HomeMy WebLinkAboutREP LAAC 036 2026-04-07 2024-2026REPORT OF THE
LEGISLATIVE APPROVALS AND ACQUISITIONS COMMITTEE
DATE: April 7, 2026
PLACE: Council Chambers
Hilo, Hawaii
TIME: 10:55 a.m.
Council Chair and Members
Hawaii County Council
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Re: Comm. No. 794/Res. No. 499-26
Your Committee on Legislative Approvals and Acquisitions, to which was referred Resolution
No. 499-26, reports as follows:
Resolution No. 499-26, transmitted by Deputy Corporation Counsel Sinclair Salas-Ferguson, via
Communication No. 794, dated March 5, 2026, authorizes and directs the Director of Finance to
exchange real property identified as portions of Tax Map Key: 2-8-010:999, situated at Honomu,
South Hilo, for public roadway and public access purposes.
The County seeks the exchange of property with the Stella May Swain Trust to align and
straighten Wailele Road and ensure public access to the Hilo Forest Reserve.
Committee Chair Heather L. Kimball shared that both the landowner and their attorney are
available on Zoom; however, the landowner's planning consultant, Daryn Arai, was not able
to attend but sent his letter via testimony. In addition, the Department of Public Works
representative is present in chambers. Ms. Kimball shared that these types of scenarios
unfortunately occur quite frequently in Council District 1, with the ground road not matching with
the road on the plat maps. She further shared that this is an arduous process, and as the letter from
the landowner provided, it speaks of the challenges of decades of long processes to finally get to
this last step to resolve this matter. Ms. Kimball concluded that these efforts can serve as a
learning tool to better expeditiously process similar actions in the future.
Your Committee on Legislative Approvals and Acquisitions is in accord with the purpose and
intent of Resolution No. 499-26, and recommends its adoption.
dbk
AYES
NOES
ABS
EX
GALIMBA
X
HUSTACE
X
INABA
X
KAGIWADA
X
KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER
X
KIERKIEWICZ
X
KIMBALL
X
ONISHI
X
VILLEGAS
X
Respectfully submitted,
COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE
�APPROVALS AND ACQUISITIONS
"LEATHER L KIMBALL, CHAIR
LAAC REPORT NO.: 36
ADOPTED: APR 2 2 2026