and the next generation will have it worse off because some small group down in Poipu is upset and making mountains out of mole hills.
If you lived in Koloa you would know the proposed building is adjacent to the old Koloa Sugar Mill and a great location for a building area to help Kaua’i to have more home building options. We live in Koloa and want this to go forward!!!
While I’m not opposed to the HPM project in this very particular circumstance, I think we need to look at the big picture. What do we want Kauai to look like in 20 years? Do we want to become more urban and built-out like Oahu or do we want to remain semi-rural with large ag parcels and lots of open land? For those who are pro-growth, pro build, and pro development, remember why you live here as opposed to somewhere else less rural. Further, do we really have the infrastructure to handle more homes, people and cars? Traffic is already a complete nightmare. It is smart to stay vigilant when there is any type of movement to change ag land to commercial or residential least we turn into another Oahu.