October
18, 2001
Mr.
Matt Niles, Planner
Planning Commission, County of Maui
200 S. High Street
Wailuku, HI 96793
Dear Mr. Niles:
Subject: Proposed AT&T Ground Relay Station in Kula, Maui
The
Kula Community Association (KCA) recently learned that a new AT&T Cellular
Ground Station with an antenna pole is being planned for a land parcel (TMK
2-2-14-10) adjacent to Kula Highway, between Kula Post Office and Kula
Elementary School. The application states this new antenna is needed to provide
better cellular phone coverage along the Kula Highway corridor and will
primarily serve the Kula community.
As
you are well aware and as emphasized in the Makawao-Pukalani-Kula Community
Plan, Upcountry residents are always concerned about "protect(ing) and
enhanc(ing) the unique qualities of the region", especially maintaining
"Kula's rural and agricultural atmosphere". At a recent meeting of the
KCA Board of Directors, during a discussion of an antenna to be co-located on a
Maui Electric Company structure, members expressed concerns about the
proliferation of antennas Upcountry. Therefore,
we want to review any new antennas or other development in the area that may
have detrimental effects on the pristine setting of our community.
The
KCA Board of Birectors asked its Land Use/Planning Committee to study the impact
of the new proposed ground station with its tall antenna on the surrounding
areas and their view vistas. Based on the Committee review, our comments on the
current scheme of the installation are as follows:
1.
The community plan for Kula-Pukalani-Makawao area restricts all
structures to be less than 35 feet in height ,with only a few exceptions
allowed. We believe that there is no reason to grant the new installation and
its tall antenna pole as an exception to the clearly stated, explicit rule.
Therefore, we ask that AT&T should be directed to design their installation
within the community plan guidelines - including the pole and any structures
attached to it or beside it. We
also ask that you inform future applicants for antennas to be a ware of the 35'
requirement in the entire Upcountry Plan Area.
2.
The antenna pole shall be located on the lot as far away from the highway
as practical and be behind or surrounded by mature trees to minimize the adverse
effect on the natural scenic views from nearby homes in general and from the
Kula Highway in particular.
3.
The installation is being proposed under the jurisdiction of State
Agricultural Zoning laws. We would like the Planning Commission to make sure
that the project meets the applicable Maui County guidelines for such projects
in rural and agricultural areas as well.
4.
We believe that several residents of the neighborhood have provided you
with written and verbal comments on the project. We request you to duly consider
their wishes and accommodate and mitigate their concerns.
5.
KCA was not informed of the AT&T ground station project by the
developers or the Planning Commission. Because we just learned about it
indirectly through other concerned parties, we were unable to collect issues and
concerns from the neighbors and the Kula community at-large. We hope that in the
future you will provide us with the information on Kula projects at an early
stage so that we can review them at their inception.
We
would like this letter to become our official statement for the public hearing
being held on the 23rd of October, 2001.
Yours truly,
Elliott
Krash, President
Hari
Ajmani, Land Use/Planning Committee Chair