As a long time citizen of Haiku, I have personal experience with the operation of bike tours on our roads. While I believe that it is time for a comprehensive, thoughtful, and well reasoned ordinance to be crafted for the preservation and progress of this industry, the current offering entitled "5.22 Bicycle Tour Business" is NOT READY for final consideration or a vote into law. I agree that this is a complicated issue, and that "everyone should have a concern as to how these rules will be enforced." I also "appreciate the continued efforts by the County Council, Community Associations, and Industry Leaders to work toward safer and better operations, but this ordinance as it is written will have more negative effects than positive. The results will shut down local businesses. The results will cost locals jobs." Our tourism industry will suffer from the elimination of a popular, safe, and well organized industry that has been operating here for over 25 years. People like this activity.
I agree with the business leaders that wish to "continue to work toward viable solutions together, and to listen to those community leaders who support these local businesses, jobs, and residents." I add my personal opinion that we all want the same thing, and that is to continue to support a downhill bike tour industry that is ready, willing, and able to cooperate to enhance their operations in a safe and respectful manner.
Tim Wolfe, resident in the center of Ha'iku Town for over 30 years.
I appreciate Chairman Molina and the Great Committee continue to work on this item of discussion. However the most recent version of GREAT-44 is still far from presenting ideal or in many ways viable solutions.
Making Unguided tours does not provide a solution, it just puts companies out of business. By banning these types of tours you only encourage the other types of tours. Both Self-Guided and Guided tours offer options suitable for the diverse group of visitors we have, but when you direct all participants to one type of activity, not only are you presented with unsafe situations, but you add to the road congestion that that type of tour produces. If traffic is a concern, adding convoys will not alleviate that concern.
Restricting the hours of operation, specifically in the afternoon, has no affect on safety or traffic concerns. This was acknowledged by members of the Kula and Haiku Community. In addition, you force all companies to operate within a small window, adding congestion during those hours.
Restricting the amount of total tours as well as the amount of tours each company can operate will cost many jobs, and restrict access to this activity for 100s of Maui visitors. These visitors not only support the local business they are riding with, but also those businesses and merchants in the Kula, Makawao, Haiku, and Paia communities.
Ending the ride at the Crater road junction will create a negative impact on the community. It will restrict more tours in a shorter distance, meaning the tours will not be as spread out. It also creates a situation where all the operators are ending their activity at the same location, in the heart of Kula. Most companies will take their ride all the way to their base of operations. If the goal is to be less of a nuisance to the Kula community, this does the opposite affect, rather forcing multiple companies to operate in the residential area of Kula. The noise, traffic, and other negative aspects would now be right in the front yard of these residents.
Everyone should have a concern as to how these rules will be enforced. I continue to see this is a more complicated issue than previously believed.
I do appreciate the continued efforts by the County Council, Community Associations, and Industry Leaders to work toward safer and better operations, but this ordinance as it is written will have more negative effects than positive. The results will shut down local businesses. The results will cost locals jobs. This ordinance presents means not to regulate, but to eliminate this industry.
Lets continue to work toward viable solutions, together, and I ask that you listen to those community leaders who support these local businesses, jobs, and residents. It's apparent we all want the same thing, and that is to continue to operate but in a safe and respectful manner.
Mahalo,
Lewis Upfold
Haiku Resident
Haleakala Bike Company, Inc.
As a long time citizen of Haiku, I have personal experience with the operation of bike tours on our roads. While I believe that it is time for a comprehensive, thoughtful, and well reasoned ordinance to be crafted for the preservation and progress of this industry, the current offering entitled "5.22 Bicycle Tour Business" is NOT READY for final consideration or a vote into law. I agree that this is a complicated issue, and that "everyone should have a concern as to how these rules will be enforced." I also "appreciate the continued efforts by the County Council, Community Associations, and Industry Leaders to work toward safer and better operations, but this ordinance as it is written will have more negative effects than positive. The results will shut down local businesses. The results will cost locals jobs." Our tourism industry will suffer from the elimination of a popular, safe, and well organized industry that has been operating here for over 25 years. People like this activity.
I agree with the business leaders that wish to "continue to work toward viable solutions together, and to listen to those community leaders who support these local businesses, jobs, and residents." I add my personal opinion that we all want the same thing, and that is to continue to support a downhill bike tour industry that is ready, willing, and able to cooperate to enhance their operations in a safe and respectful manner.
Tim Wolfe, resident in the center of Ha'iku Town for over 30 years.
Aloha,
I appreciate Chairman Molina and the Great Committee continue to work on this item of discussion. However the most recent version of GREAT-44 is still far from presenting ideal or in many ways viable solutions.
Making Unguided tours does not provide a solution, it just puts companies out of business. By banning these types of tours you only encourage the other types of tours. Both Self-Guided and Guided tours offer options suitable for the diverse group of visitors we have, but when you direct all participants to one type of activity, not only are you presented with unsafe situations, but you add to the road congestion that that type of tour produces. If traffic is a concern, adding convoys will not alleviate that concern.
Restricting the hours of operation, specifically in the afternoon, has no affect on safety or traffic concerns. This was acknowledged by members of the Kula and Haiku Community. In addition, you force all companies to operate within a small window, adding congestion during those hours.
Restricting the amount of total tours as well as the amount of tours each company can operate will cost many jobs, and restrict access to this activity for 100s of Maui visitors. These visitors not only support the local business they are riding with, but also those businesses and merchants in the Kula, Makawao, Haiku, and Paia communities.
Ending the ride at the Crater road junction will create a negative impact on the community. It will restrict more tours in a shorter distance, meaning the tours will not be as spread out. It also creates a situation where all the operators are ending their activity at the same location, in the heart of Kula. Most companies will take their ride all the way to their base of operations. If the goal is to be less of a nuisance to the Kula community, this does the opposite affect, rather forcing multiple companies to operate in the residential area of Kula. The noise, traffic, and other negative aspects would now be right in the front yard of these residents.
Everyone should have a concern as to how these rules will be enforced. I continue to see this is a more complicated issue than previously believed.
I do appreciate the continued efforts by the County Council, Community Associations, and Industry Leaders to work toward safer and better operations, but this ordinance as it is written will have more negative effects than positive. The results will shut down local businesses. The results will cost locals jobs. This ordinance presents means not to regulate, but to eliminate this industry.
Lets continue to work toward viable solutions, together, and I ask that you listen to those community leaders who support these local businesses, jobs, and residents. It's apparent we all want the same thing, and that is to continue to operate but in a safe and respectful manner.
Mahalo,
Lewis Upfold
Haiku Resident
Haleakala Bike Company, Inc.