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COUNTY OF HAWAII <br />ORDINANCE NO. <br />STATE OF HAWAII <br />BILL NO. 291 <br />(DRAFT 2) <br />AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 25 (ZONING), ARTICLE 4, OF THE <br />HAWAII COUNTY CODE 1983 (2005 EDITION, AS AMENDED), BY ADDING A NEW <br />DIVISION RELATING TO TSUNAMI SIRENS. <br />BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII: <br />SECTION 1. Findings and purpose. The Council recognizes that tsunamis are a real threat <br />to lives and property in coastal areas. The County of Hawaii is particularly sensitive to this type <br />of threat, with an unfortunate legacy in terms of tsunami disasters in 1946 and 1960. <br />The December 26, 2004, Indian Ocean earthquake generated one of the deadliest tsunamis <br />in modern history and erased communities along the coastlines of India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and <br />Indonesia, killing over 230,000 people. Had a tsunami warning system been in place, many lives <br />would likely have been saved. <br />A recent tsunami threat in the early morning of February 27, 2010, reminded residents that <br />tsunamis are indeed a reality. <br />It is critical not only to prepare for evacuation in a safe and orderly manner, but also to <br />receive adequate and timely warning of this potential disaster. <br />At this time, there are 71 tsunami sirens in Hawaii County: <br />- Six (6) along the Hamakua Coast; <br />- Sixteen (16) along the Hilo coast and within Hilo, from Hakalau to Leleiwi; <br />- Fifteen (15) in the Puna area, from Kea`au to Kaimu; <br />- Eight (8) along the southern coast, from Pahala to Miloli`i; <br />- Sixteen (16) along the Kona coast, from Pu`uhonua o Honaunau to the Natural Energy <br />Lab of Hawaii Authority; and <br />- Ten (10) in Kohala, of which eight are coastal sirens from Puak6 to Niuli`i. <br />However, residential and tourist -populated areas such as Hualalai/Kuki`o, Waikoloa Beach, <br />and Mauna Lani Beach do not have tsunami sirens. <br />The purpose of this ordinance is to ensure that any coastal development meeting the <br />parameters of this ordinance that has not received plan approval prior to the enactment of this <br />ordinance will include a tsunami siren in its design and construction. <br />SECTION 2. Chapter 25, article 4, Hawaii County Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as <br />amended), is amended by adding a new division to be appropriately designated and to read as <br />follows: <br />"Division . Tsunami Sirens. <br />Section 25-4- . Definitions. <br />"Tsunami siren" means a noisemaking mechanical or electronic device, generating <br />sound to provide warning of approaching danger. The tsunami siren is one type of <br />