HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN PWMTC 2022/10/05 2020-2022 Committee on Public Works and Mass Transit
27th Session
Hawaii County Building
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hawaii
October 5, 2022
CALL TO The regular meeting of the Committee on Public Works and Mass Transit
ORDER: was called to order at 9:00 a.m. in the Council Chambers, Hilo, by
Ms. Susan L. K. Lee Loy, Chair.
ROLL CALL:
Present: Ms. Susan L. K. Lee Loy, Chair
Mr. Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Vice Chair(came in later)
Mr. Aaron S. Y. Chung, Member
Ms. Maile Medeiros David, Member
Mr. Holeka Goro Inaba, Member
Ms. Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, Member
Ms. Heather Kimball, Member
Ms. Rebecca Villegas, Member (came in later)
Absent& Excused: Mr. Herbert M. "Tim" Richards, III, Member
STATEMENTS The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business,
FROM THE Statements from the Public on Agenda Items.
PUBLIC ON
AGENDA ITEMS: (There were none.)
ORDER OF The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business,
RESOLUTIONS: Order of Resolutions.
Res. 542-22: ACCEPTS THE DEDICATION OF ROADWAY LOT A, IDENTIFIED AS TAX
MAP KEY: 2-5-003-110 (POR.), SITUATED AT KAUMANA HOMESTEADS,
DISTRICT OF SOUTH HILO, ISLAND AND COUNTY OF HAWAI'I, STATE
OF HAWAII, FROM MARK RODRIGUES AND KIM RODRIGUES,
TRUSTEES OF THE RODRIGUES FAMILY JOINT REVOCABLE TRUST,
DATED JUNE 1, 2011
The landholder seeks to dedicate the roadways and all improvements for public
roadway purposes.
Reference: Comm. 984
Intr. by: Ms. Lee Loy (B/R)
PWMTC-27 October 5,2022
Motion to Approve: Mr. Inaba moved to recommend adoption of
Res. 542-22. Seconded by Ms. Kierkiewicz.
CHR. LEE LOY: I believe we have Corporation Counsel here. Anyone? I think
this is just a standard receiving of dedication of our roadways. Anyone has any
comments, questions? Mr. Inaba
MR. INABA: Thank you. Corporation Counsel, please.
(Note: At this time, Deputy Corporation Counsel Sinclair Salas-Ferguson
came forward to address the members of the Committee.)
MR. INABA: I see here we have a letter from DWS (Department of Water Supply)
and the Planning Department. I just want to make sure that you folks gave final
approval that we have everything completed and it is at dedicable standards.
MR. SALAS-FERGUSON: Good morning. Deputy Corporation Counsel
Sinclair Salas-Ferguson. Council Member Inaba, all the departments that were
required to approve this dedication approved of it.
MR. INABA: Thank you. That's it, Chair. Mahalo.
CHR. LEE LOY: Thank you, Mr. Inaba. Anyone else? Mr. Chung.
MR. CHUNG: I just want to make sure, this is along Kaumana Drive?
MR. SALAS-FERGUSON: That's correct.
MR. CHUNG: Yeah, so this is not within his subdivision?
MR. SALAS-FERGUSON: No.
MR. CHUNG: Okay. So I just want to explain this matter to everyone. You know,
a portion of Kaumana Drive was encroaching upon Mr. and Mrs. Rodrigues'
property for many, many, many, many years, okay. So I don't know exactly what
kinds of improvements were made over here, but I think we definitely owe an
obligation to the Rodrigues' to accept the dedication of this property.
So it's not something where he built a subdivision, because he did develop a
subdivision, as you can see all those things on the right of that map. But it's really
for a portion of the Kaumana Drive that was encroaching upon his property that
we're accepting, yeah. And he's been, well, I used this term earlier, but he's been
very patient, and I'm talking patient over ten years kind of patient, yeah. And all
during that time, right around the area is a chronically bad area, and we don't know
why there are a lot of accidents in that area. All he's ever been asking for was some
guardrails, and it took a really, really long time for whatever reason.
Page 2
PWMTC-27 October 5,2022
So I just want to really thank you know, his wife just passed away you know,
Mr. Rodrigues, and his wife also, for their many years of patience in this regard.
Thank you.
CHR. LEE LOY: Thank you, Mr. Chung, for providing a lot of context for us, and
knowing your district. Any other members? Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Thank you, Chair. Corporation Counsel, thank
you for being here. The road is to our dedicable standards? Everything is above
board on that?
MR. SALAS-FERGUSON: Yeah, like Council Member Chung said, our road had
been encroaching on their property for many years, so it's part of the subdivision.
Part is their zoning change, and part of the subdivision process is it's required to be
dedicated. So it's all—it's up to standard.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay. To our County standards, correct?
MR. SALAS-FERGUSON: Yeah, DPW (Department of Public Works) approved
the road as it is today.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Thank you.
MR. SALAS-FERGUSON: Yeah.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Thank you, Chair. I yield.
CHR. LEE LOY: Go ahead, Mr. Chung.
MR. CHUNG: Yeah, and then I don't know the extent of their improvements, but
the Department of Public Works went in there, with Neil Azevedo and his crew.
They got the plans from Engineering; it took a while. But then they went and
constructed the improvements and then made it safer as well, too. We still don't
know why that place you know, we're thinking maybe algae or something was
accumulating whenever it rained, but it was always the same kind of accident, and
people saying that they weren't speeding. And they were always going into either
Mr. Rodrigues' property or to another property on the other side but of the road,
Estabilio property. Always, yeah, and even with the lightest rain, too. But I believe
that the County came in and made the improvements. Thanks.
CHR. LEE LOY: Thank you, Mr. Chung. Anyone else? Seeing none. We have
a motion to forward Resolution 542-22 to the Council with a favorable
recommendation. All those in favor, please say "aye."
Page 3