Ka`u Landing - Can the Substandard Subdivisions Become Sustai nable?

[John Schinnerer]

Aloha,
 
I just bought an acre ($10K cash) in one of the subdivisions this article
refers to - will be making offers on the neighboring ones.  I lived in
nearby Hilo from Fall '92 to Summer '96.  And yes, there are more than a few
of us that have somewhat common visions of increased sustainability arising
from the raw grid subdivisions created in Puna district about 40 years ago!
It's a lovely, funky, laid-back place to be, the Big Island.  Anyone care to
join in?  :-)
 
I thought I'd throw in a little reality check on the article's comments on
Seattle, where I have been living the last three years...greater Seattle
area is a sprawling mini-metropolis that's expanding in all the directions
it can.  Yes, there's a few more bike paths and parks than other places, but
housing tracts and malls are popping up like toadstools in all the outlying
areas and the current mayor has a strong business background as a developer
of the usual kind.  Traffic is modern urban nasty, long single-occupant
commutes are the rule, etc. etc.
 
There is a lot more attention given to and noise made about ecological
issues here, which may be why Seattle seems to have the reputation presented
in the article...but so far it looks like talk is cheap and the balance is
still in favor of business as usual.
 
John Schinnerer