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Activist Responds

by But things don’t have to go that way,” he argued (italics are his). | Jun 13, 2012

activist responds

In an email letter to the Weekly Monday, June 11, Dr. Kioni Dudley, also a founder of Save Oʻahu Farmlands Alliance, wrote that, to him, and legally, the struggle isnʻt over.

“The LUC votes on last Thursday and Friday [6/7 and 6/8] were not the final votes,” he wrote.

In the coming days, the LUC staff will write up the Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Decision and Order for each case, along with all of the conditions, and then the Commission will meet and vote to the final package.

“That is the vote that counts,” he warned. “They must have six [votes] out of the nine. That meeting will probably take place on June 21 or 22. In the past, this has always been just a pro-forma meeting. No one says anything, and they vote. And everybody just goes along.

“

The Rules for the Land Use Commission allow a Motion for Reconsideration (15-15-82) that must be turned in within seven days after that meeting, but it can be turned in earlier so concerned citizens can get the Commission to vote on it before June 30.

“We need to point out things that they didn’t consider adequately in their vote, judging from what they said,” Dudley wrote. “For example, giving too much weight to a 15-year-old County Development Plan as though it was the definitive word is not responsible. Neither is ignoring the fact that the lands are Agricultural Lands of Importance to the State of Hawaii.

“Now is the time to begin trying to reverse their decision to sacrifice irreplaceable farm land for more urban sprawl. If we could build tremendous public support between now and then, it would sure help. For whom to call/write, visit [stophoopili.com].”

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