HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-05-19 Leeward Exh A (Public Testimony re Item 2 Council Bill No 120 PL-CC-2022-000001) LEEWARD PLANNING COMMISSION
COUNTY OF HAWAII
TESTIMONY TRANSCRIPT
MAY 19, 2022
Public testimony regarding the COUNTY COUNCIL INITIATED BILL NO. 120
AMENDING CHAPTER 24 AND CHAPTER 25 OF THE HAWAII COUNTY CODE,
RELATING TO PARKING SPACES AND CHARGING STATIONS FOR ELECTRIC
VEHICLES (PL-CC-2022-000001) was called to order at 9:36 a.m. in the West Hawaii Civic
Center, Community Center, Building G, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway, Kailua-Kona,
Hawaii, with Chairman Michael Vitousek presiding.
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Michael Vitousek, Barbara DeFranco, Michael Dela Cruz,
Clement"CJ" Kanuha III, and Mahina Paishon-Duarte
ABSENT AND EXCUSED: Zaheva Knowles and Faith "Faye" Yates
ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Malia Kekai, Esq. (Counsel for the Commission),
Jean Campbell, Esq. (Counsel for the Planning Department), Zendo Kern (Planning Director),
Maija Jackson (Planning Program Manager), Christian Kay (Planner), Jessica Andrews
(Planner), Tracie-Lee Camero (Planner, via Zoom), and Noriko Sauer(Commission Secretary)
INITIATOR: COUNTY COUNCIL (BILL NO. 120) (PL-CC-2022-000001)
An Ordinance amending Chapter 24, Article 8, and Chapter 25, Article 1 and Article 4, Division
5, of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2016 Edition, as Amended), relating to providing,
maintaining, and dedicating parking spaces and charging stations for electric vehicles. The
purpose of this amendment is to establish requirements for providing parking spaces equipped
with an electric vehicle charging station in places of public accommodation and to establish
requirements for parking in these spaces and establishing penalties for violations of those
requirements in compliance with Sections 291-71 and 291-72, Hawaii Revised Statutes.
VITOUSEK: Moving onto statements from the public on the agenda items. The Commission
has received a fair amount of written testimony on Item 2, the County initiated bill. We only
have one member of the public signed up to testify via Zoom. So we'll go right ahead with
Mr. Noel Morin—or is it Jennifer Zelko? Is that, okay, yeah, Jennifer Zelko.
ZELDO: Yes.
VITOUSEK: Aloha. Would you please raise your right hand? Do you swear or affirm to tell
the truth on the matter before the Leeward Planning Commission?
ZELCO: Yes.
VITOUSEK: Mahalo. Please proceed with your testimony.
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EXHIBIT A
ZELCO: Can you folks hear me okay?
VITOUSEK: We can.
ZELCO: Okay, good, I'm in a high traffic area. Aloha and good morning, I'm Jennifer Zelko,
Hawaiian Electric's Director of Government and Community Affairs, and we are testifying in
support of the County of Hawaii Bill 120, with comments. I did want to acknowledge
Councilmember Kimball and Planning Director Kern's leadership and work on this effort.
The company respectfully suggests the following amendments to the measure: For Section
25-4-54.1(a), "All newly constructed places of public accommodation shall have the following
electric vehicle chargers, installed in dedicated parking spaces, and actively maintained in
working order, for each increment of 50 parking stalls." So basically, we are recommending the
addition of the word"actively"before the word"maintained" and then after the words "working
order,"removing "at all times."
Since 2013 Hawaiian Electric has operated electric vehicle fast charging stations across our
service territory as part of our pilot program. There are six dedicated sites on Hawaii Island
currently, and during this pilot we've actively worked to ensure that all of our what we call direct
current fast charging or DC fast charger stations are in working order; however, with a vast array
of issues that can impair these systems, repair times do vary depending on the service required.
For example, at Puna Kai Town Center our DC fast charger recently experienced a beetle
infestation inside of the actual station, which required the unit to be cleaned before it could
operate effectively. And then another example was in Hilo at our Hilo main office, we had
ordered replacement parts, when the wrong parts came in, it created an 18-week lag in time of
repair.
And as the largest provider of EV fast charging in the State, we are working to improve certainly
our reliability. We understand the importance of reliable charging solutions, as more drivers are
looking to EVs for mobility. Looking forward, Hawaiian Electric did a critical backbone study
really looking at the need for public and private EV charging infrastructure over the next 10
years, so really until 2030. There is a need of about seven times more charging, including
private, commercial, and residential charging in this State. Specifically for Hawaii Island, it
depicted both high and low scenarios of public charging; on the high end we were looking at a
need of about 756 Level 2 charging ports and 132 DC fast chargers, and on the low end, the
lower scenario, we would need at least 285 Level 2 charging ports and 52 DC fast charger. And
this insight has really helped us focus on programs, including the recently Public Utilities-
approved[inaudible] commercial pilot, and that pilot will provide make-ready infrastructure for
a publicly available EV charging systems available to commercial properties or fleet owners,
multi-unit dwellings, and we are looking at basically providing financial support and resources to
commercial customers looking to install these chargers. This new pilot program will help at least
the places of accommodation that's partially defined in this bill in meeting the State and County
EV charging system requirements. I think these programs are going to help the growing need,
but it's really only just a small fraction of the forecasted need, as I mentioned those numbers
earlier. Additional resources, investment, support, and collaboration, both private and public,
will need to happen in order to ensure there is adequate EV charging infrastructure installed.
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And with that, that's it, and I thank you for the opportunity to testify this morning.
VITOUSEK: Thank you. Would you mind restating the suggested revision in the section?
ZELKO: Sure, no problem. I really am apologizing for this noise.
VITOUSEK: No problem.
ZELKO: For Section 25-4-54.1, it currently reads, "All newly constructed places of[public]
accommodation shall have the following electric vehicle chargers, installed in dedicated parking
spaces, and actively"we are suggesting putting in the word"actively"—"maintained in
working order"—and then removing the phrase "at all times" "for each increment of 50
parking stalls."
And again, part of that is if a commercial customer, or anyone for that matter, is at least actively
trying to fix it, diligently working on it—parts have been ordered but because of supply chain
issues they can't receive it—they shouldn't be penalized for that.
VIOTUSEK: Thank you, thank you. As a major stakeholder in the whole electricity and electric
vehicle process, I would like to invite you to stay on the meeting as, and continue to be part of it,
in case there are questions that come up for HELLO, if you are okay with that, if you don't mind
staying on.
ZELKO: Sure. I will be on by my phone; I'll be in transit, but I'll be listening, and I can
respond when needed.
VITOUSEK: Okay, thank you very much, appreciate it.
ZELKO: Thanks.
VITOUSEK: Okay. That would conclude the officially registered public testimony. Is there a
motion to close public testimony?
PAISHON-DUARTE: Yes, so moved.
VITOUSEK: Thank you. Motion by Commissioner Paishon-Duarte.
DEFRANCO: I'll second.
VITOUSEK: Second by Commissioner DeFranco. All those in favor?
COMMISSIONERS: Aye.
VITOUSEK: Any opposed? [None.] No, okay, unanimous.
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Public testimony was closed at 9:43 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Noriko Sauer, Secretary
Leeward Planning Commission
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