REP PWPC 086 02/03/1998 1996-1998

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REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS AND PARKS DATE: February 3, 1998 RE: COMM. NO. 578 /RESOLUTION NO. 222-98 PLACE: Council room TIME: 9:00 a.m. Chair and Members Hawaii County Council Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Your Committee on Public Works and Parks, to which was referred Communication No. 578, reports as follows: Communication No. 578 is a letter from Randy Rohner, President, Hilo Downtown Improvement Association, dated November 7, 1997, requesting for the removal of parking meters makai of Kamehameha Avenue parking lot and athree-month moratorium on all parking meter fees throughout downtown Hilo. On December 2, 1997, Your Committee discussed the concerns regarding the lack of generated revenues from the pazking meters, and the job positions of the three employees (mainly for the two meter mechanics) as it was mentioned by Mr. Richazd Nishimura, Traffic Division. Communication No. 578,01, is a letter from Paul T. Ochi, Parking Meter Section Supervisor, dated November 25, 1997, commenting on the Hilo Downtown Improvement Association's (DIA) request for the removal of parking meters makai of Kamehameha Avenue parking lot and a three-month moratorium on all parking meter fees throughout downtown Hilo. He also recommends that the County look into constructing a parking complex in the area on Kilauea Avenue just makai side of Western Store and possibly a second level to the mauka side of the Hilo Armory parking lot. He states utilizing both these areas for parking would greatly improve the downtown parking situation. In response, Councilmember Dominic Yagong, transmitted Resolution No. 222-98 via Communication No. 578.02, dated January 22, 1998. The purpose of Resolution No. 222-98 is to authorize a three month moratorium waiver of all parking meter fees as a pilot project to assess business activity for the duration of the moratorium in downtown Hilo. The moratorium is also conditioned upon the submittal of a downtown Hilo business activity assessment and comparison between the periods of March 1, 1997 through May 3l, 1997 and March I, ] 998 through May 31, 1998.