HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0578.001 1996-1998 .r~ .
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Honorable James Arakaki, Chairman November 25, 1997
& Council Members
Hawaii County Council
25 Aupuni St. ~ i~~~ _ ; , , , . I
Hilo, HI 96720
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Dear Chairman Arakaki & Council Members: CCU.: ~ ,
As you are aware, the Hilo Downtown Improvement Association (DIA) has been
focusing a lot of their attention to Downtown Hilo's parking situation. The only answer
that they keep coming up with is to eliminate the parking meters.
The whole intent is to have everything free for Downtown Improvement
Association basically the landlords of the buildings downtown.
1. If you were to rent a store space in Prince Kuhio Plaza you would also pay for
common area maintenance which include:
A. Parking lot cleanup.
B. Lighting of Parking Area.
C. Security for Parking Area.
D. Striping of Parking Stalls.
E. Maintenance of Sewage Treatment Plant.
F. Mall area cleanup.
G. Restroom facility and cleanup.
H. Mall area lighting.
I Paving of Parking Areas.
J. Information counter.
Eventually all these extra services are passed on to the Consumer in forms of
higher prices.
1 a. If you were to rent a store space in downtown:
A. No Common Area Maintenance Fee.
B. Free Parking Area Lighting..
C. Free Street Cleanup.
D. Free Security, County Police Officers on duty.
E. Free Paving of Parking Area.
F. Free Striping of Parking Stalls.
G. Free Street Side Trash Can Service.
H. Free Information Booth by bus terminal.
I. Free Benches and Planter Pots.
J. Free Landscaping of Trees and Lawn. a~
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All these free services are coming at the County of Hawaii expense. Now they
want free parking too.
The Parking Meter Section of the County of Hawaii has an important role in
downtown Hilo.
1. Revenue's from Parking Meters Pays for:
A. Salaries of three parking meter staff.
B. Signs in the downtown area.
C. Striping of Parking Stalls.
D. Paving and improvements to parking areas.
E. All Parking Meters, and parts.
F. The Purchase of Punahoa extension to Furneaux Lane.
2. If the meters are eliminated who will pay theses areas of improvements?
3. Currently people are paying landlords between $25.00 to $35.00 a month for
private parking stalls. Parking in public stalls costs between $10.00 to
$12.00
a month.
4. The DIA feels that free parking will increase revenues and sales tax, but
County only receives revenue from property taxes and not sales tax.
5. To date there has been inadequate enforcement of meters but with no meters
there wouldn't be any enforcement, unless the police started enforcement. If
we would enact total enforcement as DIA wants, wouldn't you chase
customers away from downtown (police state).
6. What is the major function of the DIA and what is their general plan for
downtown Hilo. Is Parking Meters their only concern?
7. Our own study shows that with the free Mooheau parking plan increased
parking usage by only 5 cars. The rest of the vehicles parked there
before the free parking took effect. Parking Meter Section has lost revenues
of approximately $1,000 a month, after the free parking was implemented.
8. There are only two (2) days a week that section is busy on Wednesday and
Saturday. The only people making out is the people at the swap meet.
The major issue isn't the meters but there isn't enough Long Term Parking (8 hr.)
parking stalls. More effort should be given into finding someplace to make a parking
complex to increase the parking so that employers and employees will not use the
stalls meant for customers.
= s-
The parking rates in Hilo are really resonable : $.05 for 30 minutes, $.10 for 1
hour for short term parking and $.05 for 1 hour and $.10 for 2 hours. In Honolulu
parking is $.25 for 15 minutes in town and at the Honolulu Zoo and that is 7 days a
week.
My recommendation is to looking into a parking complex in the area on Kilauea
Avenue just makai side of Western Store and possibly a second level to the mauka
side of the Hilo Armory parking lot. Both these areas would greatly improve the
downtown parking situation.
Thank you very much for your time.
Yours truly,
-~~s11~~9,~
Paul T. Ochi
Parking Meter Section Supervisor
cc: Chief Engineer
DPW-TRF