HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0370.011 2000-2002 ~ILI.. 225
DI~~T 5
AN OFD®II~AfVC AM~~tNG CHASTER 22, ®F THE IH~9l1o~A911 C(~t1NT1' CODS 1993
(1995 EDI°flt~~l~, R~ATI{N~ T~ SfiREIETS AND SIDEWALKS
~Y J®ANN C. Y£~SEI14I0I21
S~ECIALIS°T ®(9€~ifERIV1~AENTAL AFFe~aII2S
`~ERI~®i~ I-tAVYAII
I~E~RUARY 21, 2002
Chair Arakaki and Members of the Hawaii County Council:
I am JoAnn Yosemori, submitting testimony on behalf of Verizon Hawaii on Bill
225, Draft 5, "AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTEl4 22, OF THE HAWAII COUNTY
CODE 193, RELATING TO STREETS AND SIDEWALKS."
~un~~l~~v
This bill creates a new chapter to define and regulate construction within County
streets; and uses within or adjacent to a County street that are not an integral part of its
infrastructure or necessary for safe and lawful operation on the street. This measure
also mandates the naming of all streets and the numbering of all houses and
commercial buildings within the County.
Verizon Hawaii supports this bill with the following modification: an amendment
to delete the second sentence of subsection (h) for Secfion 22-4.~. Constrcaction
permits; conditions, which requires the construction of new curb-cuts for persons with
disabilities, accessible driveways or other improvements such that all repair, restoration
or replacement work comply with the current requirements of the Americans with
Disabilities Act regardl~ss.~~ ~~cisti~ condifions.
~~M~ _
File ~~s~.
~pf. ~o:
~s~f. T3~¢~~ ~ Lld
I~TI~NAL
Verizon Hawaii opposes the current language proposed in this bill because it
does not take into account existing circumstances that will require an enormous amount
of resources and conditions such as the condemnation of land and/or infrastructure in
order to address this mandate. It also does not allow for the director of public works to
determine on a case-by-case basis whether the overall costs to the consumer is greater
than the project itself or if the project is even feasible. Sy requiring the applicant, in this
case, Verizon Hawaii, to undertake the expense of ,A®A compliance when carrying out
any project-for repair, restoration, or replacement of a county street without taking into
consideration the overall costs of possible land and infrastructure condemnation, the
movement of right-of-ways, or possibly the transferring of easements, will equate to
direct costs passed on to the consumers, in this case, the residents of Hawaii County in
the form of higher utility rates.
~~~~~~S~~IV
Verizon Hawaii respectfully requests that this bill be passed with the
deletion of this requirement in Section 22-4.~, subsection (h). Thank you for the
opportunity to submit testimony on this matter.