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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN PCIA 2023/07/05 (2022-2024)Policy Committee on Infrastructure and Assets 3rd Session Hawaii County Building 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawai `i July 5, 2023 CALL TO The regular meeting of the Policy Committee on Infrastructure and Assets ORDER: was called to order at 2:37 p.m., in the Council Chambers, Hilo, by Ms. Susan L. K. Lee Loy, Chair. ROLL CALL: Present: Ms. Susan L. K. Lee Loy, Chair Ms. Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, Vice Chair Ms. Cindy Evans, Member Ms. Michelle M. Galimba, Member (came in later) Mr. Holeka Goro Inaba, Member Ms. Jenn Kagiwada, Member Mr. Matt Kdneali`i-Kleinfelder, Member Ms. Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, Member Ms. Heather L. Kimball, 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.) CHR. LEE LOY: Mr. Clerk, I think we're on Bill 51, please. BILLS FOR The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, ORDINANCES: Bills for Ordinances. Bill 51: AMENDS CHAPTER 24, ARTICLE 10, DIVISION 1, OF THE HAWAI`I COUNTY CODE 1983 (2016 EDITION, AS AMENDED), RELATING TO SPEED LIMITS Amends Section 24-256, Schedule 3 by adding Kalaniana`ole Street, James Kealoha Park Access Road to Leleiwi Street to decrease the speed limit from 30 to 25 miles per hour, and removes the same from Section 24-256, Schedule 4. Reference: Comm.321 Intr. by: Ms. Lee Loy Postpone: June 20, 2023 PCIA-3 July 5, 2023 (Note: There is a motion by Ms. Lee Loy, seconded by Ms. Galimba, to recommend passage of Bill 51 on first reading. CHR. LEE LOY: Thank you, Mr. Clerk, and let the record reflect I have Ms. Galimba in chambers with me. If at this time, I could turn this meeting over to my Vice Chair, Ms. Kierkiewicz. Relinquish Chair: At this time, the Chair relinquished the chair to Vice Chair Kierkiewicz. ACTING CHR. KIERKIEWICZ: 1 hank you. Let the record reflect that I have assumed the role of Chair of this committee at 2:38 p.m. Council Member Lee Loy, this is your bill, do you want to kick off discussion? I see that we have our Public Works Director Steve Pause here in chambers. MS. LEE LOY: Yes, but before having Mr. Pause come up, I did want to invite Mr. Jordon Lerma and Kumiko to come forward. I know they gave such a wonderful presentation at our last meeting, and I know they've had some other internal discussions with our director. So, I just wanted them to kind of share the highlights and some of the progress that community has made with this bill. Mr. Lerma, go ahead. (Note: At this time, Nene Research and Conservation Biologist Jordan Lerma and `Aina Ho`ola Initiative Founder Kumiko Hasegawa Mattison came forward to address the members of the Committee.) MR. LERMA: Thank you, Council Woman Lee Loy, and thank you, Council, for letting us come back and talk about what we've been working on and pushing forward. Just today, we were down at the pond and there were six nene down there; four of them which crossed the road, so definitely an issue that we should address sooner rather than later. We did get the opportunity to meet with DPW (Department of Public Works) and we want to thank them for offering their expertise and advice, we actually have a site visit scheduled for tomorrow morning. I don't want to speak for the Director back there, but we went through all the different options available to do some speed calming; speed feedback radar signs, vertical delineators, speed tables. Listening to the traffic professionals and engineers there, was really informative in shaping our opinions on what actually needs to be done. And it seems like speed tables are the ultimate option to actually see a reduction in speed there. We did turn over all of our radar data to DPW and learned a little bit more about their traffic studies. It was interesting to learn that in their own traffic studies, they don't take into account wildlife. So, you know, there is some flexibility and there's some ways we can work with DPW on this as we identify more of these potential collision hazards in the community. Kumiko, if you wanted to — Page 2 PCIA-3 July 5, 2023 MS. MATTISON: Not only the innocent speeding; there are quite a few intentional recreational speeding there because it's such a long straight away. So, these speed tables will help reduce the speeding cases tremendously, and keep the wildlife, especially nene and volunteers like us be safe. So, thank you. MS. LEE LOY: Great. Thanks for being here. If I could now call up Mr. Pause, Director of Department of Public Works to come forward. One other thing I wanted to ask as you make your way up here, Mr. Pause, was in addition some of the traffic calming devices that was highlighted. There was also concern from a property owner right along Kalaniana`ole there about the use of guardrails, specifically because there's kind of a ledge there to fall off, and we've had a couple of incidents where cars have fallen. And I was just wondering, if in addition to some of the future traffic calming devices if we've given some consideration to the use of guardrails also in that area. (Note: At this time, Director of Public Works Steve Pause came forward to address the members of the Committee.) MR. PAUSE: Good afternoon, everyone. Steve Pause, Director of Public Works. First, I'd like to start, I posed with a question before I left last time whether the County Public Works supported lowering the speed from 30 to 25, and I would like to on the record say yes, we support that, okay. And many thanks for our friends, Jordan, and Kumiko, for all of their help and assistance in their data. I think I mentioned last time having their data assessable would be a really good thing for our traffic folks. We did meet last week, I think we had a really, really good conversation about speed. I think Jordan already mentioned a few things, that the data were very helpful, and just based on what they've done we didn't really see a need or a benefit to do additional traffic studies. Quite interestingly the typical traffic speed study would track traffic or speed to like 85th percentile. I think in this particular case, it wouldn't be 25 miles an hour. So I think we're good with the information we have. Jordan mentioned that we are looking at speed tables as a solution; two sets of two speed tables by the ponds and a little further up. And he mentioned that our traffic engineers are going to be meeting on site with him and his representatives tomorrow. I think I mentioned last time, we're also looking at safe routes to school project to slightly relocate the crosswalk just away from that intersection down at the Ka `Umeke Kd'eo School. So that, along with some flashing beacons to notify people to slow down from the posted speed there, 35 to 20, during school zone. So that would be —it's 1,500 feet away, but still in the general vicinity. I think it's going to be a help as well. And your last question about guardrails. Guardrail decisions are made by our engineering folks. I've engaged them, and they are going to go out there and take a look at the guardrails. Ideally, I can get them to go out there tomorrow. I haven't quite nailed that one down yet, but yes, it's a Page 3 PCIA-3 July 5, 2023 good idea. You know, the first pass, some of the videos I've received and sharing them with our engineering, there definitely seems to be an opportunity to do that. I think in addition to pedestrians, and bicyclists, and nene, and vehicles, I think guardrails would go a long way towards maybe protecting the people that are out there working in those ponds; give them some refuge from vehicles. At the end of the day, I think we've had very good productive discussions. I'm very excited to be working with these folks to do something that's positive for the community. We will still need to do a little bit further engagement. I did reach out to you, unfortunately we didn't connect before the holiday, but I'd like to do some further engagement with the community, and with Police, and Fire. Obviously, speed tables, speed humps, speed bumps, all of that typically comes with concerns about response times and things. So if we could work together on that, that would be helpful. MS. LEE LOY: Yeah, thank you for that. I do want to clarify regarding speed tables. Earlier in my time here on the Council, there was a request for community to do speed humps along Kalaniana`ole. And like I mentioned before Fire came back immediately no. But I think with technology and now speed tables, I think there's a little bit more of a balance for both Fire and Police to respond. And then in addition to that, I actually do support the idea of more community engagement. Because even if the community took on a request to put speed humps in, there would have to be a notice to surrounding property owners. And so I don't want to forego what would have been a normal process anyway. And so if it's okay with you Steve I'd like to kind of get this out of committee hold it over at Council. Do the community engagement cause I'm not sure if we're going to do 25 till the very end of the road. Which I know would be incredibly helpful, or if there's actually more need further down the road. If you have some thoughts on that. MR. PAUSE: I guess, I was thinking that your draft ordinance suggested 25 till the end. So once again, based on that we will be supportive. But again, from the community side, I completely agree. We need to just provide a form to let people know what we're thinking and get their input. And of course, I do not want to get on Uncle Pat's bad side. ` MS. LEE LOY: I don't think so, but I do think the community engagement will continue to build that trust and that pilina (relationship; connection; joining) in community that's necessary. So for my colleagues, you know, we've heard from the director, he does support this one, I would love to continue to move this forward. And then along with the director and other members of the community, continue to engage not only the reduction in speed limit, but the advancement of other traffic calming devices, and other suggestions that the community might have. And I'm looking at Jordan and Kumiko if they could also help me with, you know, that community and stakeholder engagement, and then set that up with Page 4 PCIA-3 July 5, 2023 our director and members of the engineering and traffic division. Great. Thank you, I yield. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Any other questions or comments? Council Member Kdneali `i-Kleinfelder. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Thank you, Chair. So Director, seeing you fully support this measure. This would, from where, set the 25 mile per hour speed limit if it were to pass? MR. PAUSE: I believe right now it's 35 to where that school is, heading towards Kings Landing. And I think from after the school, before you get to Four Mile, it would drop to 25 and remain 25 to the end. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: It's only a portion of Kalaniana`ole Street. MR. PAUSE: Yep, that's correct. That's my understanding the way this reads. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: All I can see right now is Kalaniana`ole Street, James Kealoha Park access road to Leleiwi. Is that meaning James Kealoha Park access road to Leleiwi Street? There's a comma between Kalaniana`ole Street and James Kealoha Park access road. MR. PAUSE: I'd have to double check that. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay. Yeah, I'd like to know. MR. PAUSE: Punctuation matters. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Punctuation matters. And then I was interested in the speed table because I've had this in a few areas. We've talked about it, and just wondering whether that would be administratively done or via the normal process; the online submittal forms and the community engagement piece that's been discussed so far. MR. PAUSE: I'm not sure we landed that, Council Member. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: I actually wanted to say exactly what you just said, this bill doesn't talk about that. MR. PAUSE: Correct. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: This is strictly about miles per hour, correct? MR. PAUSE: Correct. Page 5 PCIA-3 July 5, 2023 MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay. MR. PAUSE: The concept of speed tables and additional traffic calming measures, and I called them at the last meeting, treatments are under review. We're looking at from a design and as Jordan mentioned, we've got folks going out there and looking at things. So nothing is definitive, your bill speaks only to speed reduction. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Exactly. Okay, well I like the idea of lowering the speed limit. I like the lower limit because that is a very high use area with a lot of alternative methods of transportation. You got bike riders, you got pedestrians, you got skateboarders, it's community all the way around. I'll be supporting the measure today. I just wanted to clarify those points. Thank you. MR. PAUSE: Thank you. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Thank you. I yield, Chair. ACTING CHR. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you. Council Member Lee Loy, I think you were distracted just for a second here. But there was a question about, where the lowering of the speed limit applies? My recollection is the Leleiwi Street is all the way down to Richardson's, so is this proposing to decrease the miles per hour 25 between Four Mile Beach Park and Richardson's? That's what's stated here in the ordinance. MS. LEE LOY: Yeah, and if I could expand, if you look at how we set our speed limits, they're contained within Chapter 24. So the speed limit is actually set prior to James Kealoha Park. Which is why I'm picking it up from James Kealoha Park all the way down to the end if that makes sense. So that's why it's bracketed at the very top, and then we move that entire section into 25. ACTING CHR. KIERKIEWICZ: Thanks for the clarification. MS. LEE LOY: Yeah, sure. ACTING CHR. KIERKIEWICZ: Anyone in Kona, questions, or comments on the measure or for the Director? Okay, hearing none. Council Member, Lee Loy. MS. LEE LOY: I just had to ask because at our last meeting you mentioned the need for traffic study, which would take some time. I was just curious because Jordan guys did such excellent work which shaved off a lot of time, and frankly money, I was just curious as to know how much Jordan and his team, as far as community engagement, saved us by way of public dollars by doing the traffic study. Page 6 PCIA-3 July 5, 2023 MR. PAUSE: That's a really good question. I don't have any answer. The work would have been done in house by our staff, which of course folks are already on the payroll. But just in terms of allowing them the time to do other things, it was a tremendous savings to the community. It was very, very good work. And as I said when our traffic folks met Jordan and his team, they were favorably impressed and eager to use the information that they provided. They did a great job. MS. LEE LOY: Thanks again. Really win, win, for everybody. I yield. ACTING CHR. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you. Anyone else? Okay, seeing no other questions or comments. Thank you, Jordan, Kumiko, for all of your hard work in helping to elevate the issue and for capturing that really important data, which we often rely on to make good policy decisions or even introduce measures. Thank you, Director, for mobilizing your team to work with community partners. And Council Member Lee Loy, thank you for bringing this forward. We have a motion of the floor to forward Bill 51 to the Council with a favorable recommendation. All in favor please say "aye." Vote on Bill 51: The motion to recommend passage of Bill 51 on first reading (Approved was carried by the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Evans, Galimba, Inaba, Kagiwada, Kdneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kimball, Lee Loy, Villegas, and Acting Chair Kierkiewicz — 9. Noes: None. Absent: None. Excused: None. ADJOURN- There being no further business, at 2:54 p.m., Ms. Lee Loy moved to adjourn the MENT: meeting. Seconded by Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder and carried by the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Evans, Galimba, Inaba, Kagiwada, Kdneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kimball, Lee Loy, Villegas, and Acting Chair Kierkiewicz — 9. Noes: None. Absent: None. Excused: None. Page 7 July 5, 2023 IERKIEWICZ: Committee is adjourned at 2:54 p.m., thank Approved: M . Su n L. K. oy, Chair (Date) P icy on�mittee oii Infrastructure a s SL/rk Page 8