In this time of a scarcity of common sense in national politics (aka: government shutdown) we have a local issue that is calling to our county Planning Department to please give us wisdom and direction and yes, common sense.
In this time of a scarcity of common sense in national politics (aka: government shutdown) we have a local issue that is calling to our county Planning Department to please give us wisdom and direction and yes, common sense.
I refer to the proposed development of the 450-unit Kona Village proposed just north of Lako Street in Kailua-Kona.
The concept has a major flaw revolving around the traffic congestion it would create. The developers want to avoid the expense and time required to build access route(s) directly off Highway 11, which both the adjoining subdivisions, Pualani Estates and Kona Vistas, have completed with all working well. Instead, they propose to use two already overly used and crowded streets within Pualani Estates (Hoomama and Paulehia streets) as the main access routes to their large addition.
How many more vehicles would then need to pass daily through our streets — 900, maybe more? These streets are barely able to handle traffic now and are very narrow. Such additional traffic will create chaos, be unsafe for our children and adult walkers, and destroy any peace and quiet for our families. Not to mention the huge increase in traffic where our access road, Puapuaanui Street, meets Highway 11.
Many neighbors are opposed to such a plan. It makes no common sense. We plead and must insist that the local Planning Department and officials reject this proposal and instead require a separate access to the new village directly from Highway 11.
Otherwise, we fear there will be unnecessary traffic jams and no end of potential accidents and lawsuits. Please, Planning Department, stand up to the developers and make a good common sense call.
Norman Moe is a resident of Pualani Estates in Kailua-Kona.
