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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0648.024 1996-1998 JNir-Oi „1~ . o.• Stephen K. Yamashiro Richard Wurdeman Mayor Gnpurntion Cnunsrl 4L H~ J 11E Of-Mr's ~D1ITi~'~T D~ ~ttfll~itt OFFICE OF THE CORPORATION COUNSEL IOI Aupuni Street, Sui[e J25 • Milo, Ilawai'i 96720-4262 • (80A) 96I-A 251 • I°ax (BOA) 96 L8622 31 March 1998 ~ ~ Otte...-,-_--~1- gb._~..-....__. County Camcil_'-""" TO: HONORABLE AL SMITH Vice Chair, Hawaii County Council r /i FROM: RICHARD D. WURDEMAN~// Corporation Counsel SUBJECT: BILL_186, DRAFT 4 TO REZONE _PROPERTY OF APPLICANT KAMEHAMEHA INVEST_ME_NT CORPORATION IN KEAUHOU-KONA, T_MK: 7--8-10: PORTION OF 2 This is in response to your questions regarding the above-noted bill. There has been a proposed amendment to the bill which would state that any "fair share" contributions paid by the applicants shall be ..."expended within the region impacted by the proposed development, subject to the approval of the director. It is entirely within the authority of the Council to make such a determination, so long as it has factual basis. You have verbally expressed concerns about the use of the term "region" in the ordinance, and inquired about its meaning. Our response is that "region" is vague and not well defined, and should be replaced with something more definite. There is no standard legal definition of "region", nor is it defined in the Hawaii County Code. In case law, there are decisions interpretiny and defining "region", but it is in the context of the use of the word in the statute. Hawaii County Code merely states that all words and phrases shall be construed and understood according to the common and approved usage of the language. Hawaii County Code §1-2(a)(1). Dictionary definitions of "region" usually tend towards words Oo~ ?ta P11. its ZN6/KN ~Preson oa covwu~ wt. ~ 1~._._: +'~fonorable Al Smith 31 March 1998 Page # like "area" or other such boundaryless terms. It would be preferable for the proposed language of the amendment to state what is meant by the "region impacted" by the development and put in the bill. For example, the area could be described by judicial district (South Kona) or by Ahupua'a (eg: Kainaliu to Ka'awaloa, inclusive). Please contact this office if there are any questions. RDW:1849Lbre