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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0836.001 2004-2006 Harry Kim Lincoln S.T. Ashida Mayor Corporation Counsel Gerald Takase COUNTY OF HAWAII Assistant Corporation Counsel OFFICE OF THE CORPORATION COUNSEL 101 Aupuni Street, Suite 325 - Hilo, Hawai'i 967204262 • (808) 961-8251 - Fax (808) 961.8622 April 28, 2006 Chairman Stacy Higa and Member of the Hawaii County Council 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Chairman Higa and Councilmembers: Re: Local Redevelopment Authority Base Realignment and Closure SFC Minoru Kunieda U.S. Army Reserve Center 470 W. Lanikaula Street, Hilo, Hawaii This is in response to Councilmembers' request for further information re Resolution No. 322-06. Summary Background Information: The Army Reserve Center on Lanikaula Street in South Hilo is scheduled for closure under the latest Base Realignment and Closure Report (BRAC). By May 9, 2006, the Army will decide if any other federal agency wants this facility. If no other federal agency wants this facility, the County has the option of either submitting a plan for reuse and redevelopment of the facility by forming a local redevelopment authority or it can leave the creation of the reuse and redevelopment plan up to the Army. If the plan is left up to the Army, then the County will only have a consulting role. Should the County decide to form a local redevelopment authority and the local redevelopment authority is recognized by the federal government, there will be grant funds available to assist in developing the reuse and redevelopment plan. The federal deadline for the County to elect an option was April 15, 2006, but due to the Council's schedule, a resolution stating the County's election could not be scheduled in time. The Mayor, therefore, requested by letter that the federal government recognize the County as the local redevelopment authority pending approval by the Council for the creation of a local redevelopment authority in order to preserve the County's options.) What is a local redevelopment authority? The local redevelopment authority is an "agent of the local government which provides leadership to coalesce diverse interests and prepares a reuse consensus-based redevelopment Hawai'i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer comm. 170: envL. I Ref. To•. "C1 Raf. l"C14 Chairman Stacy Higa and Members of the Hawaii County Council Page -2- April 28, 2006 plan."2 32 CFR Part 175.7 states that the membership of the local redevelopment authority is to be broad-based and should include representatives with planning and zoning authority of the local government, area stakeholders, and where applicable, representatives of homeless assistance providers. The primary focus of a local redevelopment authority is the development of a comprehensive plan based on local needs. The plan should recommend land uses based upon an exploration of feasible reuse alternatives.3 Why form a local redevelopment authority? Through the local redevelopment authority process, the County will have an opportunity to gather its community's input on the reuse and redevelopment of the land and facilities located on it. Based on this, the County will be able to recommend its reuse and redevelopment plan to the federal government. Without the local redevelopment authority, the County and the community, through its elective representatives, will only have a role as consultants to a plan developed by the U.S. Army. Thus, the local redevelopment authority would be officially recognized by the Office of Economic Adjustment for this project. Property Description: SFC Minoru Kunieda U.S. Army Reserve Center 420 W. Lanikaula Street, Hilo, County and State of Hawaii 3.76 Acres 3 buildings (totaling 15,801 sq. ft.)--originally built in 1964 Undetermined personal property Stated federal reason for closure: Construction of a multi-component, multifunctional Armed Forces Reserve Center on the Keaukaha Military Reservation, District of South Hilo, County and State of Hawaii. Construction is set for 2008 and the U.S. Army's anticipated abandonment of the Kunieda Reserve Center is 2009-2010 or sooner. Sincerely, CRAI MASUDA Dep ty Corporation Counsel CTM/GT:de S:\dept\finance\ctm misc\Imnieda\Itr council background\4-06\CTMde.doc 1 In March 2006, the Department of Defense Office of Economic Adjustment contacted Mayor Kim advising him that pursuant to the Final Base Realignment and Closure Report submitted to Congress on September 8, 2005, the SFC Minoru Kunieda U.S. Army Reserve Center, Chairman Stacy Higa and Members of the Hawaii County Council Page -3- April 28, 2006 hereinafter "Kunieda Reserve Center," located at 470 W. Lanikaula Street, District of South Hilo, County and State of Hawaii, was subject to closure and disposal by the U.S. Army. Prior to any disposal, the U.S. Army on May 9, 2006 would determine whether the Kunieda Army Reserve Center was surplus to the needs of the federal government. The Office of Economic Adjustment advised that should the U.S. Army declare this property as surplus, the County of Hawaii, as the local government, would have an opportunity to participate in the base closure and disposal process for the real and personal property of the Kunieda Army Reserve Center. The County was given the option to form a local redevelopment authority pursuant to 32 CFR Part 175.7(d) for the purpose of soliciting interest in the planning and reuse of the property. This local redevelopment authority, once recognized by the Office of Economic Adjustment, would report its findings and recommendations for reuse of the real and personal property to the U.S. Army and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for approval. Various grant funding would be available for reuse planning and redevelopment of the property. Alternatively, the County could choose not to form a local redevelopment authority and, in that case, the U.S. Army would solicit interest in the property and decide on the reuse and redevelopment of the property, and the County would only consult on the U.S. Army's plan. The Office of Economic Adjustment's deadline for the County to decide on whether or not to form a local redevelopment authority was April 15, 2006. Due to the Council's schedule, a hearing on the resolution for the formation and recognition of the local redevelopment authority could not be held in time for the April 15, 2006 deadline. Therefore, to preserve the County's options, the Mayor requested local redevelopment authority recognition from the Office of Economic Adjustment pending County Council approval by letter, thus meeting the April 15, 2006 deadline. 2 pg. 8, Organizing for BRAG, Office of Economic Adjustment Department of Defense, December 2005. 3 pg. 5, Organizing for BRAC, Office of Economic Adjustment Department of Defense, December 2005.