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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN PCHSW 2026/04/21 (2024-2026)Policy Committee on Health, Safety, and Well-being 7" Session West Hawaii Civic Center 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway, Building A Kailua-Kona, Hawaii April 21, 2026 CALL TO The regular meeting of the Policy Committee on Planning, Safety, and ORDER: Well-being was called to order at 10:21 a.m., in the Council Chambers, Kailua-Kona, by Dennis "Fresh" Onishi, Chair. ROLL CALL: Present: Mr. Dennis "Fresh" Onishi, Chair Ms. Heather L. Kimball, Vice Chair (via videoconference from Hilo) Ms. Michelle M. Galimba, Member Mr. James E. Hustace, Member Ms. Jenn Kagiwada, Member (via videoconference from Hilo; came in later) Mr. Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Member (came in later) Ms. Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, Member (via videoconference from Hilo) Ms. Rebecca Villegas, Member (came in later) Absent & Excused: Mr. Holeka Goro Inaba, 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.) BILLS FOR The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, ORDINANCES: Bills for Ordinances. Bill 148: DESIGNATES TAX MAP KEY: 6-6-001:010 AS "LA`ELA`E PARK", AMENDS CHAPTER 15, ARTICLE 8, SECTION 15-68.1, AND AMENDS CHAPTER 14, ARTICLE 1, SECTION 14-1 OF THE HAWAI`I COUNTY CODE 1983 (2016 EDITION, AS AMENDED), RELATING TO PARKS AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES Adds La`ela`e Park, located in Waimea, to the Parks and Recreational Facility Schedule and to Section 14-1 of the County Code, which prohibits the consumption of alcohol at any time. Reference: Comm.819 Intr. by: Council Member Hustace PCHS W-7 April 21, 2026 Motion to Approve: Mr. Hustace moved to recommend passage of Bill 148 on first reading. Seconded by Ms. Galimba. CHR. ONISHI: Mr. Hustace. MR. HUSTACE: Thank you, Chair. Grateful to present this to the Council for consideration. This has been kind of an ongoing process in identifying if a name for a future park space on the west side of Waimea. It's a space that was a State property that is now County property. And it sits near Waiaka Bridge, on the west side of Waimea, between the Waimea transfer station and the Sandalwood subdivision. So there's a green space there that acts kind of like a buffer. It'll be a future park space, an opportunity to connect to the Waimea Stream Trail, and will provide other recreational facilities in that area, away from the known parks within the Waimea community. So I'm working with a number of community members, and particularly with Kumu Micah Kamohoali`i, identifying this park space. Given its location in Waimea as La`ela`e Park, signifying the pu`u that sits directly north of this park space, as Pu`u La`ela`e, so this will be that namesake of the area. There's a beautiful piece and snippet in the bill itself, pointed to the mo`olelo of the area about their kua or god, Makuakuamana, who lived in the Kohala mountains and pursued Wao, who is a goddess of the waters of Kohala. And while pregnant, Wao often chose to climbed Pu`u La`ela`e to birth her children, and her attendants would roll stones down that hill to delineate the area as kapu, where the maka`ainana and the kaua were forbidden from entering that space during that birthing process. And so in these mo`olelo, the children of Makuakuamana and Wao would later become the ruling ali`i of Waimea, the chiefs of Waimea. And for these reasons, Pu`u La`ela`e is oftened referred as the "ka pali kapu o na ali`i o Waimea," or the sacred hill of the chiefs of Waimea. So for that namesake, and Pu`u La`ela`e, we've decided with, in consort with Kumu Micah, to name this space as La`ela`e Park. So that will be a future park space in the Waimea, looking forward to working with Parks and Recreation to identify the needs in that area. So, thank you for the consideration and appreciate your support. CHR. ONISHI: Okay. That's awesome information. Okay anyone in Hilo have any comments? Okay, hearing none. Kona? Okay, all those in favor of approving Bill 148 with a favorable recommendation to the full Council, please say "aye." Those opposed? Page 2 PCHS W-7 Vote on Bill 148: (Approved) ADJOURN- MENT: Approved April 21, 2026 The motion to recommend passage of Bill 148 on first reading was carried by the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Galimba, Hustace, Kagiwada, Kimball, Kierkiewicz, and Chair Onishi — 6. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Members Inaba, Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, and Villegas — 3. Excused: None. CHR. ONISHI: This ends our meeting. The time is 10:25 a.m. We're adjourned. There being no further business, Chair Onishi adjourned the meeting at 10:25 a.m. Mr. Dennisesh"Onishi, Chair Policy Committee on Health, Safety, and Well-being DO/mp MAY 13 2026 (Date) Page 3