Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN PCPLUED 2025/11/04 (2024-2026)Policy Committee on Planning, Land Use, and Economic Development 20' Session Hawaii County Building 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawaii November 4, 2025 CALL TO The regular meeting of the Policy Committee on Planning, Land Use, and ORDER: Economic Development was called to order at 11:04 a.m., in the Council Chambers, Hilo, by Ms. Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, Chair. ROLL CALL: Present: Ms. Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, Chair Ms. Michelle M. Galimba, Vice Chair Mr. James E. Hustace, Member Ms. Jean Kagiwada, Member Mr. Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Member Mr. Dennis "Fresh" Onishi, Member Ms. Rebecca Villegas, Member Absent & Excused: Mr. Holeka Goro Inaba, Member Ms. Heather L. Kimball, Member STATEMENTS The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of FROM THE business, Statements from the Public on Agenda Items. PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS: The following individuals registered to speak and came forward when called by the Chair: Joshua Montgomery: Bill 98 (Comm. 578), in opposition. CHR. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Mr. Clerk, if we could move onto order of business, Bills for Ordinances. PCPLUED-20 November 4, 2025 BILLS FOR The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business. ORDINANCES: Bills for Ordinances. Bill 98: AMENDS ORDINANCE NO.25-50, AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 6 OF THE HAWAI`I COUNTY CODE 1983 (2016 EDITION, AS AMENDED) RELATING TO TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIONS Delays the effective date of Ordinance No. 25-50, relating to transient accommodations, until July 1, 2026. Reference: Comm.578 Imr. by: Council Member Kimball Motion to Approve: Ms. Galimba moved to recommend passage of Bill 98 on first reading. Seconded by Ms. Kagiwada. CHR. KIERKIEWICZ: Any questions or comments from my colleagues? This is a very straightforward ordinance that's looking to delay the implementation of the TAR (Transient Accommodation Rentals) registration bill that we adopted to July of next year. I was hoping that our Finance Department would be here to give us an update on how the County is doing with building that registration process. Hi Malia, Aloha Deputy, nice to see you. If you could just introduce yourself for the record and let us know where the County is in terms of developing the registration process for Transient Accommodation Rentals, and any other information that you would like to share with the body at this time. Thank you. Hi, Malia. Aloha, Deputy, nice to see you. If you could just introduce yourself for the record and let us know where the County is in terms of developing the registration process for Transient Accommodation Rentals, and any other information that you would like to share with the body at this time (Note: At this time, Deputy Finance Director Malia Kekai came forward to address the members of the Committee.) MS. KEKAL• Sure. Thank you. Malia Kekai, Deputy Finance Director. Where we are right now is, we meet weekly with Planning, and we are developing the RFP (Request for Proposal) to procure the registration system. We are aiming to post that by, I believe, the end of next week. And so then, with the whole procurement process, 30-days out; scoring all that stuff, we'd probably pick a vendor; I would say, before the end of the year. Then, the implementation process would probably take another, I would say being conservative, three to six months. I don't know exactly, because it would Page 2 PCPLUED-20 November 4, 2025 depend on the vendor we chose. So, that's where we are right now, pushing it along getting the final touches of the RFP, and hopefully put it out next week. CHR. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you. I really appreciate that high-level overview of timeline for implementation and giving yourself a little bit of that buffer for just designing the process. So, what we have before us would extend implementation out to July of next year. Are you sure that's a sufficient amount of time? I mean, since we're making this amendment now, I just want to make sure that we're giving the County enough time to do the —testing, right? How do we maybe socialize the form with community before we officially go live to make sure we work out all the kinks. Is this sufficient time? MS. KEKAI: Are you sure is a hard question for me. I mean, it always depends, right? I think a lot of the times we get the answers, but I think it is sufficient as long as we don't hit any road bumps. I mean, we've been implementing a lot of systems lately. And we realized that like, yeah, the last thing we want to do is rush out with something that's not fully complete. So, looking at it now, if we keep it really simple, right? Just the registration fees, I think it's sufficient time. I think if we get into more of the enforcement stuff, then that's just going to overcomplicate things. So, I think if we keep it really simple, we can do it. CHR. KIERKIEWICZ: Great. Thank you. Questions or comments? Council Member Onishi. MR. ONISHI: Thank you, Madame Chair. So, you mentioned vendor, because when we did pass it for the registration part, did anyone mention about getting a vendor to help implement the program? I don't remember anything about that. MS. KEKAI: Yeah. I mean, I think that was always my understanding anyway, that we would be procuring a system to be able to handle the registration. Because it's not just the taking in of the information. Eventually, we want to get to a place where we're able to pull the information from the internet and look at all the listings to really confirm. The report that we had done earlier, the study, right, that says that there's 8,000 listings, if it's needed. So, we want to make sure that, you know, that we're registering the correct amount of people and we're up to date in what's being advertised. And so, this whole system, I believe, would have all those features of like not only the registration fees, but also being able to see what people are listing. Page 3 PCPLUED-20 November 4, 2025 MR. ONISHI: That was supposed to be within the Planning Department and Property Tax. MS. KEKAI: TAT (Transient Accommodation Tax) and Finance/Property Tax, and Planning, yes. MR. ONISHI: Okay, because the focus was basically getting everyone registered, right? And that was, I guess to my understanding, they come to the Property Tax Office, and then they register also with the Planning Department, right? MS. KEKAI: Yeah, not the Property Tax Office per se. It will be online, but I think it'll be similar to our permitting system in the sense that you put in the application and then it would be get reviewed by both Finance and Planning. So, Planning is looking at the land use and Finance is looking at your tax clearance. MR. ONISHI: So, during our discussion prior, you know, months ago, because I don't remember all this coming up. So, I think that's where, you know, the testifier mentioned confusion. Because I asked about what is this whole thing about. And they said, basically, just to register people who are doing TAR's right. So, kind of simple, cut and dry, right? You' re running an operation, you go and register. But now, it's getting a little bit more complicated, but also fine- tuning how the system is going to work, I guess. MS. KEKAI: Yeah, I think we're trying to keep it as simplified as possible. We are definitely just asking the question, what information does the County need to make this successful. And so, that first layer is the registration we need the people to come in to register. MR. ONISHI: Okay, so, to me, I would believe you put, you know, everything in line, right, before you implement. To me it's like a piecemeal, right, and that's when, when we got to service the public, they get confused. Because then, we talk, they listen to our meetings, we mention certain things; then they feel okay, that's how it's supposed to be. But then when they go and do their part, then they find, okay, this has got to do this, got to do that, and can be confusing at times, right? So, I don't know how we can make it more understandable or how we can reach out to those. Because I mean, the testifier, I think he also mentioned about other issues, right, that's facing those that, I guess, want to register. Now, I mean, everybody's got to conform into the regulations of Planning, Building, and so forth, right? And until they get that, then they cannot register, right? But I think that part was to me, cut and dry, because you have to be legal in order to be able to register or do business. Page 4 PCPLUED-20 November 4, 2025 So, then, with this extension, for the public to know, like July 1" of 2026, then we're going to start implementing or requiring everyone to be registered or to register, is that correct? MS. KEKAI: That's my understanding, yes. MR. ONISHI: I want a firmer answer than that. MS. KEKAI: Yes. We will be opening registration on July I". And on to your point as well, though, we'll be providing education. You know, we'll be creating —I think with any new adoption, right, there will be forms to fill out, there will be a process to follow. And that is all being created. So, we'll make sure to provide. MR. ONISHI: That's why, too, as you just mentioned, it's being created, right? MS. KEKAI: Well, I mean the system is being created, and the form is being drafted. MR. ONISHI: But you would think, prior to when we implement, these would already be worked out. Because when you pass the legislation, it could be all set, right, for the public? MS. KEKAI: So, it's the chicken and the egg thing, right? Because I can try and set a form, but if you guys set a different law, then why am I setting a form to be written. MR. ONISHI: No, but just working within the Legislative and Executive Branch working together, right, to make this work. And that's all I've got to say. MS. KEKAI: Continuing conversations, which we are having with both the Council and the other departments involved. MR. ONISHI: You know, for me being in government for a while also, like with the Governor's,Offrce with Safe Travels and all this stuff, I just have to say, good luck. And hopefully things work out. I yield. CHR. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Council Member. Council Member Kagiwada. And I just also want to note the presence of our Planning Director, Jeff Darrow. MS. KAGIWADA: Thank you, Chair. I just wanted to follow-up on what you were saying earlier about the reason behind having that data and collecting that data. It's just so important that we understand what's happening in our community with trends and changes as well. Page 5 PCPLUED-20 November 4, 2025 If all of a sudden a lot more people are wanting to do these, or a lot fewer are wanting to do this. You know, it's really important that we have this data so we can understand what's going on in the community. So, I see a lot of value in collecting the data and having the contractor that would do this. I am happy to support this amendment, although I'd really like to see it sooner. But if you say that we can do it in this amount of time, then I'm happy to back this at this time. 'Thank you. CHR. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you. Anyone else? And just for your edification, Council Member Onishi, Council Member Kimball and I hosted a webinar in September. You can find a copy at hawwaiicountytar.com. There's a copy of the ordinance, and Section 6-45 lists all the pieces of information that are going to be required as part of the registration. So, folks know well in advance the kind of information that is expected of them. I've also asked the Planning Department to provide examples. When you read something like a site drawing, it can either be very simple or complicated. So, just providing the public with examples so that they know exactly what is expected of them. We are planning to do another webinar as we get closer to going live with this registration process. And we'll want to do that in concert with Finance and Planning, so that we're all singing on the same song sheet. So, more information to come, but hawaiicountytar.com has all the information related to the TAR ordinance. Seeing no other lights on, we'll go for the vote. All those in favor please say, "aye." Any opposed? Vote on Bill 98: The motion to recommend passage of Bill 98 on first (Approved) reading was carried by the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Galimba, Hustace, Kagiwada, Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Onishi, Villegas, and Chair Kierkiewicz — 7. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Members Inaba and Kimball — 2. Excused: None. CHR. KIERKIEWICZ: Bill 98 is forwarded to Council with a favorable recommendation. That brings to the end of the agenda. We are adjourned at 11:21 a.m. Thank you, everyone. Page 6 PCPLUED-20 ADJOURN- MENT: Approved: November 4, 2025 There being no further business, Chair Kierkiewicz adjourned the meeting at 11:21 a.m. A GIs Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, Chair Policy Committee on Planning, Land Use, and Economic Development AK/dt Ae (0 .10 oor (Date) Page 7