HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0677.028 2022-2024August 5, 2024
Policy Committee on Planning, Land Use, and Development
c/o Hawai'i County Council
25 Aupuni St
Hilo HI 96720
Re: Opposition to Communication 677.020, amending Bill 123, draft 2 --
Aloha Madam Chair and members of the committee
In October 2022, the Planning Director announced a comprehensive review of Chapter 23,
Subdivision, and Chapter 25, Zoning, despite the fact that he was also engaged in a-m�
comprehensive review of the General Plan.
When the Planning Director was reminded that Chapters 23 and 25 were subject to the General
Plan, the Planning Director testified the codes revision consultants were working in conjunction.
with General Plan revision consultants.
However, the Planning Director later testified the Chapters 23&25 revision process was being
put on hold until after the General Plan Comprehensive Review had to be completed first for a
variety of reasons, including demands being placed on staff.
In September 2023, the Planning Director issued a gut -and -replace amendment of the General
Plan on an online platform. This action undermined the general public's ability to evaluate and
suggest any changes to the GP2045(23) and forced members of the general public who wanted to
provide comments to spend inordinate amounts of time just navigating the GP2045(23).
It was into this environment that a large legislative package, Bills 121, 122, and 123 proposing to
amend the Chapter 23, , and Chapter 25, was introduced.
Consideration of this legislative package has caused a great deal of controversy, confusion, and
again consumed an inordinate amount of time at the planning commissions and by the general
public. It has been huge distraction for the most important matter before the county, the General
Plan Comprehensive Review Process.
At its July23, 2024 meeting, council member Kimball introduced a floor amendment,
Communication 677,20, along with Cam 677.017, 677.018, and 677.019. These floor
amendments were not available to the general public prior to the meeting.
Initially, council member Kimball stated these amendments were introduced "for discussion
purposes only". However, the committee made the decision to pass the amendment proposed in
Communication 677.20, which undermined the prohibition against the use of Additional
Dwelling Units on building sites with a transient accommodation rental.
Given overwhelming public testimony to limit transient accommodation rentals, I ask this
committee to reconsider the amendment proposed by Coimmunication 677.20, and restore the
original language in Sections 25-6-32, Prohibited areas, and 25-6-38 Prohibited, regarding
prohibition of transient accommodation rentals.
Mahalo,
Chuck Flaherty