REP FC 132 2014/02/18 (2012-2014)

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REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE DATE: February 18, 2014 Re: Comm.No. 343/Res. No. 140-13 PLACE: Council Chambers Kona, Hawai`i TIME: 4:07 p.m. Council Chair and Members Hawai`i County Council Hilo, Hawai`i 96720 Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred Resolution No. 140-13, reports as follows: Resolution No. 140-13, transmitted by Mayor William P. Kenoi, via Communication No. 343 dated July 1, 2013, accepts a grant of easements from Kohala Kai, LLC for public access purposes. The easements will provide vehicular public access, public access parking and a mauka-makai and lateral walkable trail to the shoreline. On July 23, 2013, Your Committee postponed the measure to the call of the Chair. During the July 23, 2013 meeting, several council members expressed their concerns and requested that Planner Larry Brown bring a large map to the next meeting to help identify the trails. In addition, Council Member Eoff suggested that the Planning Department, the Community Development Plan (CDP)Action Committees and the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior meet to discuss the concerns and gather information prior to the next Finance Committee meeting. The measure was brought back at the December 3, 2013 meeting; however, it was postponed to the next Finance Committee meeting, to be held on December 17, 2013. It was suggested that Council Member Wille and the developer work together to improve the language in Resolution No. 140-13. On December 17, 2013, Resolution No. 140-13 was amended by the replacement of Exhibit l with the "Grant of Public Access Easements" as provided in Comm.No. 343.27. For informational purposes, there were no changes to the text of Resolution No. 140-13. During the meeting, Resolution No. 140-13, as amended to Draft 2, was postponed to the January 21, 2014, Finance Committee meeting. There was still concern by some council members as to the prior Planning director's decision to approve the application and whether it was done without the input and considerations of the community, the North and South Kohala Community Development Plan (CDP) Action Committees, and other significant agencies. There was still uncertainty if the Ala Loa Trail would be affected by this grant of easements. In the course of the Finance Committee meeting on January 21, 2014, Your Committee postponed the measure to the next Finance Committee, to be held in Kona on February 18, 2014. The land owners, via Communication No. 343.33, requested the postponement for February 4, 2014; however, Council Member Wille suggested that Kona would be better suited for the next meeting to allow the West Hawai`i community to testify on the matter. At the February 18, 2014 Finance Committee meeting, Resolution No. 140-13, Draft 2, was replaced with the contents of Communication No. 343.34, by Council Member Kern. The amendment was approved unanimously, with Ms. Ford voting "kanalua"then "aye". FC Report No. 132