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REPORT OF THE <br /> COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS AND PARKS <br /> DATE: July 22, 1997 RE: COMM. NO. 387/ <br /> PLACE: Councilroom BILL 112 <br /> TIME: 10:32 a.m. <br /> Chair and Members <br /> Hawaii County Council <br /> Hilo, Hawaii 96720 <br /> Your Committee on Public Works and Parks, to which was referred Communication No. 387 <br /> and attached Bill No. 112, reports as follows: <br /> The purpose of Bill No. 112 is to amend Chapter 27 of the Hawaii County Code, relating to <br /> flood control, by authorizing the Chief Engineer to require removal of encroachments or <br /> obstructions of drainageways, floodways, levee systems, or watercourses. If the responsible <br /> party does not remove the encroachment or obstruction, Bill No. 112 authorizes the Department <br /> of Public Works to do so and to institute an action to recover its costs and expenses. <br /> Communication No. 387 is a letter from Chief Engineer Donna Fay K. Kiyosaki, dated <br /> <br /> July 2, 1997, which transmits Bills No. 1 11 and 112 to the County Council for its consideration. <br /> <br /> During the discussion on this matter, Mr. Casey Yanagihara, an engineer with the Department of <br /> <br /> Public Works, informed Your Committee that the proposed amendments would address <br /> <br /> obstructions of natural drainageways. As an example of a situation where the amendments <br /> <br /> would apply, he cited a situation where a resident adjoining a drainageway has not kept that <br /> <br /> drainageway free of obstructions resulting in flooding in the neighbor's yard during heavy rains. <br /> <br /> Mr. Yanagihara confirmed that this proposed amendment is not intended to apply to new <br /> construction per se, but more to situations such as the example he noted, where fill, brush, <br /> <br /> vegetative overgrowth or other materials obstruct the natural flow of water. Mr. Yanagihara <br /> <br /> noted that the proposed amendments would allow the County to give notice to homeowners who <br /> obstruct drainageways to remove the obstruction and, if this is not done, would further enable <br /> <br /> the County to remove the obstruction at the wst of the homeowner. <br /> In response to questions by Committee Member Smith, Mr. Yanagihara noted that this bill is <br /> related to section 46- 11.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and also informed Your Committee that this <br /> <br /> bill has been reviewed by Deputy Corporation Counsel Gerald Takase <br /> <br />