HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0313.021 2024-2026P / PCPUic-0
1501 W
CMH.55
Hawai'i County Council
Policy Committee on Planning, Land Use and Economic Development
June 16, 2025
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Subject: Council Bill 60, Communication 313
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Attention: Chairperson Ashley L.. Kierkiewcz and Committee Members
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Aloha Mai Kakou, r
My name is Leonard Tanaka, I am a lifelong resident of our beautiful Hawai'i County, former
business owner in Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa and the Philippines (T&T ELECTRIC, INC.)
for 39 years. I have had the blessing and opportunity to have served on various commissions
and boards, such as the Board of Appeals, Planning Commission and Water Board. I am a
native Hawaiian and a member and past leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter -Day
Saints.
Thank you for this opportunity to provide my mana'o and OPPOSITION on Council Bill No. 60,
Communication 313.
I speak in opposition as a member of our church and the impact this Bill would have. The
amendment in Section 8, "Section 25-4-17 - Meeting Facilities" will impact our religious rights to
meet more than twice a week with medium to large groups. We meet at least three (3) times per
week, during the school year. Students meet for scripture study in the mornings, youth and adult
groups meet on weekday evenings, and on the Sabbath, we have our weekly services for
families. The group and congregation sizes are well over the twenty-five (25) attendees limit.
The hours of operation limitations will have an impact on our religious rights also. Our weekly
student scripture study classes typically start earlier than 8 am so students have time to receive
their religious and spiritual edification, then attend school. And occasionally, some of our youth
and adult activities will go a little beyond 9 pm.
Regarding the other groups that are defined as "Meeting Facilities", they will be negatively
impacted as well.
• Recreational -The sports, athletics, workout gyms and other organizations, especially
for the youth would be impacted and unfairly penalized.
• Social - The Boy Scouts, civic clubs and similar organizations would be impacted and
unfairly penalized.
• Cultural - The Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Latino, Korean, Portuguese and
other ethnic / cultural organizations that would be impacted and unfairly penalized.
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In closing, I would request that more time be spent considering the negative impact on the many
community groups, churches and others that would be deprived of their rights, impacted in
various ways and unfairly penalized. I would request that you schedule community meetings to
gather input from all sectors of the community that this Bill would affect. And I would request
that amend the Bill such that line items (c) and (d) under Section 8, "Section 25-4-17 — Meeting
Facilities", be omitted for the reasons and concerns stated above.
Mahalo nui for your time, consideration and the community service that you all provide.
Sincerely,
Leonard S. Tanaka
IstanakahawaiiCa)-gmail.com
808.960.5710