One more reason for saving Manoa's last Preservation Forest from being bulldozed for development4/13/2022 Another reason why we must work together to save Manoa's last green preservation forest from being razed to make way for Manoa Banyan Court development: www.goodnewsnetwork.org/soil-and-trees-on-forest-edges-suck-more-carbon/
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Dear Manoa Neighborhood Board,
There are many reasons to oppose Manoa Banyan Court. From the way it was hidden from the community for as long as possible, to the way almost any community input is ignored by the Cemetery leadership and developers (whose reputations are very concerning) to the radical size and excesses of the project. But I would focus on a few specific points having to do with community safety. The land is zoned as forest preservation with good reason. There is very little absorbent green-space in the valley with most of it paved or lawns (turf-grass does not compare to intact forest in water absorption and retention), and with over 125 inches of annual rainfall across upper Manoa (165 inches at Lyon Arboreutum), and even more upstream, there are frequent intense rainfall events. This is not the same climate as downtown, there are orders of magnitude more rain throughout the year. The forest in that corridor lies right along a drainage and serves to mitigate floods by absorbing intense rainfall falling there and upstream which is slowly released into Manoa Stream. Converting essentially all of the forest to roofs and concrete (and turf-grass) will make flooding events more frequent and more intense. This is a fact, not conjecture. The intention of the 201H exemption was to encourage developers to create more low income housing instead of high-cost investment properties for out of state investors. The exemption was not intended to allow a mismanaged entity to circumvent important environmentally-based zoning laws to develop forest lands we need for flood mitigation and water quality. Furthermore, during the more frequent droughts caused by climate change, the forest space will hold and release water sustainably into Manoa stream. As more of the valley is paved, extremes will become the norm; floods will become worse and so too will the dry periods. With fewer trees to buffer the water cycle in the Valley it is conceivable that Manoa stream will run dry during droughts - completely changing the ecosystem, wiping out any Native Hawaiian Gobies and other fish, while greatly benefitting the mosquitos which are currently limited by the presence of fish. None of this is hypothetical; the impacts of forest loss are well understood. The addition of a dog park and community garden will not only fail to provide adequate mitigation, they will make things worse: lawns are not able to absorb nearly the water that forest can, nor will they store it during dry periods. The Cemetery needs to think beyond their own, immediate financial needs; there has to be some form of compromise. More low income housing is needed, and a lower density development might be compatible with both the neighborhood and the environmental services we need from the forest (like flood abatement) that the zoning originally was made to protect. However, allowing this large-scale development to proceed endangers the community, lowers environmental quality for all, and sets a precedent for the development of any area, regardless of the broader impacts. This proposed development is simply too big and too dense to ignore. Some kinds of zoning restrictions must be maintained for the greater good and public safety. The only option the Cemetery trust has considered at all is to build affordable housing and avoid the zoning laws, but the proposed high density housing and the additional tree removal for a community garden and a dog park-- when both already exist a mere 5 minute walk away at the Manoa District Park-- is gratuitous destruction of forested land with little concern for the impacts. The forest is needed for more than just aesthetics and this plan needs to be moderated to fit in with the environmental needs of the public and the hydrology of the valley. The intent of the affordable housing exemption is to make a dense urban core not to foster urban sprawl destroying neighborhoods and endangering our homes and environment with the elimination of green space along a flood prone area. - Dan Rubinoff It is perfectly fine for Manoa residents to just say "NO" to the whole MBC Project. LYCA is pulling the cultural card, the sympathy card for kupuna who will be forced to live on the street. LYCA claims to be running big deficits, unable to even fix a few broken louvers and has placed the community on notice that they could go bankrupt. Affordable Housing (A-2) does not trump Preservation Land (P-2). Moiliili, McCully, and Makiki are better suited for this type of affordable rental housing and already zoned A-2 and BMX. These areas are in desperate need of redevelopment to modern high density units. The Primary Urban Center Development Plan for Honolulu focuses on Transit-Orientated Development where higher density development and infrastructure is best suited, next to RAIL, walking distance to most services and no need for a car. The concepts are not to plant high density in the middle of a single-family neighborhood. The areas surrounding the Manoa Chinese Cemetery are all zoned Residential (R7.5 and R10) and Apartment zoning is a significant change to the neighborhood. Pull the wool from your eyes! Get involved by giving our contact emails to the Stop MBC group and be willing to testify and write testimony on moments notice.
BRING-A-SIGN and SIGN-WAVE WITH US at Manoa Rd/East Manoa Rd and East Manoa Rd/Oahu Ave intersections on these dates/times:
Read what LYCA Charles Wong had to say about those who have legitimate concerns in opposition to LYCA's Manoa Banyan Court development:
LYCA President Charles Wong claims LYCA is Manoa Chinese Cemetery is running out of burial plots, and cannot add burial plots to the P-2 zoned preservation land (where Manoa Banyan Court would be built) due to Dept of Health regulations. Below is a recent email exchange Manoa resident Brett Kurashige had with Mr. Peter Oshiro at State of Hawaii Department of Health regarding Manoa Chinese Cemetery :
-----Original Message----- From: Brett Kurashige Sent: Tuesday, April 5, 2022 1:01 PM To: Oshiro, Peter S. <[email protected]> Subject: [EXTERNAL] Questions for State Department of Health related to Manoa Chinese Cemetery Mr. Oshiro, 1. I received a copy of the attached flyer from Lin Yee Chung Association (LYCA) President Charles Wong which states LYCA plans to develop a large 201H affordable housing rental condominium development called "Manoa Banyan Court" on the grounds of Manoa Chinese Cemetery, on 8 acres of undeveloped land contained within their 14.6 acre parcel (TMK: (1) 2-9-043:002), which is zoned P-2: Preservation. 2. At the 02 Feb 2022 Manoa Neighborhood Board meeting (https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://olelo.granicus.com/player/clip/82248?view_id=20&redirect=true__;!!LIYSdFfckKA!kVmHWVRCmtknd6Ai0fX85FKubZAt20g2zJT02ulBN0cyWyj1DsuYsacHrNTtV5lVxpvJe0np$ ), starting at time mark 1 hr, 23min), Charles Wong claimed State Department of Health regulations prevent LYCA from increasing/expanding the number of cemetery burial plots within the cemetery’s 14.6 acre parcel. At the meeting, Mr. Wong claimed that Dept of Health regulations prevent LYCA from creating more burial plots within 200 feet of Woodlawn Ditch which runs through their 14.6 acre cemetery parcel. 3. Charles Wong blames Manoa Chinese Cemetery's declining operational revenue on its inability to expand the number of burial plots at the cemetery. Paragraph 1.1 of LYCA's Draft Environmental Assessment for the Manoa Banyan Court development states: "With the remaining area available for burial plot sales gradually diminishing, and maintenance costs gradually increasing, the Association proposes to develop an eight-acre portion of their property adjacent to the cemetery as affordable rental apartments serving Honolulu’s seniors." 5. With reference to HRS 11-22-5 (https://health.hawaii.gov/opppd/files/2015/06/11-22.pdf), I would appreciate if you would you please confirm the following: (a) Whether the Director had received a request from LYCA to expand the number of cemetery burial plots at TMK: (1) 2-9 -043:002, (b) If so, was LYCA's request approved or disapproved, (c) If disapproved, what the Director's reason for disapproval of LCYA's request, (d) Whether Dept of Health regulations would prevent LYCA from expanding the number of burial plots at TMK: (1) 2-9-043:002 so long as new burial plots were over 200 feet away from the Woodlawn Ditch, (e) Whether the Director has reviewed/approved LYCA's Manoa Banyan Court development construction plans at Manoa Chinese Cemetery. 6. Thank you very much for your consideration of this matter. Mahalo, Brett Kurashige =============== MANOA BANYAN COURT DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (submitted by LYCA to City Dept of Planning/Permitting on 04 Mar 2022): Draft EA, section 1 of 5: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WaHCCWOVG7GKOn0tYIDftAUufYyCQ6bh/view?usp=sharing__;!!LIYSdFfckKA!kVmHWVRCmtknd6Ai0fX85FKubZAt20g2zJT02ulBN0cyWyj1DsuYsacHrNTtV5lVxsCOpODv$ Draft EA, section 2 of 5: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://drive.google.com/file/d/11iCaS4L_ukONs885bI5AwIytqpDWMtsj/view?usp=sharing__;!!LIYSdFfckKA!kVmHWVRCmtknd6Ai0fX85FKubZAt20g2zJT02ulBN0cyWyj1DsuYsacHrNTtV5lVxqI2ibWA$ Draft EA, section 3 of 5: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fbkQDUnNhkCHY006LlQUWokZ6jGlof3c/view?usp=sharing__;!!LIYSdFfckKA!kVmHWVRCmtknd6Ai0fX85FKubZAt20g2zJT02ulBN0cyWyj1DsuYsacHrNTtV5lVxrsKQdlc$ Draft EA, section 4 of 5: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ppzDVKDri5q2QgsTcHyfnJ2uKD5OXAH7/view?usp=sharing__;!!LIYSdFfckKA!kVmHWVRCmtknd6Ai0fX85FKubZAt20g2zJT02ulBN0cyWyj1DsuYsacHrNTtV5lVxnwzN8CY$ Draft EA, section 5 of 5: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bSm7OU7MEvCU0wneWc2PuVp-TsrOFoj1/view?usp=sharing__;!!LIYSdFfckKA!kVmHWVRCmtknd6Ai0fX85FKubZAt20g2zJT02ulBN0cyWyj1DsuYsacHrNTtV5lVxtQMiy4b$ ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: Oshiro, Peter S. <[email protected]> To: Brett Kurashige Cc: Miyasaki, Erin Villanueva <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, April 6, 2022, 08:29:57 AM HST Subject: RE: [EXTERNAL] Questions for State Department of Health related to Manoa Chinese Cemetery Aloha Brett, Mahalo for the inquiry regarding Manoa Chinese Cemetery. In reference to your questions: 5. (a): The Food Safety Branch (formerly Sanitation Branch), which does have jurisdiction over HAR 11-22, Mortuaries, Cemeteries, etc., and has not received any requests from the Manoa Chinese Cemetery to expand their facility for the purpose of adding additional cemetery plots. 5. (d) - At this time I do not have any information regarding any proposal, so I would not be able to comment on whether or not such a proposal would be approved or denied. Since my tenure as a program specialist and program manager with Food Safety Branch for the past 16 years or so, the DOH has not done any reviews of proposed cemetery expansions. The current rule is over 40 years old (adopted 1981) and may not address current thought on proper distance required from any stream, ditch or bodies of water which may affect the integrity of the existing or any proposed burial plots in the future. 5. (e) We do not have any record of approval or review for Manoa Banyan Court development for new cemetery burial plots. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance in this matter. Mahalo Peter Oshiro Environmental Health Program Manager Food Safety Branch Phone (808) 586-8000 -----Original Message----- From: Brett Kurashige Sent: Friday, April 8, 2022 10:39 AM To: Oshiro, Peter S. <[email protected]> Cc: Miyasaki, Erin Villanueva <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [EXTERNAL] Questions for State Department of Health related to Manoa Chinese Cemetery Mr. Oshiro, Again, thank you for your reply earlier. Just wanted to clarify something you said in response to my 5(d) question: "The current rule is over 40 years old (adopted 1981) and may not address current thought on proper distance required from any stream, ditch or bodies of water which may affect the integrity of the existing or any proposed burial plots in the future." By that, did you mean to say Mr. Charles Wong's claim that Dept of Health regulations would prevent LYCA from creating more burial plots within 200 feet of Woodlawn Ditch is not exactly correct? In other words, would it be correct to say Dept of Health regulations do not specifically prohibit LYCA from adding more burial plots within 200 feet of Woodlawn Ditch on their 14.6 acre parcel (TMK: (1) 2-9-043:002? Also, does Dept of Health have a more current thought on what would be the "proper distance" required from any stream, ditch or bodies of water which may affect the integrity of the existing or any proposed burial plots? If so, is that cited in some other DOH regulation (other than HRS 11-22-5)? Mahalo, Brett Kurashige ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: Oshiro, Peter S. <[email protected]> To: Brett Kurashige Cc: Miyasaki, Erin Villanueva <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, April 8, 2022, 12:12:54 PM HST Subject: RE: [EXTERNAL] Questions for State Department of Health related to Manoa Chinese Cemetery Aloha Brett, There is nothing in our current rules HAR 11-22 that has any setback distances for burial plots from any other entity. Other gov’t agencies that regulate bodies of water (DLNR or C&C ) may have setbacks, but Har 11-22 has none. The rule is very broad and just states any new or renovated cemetery must meet DOH approval with no specifics mentioned. You may want to check with the Clean Water Branch 586-4309 or DLNR (burials) 692-8015 if there are any such set-backs. Peter Oshiro Environmental Health Program Manager Food Safety Branch Phone (808) 586-8000 LYCA's Draft Environmental Assessment found to be INCOMPLETE by City Dept of Planning/Permitting4/5/2022 On 28 March 2022, the City Department of Planning/Permitting (DPP) issued a NOTICE OF INCOMPLETE ASSESSMENT to Lin Yee Chung Association (LYCA) President Charles Wong through LYCA's attorney, Ernie Martin (a former Honolulu City Council Chair). LYCA had originally submitted its DEA to City DPP on 04 March 2022.
Link to the NOTICE OF INCOMPLETE ASSESSMENT: drive.google.com/file/d/1i7sjks1BXtjkmkgh22vBwND3pdoN2Sbn/view?usp=sharing |
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