REP LAAC 037 2026-04-07 2024-2026

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REPORT OF THE LEGISLATIVE APPROVALS AND ACQUISITIONS COMMITTEE DATE: April 7, 2026 Re: Comm. No. 795/Res. No. 500-26 PLACE: Council Chambers Hilo, Hawaii TIME: 10:55 a.m. Council Chair and Members Hawaii County Council Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Your Committee on Legislative Approvals and Acquisitions, to which was referred Resolution No. 500-26, reports as follows: Resolution No. 500-26, transmitted by Council Member Heather L. Kimball, via Communication No. 795, dated March 18, 2026, urges the Director of Finance to award a grant to Makahanaloa Fishing Association for the maintenance of certain public access easements in Pepe`ekeo. Committee Chair Heather L. Kimball transferred the committee chairmanship to Committee Vice Chair Dennis "Fresh" Onishi at 11:05 a.m. Ms. Kimball shared that this resolution has two purposes with the first to provide an award for grant funding to Makahanaloa Fishing Association, confirmed by Finance of funding available from the Property Management budget, to help them continue to do what they have already been doing for years. She also shared that although it is not a typical step to provide the history of the area for such an award, it is important to note the final disposition of the area and its easements. Ms. Kimball noted that since the 2000s, there have been many different amendments and easements relating to this particular area identified in the resolution. By doing the abstracting of the County's responsibility for maintenance of the area, the timeline with its supporting Council approved resolutions, provides the metes and bounds for said easements wherein the County is responsible. She further added that this is unique as there are not many situations where the County has maintenance responsibilities for easements per subdivision action, as it is commonly to the landowners. However, when the County took maintenance responsibility, it was not assigned to any specific department. Therefore, the current solution is to work with the group who have already been doing the maintenance for the area for many years and provide them with financial assistance in doing so. Ms. Kimball highlighted the area map presented as Communication No. 795.1, which specifically identifies the content provided for in the easements. She noted that all the south side easements were set up for property owners to maintain; however, it is the north side easements that the County has the requirement to maintain. Ms. Kimball fiirther noted that the big one is the entire shoreline, including all the 25-foot setbacks from the shoreline and the 10-foot easements within that area, all which are noted as County responsibility for maintenance. In addition, there are some perpendicular areas that the County is also responsible to maintain. In closing, Ms. Kimball shared that the areas indicating County maintenances are massive, and therefore $25,000 may help to start the process, but that the full-scale costs will be much higher wherein the County may need a request for proposal process. LAAC Report No. 37