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Honorable Pete Hoffinann Chair and Presiding Officer and Members of the County Council COUNTY COUNCIL Page 3 October 2, 2007 Generally, it will be cumbersome for the two commissions to meet together, so under this proposal, this would occur only to consider changes to the rules, and when a land use approval involved property within the jurisdiction of both commissions. Judicial Districts To reduce confusion, the Charter amendment should use the term "judicial district" when refemng to South Hilo, Puna, and the other districts. While the "purpose" clause of the ordinance refers to the judicial districts, Bill 175, draft 2 does not contain this term in the portion that would actually go into the charter. The term `judicial districts" is used elsewhere in the Charter to differentiate from council districts, for example, in the section on the Reapportionment Commission. North Hilo Representation Although this is a small issue, it is not really fair to require that one member must come from the judicial district of North Hilo (whose boundaries aze between Hakalau and O'okala.) North Hilo, in the 2000 census, had a population of 1720, compared to 47,386 in South Hilo, 31,335 in Puna, 6108 in Hamakua, and 5827 in Ka'u, which are also assured of only one member each. It would be fairer to say that one member must come from the combined districts of North Hilo and Hamakua. The mayor could, of course, still select the district representative from North Hilo, and could select at-lazge members from North Hilo or any other district. To accomplish the suggestions above, the attached amendments are proposed: Amend section 5 of Bill 175 to read as follows: SECTION 5. Article VI, chapter 4, of the Hawaii County Charter (2000), relating to the Planning Deparhnent, is amended by adding new sections 6-4.3, 6-4.4, 6-4.5, and 6-4.6 to read as follows: " 6-4.3. Windward PlanninE Commission. ( al There is established a windwazd plannine commission that shall have jurisdiction over the area consisting of the iudicial districts of Puna, South Hilo, North Hilo, Hamakua, and Ka'u.