Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-05-09.SKCDP.Minutes.Final Mitchell D. Roth Mayor Lee E. Lord Managing Director Zendo Kern Director Jeffrey W. Darrow Deputy Director County of Hawai‘i PLANNING DEPARTMENT SOUTH KOHALA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN ACTION COMMITTEE Aupuni Center • 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3 • Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720 Phone (808) 961-8288 • Fax (808) 961-8742 Hawai‘i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer Page 1 Monday, May 9, 2022 DRAFT Meeting Minutes CALL TO ORDER Chair Smith called the South Kohala Community Development Plan (SKCDP) Action Committee (AC) to order at 5:10 P.M. This meeting was held via the Zoom interactive video platform. The onsite location to view this meeting in-person was in the West Hawaiʻi Civic Center Community Hale, building G. ROLL CALL AC Members Present: Karen Anderson, Pete Hendricks, Kevin McLaughlin (Vice Chair), Scott Nagata, Bill Sanborn, Ruth Smith (Chair) AC Members Absent-Excused: Julia Alos and Mark Gordon County Staff: Heather Bartlett, Keiko Mercado, Elyse Stevens (Long Range Div. Planners); Shawna Blackford (Long Range Div. Staff) 1 member of the public attended the meeting via Zoom. The meeting was also available for synchronous viewing via the COH Planning Department YouTube Livestream. The livestream is available at South Kohala CDP Action Committee Meeting May 9, 2022 - YouTube. ANNOUNCEMENTS: 1. Calendar Events: Chair Smith provided information on upcoming calendar events and community meetings related to the South Kohala District: ● April – July 2022, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM, SKCP Speaker Series – South Kohala Coastal Partnership ● May 10, 2022, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM, South Kohala Traffic Safety Community Meeting ● May 11, 2022, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM, County of Hawaiʻi – Department of Research & Development Information Session at the Waikōloa Village Banquet Room ● May 17, 2022, 5:00 PM, Hawaiʻi County Council – Notice of Public Hearing for FY 2022-2023 Operating and CIP Budget at the Hawaiʻi County Building, Council Chambers ● May 18, 2022, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM, County of Hawaiʻi – Department of Research & Development Information Session at the Waimea Community Center www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov/ CDP@hawaiicounty.gov Page 2 ● May 18, 2022, 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM, Public Meeting Notice – Former Waikōloa Maneuver Area, Restoration Advisory Board Meeting ● June 18, 2022, Firewise Committee in coordination with the County of Hawaiʻi – Practice use of the emergency exit road in Waikōloa ● July 13, 2022, What’s the Scoop on the Poop at Puakō 2. Update on Second Access Road in Waikōloa: Chair Smith informed that Waikōloa Heights, Waikōloa Village Association, and the Kamakoa community, have a memorandum of understanding to grant rights to conduct a feasibility study to develop a second road out of Waikōloa. She shared that the study would be conducted from May 1, 2022 through May 1, 2023. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Committee Member Hendricks made a motion to approve the March 14, 2022 minutes. Motion seconded by Committee Member Anderson. Motion passed with 6 votes aye, 0 votes nay. PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS: One (1) member of the public provided written testimony: Jojo Tanimoto submitted written testimony on agenda item 2, regarding CDP priority projects for the Kawaihae area. See Communication No. 2022-11 and 2022-12 for Ms. Tanimoto’s written testimony https://records.hawaiicounty.gov/Weblink/1/edoc/116548/Communication%20No.%202022- 11%20Jojo%20Tanimoto%20Testimony%20Priority%20Projects%20(Redacted).pdf https://records.hawaiicounty.gov/Weblink/1/edoc/116549/Communication%20No.%202022- 12%20Jojo%20Tanimoto%20Testimony%20CDP%20Additions%20(Redacted).pdf One (1) member of the public provided oral testimony: Margaret Wille, representing herself, testified on agenda item 1. She stressed the importance of prioritizing Federal funding for a connector road from Kawaihae Road to Māmalahoa Highway known as the Waimea Bypass Road. She noted that this project has been put aside and opposed due to the significant funding that would be required. Ms. Wille encouraged the AC to take into account the significance of this road as it would affect all island traffic and access to the Waimea hospital. BUSINESS: 1. Infrastructure Priority Discussion: Ms. Bartlett shared a list of infrastructure projects established by the South Kohala AC as high priority, along with other projects from the South Kohala CDP. She encouraged AC members to discuss all current projects, even those that may not be in the CDP, that are a priority for the district as the landscape has changed since 2008. She shared that this would be an avenue for all Action Committees to provide decision makers with what their AC and community see as priorities for their district. She also encouraged discussion on any projects that may be under State jurisdiction to stimulate cohesion in working together, as all projects would impact the district. Ms. Bartlett shared that the purpose of the discussion is to be prepared for next steps moving forward with regard to the process of negotiating and allocating funds between State and County projects. www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov/ CDP@hawaiicounty.gov Page 3 She noted that staff would provide the AC with notes of the discussion for review and feedback before providing the list of projects to the Planning Director. Chair Smith informed that the item regarding the Puakō evacuation route could be removed from the list as that project was completed. She also noted that the Waiʻaka Bridge project could be added to the list under the Waimea area, but it would be under State jurisdiction. Discussions were had regarding Waimea walkways and bikeways. Committee Member Sanborn informed that there is an agreement to improve the Waimea Trails and Greenways, by having the trail go across Lindsey Road, past Parker School, and connect to Church Row. Committee Members Sanborn and Hendricks shared information on a government road in limbo that starts behind Church Row and connects to Mānā Road and the forest reserve. They noted that utilizing it as a connector road would be a nice extension to the trails and greenways. Committee Member Hendricks also noted that the next immediate phase of the project would be from Hale Kea down to Clark Park at Lālāmilo. Community Member Margaret Wille informed that Parker School agreed to provide an alignment for trails behind the school. Committee Member Nagata requested information on Waimea Trails and Greenways as he was not aware of the project, its phases or trail location. He noted that he had not seen advertisements or signage in the area and felt that there was a lack of outreach regarding the trail’s access. Committee Member Hendricks advised Committee Member Nagata to look at the Waimea Trails and Greenways website for detailed information. Additional information can be found here: https://www.hawaiicounty.gov/our-county/mayor/waimea-trails-and-greenways-project#ad-image-21 Chair Smith noted that it would be helpful to have a map that outlines potential connector roads that have not yet been established. She also expressed concern with adding priority projects as outlined in their letter to the Planning Director. She noted that they may “muddy the waters” regarding their highest priorities if they were to add more projects to the list. Ms. Mercado explained that the purpose of the conversation was to gather information and assured the AC that the projects listed in their letter would be noted as the top priorities. She shared that the discussion would be an opportunity to assist the Administration’s task force when they begin prioritizing suggested projects. Committee Member Anderson shared that the AC did a great job drafting that letter and that adding to the list would dilute the priorities. Committee Member Hendricks noted that he would prioritize bullet items 1, 2, and 3 on the list for Waimea. Chair Smith requested clarification on the item regarding potable water in Kawaihae. Ms. Bartlett informed that there has been an ongoing concern with Kawaihae receiving water from Kohala Ranch, as it is a private source. She explained that their price of water is expensive, and the cost continues to rise, resulting in an initiative to connect to County water from Waimea. Vice-Chair McLaughlin also informed that there has been an issue with the www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov/ CDP@hawaiicounty.gov Page 4 ability to grant new leases to residents because they are limited by the amount of potable water that is available for new homes. Vice-Chair McLaughlin suggested that the AC stick with the list of priority projects mentioned in the letter and wait for the next discussion to decide if any other projects should be added or prioritized. He felt that the AC should wait until the process becomes more defined to make an informed decision. 2. Action Committee Project Prioritization Discussion: Ms. Bartlett shared a prioritization spreadsheet of various projects, goals and action items. Action Committee members used the spreadsheet to explore mutual interests and discuss investigatory subcommittees and community liaison groups, as applicable. Vice-Chair McLaughlin expressed interest in action item 10, Promoting Responsible Tourism and the HTA Destination Management Action Plan. He also suggested another action item where the AC would begin discussion to prepare for the upcoming revisions to the CDP. He noted that other priority projects have been raised, but are not mentioned in the CDP, and wondered if it would be beneficial to get a head start on updates and revisions to the SKCDP. Ms. Bartlett informed that a full comprehensive review of the CDP cannot be done until the General Plan (GP) has been adopted. She expressed support of the AC exploring preliminary work for a future CDP update. Chair Smith shared her support to form a subcommittee to look at changes to be made or structures that could be added to the CDP. She expressed her frustration that the revisions to the GP did not have a definite timeline. Ms. Mercado shared that the GP is a priority to the Planning Director and that the department is working assiduously to get a second draft out to community. She assured the AC that timeline updates would be shared with them. Committee Member Anderson shared her concern on work to update the SKCDP. She suggested the AC clarify the purpose of revising the CDP in order to avoid making it bigger and more complex. Vice-Chair McLaughlin reiterated that many projects are not listed in the CDP as they were not priorities then but are now. He also noted that there are gaps in the current CDP, as other parts of South Kohala are not well represented. Chair Smith and Vice Chair McLaughlin agreed to explore preliminary work for a future CDP update. Chair Smith noted that action items 4 and 6, Waikōloa Intersection and Waikōloa Access Road, are high priorities, but subcommittees were not needed as those studies were completed in 2019. She confirmed no current action was required, and the AC would continue to monitor those projects. Committee Member Sanborn informed that action item 8, Minukeʻole Park, is a private park owned by Parker Ranch and is on a long term lease to the YMCA in Hilo. He shared that the property should be under historical preservation, as it is a historic site in connection with the Kamehameha vacation homes. He and Committee Member Hendricks have been working towards ensuring that the property is historically preserved. www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov/ CDP@hawaiicounty.gov Page 5 Chair Smith expressed interest in action item 10. She mentioned that tourism helps the island to function, as it is the main source of our economy. She acknowledged that there is often push back from the community regarding tourism and that the AC could help in facilitating that connection. Committee Member Hendricks commented that the HTA Destination Management Action Plan is not only for tourists, but a good management plan that would affect the island residents, as well. Committee Member Hendricks expressed interest in historic preservation. He also suggested the development of a “Hitchhiker’s Guide” for the area of South Kohala. He noted that there are not many places to walk in the district legally. Committee Member Nagata expressed interest in action items 7, Waimea Town Center, 4 and 10. He would like the AC to help the Waikōloa Intersection project move forward. He also shared his experience in traveling around the moku. Specifically, with issues regarding, traffic safety on the Kohala Mountain Road, in the Waiʻaka, Waikōloa, and Kona areas, and the faulty bridges along the Hāmākua coast. Vice-Chair McLaughlin suggested that one or two AC members start investigative work on action item 10, as multiple members expressed interest. Ms. Mercado shared that they would also reach out to the Tourism Specialist at Research and Development so she may provide a framework on how the Destination Managment Action Plan is being implemented. Vice-Chair McLaughlin and Committee Member Nagata agreed to explore possible actions to encourage responsible tourism in the South Kohala district. 3. Framework for Action Committee Hosted Meetings: In continuing previous discussion regarding Action Committee hosted meetings, Ms. Bartlett presented a framework that established roles/responsibilities and efforts to ensure adherence to Sunshine Law requirements. She explained the required steps ACs would need to take prior to, during, and after AC hosted meetings. She informed that Planning Staff would provide resource materials and would support the AC to a limited capacity in organizing their self-run meetings. Staff would also continue to post the agenda and meeting materials to ensure compliance with the Sunshine Law. AC members would be responsible for providing their own minutes for staff to post. Chair Smith requested clarification on how the meeting could be recorded. Ms. Bartlett clarified that recording could be done on a cellular phone, through note taking, etc. She informed that this would be at the AC’s discretion, but staff have found recording meetings to be helpful in capturing input from community members and to assist with drafting the meeting minutes. Chair Smith questioned if AC hosted meeting minutes would be formally approved at the following AC meeting, regardless of Planning staff presence. Ms. Bartlett confirmed that they would need to be approved and noted that AC hosted meetings would be legitimate and run in the same way, just organized, and conducted by the AC. See the Framework for Action Committee Hosted Meetings Presentation here: https://records.hawaiicounty.gov/Weblink/1/edoc/116550/Communication%20No.%202022- 13%20AC%20Framework%20Detailed.pdf www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov/ CDP@hawaiicounty.gov Page 6 Chair Smith requested that the SKCDP Onboarding Packet be sent to all AC members as it would be a helpful resource and contains current members’ contact information. 4. Update on the Budget: Ms. Bartlett provided a brief update on the current County budget adoption process. She shared project items and descriptions within and related to the South Kohala district that were proposed for the Capital Improvement Project (CIP) for fiscal year 2022-2023. She informed that the next public hearing regarding fiscal year 2022-2023 Operating and CIP budgets were scheduled for May 17 through May 19. She encouraged AC members and the community to share their thoughts and feedback with their council members during that time. Chair Smith shared that the housing project would require the largest allocation of funds and was included in both the Operating and CIP budgets. She also noted the three projects specific to district 9. See Communication No. 2022-10 May CIP Budget https://records.hawaiicounty.gov/Weblink/1/edoc/115852/Communication%20No.%202022- 10%20May%20CIP%20FY2022-23.pdf PROPOSED AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING: None ADJOURNMENT: Committee Member Hendricks made a motion to adjourn. Motion seconded by Committee Member McLaughlin. Motion passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 7:18 P.M. These meeting minutes and all related documents are available in the Planning Department’s South Kohala Community Development Plan Action Committee folder via the County of Hawaiʻi Public Documents Repository. These documents may also be requested from the Planning Department by calling (808) 961-8288 or emailing cdp@hawaiicounty.gov.