2018-10-24 Meeting Minutes (EMC)

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two kinds of plumbing in any development that happens in the area. He asked Mr. Takemoto if an improvement district could be used to do that. Mr. Takemoto said the short answer is that if it is for public improvements and 51% of the people in its defined boundaries don’t disapprove of it, it can work. It may be a tough process to go through because of the feasibility, the magnitude of the cost, what the assessments would be, and what other potential funding sources exist. For something like reclaimed water, there may be USDA or EPA water sources that could be tapped into, because the benefits may go beyond local and be regional. If there are regional benefits, the people paying the assessment should not bear 100% of the cost. An improvement district is just one tool. Commissioner Gaffney said it is a big concept, but he is trying to stop waiting for a regional park and golf course and get the water to where it could be used rather than dumped into a hole. Chair Bennett said the promise of reuse has been on the table for years and is again on the table with a 20/20 horizon. He agrees with Commissioner Gaffney, and the state and EPA should be interested in making sure the reuse promise is fulfilled. There are grant funds and revolving loan funds that could be sought, and if congress would pass a public works bill for this country, some real money might become available. Commissioner Gaffney said there are private funders as well, such as conservation organizations with literally billions of dollars in their pockets that are very interested in seeing the ocean protected. Commissioner Gaffney thanked Mr. Takemoto, as it had been very enlightening. Chair Bennett said he recommends they continue this discussion at the next meeting under old business and that they do homework to see if they can identify funds and consortiums of funds to make it happen. Vice Chair Olson asked how they can bring pressure on the people who have all these development plans, as it is all at some level planned out. Chair Bennett said it is somewhat addressed in the CDPs, and they could invite someone from the Planning Department to talk about how CDPs address funding for wastewater. Vice Chair Olson said that although CDPs do not address funding for infrastructure, nothing says they can’t, but it has consistently been punted. The General Plan is coming up and all these things are supposed to be integrated. If there is any hope of doing any of this in the near term, it needs to be in the general plan. b. Discussion regarding the Environmental Assessment for the proposed Pāhala Wastewater Treatment Plant. Ms. Mellon-Lacey said that due to the fact there is pending litigation on this item and the EA is at issue, she would advise the EMC this is not a topic to consider at this time, as it could be harmful to the litigation.