Just a reminder that the public has until Tuesday, April 8, 2008 to comment on the Schuler Homes Ho`opili project in Ewa. See the March 31 Advertiser article: http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008803310303
Notice to all, this is a project that plans an estimated 12000 homes on the agriculture lands near the H-1, Waipahu & Ewa. This is the very early stages but your voices need to be heard now for the future. Public comment deadline is April 8th. Please pass along the word.Oahu Notices from the OEQC
Ho'opili Project (HRS 343 DEIS)District: ˜EwaTMK: Petition Area: 9-1-17: 04 (portion), 59, and 72;9-1-18: 01 and 04. Remainder of the ProjectArea: 9-1-10: 02, 14 (portion), and 15 (portion);9-1-17: 04 (portion); 9-2-01: 04, 05, 06 and07; and 9-2-02: 02.
Applicant: D.R. Horton Schuler Division
828 Fort Street Mall, 4th Floor
Honolulu, Hawai'i 96813.
Contact:- Dean Uchida (808 521-5661)
SEND TESTIMONY TO:
State of Hawaii Land Use Commission
P.O.Box 2359
Honolulu, Hawai'i 96804-2359.
Contact- Rodney Maile (808 587-3822)
Facsimile: 587-3827
E-Mail: rmaile@dbedt.hawaii.gov
Consultant: PBR HAWAI'I ASB Tower , Suite 650
1001 Bishop Street
Honolulu, Hawai'i 96813.
Contact: Vincent Shigekuni (808 521-5631)
Public Comment Deadline: April 8, 2008
Status: Draft environmental impact statement (DEIS)notice pending 45-day public comment. Addresscomments to the applicant with copiesto the accepting authority, consultant and OEQC.Permits Required: State Land Use District Boundary Amendment,Zone Change, Subdivision Approval, NationalPollutant Discharge Elimination System(NPDES) Permit, Building/Grading Permits, and Water Use Permit.
D.R. Horton Schuler Division is proposing the development of Ho'opili, a mixed-use, transit-ready community including residential (approx. 11,750 units, including affordable housing), business and commercial areas (approx. 145 acres), light industrial/business areas (approx. 50 acres), transit stops, schools and other public facilities (approx. 100 acres), parks (approx. 60 acres), and large amounts of open space (approx. 150 acres). The project area is located in the Ewa District, on the island of Oahu and is designated on the Ewa Development Plan as follows: Low and Medium Density Residential; High Density Residential; Parks; Transit Node (High Density Residential and Commercial); and Future Intermediate School.
The proposed action involves the reclassification of approximately 1,553.844 acres from the Agricultural District to the Urban District .
The petition area is situated in between the H-1 Freeway (north) and Mango Tree Road (south), and in between the proposed University of Hawaii West Oahu (UHWO) property (west) and Old Fort Weaver Road (east).In support of the Project, infrastructure facilities to be installed,expanded or improved include access and circulationPage 6 Office of Environmental Quality Control The Environmental Notice February 23, 2008 Oahu Notices roadways, drainage systems, water and wastewater collection lines, and electrical/communic ation systems; some or all of these utilities may occur within State and County road right-of-ways or lands.
While all infrastructure improvements will be designed and sized to accommodate the Project, the applicant is already sharing in the cost of installing regional infrastructure, even though the first homes are not expected until 2012.
To accommodate all of the off-site infrastructure, the project area may involve up to approximately 1,600.265 acres.
1 comment:
April 8, 2008
State of Hawaii Land Use Commission
Attn: Rodney Maile
P.O.Box 2359
Honolulu, Hawai'i 96804-2359.
Also sent via E-Mail to: rmaile@dbedt.hawaii.gov
RE: Tesimony in OPPOSITION to Schuler Homes' Ho`opili Project
The Ho`opili project will displace Aloun Farms and several other farmers who have been successfully farming for several years on prime A and B agriculture land previously owned by Campbell Estate. While Schuler has told the media that the farmers will be relocated, when pressed, it does not appear that Schuler has any guarantee of that. Schuler is simply "inquiring" with other land owners about whether Aloun and the other farmers can be relocated. Sadly, Aloun and the other farmers are bound by "gag clauses" in their leases that prevent them from speaking out against this displacement.
Under our current law, the public can voice its opposition before the Land Use Commission (LUC) and the Planning Commission. The Kapolei Neighborhood Board, Life of the Land, and many others have taken a strong stand against Schuler Homes, calling it a "crime" to evict these farmers from prime agricultural land at a time when Hawaii lawmakers have decried the fact that our state imports over 90% of our food.
Further, while 30% of these homes are required to be affordable, the buy back provision is only temporary. So in 10 years, we will be faced with the loss of precious farms on prime agricultural land, which will likely be replaced by high priced or luxury homes owned by the wealthy.
I urge the LUC to exercise its mission to serve as a check and balance to the County. It was unacceptable for the County to include this land in its urban growth boundary. Given the speculative real estate pressures on Hawaii 's limited lands, there is no reason to expedite the conversion of farmland to market priced and luxury housing, particularly in light of Hawaii 's food security and homeless crises.
Please note that I am testifying as an individual, and my views do not necessarily represent those of the Hawaii State Legislature or all of the constituents I represent. My testimony is also supported by Wai` anae Coast residents Karen Young and Rodlyn Brown, as listed below my signature line.
Sincerely,
REP. MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Chair of Human Services and Housing Committee
KAREN YOUNG, Wai` anae Coast resident
RODLYN BROWN, Wai` anae Coast resident
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