06-27-2011 SKCDP AC Minutes - Final

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Dean Watase, Jeff Hood and Cheryl Soon were present from the DOT Harbors Division. Cheryl Soon gave a presentation on the Kawaihae Harbor and the Harbor Mast Plan Update 2011. She discussed the importance of the two deep draft harbors on the island, Hilo and Kawaihae. Cheryl discussed the relationship between the Harbor Master Plan and the SKCDP. Cheryl also presented the Hawaii Island Commercial Harbors Mater Plan for 2035. She said this started in the end of 2008 and was completed in May 2011. She went over the forecasts, features of the plan, and the cost and phasing of the plan. Next, Cheryl went over the Kawaihae Development Plan and the elements of the plan which include a topographical survey, drainage report, traffic report, ingress and egress recommendations, security recommendations, perimeter road conceptual design and outreach. Lastly, Cheryl provided information on the Kawaihae Harbor Environmental Assessment (EA). She went over the elements of the EA which include perimeter road and fencing, south gate entry and connections to highway, grading coral flats for storage, and Pier 2a and 2c extensions. More elements were also discussed and were included in the hand-outs. REPORTS 3. Rosalind Newlon, SKCDP Project LAND USE PERMIT ACTIVITY REPORT (10 minutes) Manager will report on Planning Dept. permits received in the previous month for the South Kohala district. Rosalind went over the permit activity for the month of May 2011. 4. SKCDP AC members will report on SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS AND UPDATES (20 minutes) the recent activities of the following subcommittees. Loreli Eberhardt made the motion to defer the subcommittee reports and updates to the July meeting. Robin Inaba seconded the motion. NEW BUSINESS 5. REVEIW SECTION 6.2 OF THE SKCDP REGARDING THE KAWAIHAE COMMUNITY PLAN The SKCDP AC Members will evaluate the policies and the key strategies to (20 minutes) implement each policy and assess the effectiveness of the strategies and consider if adjustments to the strategies may be necessary. Rosalind Newlon went over the 4 policies of Section 6.2 of the SKCDP and discussed the key strategies to implement each policy. The first strategy discussed was to encourage the State DOT to build the Kawaihae Road Bypass through the Kawaihae area which tied in with the first presentation by Sal Panem. Rosalind also went over strategies to encourage the development of a regional industrial park at Kawaihae; support DOT commercial harbor expansion mauka of Akoni Pule Highway, which is part of the Kawaihae Mast Plan; expand recreational activities around the harbor area, which is also underway by DLNR and the Department of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBAR). Other strategies discussed included the establishment of additional sources of potable water such as the Ouli Well Field which is in its first phase of development. Rosalind also went over Policy 4 which is to improve traffic safety for vehicular and non-vehicular transportation along Akoni Pule Highway. Some of the strategies include reducing the speed limit from 35 mph to 25 mph along Akoni Pule Highway near Kawaihae Harbor upon the completion of the Kawaihae bypass Road. Since this is a State Highway, the County would need to submit a request to the DOT to reduce the speed limit. One strategy also looked at prohibiting parking along the shoulder of Kawaihae Road to allow more room for pedestrians and bicyclists. This also would require a request to DOT and they would have to review it. Another strategy is to construct pedestrian paths and bikeways along Akoni Pule highway through the Kawaihae corriodor. Areas would need to be identified and submitted to DOT. Hawaii County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer