MIN CHC 2009-09-11.tif - Laserfiche WebLink

Metadata

Thumbnails

Annotations

Certainly, this is all in terms of Sunshine Law; it's how, for us the public, how do we get the information. It's fine with me if you put something in there that says, if there's a problem, it doesn't happen. I'm just trying to get how do we actually get information out, especially on an island this size with the costs of driving. I also put, if possible, to do live broadcasts. I have Zion here just to see how it goes, at his own expense and mine. I'm just trying to improve communication. However one would want to write it. I put that it would be available within 48 hours, unless there is a problem. Some people have raised issues about handicapped accessibility. I know other counties and locations have addressed that and said there isn't a conflict, but that's one question that was raised. Again, transparency and accountability and allowing for our public involvement in this whole decision - making process. As you can see, it's really just Debbie and I, even though these issues impact people tremendously, what you're doing. Without knowledge and understanding, they can't speak to you. The third one is adding a new article, Article XVIII, and I put the Public Trust. This is basically incorporating the Public Trust Doctrine into the Charter. It requires the government decision - making affecting our natural resources to be based on the Precautionary Principal, which is how public trust is implemented. In other words, when there is doubt, err on the side of conservation of the resource. It goes on to say, and be accountable, if you read this whole opinion. At least that this issue, the impact on the future, be addressed and looked at in terms of the precautionary principal; look at the science, and if you are really unsure, then you should be erring on the side of conservation instead of it being - -as I think the Planning Commission has said - -how do we know where do we tip the balance? This Court case said, "I'll tell you how to tip the balance, you err on the side of safety for all of us and the land." The fourth one adds a new Section to Article III, Legislative Branch County Council, subsection 3 -16; I titled it Community Development Plan and Community Plan Action Committees. If you look at the current Charter under Section 3 -15, it's the General Plan, and the Charter says basically that you have to have consistency with the General Plan and the Code has to be consistent. The words General Plan legally incorporate Community Development Plans, so if you were to open the General Plan right now and turn to the last chapter, it says Implementation, Community Development Plans. We have finally done that and I wrote up some suggestions to finally acknowledge that. I spent most of two years working on the South Kohala Plan, and all communities really did. I think Nancy Pisicchio and Roy Takemoto talked about the need for regional planning, and these provide an opportunity, not and obstacle, and how can we utilize that. Community Development Plans are in fact a part of the General Plan; this recognizes that, and recognizes what many of us around the county have spent a significant amount of time working on. I'm not going to go through all the details of what I wrote. It obviously incorporates that if there isn't a plan - - -It does address one thing, it requires the Community Development Action Committee to be appointed within one year of completion of the Community Development Plan. After that date, there shouldn't be any development applications considered unless the Action Committee first has the opportunity to consider that application. A couple of months ago there was an application that was voted on by the Leeward Planning Commission and one of the Council Members said, "I wish you would come in to say hello to me, your are in my district and I didn't even know you were coming before us. The response was, "Well, we 16