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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-05-05 Draft Puna CDP MinutesMitchell D. Roth Mayor Lee E. Lord Managing Director Zendo Kern Director Jeffrey W. Darrow Deputy Director County of Hawai‘i PLANNING DEPARTMENT PUNA 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 Thursday, May 5, 2022 1 DRAFT Meeting Minutes 2 CALL TO ORDER 3 Chair Brewer called the Puna Community Development Plan (PCDP) Action Committee (AC) to 4 order at 5:06 P.M. Due to restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, this meeting was held 5 via the Zoom interactive video platform with one on-site location for community members at the 6 Pāhoa County Council Office. 7 ROLL CALL 8 AC Members Present: Franny Brewer (Chair), Susie Osborne (Vice-Chair), Leilani DeMello, Leila 9 Kealoha, Kanoe Wilson 10 AC Members Absent-Excused: none 11 County Staff: Planners –Keiko Mercado, Heather Bartlett, Elyse Stevens; Kīlauea Recovery and 12 Redevelopment Manager Garrett Smith 13 County Officials: Councilmember Matt Kanealiʻi-Kleinfelder 14 State Official: Representative Greggor Ilagan 15 Four (4) members of the public attended the meeting via Zoom and one (1) member of the 16 public attended in person. The meeting was also available for synchronous viewing via the COH 17 Planning Department YouTube Livestream. The livestream is available at Puna CDP AC Meeting - 18 May 5 - YouTube 19 ANNOUNCEMENTS: Update from State Representative Greggor Ilagan 20 May 5th marked the close of the 2022 Legislative Session and State Representative Ilagan 21 provided the Action Committee with session updates relative to the Puna community. 22 • An alternate route for Puna: a district-wide project that included 1.5 million for a site 23 selection study for the best location for an alternate route. This will include a monetary 24 match from the County of Hawai'i, resulting in a joint effort between the County and 25 State. 26 www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov/ CDP@hawaiicounty.gov Page 2 • Widening a section of Highway 130: a State-wide initiative, with a 35 million budget. He 27 stated he would follow up with the State Department of Transportation (DOT) with a 28 focus on which portion of Highway 130 will be widened. 29 • Funding for albizia abatement along the Highway. 30 • Four (4) Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) were also discussed for Pāhoa High School 31 girl's gym locker room, Pāhoa Elementary and High-School covered walkway, upgrades to 32 Science Facility, and Keonepoko playground upgrades. 33 • 1.2 million for Emergency Medical Services islandwide, with a focus on facilitating an 34 ambulance for Puna. 35 • Grants-in-Aid funding was earmarked for: 36 o the Pāhoa Museum - $400,000, 37 o Project Vision - $600,000, 38 o Makuʻu Community Center - $220,000, 39 o the Aloha ʻIlio Rescue - $50,000, 40 • Collaboration with the County of Hawai'i Prosecutorʻs Office to pass a bill related to the 41 high volume of auto theft by increasing the penalty from a Class C Felony to a Class B 42 Felony. 43 Action Committee Member Kealoha asked about funding for the Pohoiki Boat Ramp. 44 Representative Ilagan stated that the bill requesting 1.5 million in additional funds for the Boat 45 Ramp did not pass the House reading but would be addressed at the next legislative session. 46 Garrett Smith shared that the Recovery Team had an internal meeting with the Department of 47 Parks and Recreation and DLNR that week which discussed the Pohoki Boat Ramp. Discussion 48 centered around the EA process and the dredging to get the Boat Ramp functional. He stated 49 that public sentiment centered around a safe swimming area and a boat washing area. 50 Vice-Chair Osborne asked whether the albizia mitigation funding received by the State 51 Department of Transportation (DOT) could provide training and education for eradication. Chair 52 Brewer asked how DOT prioritizes funding for albizia treatment and whether educational training 53 for eradication was a possibility, as the ramification of poor eradication allows for continuous re-54 growth. Representative Ilagan agreed to follow up and get back to the Action Committee. Vice-55 Chair Osborne reiterated the need for albizia treatment and education asking for continued 56 County and State support. She mentioned a free virtual albizia mitigation education session on 57 June 30th and a hands-on training on August 20th. Staff will send additional information to the 58 Puna CDP AC mailing list. 59 Vice-Chair Osborne shared that Kua O Ka Lā PCS Pre-k school in Nanāwale had applied for Grant-60 in-Aid funding though their NPO Hoʻoulu Lāhui and asked if it had been granted. Representative 61 Ilagan agreed to follow up on this. 62 Community Member Stephanie Bath discussed the need for roadway redundancy for emergency 63 preparedness from upper to lower Puna. She asked for this connectivity issue to be highlighted 64 at the State level. Representative Ilagan shared that a resolution requesting the Hawai'i 65 Emergency Management Agency to develop a preliminary draft evacuation plan for lava zones 1, 66 2, 3, 4, and 6 passed in both the House and Senate. He also shared there is an upcoming 67 www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov/ CDP@hawaiicounty.gov Page 3 Legislative session to discuss utilizing State money to assist subdivisions with private roads that 68 are open to the public. He reiterated that an alternate route in Puna would assist with road 69 redundancy, decrease traffic flow, and provide more access. 70 Representative Ilagan expressed interest in collaborating more intentionally with the Puna CDP 71 Action Committee and requested priority projects from the Puna Action Committee, specifically 72 within Punaʻs town centers, before the start of the next legislation session. 73 Action Committee Member Wilson asked if the Puna Action Committee could meet with 74 Representative Ilagan prior to the next Legislative session to galvanize and strategize for more 75 community support when Legislative measures are moving forward. Representative Ilagan 76 agreed, noting the value and benefit of collaboration with the Puna Action Committee and 77 suggested the AC prioritize three projects for him to advocate for. 78 Ms. Mercado suggested the Puna Action Committee Chair and Vice-Chair could establish an 79 investigatory subcommittee with up to four members that could work directly with 80 Representative Ilagan. They discussed the idea of having the Puna AC Chair and Vice-Chair meet 81 with him in the meantime. 82 APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 83 Committee Member Kealoha made a motion to approve the March 3, 2022 meeting minutes. 84 Motion seconded by Vice-Chair Osborne. Motion passed with 5 votes aye, 0 votes nay. 85 PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS: Three (3) members of the public and one (1) County 86 Councilmember provided testimony: 87 Community Member Stephanie Bath, representing herself, testified on Agenda Item 1. She 88 expressed her concerns about emergency preparedness sharing that infrastructure redundancy 89 should continue to be a top priority. She stated that there continue to be concerns within the 90 community about the implementation of proposed connectivity locations, noting that securing 91 funding to acquire the connectivity locations identified by the community is the first step. She 92 encouraged the AC to continue to push and stay on top of this issue. She reiterated the need for 93 health and safety redundancy from upper to lower Puna with the need for State and County 94 support. 95 Community Member Jon Olson, representing himself, testified on Agenda Item 1. He discussed 96 the need for action regarding infrastructure to the Pohoiki Boat Ramp and described the 97 significant amount of debris that is consistently washing out into the bay. He also emphasized 98 the immediate need for an alternative route for Puna with hurricane season quickly approaching. 99 He expressed that these issues were urgent over 10 years ago and that, with a quickly growing 100 population in Puna, we need to address the problem as if “our hair was on fire.” 101 Councilmember Matt Kanealiʻi-Kleinfelder testified on Agenda Item 1. He said that with an 102 increase in population and heavy road use in Puna, implementing an alternative route in Puna is 103 imperative. He expressed that we are not prepared for continued growth or potential 104 emergencies and that there needs to be a solution in which the County, State, and Federal 105 government work together. He also discussed directing growth in Puna to the primary areas 106 such as Keaʻau, followed by secondary areas. He continued to express how connectivity to 107 www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov/ CDP@hawaiicounty.gov Page 4 Stainback Highway is a long-term goal that could be achieved by connecting North Kulani Road 108 and Stainback to Saddle Road. This would alleviate traffic and create space for workforce and 109 affordable housing in those areas. 110 Garrett Smith, representing himself, testified on Agenda Item 1. Mr. Smith commented on the 111 road connectivity in Puna, specifically that the County and State do not spend funds on private 112 roads. He commented that community members would benefit if the County or State could 113 allocate funds for private infrastructure. He also discussed how FEMA funds were allocated for 114 water, roads, and park improvements from the lava eruption. He stated that community 115 members have been pushing for water improvements, and suggested we identify problems 116 through the use of infrastructure standards. 117 BUSINESS: 118 1. Infrastructure Priority Discussion: 119 Ms. Mercado explained how Planning Director Kern has requested that Action Committee 120 members and the community provide a list of needed infrastructure projects in their area. 121 She stated that a lot has changed since the establishment of the Puna CDP making it 122 necessary to look at needs beyond what is written in the plan. Ms. Mercado explained that 123 Director Kern wants to be prepared for the federal infrastructure bill conversation. She 124 explained that Planning Staff will summarize and provide the summary to the Director. She 125 hoped that by being open to suggestions for State projects we could encourage cohesion 126 between the State and the County. Planning Staff provided an infrastructure handout with 127 information from the Puna CDP implementation table. 128 Chair Brewer voiced improvements for Stainback Highway and Kulani Road. She expressed 129 that there needs to be more connectivity between subdivisions and furthered that existing 130 subdivisions with no access should be prioritized. 131 Ms. Mercado mentioned the report from the Ad Hoc Committee on Puna Connectivity 132 (Communication number 2016-25), sharing that much of the work is there and that funding 133 was the major barrier. 134 You may find the Ad Hoc Committee on Puna Connectivity report (Communication Number 2016-25) in our 135 public folders here: https://records.hawaiicounty.gov/Weblink/1/doc/82167/Page1.aspx 136 Action Committee Member DeMello agreed that the Action Committee could help to 137 facilitate conversations to access funding for these projects. She stated that there is a need 138 to assist communities with connectivity access for both upper and lower Puna. 139 Action Committee Member Kealoha stated that more than 20,000 people have moved into 140 Puna since the pandemic started. She discussed the need to review or amend the CDP, 141 control traffic congestion, and direct development toward town centers 142 Councilmember Kanealiʻi-Kleinfelder discussed the direct health and safety issues along the 143 Panaewa stretch. He mentioned the need to implement acceleration and deceleration lanes 144 on the sides of Highway 11. He hoped that the State could expand Stainback Highway by also 145 adding an acceleration lane as well. He shared that future projects could include a new fire 146 station and police station in Keaʻau that could tie into the town center with mass transit. He 147 www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov/ CDP@hawaiicounty.gov Page 5 reiterated that there is a 1.6 billion budget surplus at the State level. General expenditures 148 revenue is high and the fuel tax and highway fund amassed a surplus of more than 20 million. 149 Ms. Mercado gave the Puna Action Committee and community members two weeks from 150 the meeting date to send any additional infrastructure priorities so staff could compile the 151 feedback to relay to the Planning Director. 152 2. Building in Puna Brochure: 153 Due to the increase in residency over the years and the Kīlauea eruption in 2019, the Action 154 Committee proposed revisiting the 2018 Building in Puna Brochure. 155 Chair Brewer shared feedback she had heard suggesting the Building in Puna Brochure be 156 made digital, easily accessible and mobile-friendly for broader public use. She suggested an 157 additional need to include information about safe catchment tank use, County mulch 158 sources, native plant landscaping, rat-lung worm, and little fire ant management in the 159 brochure as well. She also expressed how different building needs are in Volcano due to the 160 different climate and landscape. 161 Vice-Chair Osborne and Action Committee Member Kealoha agreed with the need for a 162 Permitted Interaction Group (investigatory sub-committee) to revise the Building in Puna 163 Brochure before bringing it back to the Action Committee for further discussion. 164 Committee Member DeMello shared manaʻo from Volcano community members who were 165 concerned about pin-to-pin clearing and maintaining pono practices to protect Hawaiʻiʻs 166 delicate ecosystems. She stated that the Action Committee needed to be assertive with 167 language; maintain kūpaʻa and protect our land and natural resources. She reiterated the 168 need to share this information to those moving to the State. 169 Councilmember Kanealiʻi-Kleinfelder stated that pin-to-pin clearing is a huge issue. He 170 shared about the Real Property Tax Conservation Allowance that provides a property tax 171 break for those with two acres or more who preserve native forest on their property. He 172 also shared about the Puna flood study that was completed, but not implemented and how 173 that information would provide the public with surface water inundation risk for their 174 properties. 175 Committee Member Wilson agreed with creating an Permitted Interaction Group. She 176 stressed including the ideas and language of aloha ʻāina and mālama ʻāina. 177 Chair Brewer moved to establish a Permitted Interaction Group that would re-evaluate and 178 update the Building in Puna Brochure for the full Action Committee to review and approve. 179 Vice-Chair Osborne seconded the motion. It was decided that Chair Brewer; Action Committee 180 Members Kealoha, DeMello and Wilson would serve on the Permitted Interaction Group. On 181 this motion a roll-call vote was taken, the motion passed unanimously. Councilmember 182 Kanealiʻi-Kleinfelder also expressed interest in participating in the group. 183 3. Synergies Between Implementation of the Puna CDP and the Kīlauea Recovery and Resilience 184 Plan (KRRP): 185 With consensus from the committee, Chair Brewer took agenda items 3 and 4 out of order. 186 www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov/ CDP@hawaiicounty.gov Page 6 Staff shared a spreadsheet with the goals and action items that were identified at the 187 previous meeting. Action Committee members used the spreadsheet to explore mutual 188 interests and discuss possible implementation actions. The goal was to provide updates and 189 identify projects the Resilience Capacity Area (RCA) groups are currently working on and how 190 that work is connected to their roles as AC members. 191 Chair Brewer praised the idea of bringing Puna AC items into the Puna RCA work. Committee 192 Member Kealoha suggested converting the implementation table into a working document 193 for AC members to work on. Ms. Mercado agreed that Planning Staff would include the 194 Implementation Table working document in a follow-up email. 195 Information on the Kīlauea Eruption Recovery Planning Process available here: 196 https://recovery.hawaiicounty.gov/planning-56 197 Information about the Resilience Capacity Area Teams available here: 198 https://recovery.hawaiicounty.gov/revitalize-puna/resilience-capacity-areas. 199 Presentation slides available here: 200 https://records.hawaiicounty.gov/Weblink/1/edoc/115524/Communication%20No.%202022-08%20-201 Puna%20AC.RCA%20Synergies.pdf 202 4. Update on the budget: Staff shared the FY2022-23 CIP (Capital Improvement Project) Budget 203 spreadsheet that outlined capital project appropriations submitted to the County Council 204 relating to the Puna District. Ms. Mercado offered to provide Financial Impact Statement 205 (FIS) sheets with more information on specific projects as requested. 206 Vice-Chair Osborne asked about the status of the Pāhoa Master Plan and if a vendor had 207 been selected. Mr. Smith confirmed that the panel was currently reviewing applications. He 208 stated that the target was to have a firm identified, get the contract signed, and have the 209 work initiated within the next couple of months. 210 Ms. Mercado stated that County Council would be having their budget meetings on May 17-211 19 and that Planning Staff would send the information and links to the budget meetings to 212 AC members. She also reminded Puna AC members that they could provide testimony as 213 individual community members, but not on behalf of the AC. 214 Committee Member Kealoha questioned the appropriation for mass transit in relation to the 215 estimated cost. Ms. Mercado discussed the free mass transit system and offered to connect 216 the AC Members with the Planning Department’s Transportation Planner and with Mass 217 Transit Administrator, John Andoh. 218 Chair Brewer reshared Councilmember Kanealiʻi-Kleinfelder’s comments in the Zoom chat, 219 stating that there was time until the last Council reading of the budget to add or amend CIP 220 projects. Ms. Mercado added that Action Committee members interested in adding or 221 amending CIP projects should work directly with their councilmembers. 222 The handout listing Capital Improvement Projects related to the Puna area (Communication Number 2022-10) 223 may be viewed in our public meeting folder here: 224 https://records.hawaiicounty.gov/Weblink/1/edoc/115834/Communication%20No.%202022-225 10%20March%20CIP%20FY2022-23.pdf 226 www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov/ CDP@hawaiicounty.gov Page 7 PROPOSED AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING: 227 1. Puna Brochure - relay information from investigatory subcommittee 228 2. Representative Ilagan to provide budget follow up and priority discussion 229 3. FEMA update on submitted proposals for Kīlauea Recovery 230 4. HDOT roundabouts/albizia update 231 ADJOURNMENT: Committee Member Kealoha moved to adjourn. Seconded by Committee 232 Member DeMello. The motion passes with 5 votes aye, 0 votes nay. 233 The meeting was adjourned at 7:15 P.M. 234 These meeting minutes and all related documents are available in the Planning Department’s 235 Puna Community Development Plan Action Committee folder via the County of Hawaiʻi Public 236 Documents Repository. These documents may also be requested from the Planning Department 237 by calling (808) 961-8288 or emailing cdp@hawaiicounty.gov. 238