HomeMy WebLinkAboutREP PC 023 07/06/2011 2010-2012DATE: July 6, 2011 Re: Comm. No. 235/Bill No. 62
PLACE: Council Chambers
Hawaii County Building
25 Aupuni St.,
Hilo, Hawaii
TIME: 1:44 p.m.
Council Chair and Members
Hawaii County Council
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Your Committee on Planning, to which was referred Bill No. 62, reports as follows:
Bill No. 62, transmitted by Mayor William P. Kenoi, via Communication No. 235 dated
June 2, 2011, is an Ordinance amending Chapter 25, Article 2, Division 4, Section 25 -2 -46 of the
Hawaii County Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as amended), relating to addition of Civil Defense sirens
to concurrency requirements.
Hawaii County Civil Defense Administrator Quince Mento stated that this legislation is
groundbreaking and that the County of Hawaii might be the first in the state to make sirens a
concurrency requirement. He expressed thanks to the Planning Department and the County Council
for their part -in this legislation.
Councilmember Smart stated that a testifier questioned why legislation was necessary and asked if
Mr. Mento would ex plain the need and give an update of recent situations where sirens were not
heard that would support the need for this legislation.
Mr. Mento explained that sirens represent one method of notification and are a very important piece
of the overall plan. He stated that sirens are mainly used for tsunami warnings, with an emphasis on
coastal and other high risk areas. He also explained that if one siren goes off they all do. but they are
looking into future upgrades that would allow regional alerts. He also noted that mass notification
messages are another important method to warn the public and help to notify areas where sirens
cannot be heard.
Councilmember Ford stated this is a public safety issue and asked the status of the state's plans for
new siren. installations.
Mr. Mento did not know the exact status but stated that it is still active.
Councilmember Yagong noted that this bill would amend the concurrency section and asked if it
would be redundant if existing sirens were in place.
PC Rept. No. 23