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<br /> <br /> <br /> vva~ <br /> <br /> Stephen IC Yantashiro <br /> Mayor <br /> <br /> <br /> Gaunt d ~1TUU <br /> <br /> BOARD OF APPEALS <br /> 25 Aupuni Street, Room 109 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720-4252C` ,l, <br /> (8M)%1-8288 • Fax (808) %1-9615 <br /> March 30, 1998 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Honorable James Y. Arakaki, Chairman <br /> and Members of the County Council, County of Hawaii <br /> 25 Aupuni Street <br /> Hilo, Hawaii 96720 <br /> <br /> Dear Chairman Arakaki and Members: <br /> <br /> At their meeting on March 13, 1998, the members of the Board of Appeals voted to <br /> express their concerns to the County Council regarding Bill No. 211; the proposed Charter <br /> amendments relating to the Planning Director, Planning Commission and Board of Appeals. <br /> <br /> The Bill proposes to move the Board of Appeals from the Planning Department to the <br /> Office of the Corporation Counsel for administrative purposes, to "clearly separate the functions <br /> of the decision-making body and the appellate body." The Board has not been informed of the <br /> specific reasons behind the need for such increased "separation," and submits the following for <br /> your consideration. <br /> <br /> The Planning Department staff who provide administrative support for the Board perform <br /> purely clerical and administrative services and do not provide substantive input for the Board's <br /> <br /> use. They primarily handle the Board's correspondence, scheduling, and recordkeeping. <br /> Therefore, we do not see significant potential for conflicts of interest or confusion which might <br /> require that these functions be more "clearly separated" from other Planning Department <br /> functions. <br /> <br /> On the other hand, the Board has come to deeply appreciate and depend on the efficiency <br /> created by having support staff who are based in the Planning Department. Having staff with <br /> direct and immediate access to the necessary Planning Department and Planning Commission <br /> files enables swift and accurate compilation of documents for review. If these functions were <br /> removed to the Office of the Corporation Counsel, this accuracy and efficiency would disappear, <br /> and an additional layer of bureaucratic interface may be created. The Board has come to rely <br /> upon the professional competence and efficiency of Rodney Nakano, Sharon Nomura, and other <br /> Planning Department staff. <br /> <br /> <br /> ro-'UL2L ll~ <br /> <br /> APR <br /> n,<,.,__ <br />