Council lauded for rejecting signs
I want to say thank you to the County Council for rejecting the request from Holiday Inn to install three huge signs to advertise its business. The council did well in following the rules and sticking to the wishes of our community.
We want Kailua-Kona to be a village and as part of that village we want to see the sky, trees and flowers not billboards and bright lights.
It does seems odd that a corporation as well as the owners would purchase land in this location and now complain that people may not be able to find it. Kailua-Kona is not that big. Didn’t they research the laws of our community? Didn’t they ask questions before building? Didn’t they submit plans? Why didn’t they understand that we have a sign ordinance with size restrictions? Holiday Inn may have its rules, but it is in our home now and should follow our rules.
Hopefully the council, as well as the Village Design Commission, will hold their ground on this one and keep the restriction in place.
Holiday Inn will be found and the Kona Hospitality LLC. will make money and all will confirm, including the walls that need to be rebuilt.
It seems that this Seattle-based company didn’t see what is here when or if they came to choose Kailua-Kona as the home of its new business. Lava walls are a part of us, small signs are what we want and like, that is why we have rules and laws.
The Village Design Commission and County Council, hold the line and don’t give in, you all deserve the support of the people that live and call Kona home.
Robert Dempsey
Kailua-Kona
Help homeless with casual labor program
With the homeless but not the helpless being so prevalent here in Kona, I was just wondering why there isn’t a place for a casual labor pick up that could be used for odd jobs. It has been working in California and it just might work here.
I have seen so many able-bodied men and yes, even some women whom I believe could benefit by having someplace where they could gather and earn money. Just a thought.
Dick Skarnes
Kailua-Kona