REP PC 089 07/30/2008 2006-2008 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Communication 1300 • bill 318 Page 5 of 6 explained there were few areas where significant issues existed with the plats as presented, such as how village centers are formed and that he fell the need to foster having village centers in various areas of Puna rather than relying on major towns that exist today. Mr. Yuen said some of the procedures spelled out in the plan are more complicated and would create obstacles in forming village centers. Mr. Yuen said that in his opinion the amendments proposed by the department, Councilmembers Naeole and Yoshimoto do not affect the fundamental thrust of the plan and none of the amendments affects implementation of the plan. In response to Council Chair Hoffmann's question whether or not there exists any legal or constitutional.question if the plan was adopted without amendments, Director Yuen stated there was nothing illegal in passing the plan itself "as is," but there may be issues relating to follow-on. actions and how those follow-on actions are performed. Mr. Larry Brown expressed his own desire to get the Puna CDP adopted within this Council term so that the Puna Community and the County can begin implementation. Approximately fifty-five (55) members of the public presented testimony of which thirty-five (35) were in favor of approving the plan without amendments, ten (10) testifiers who felt the plan should be approved with the proposed amendments, and ten (10) testifiers who offered comments. Councilmember Naeole stated her amendments were not done with any malice and believes her proposed amendments will help the people of her district. Councilmember Higa stated that the CDP implementation section of the General Plan allows for the Council to make amendments and to submit the amendments to the Planning Committee and Steering Committee for review. Mr. Higa said he supports the existing process and therefore it is the Council's job to make amendments if necessary and that the time to make such amendments is now. Discussions continued regarding passage of Bill 318 with or without amendments and at what point in the process could amendments be made. Councilmember Yoshimoto stated that as long as the Council follows the legislative process and, as noted by Director Yuen, the Council does have the authority to make amendments at this time. Mr. Yoshimoto said he felt it was easier to do the amendments now especially since a new Council may take another approach. Mr. Yoshimoto's fear was that if Bill 318 was approved in its current form and amended at a later time, the plan itself might be at risk of not being amended at all and therefore preferred to approve Bill 318 in this term with all proposed amendments. Deputy Corporation Counsel Brilhante stated that the proposed amendments were discussed in detail with Deputy Corporation Counsel Amy Self and with Planning Director Yuen, and then read through the list of proposed amendments noting which were deemed to be substantive amendments and which were not. Councilmember Yagong's concern was that if the Council did not pass the amendment package, could the amendments be brought back again before the current Council, or would the rule that PC Report No. 89