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PWMTC-23 Page 2 - -July 7, 2020
<br />- These. changes, when implemented alongside the EnerGov permit management system, will reduce
<br />permit processing time, standardize procedures for regulatory activities such as inspections, and
<br />facilitate the -department of Public Works' efforts to regulate building and construction in the County
<br />efficiently and effectively for the safety and enjoyment of the public.
<br />The County faces a statutory deadline of August 21, 2020, to adopt amendments to the Hawaii State
<br />Electrical Code, which was adopted from the 2017 National Electrical Code., and amendments to the
<br />Hawaii State Plumbing Code, which was adopted from the 2012 Uniform Plumbing Code.
<br />A draft of Bill No. 179 was released to the public on May 29, 2020, at which time a deadline of June 5,
<br />2020, was set to receive written comments. The department analyzed comments received by the deadline
<br />and incorporated them into the bill prior to introduction. The proposed changes, their rationale, and the
<br />department's actions are included in the supplemental matrix submitted to your Committee in
<br />Communication No. 989.1.
<br />An updated version of the bill was posted to the Public Works website on June 18, 2020, the day the bill
<br />was submitted to the Council. Both times, versions of the bill were sent to stakeholders in the
<br />construction industry, including architects, contractors, plumbers, electricians, unions, and local media.
<br />At Your Committee meeting on July 7, 2020, Ms. Lee Loy began by asking Acting Building Division
<br />Chief Robyn Matsumoto and Acting Deputy Building Chief Neal Tanaka to come forward, and
<br />Ms. Lee Loy provided for Your Committee a brief PowerPoint presentation, the contents of which are
<br />contained in Communication No. 989.2.
<br />Ms. Lee Loy described the current framework as the government working in isolated silos, with the
<br />Building Code contained in Chapter 5, the Electrical Code contained in Chapter 9, and the Plumbing
<br />Code in Chapter 17. Bill No. 179, she said, repeals all three chapters and places them into one section of
<br />the code under the umbrella of a single administrative code. Her presentation touched on upcoming
<br />deadlines for adoption as set by the State Building Code Council and required by Chapter 107 of
<br />Hawaii Revised Statutes (August 2020 in the case of the Plumbing and Electrical Code updates,
<br />November 2020 in the case of the Building Codes). If we fail to move in these respective codes, the
<br />State model codes will apply as an interim Building Code until such time that County amendments are
<br />adopted. Bill No. 179 is the way to stand up framework, move in the electrical and plumbing codes, and
<br />at some point, with more input, move in our building codes before November 2020. She reviewed prior
<br />efforts to circulate the bill for comment to a number of stakeholders, the replies contained in
<br />Communication No. 989.1, and the Building Division's actions in response. The bill is a very good first
<br />step that establishes a framework, and there is a lot more work ahead, Ms. Lee Loy said.
<br />Ms. Lee Loy took the opportunity, to respond to testifiers who spoke in opposition to Chapter 5A,
<br />Appendix L, relating to factory -built houses. That appendix is not new, as it was established in 2012 and
<br />has been a part of our code for the last eight years. But other appendices in Bill No. 179 relate to the use
<br />of indigenous architecture and indigenous plants, as well as tiny homes, as tools in our tool belt.
<br />Committee Member Rebecca Villegas thanked Ms. Matsumoto and Mr. Tanaka for taking time with her
<br />to go over the bill. She also thanked the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce and their permitting task
<br />force. Ms. Villegas confirmed there are no amendments to the State or County Electrical Code because
<br />they follow the industry standard, while the Plumbing Code has some amendments, and that both have
<br />adoption deadlines in August. She highlighted an opportunity for both Planning and Public Works to
<br />PWMTC Report No. 23
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