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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0371.003 2004-2006 Kailua Village Merchants Association The Eclectic Craftsman Kona Marketplace 75-5720 Alii Drive C-110 Kailua -Kona, Hawaii 96740 334-0562 phone 331-0562 Eric von Platen Luder Past President of Kona- Kohala Chamber of Commerce Huggo's 75-5828 Kahaka Rd Kailua Kona, Hawaii 96740 Dear Mr. Eric, The Kailua Village Merchants Association would like to extend our sincere appreciation for all the efforts and diligent work you have done in the past two years to make the birth of Kailua Village Business Improvement District happen. The businesses in Kailua Village support this Business Improvement District and will support its development for changing our village to an improved destination for visitors and residents. Kailua Village has for a number of years needed improvements and repairs and this Business Improvement District will serve this village well. We are in dire need of more security, better roads, more lighting, better walkways, new landscaping, and the list could continue. We welcome the final approval of this Business Improvement District and appreciate the County Councilors and the Mayor's effort in moving forward for Kailua Village's renewal improvements. Mahalo. We look forward to working with you in the future. Please feel free to call upon our association. Respectfully, Marie Aguilar President Kailua Village Merchants Association 2 Comm. No. I. 3 ~?ef. To: P~su~ ~j .t our 2 July 29, 2005 To Whom It May Concern: Re: Transmits resolutions 139-05, 140-05 Kailua-Kona is the pulse of West Hawaii and an important economic engine for the economy of all of Hawaii Island. However, over the past several years, the village has lost some of its luster and even received "bad press" from national media. As a recommended "must-see" stop for island visitors, a shopping destination for thousands of island residents daily and a hubbub of important business activity, Kailua-Kona deserves attention. The Business Improvement District designation and its associated purposes are key to give needed direction for and improvements to Kailua-Kona town. The immediate hiring of an Executive Director for this purpose would mean that this vital area of our island receives much needed attention. Please offer your support for Transmits Resolutions 139-05 and 140-05. Mahalo, Vicky Kometani PO Box 213 Hawi, HI 96719 884-5003 t+,~ Harry Kim ~ ~ Christopher J. Yuen Mayor p Oveclar ~ . r Roy R. Takemoto .,h_w.N' t~ Deyuty Director County of Hawaii PLANNING DEPARTMENT 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3 Hilo, Hawaii 96720-3043 (808)961-8288 Fax (808) 961-8742 November 4, 2004 Mr. Eric von Platen Luder 75-5828 Kahakai Road Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740 Dear Mr. von Platen Luder: Kailua Village Design Commission Meeting of October 5, 2004 Presentation on Creating a Business Improvement District for Kailua-Kona Thank you for making the presentation to the Kailua Village Design Commission on creating a Business Improvement District (BID) for Kailua Village. We appreciated seeing the Power Point presentation on how a BID was created for Waikiki, and your presentation on what has been and what needs to be done to create a BID for Kailua Village. The County of Hawaii and this Design Commission are supportive of the efforts to create a BID for Kailua Village, and applaud your work in helping to make Kailua Village a better place to work and live. Sincerely, MAILE B. MELROSE, Chairman Kailua Village Design Commission nWM ca Chris Yuen, Planning Director Peter Hendricks, Deputy Managing Director Planning Dept.-West Hawaii Office PiKVDC\Corresp\2004\LKVDC von Platen Luder.doc limvai S Coanty rs an Equa(Opporlunrty Provider and Employer WAIKIKI IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION Statement of Rick Egged, President W sikiki Improvement Association To the County of Hawaii Finance Committee Thursday, July 22, 2004 In consideration of Bill 280 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE HAWAI°I COUNTY CODE 1983 (1995 EDITION) BY ADDING A NEW CHAPTER RELATING TO BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS Good Afternoon Chair Chung and members of the Committee. I am Rick Egged, President of the Waikiki Improvement Association (WIA), I apologize for being unable to attend today's meeting. I attempted to adjust my schedule to make this hearing but was unable to do so. I was asked on short notice to represent Waikiki at an event in Shanghai and the dates and flight schedules did not allow me to be present today. A business improvement district is a proven tool for the revitalization of a specific area combing the strengths of government and the private sector. A business improvement district is a designated sector where business and property owners organize themselves to provide specific services not otherwise provided by the city. Safety and security, sidewalk cleaning, landscape maintenance, visitor information, events, promotions and parking are some of the most commonly provided services. The BID is a tool that provides the business community with the means to address local needs. The businesses and property owners pay assessments in order to fund and mange these supplemental services. There are over 1200 BIDS across the country including districts in Baltimore, Denver, Portland, Los Angeles, San Francisco, ,and the most well known of New York City's forty-one business improvement districts Tirnes Square. The Waikiki BID has played an important role in our revitalization effort. In 1999, WIA worked with the State Legislature to create the law allowing the counties to form BIDS in Hawaii. The following year the City and County of Honolulu passed its ordinance enabling BIDS and immediately thereafter created Hawaii's first BID in Waikiki. I have read the minutes of June 14"' Finance Committee Meeting. I have also read the memo from Ms. Constance R. Kiriu, the Legislative Auditor addressing the committee's questions. I agree with her comments and recommendations. Waikiki Improvement Association 2255 Kuhio Avenue Suite 760 Honolulu, HI 96815 Inquires: 8 8. 23.1094 p ones, 08.9 2 ax emat : wai i nmprovement.com First let me say that the BTD is only one part of the effort to revitalize Waikiki albeit an important part. The Waikiki BID cleans and washes the sidewalks making them positively spazkle; it maintains the landscaping so that plantings aze always beautiful, bright and fresh. The BID provides an Aloha Patrol that provides security on the sidewalks and beaches as well as hospitality and visitor information. The key point is that the BID provides additional or supplemental services to those provided by the county. It does not replace county services. A business improvement district is similar to other types of improvement districts but differs in that it is an ongoing operational entity rather than only a one time capitol improvement project and has much greater flexibility as to the type of activity that can be conducted. The improvement district association develops a plan to provide the supplemental services the members' desire. A budget and method of assessment aze determined based on need and affordability. That plan would come before the council and the Mayor for approval. Any change to services method of assessment or budget increase higher than 10% would have to come back before the Council and Mayor. The county collects the agreed upon assessments as stated in the district plan and provides he funds directly to the district association. The county is not contracting to the district association to provide services. State Law, HRS 46-80.5 (g), specifically stipulates that "any board or association established for the purposes of carrying out the activities described in this section shall not be deemed a governmental body, The board and association shall neither be deemed to be a govemment depaztment, agency, or a county not to be performing services on behalf of a govemment department, agency or county." In consultation with the State Attorney General and State Procurement Officer this was deemed the best way of clearly stating that all laws and requirements of government agencies such as civil service laws and the state procurement law do not apply to a district association. The county is indeed empowering the business community in a designated district with the means to assess themselves and provide the funds to accomplish the agreed upon mission. Another point raised on June 14"' was whether the district needed to be contiguous. The district need not be contiguous there are other districts that for various geographic reasons are not contiguous. There merely needs to be a general commonality of benefit, need and proximity. Hopefully, my testimony and that of the Legislative Auditor addressed the committees concerns but if more information is required 1 would be happy to attend the next meeting of the committee and in any case will attend the next council proceeding on the bill. Thank-you for the opportunity to provide these comments.