HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0538.001 2004-2006 r°
Harry Kim ~~4:`>~`k~ag. Lincoln S.T. Ashida
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Gerald Takase
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--~~.~g Counsel
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COUN°~~ O~ I-I~W~I`I
OFFICE Off` ~'I~E COI~FO~~'T'ION COU'®t,~LL
101 Aupuni Street, Suite 325 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720-4202 • X08) 961-8251 • Fax (808) 961-8622
MEMO~~NDUM
TO: Stacy K. Higa, Chair, and
Members of the 1{awai`i County Council
FROM: Amy G. Self ~
Deputy Corporation Counsel
DATE: November 17, 2005
SUBJECT: Bill No. 171, Draft 2, to amend Chapter 2, Article 42, Hawai~ i County Code 1983
(2005 Edition), relating to the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources
Preservation Commission
Bill No. 171, Draft 2 amends Bill No. 171, Draft 1 to change the language in Section 2-217(1) to
read as follows:
"Section 2-217, Duties and responsibilities of the commission.
The duties and responsibilities of this commission are;
(1) To develop and submit to the mayor, an initial island-wide prioritised list of qualifying
lands worthy of preservation within six ~~Yias of being c~~tirmed to the commission by the
council...."
Ordinance No. OS 85 and Bill No. 171, Draft 1 required the list to be developed within six months
of appointment of the commission. The commission members were appointed by the mayor on
August 31, 2005. This means that under Ordinance No. OS 85 and Bill No. 171, Draft 1, the
commission would be required to have the list developed by the end of February 2006. By
changing the language to "six months of being confirmed to the commission by the council," the list
will not be due until April 5, 2006, since the commission members were confirmed by the council
on October 5, 2005. This minor amendment would greatly assist the commissioners to achieve their
ultimate goal.
When the commissioners met for the first time on Monday, November 14, 2005, they expressed
concern over the short time ~~rame within which to develop the list because they want to have
enough time to thoroughly ?•~°::~earch and process information regarding various lands before
developing the list. Althougl=r the commissioners agree with the six months time frame for
developing the list, under Bill No. 171, as presently written, the commissioners only have
approximately three and a half months left to develop the list.
Co~~~a. No. ~
Ref. To: `?,~.:_>:~k~$
Stacy K. Higa, Chair
Hawaii County Council
November 17, 2005
Page
Based on my observations during the meeting, these commissioners are taking their roles very
seriously and are intent on producing a well researched prioritized list of lands worthy of
preservation. They exhibited a willingness to work hard to accomplish their goal by electing a chair
and vice chair, organizing committees for information gathering purposes, scheduling two
commission meetings per month, and more, all during their first meeting, which began at 10:00 a.m.
and ended at 3:30 p.m. and included approximately four hours of training.
In support of their efforts to produce a thorough and well researched list, I offered to try to have Bill
No. U 1 amended to extend the time frame for developing the list. The commissioners were
immediately relieved at the prospect of having additional time. After reviewing Bill No. 171, Draft
1, I determined that the easiest way to accomplish this would be to change the language to indicate
the date of confirmation by counsel as the beginning date for counting the six months time frame.
By doing so, the six months deadline would be on April 5, 2006, rather than the end of February.
Based on the foregoing, I respectfully request your support for Bill No. 171, Draft 2.
Should you have any questions, please call mc.