REP PWPC 121 08/18/1998 1996-1998

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REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS AND PARKS DATE: August 18, 1998 RE: COMM. NO. 454.13 /BILL NO. 280 PLACE: Councilroom TIME: 9:00 a.m. Chair and Members Hawaii County Council Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Your Committee on Public Works and Parks, to which was refereed Communication No. 454.13, and attached Bill No. 280, reports as follows: The purpose of Bill No. 280 is an ordinance amending Chapter 3, of the Hawaii County Mode, by repealing Article 1 relating to signs, by adding a new Article I relating to signs, and amending Article 2 relating to Kailua Village Signs. Communication No. 454.13 is from Joe Reynolds, Vice Chair of the Committee on Public Works & Parks, dated August 6, 1998, transmitting Bill No. 280, which represents the next step forwazd in the process to improve the sign law. This process began in September 1997, when the County Council passed Resolution No. 148-97, requesting that the Department of Public Works, Building Division, the Planning Department, the Office of the Corporation Counsel and the Legislative Auditor's office conduct a review of Chapter 3, relating to advertising and signs, of the Hawaii County Code. The Council requested this multi-agency task force to clarify and address the following areas of concern: defmitions, sign permit and variance process, enforcement of the sign code, constitutionality of the sign code, continuity between sign regulations set out in special districts. After holding numerous interagency meetings, reseazching regulatory approaches of other municipalities, examining the County's current variance process, receiving public input at meetings in Waimea, Hilo, Kona and Naalehu, a preliminary draft bill was developed by the task force for discussion purposes and presented at the Committee on Public Works & Pazks workshops in Kona and Hilo. Using comments received at these workshops and subsequent agency discussions, Bill No. 280 was formulated and introduced. According to a "Summary of Changes" submitted by Council Member Reynolds, the following proposals represent a major clarification or constitutional change to the existing law: l . Added "signs" to the category of "Temporary Banners." 2. Defined "business establishment." 3. Added new definition of "street." 4. Clarified multifaceted sign requirements. 5. Clarified exempt sign types by eliminating reference to political campaign signs, charitable and religious signs (content-based).