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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0989.060 2018-2020 Testimony of COUNTY CLERK Pacific Resource Partnership COUNTY OF HAWAI'I RECEIVED County of Hawaii Time I1:144 By MI County Council Date JUL 2 1 -2020 Hawaii County Building Councilmember Aaron S.Y. Chung, Chair Councilmember Karen Eoff,Vice Chair Bill 179—Establishing a County Construction Code Relating to Building Construction and Related Systems Within a Building Under Construction by Amending the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2016 Edition, as Amended) Wednesday,July 22, 2020 Aloha Chair Chung,Vice Chair Eoff and Members of the Council: Pacific Resource Partnership (PRP) is a non-profit market recovery trust fund which represents approximately 7,000 men and women union carpenters and 240 large and small contractors.With our expertise in research, compliance, marketing, and project advocacy,we are committed to building a stronger, more sustainable Hawaii in a way that promotes a vibrant economy, creates jobs, and enhances the quality of life for all residents of Hawaii. PRP writes in strong support-of Councilmember Poindexter's Proposed Amendments to sections 5-3-2 through 5-3-5 and 5A-3-22(Appendix L; Factory-built Housing(FBH)), of Bill 179(Comm. No. 989.27). Councilmember Poindexter's proposed amendments ensure that the permitting and inspection requirements for FBH parallel the requirements that traditional homebuilders must follow.This will both protect the health and safet-/of the consumer and create fair and equal opportunities for all homebuilders. It is inequitable for the County to maintain a special pathway for FBH through "Appendix L", allowing FBH to bypass permitting and inspection requirements during the manufacturing process,while locally-based construction contractors must comply with these requirements when they construct any building or structure.The proposed construction code must,first and foremost, protect public health and safety, safeguard property, and promote the public welfare by establishing minimum standards applicable to all homebuilders within the County. Codes should not be written to provide special policies for companies seeking to gain an advantage over their competitors. As such, PRP believes"Appendix L", as written is inappropriate and prejudicial to the many traditional construction companies operating in Hawaii County and employing a local workforce. si Comm. No. q;'. Ref.To: P A (1C! ,s Ref. Date 7 22 W20 PRP POWER OF PAR T r �§ i �,_ 01 � six,�� '�."s" THE - s s PHONE- 000.528.5557 1100ALAKEASTREET I4TH FLOOR TWITTER: I WWW.FACEBOOK.COW H004OLULU(HE96813 F RPRPHAWI9I I PACIFICRESOURCEPARINERSHIP � _ I (Continued From Page 1) PRP:also notesthat'the inclusion of special policies for FBH within the proposed building code will have a negative inipact,on the construction industry,which plays a vital)) role in stimulating the local economy and improving the existing quality'of life for the County's residelnts. Amongst those in the construction industry are.highly s'killed.carpenters: 1)who have completed a State-approved apprenticeship program; 2)who'have'a wealth of knowledge and experience building in the local construction industry; and 3)who are paid good middle-class wages that are spent in the local eccnomy.These are some of the jobs that FBH will likely eliminate if given preferential treatment in the proposed construction code. FBH is built within a factory using automated tools and a smaller labor force than on-site construction.The proposed code enables FBH to take advantage of existing loopholes in the building code to gain a competitive advantage over the traditional homebuilder who must follow standard permitting and inspection requirements. Moreover, existing provisions within "Appendix L" allowing for 'BH to be manufactured outside of Hawaii County will also take away jobs from the local workforce witho t any assurances that the FBH is safe and reliable—other counties, states,territories or countries may lack the same quality and safety standards as Hawaii County. To ensure that all homebuilders are treated equally under the construction code and the health and safety of the consumer is protected, PRP respectfully requests that this Council adopt Councilmember Poindexter's Proposed Amendments.Thank you for this opportunity to submit written testimony. • ,110) PRP