REP PWPC 007 01/21/1997 1996-1998

Home

----_..a REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS AND PARKS DATE: January 21, 1997 RE: COMM. NO. 76 PLACE: Councilroom TIME: 9:00 a.m. Chair and Members Hawaii County Council Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Your Committee on Public Works and Parks, to which was referred Communication No. 76 and attached Bill No. 26, reports as follows: The purpose of Bill No. 26 is to amend Chapter 24, Article 7, Section 24-153.4(a)(1) by adding language which provides that permits for construction projects shall be submitted at least fourteen days before the date of the activity. This would create an exception from the usual application deadline, which is 30 days prior to the date of the proposed event or activity, for construction activities. Communication No. 76 is a letter from Chief Engineer Donna Fay K. Kiyosaki, dated December 27, 1996, which transmits Bill No. 26 to the Council for its consideration. In Communication No. 76, the Chief Engineer states that the requirement to apply for a road closure permit at least thirty days prior to the proposed action is not reasonable for construction projects. She further states that after meeting with a representative of the Police Department, the Department of Public Works concluded that the submittal date for construction projects should be fourteen days instead of thirty. In addition to the information contained in Communication No. 76, Your Committee also considered testimony from Mr. Richard Nishimura of the County of Hawaii's Department of Public Works' Traffic Division and Sgt. Jay Enanoria of the Hawaii County Police Department. Mr. Nishimura and Sgt. Enanoria both expressed that unpredictable weather changes as well as delays in equipment shipments have resulted in the abrupt halting of construction projects. The proposed fourteen day notification period would assist the Public Works Department in rescheduling these projects. During discussion it was noted that this amendment only applies to construction projects. All other road closure permit applications must be filed 30 days before the requested closure date.