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74 Q: Is there a possibility of Puna Geothermal Venture reopening? <br />75 A: The owner still holds permits to operate and may continue to utilize those permits if they so <br />76 choose. <br />77 Q: Are agencies other than Planning involved with and working on recovery efforts? <br />78 A: There is a recovery team that consists of staff from several County agencies including but not <br />79 limited to Planning, Research and Development, Corporation Counsel, and the Mayor's Office. <br />80 Q: Is there a level of priority set for different aspects such as housing, infrastructure, etc.? <br />81 A: The need for recovery has not been presented in the legislative ask as a prioritized list, but <br />82 rather a comprehensive list of all the recovery needs. <br />83 Q: Why would the County create a new subdivision rather than spend the money to infill <br />84 existing subdivisions? <br />85 A: Building a new subdivision is an idea that is on the table but it is not the most favored <br />86 option. <br />87 Q: Will the County receive a lump sum of funding or will the State decide how funds are <br />88 allocated and where? <br />89 [This answer below was not provided during the meeting but is being included in the meeting minutes to provide clarity] <br />90 A: It is too soon to know how the funding will be distributed because it is still unknown what <br />91 funding the County would receive. <br />92 Q: Has the recovery team taken into consideration the creation of village and town centers? <br />93 A: Yes, there has been consideration for providing some infrastructure to key strategic areas, <br />94 but the appropriate locations still need to be determined. <br />95 Q: Who decides if progress moves forward or comes to a halt on the Pahoa Regional Town <br />96 Center Master Plan? <br />97 A: The Pahoa Regional Town Center Master Plan was paused when the eruption event began. <br />98 Recently there has been more interest in moving forward on the Pahoa plan. The Pahoa plan is <br />99 being considered but there are no guarantees that the plan will move forward currently. <br />100 Q: Is the County hiring a recovery consultant and will it be an internal or external position and <br />101 does the position already exist? <br />102 A: There may not be a need for a recovery consultant if a redevelopment agency is formed. It <br />103 would take a while to get the redevelopment agency going if one is formed so a recovery <br />104 consultant could assist during the time that the redevelopment agency is coming together. <br />105 Q: How long will it take to establish a redevelopment agency? <br />106 A: It would ideally take about 4-6 months to establish a redevelopment agency. <br />107 Q: Is it possible that the redevelopment agency could also manage the Pahoa Master Plan? <br />108 A: Yes, it is a possible option for the redevelopment agency to manage the Pahoa Master Plan. <br />109 At this time, Chair Brown opened the question and answer session up to the members of the <br />110 public. <br />111 Q: Will the community be involved in the creation of the redevelopment agency, and will the <br />112 community get to vote on who sits on the redevelopment agency. <br />113 A: Community input will be taken into consideration, but the public will not be able to vote on <br />114 who will sit as members on the redevelopment agency. <br />www.hiplanningdept.com puna(&,hawaiicounty.,-ov Page 3 <br />