|
HAWAII COUNTY CHARTER COMMISSIONPage 10 of 51
<br />YUEN: There is a State Law that permits Boards and Commissions to have meetings by video
<br />conference under, and I can’t remember exactly when -
<br />HERKES: That’s okay. There is a State Law, though, that does permit it?
<br />YUEN: Yes, it permits it, and I’d have to check to tell you what are the conditions for that.
<br />HERKES: Well, there are video conferencing facilities all over the island now, so I think that that’s
<br />something that I would certainly encourage the Boards and Commissions to look at.
<br />RAY: Leonard. Any more on this subject? No?
<br />TANAKA: Okay, if not, Mr. Chairman, on the other subject, regarding the forming of the Division of
<br />Permitting, the Commission voted in opposition of the proposal to transfer the responsibilities from the
<br />Planning Department to the Department of Public Works, with the exception of enforcement. And we
<br />felt that it would be appropriate for that portion of concern, or responsibility, to be passed on to the
<br />Building Department, or the Department of Public Works, in that they already have inspectors who are
<br />out in the field, and we felt that it would be efficient if those inspectors, with some training, were able to
<br />look at some of the land use issues and conditions that are mandated by the Planning Department. As an
<br />example, setbacks. While the Building Inspector is out there and checking on building requirements,
<br />again with some training, could easily ensure that the builder or the homeowner is in conformance with
<br />the proper setbacks. And that would alleviate a lot of these variances that are coming before the
<br />department. I know it probably surprises you with the stance the Commission is taking on this and I just,
<br />maybe, relate to you some of the reasons that have come up that formulated this recommendation.
<br />We like the idea that, if you were to separate the Planning Department from the Department of Public
<br />Works, and pass on some of these responsibilities, in that the Planning Department would then have
<br />more time to focus on long range planning, and we certainly applaud that, so that this County does not
<br />become reactive, but becomes proactive in planning, however, we felt that for a long range planner to do
<br />their planning, they need to know the every day details about the permitting processes and all of this, so
<br />that they’d know what the problems are when the people come in and so forth. It kind of works hand in
<br />hand, so we felt that it might be detrimental if you separate the two.
<br />Another area of concern that was brought up by the Commissioners were, you know we work hand in
<br />hand with the Department of Public Works when it comes to some of their policies and their regulations,
<br />as an example, when it comes to road standards, as part of a condition of a change of zone or a permit
<br />and so forth, and some of the Commissioners felt that the Department of Public Works already have
<br />their hands full in that they have not been able to adopt policies regarding things like road standards and
<br />so forth. It’s kind of an unwritten policy that is being used by them, so they come into the department
<br />and say, well, for this change of zone, we require curbs, gutters, sidewalks, 50 foot right-of-way on the
<br />roadways, and so forth, and again, there is no adopted policy on that. So those are the major areas of
<br />concern that they had. Another item that had come up was one Commissioner had felt that it puts too
<br />much authority with one department. That there’d be no check and balance means. That it would be
<br />attractive for political decisions, but as accumulative of these concerns, the Commission recommended
<br />against the transfer.
<br />RAY: Kevin.
<br />BALOG: Just out of curiosity, what is the Planning Department’s or Planning Commission’s role on the
<br />subdivision permit?
<br />file://\\coh01\cohweb\council\charter_commission\minutes\minutes 9-29-99.html7/1/2011
<br />
<br />
|