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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommunication No. 2022-17 Director Response to Infrastructure LetterMitchell D. Roth Mayor Lee E. Lord Managing Director West Hawai‘i Office 74-5044 Ane Keohokālole Hwy Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i 96740 Phone (808) 323-4770 Fax (808) 327-3563 County of Hawai‘i PLANNING DEPARTMENT Zendo Kern Director Jeffrey W. Darrow Deputy Director East Hawai‘i Office 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3 Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720 Phone (808) 961-8288 Fax (808) 961-8742 www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov Hawai‘i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer planning@hawaiicounty.gov DATE: September 26, 2022 TO: Mayor Roth, Federal Grant Steering Committee, and Department and Agency Heads FROM: Zendo Kern, Planning Director CC: Action Committee Members SUBJECT: Action Committee Infrastructure Priorities Aloha, As part of an initiative to help bring resident voices into the discussion on Federal infrastructure funding, our Community Planning team collected infrastructure needs from Action Committee members and their community meeting participants. Please find the list of projects attached, organized by district, and in no order of priority. This list is intended to help decision-makers identify and respond to district needs during the process of prioritizing and dispersing funds. Mahalo to Action Committee members for their thoughtful feedback regarding infrastructure needs in respective districts. We know there is much to consider with the distribution of these incoming Federal funds. Elevating Community Development Plan priorities and having the community weigh in early in the process establishes a great starting point for this ongoing process. We are grateful for their hard work and dedication to the community. If you have any questions, please contact Heather Bartlett of this office at Heather.Bartlett@hawaiicounty.gov or (808) 961-8137 Mahalo, Zendo Kern, Planning Director HB:km:es Communication Number 2022-17 Mitchell D. Roth Mayor Lee E. Lord Managing Director West Hawai‘i Office 74-5044 Ane Keohokālole Hwy Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i 96740 Phone (808) 323-4770 Fax (808) 327-3563 County of Hawai‘i PLANNING DEPARTMENT Zendo Kern Director Jeffrey W. Darrow Deputy Director East Hawai‘i Office 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3 Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720 Phone (808) 961-8288 Fax (808) 961-8742 www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov Hawai‘i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer planning@hawaiicounty.gov DATE: June 27, 2022 TO: ZENDO KERN Planning Director, Planning Department FROM: LONG RANGE DIVISION Community Planning Section SUBJECT: Action Committee Infrastructure Priorities Aloha Director Kern, At the May Action Committee meetings and at your request, we presented the opportunity to identify infrastructure needs in various districts around the island. The information discussed and provided by both Action Committee members and community has been compiled for your review and consideration. The following projects are organized by CDP district, listed in no order of priority, and do not represent an exhaustive account of all possible infrastructure needs. These items are intended to provide a starting point and an invitation for a continued conversation on how to align these local community needs with ongoing County priorities. The Action Committee members and community partners expressed an overwhelming sentiment of gratitude for this opportunity, as well as a desire to continue to be a resource to the Mayor’s taskforce to prioritize and disperse funds from the Federal Infrastructure Bill. If you have any questions, please contact our Community Planning section lead, Keiko Mercado, Keiko.Mercado@hawaiicounty.gov or (808) 961-8134. Mahalo, April J. Surprenant Manager of Long Range Planning and Board of Appeals Zendo Kern, Director Planning Department June 27, 2022 Page 2 www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov Hawai‘i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer planning@hawaiicounty.gov Puna CDP Planning Area – May 3, 2022 Action Committee Meeting Mass Transit: •Develop Transit Hubs Keaʻau, Pāhoa, Volcano, and Mountain View •Park and ride lots at transit hubs above and HPP Roadway Networks: •Plan and design PMAR alignment – for emergency preparedness, critical need for redundant evacuation routes o Construct a two-lane roadway between Kaloli and Keaʻau [between 16th avenue & 10th avenue] •Create connectivity alignments between various subdivisions o Puna Connectivity Locations For details see the Connectivity and Emergency Response Subcommittee (CERS) Report, Ad Hoc Committee on Puna Connectivity Report, and the Mayor’s Puna Roads committee work •Feasibility study of an alternate route between Pāhoa and Hwy 11 •Feasibility study of an alternate route between Hwy 11 and Steinbeck •Improvements to Stainback Highway and Kulani Road •Pohoiki Road improvements and boat ramp State Highways: •Intersection improvements on Hwy 11 and 130 •Construct a right exit lane on Hwy 11 below Keaʻau Ag lots to Keaʻau Village using the Old Volcano Road right-of-way •Create a right-hand turn lane from Hwy 132 onto Hwy 130 •Highway 11 – acceleration/deceleration lanes Non-Motorized Travel: •Safe Routes to school with Keaʻau improvements as a priority •Pedestrian, bicycle, and parking related improvements in village/town centers Additional points of discussion: •Urge the County to implement infrastructure standards to identify future needs •Allocate government funds toward private infrastructure that serves a public purpose (particularly roads) •Direct services and growth toward Town Centers Zendo Kern, Director Planning Department June 27, 2022 Page 3 www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov Hawai‘i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer planning@hawaiicounty.gov South Kohala CDP Planning Area – May 9, 2022 Action Committee Meeting The South Kohala Action Committee wished to reiterate the infrastructure priorities that they identified in their March letter (Communication Number 2022-06.3): • Construct a second access road from Waikoloa Village to Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway to accommodate increasing traffic volumes and provide a second emergency egress route for residents • Implement short-term traffic mitigation improvements in Waimea Town Center • Design and Construct the Parker Ranch Connector Road (from Ala Ohia Rd to Kamamalu St) and the Lalamilo Connector Road • Waikoloa Road/Paniolo Ave. Intersection Improvements • Safety improvements to four bridges along Kawaihae Rd/Akoni Pule highway between Pu‘ukoholā Heiau and Kawaihae Hawaiian Homes • Emergency access route in and out of the Kailapa Community Additional points from discussion: Waimea: • To provide walkways and bikeways for Waimea – Church Row jeep road up to forest reserve by DHHL hall then from Hale Kea down to Ouli “Clark” Park • Waiaka Bridge Improvements • Waimea/Kawaihae Bypass Road – preferred alignment shown in the SKCDP Kawaihae: • Access and distribution of potable water in Kawaihae o Complete Ouli Well Field • Affordable housing for kupuna • Emergency connector road out of the Kailapa neighborhood – housing the only emergency shelter in the area Puakō: • Puakō wastewater treatment system The South Kohala Action Committee also received the following letter of testimony regarding infrastructure needs: Communication Number 2020-11 Jojo Tanimoto Zendo Kern, Director Planning Department June 27, 2022 Page 4 www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov Hawai‘i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer planning@hawaiicounty.gov Kona CDP Planning Area – May 12, 2022 Action Committee Meeting Water Resource Availability and Conservation: • R1 upgrade to the Kealakehe wastewater treatment plant • Facilitate appropriate use of R2 greywater for uses such as irrigation • Promotion of home and commercial water reclamation and recycling methods – educational components, incentives, and/or adjustments to building code • Drainage swales to capture water runoff, include in engineering plans for new or improved roadways • Additional call to look at development capacity as it is impacted by water resource availability in Long Range planning and future permitting Mass transit: • Linking TOD nodes and addressing transportation needs for residents, including the homeless population Additional points of discussion: • Affordable housing and infrastructure to support it • Flood mitigation and erosion control consideration • The need to reduce sprawl in Kona by concentrating services and development toward the downtown area • Work with local businesses and freight companies to identify specific needs that will reduce the cost burden of shipping to the Big Island • Increasing equitable access to broadband infrastructure • Complete the Kona Open Space Network plan The AC identified water resource availability and the need to direct investment toward TOD nodes as primary/requisite needs. The following longstanding priorities have been identified from previous discussions and may be of consideration (Communication Number 2018-24): • Ane Keohokālole Highway Phase III • Lako Street Connector between Ali‘i Drive and Kuakini Highway • Kailua Village Redevelopment • Kahului-Keauhou (Ali‘i Parkway) – in collaboration and with consent of kupuna iwi descendants and other impacted individuals The Kona Action Committee also received the following letters of testimony regarding infrastructure needs: • Communication Number 2022-11 – Simmy McMichael • Communication Number 2022-12 – Dr. R.H. Bennett • Communication Number 2022-13 – Keola Childs Zendo Kern, Director Planning Department June 27, 2022 Page 5 www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov Hawai‘i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer planning@hawaiicounty.gov Hāmākua CDP Planning Area – May 17, 2022 Action Committee Meeting Reiterating Infrastructure Priorities from the CDP: •Improve/replace substandard bridges in the Hāmākua Planning area (Policy 67) •Complete the extension linking Pikake and Pakalana Street (Policy 70) •Provide a cross-town connection to Plumeria Street by extending Kamani Street (Policy 70) •Provide a mauka-makai connection from the Kamani Street extension to Māmane Street on the Hilo side of the elderly housing (Policy 70) •Improve substandard sections of the Old Māmalahoa Highway and maintain for use as an alternative, emergency route to Highway 19 (Policy 71) •Kokua Action 10: Develop turn lanes or other safety improvements at intersections per DOT guidelines on Highway 19; in particular at the following identified locations: o Kalanianaʻole School and Onomea Scenic Route intersection in Pāpaʻikou; o Mill Road intersection in Pāpaʻikou; o Honomū Road intersection o Old Māmalahoa Intersection at the School/Pool/Transfer Station turn-off in Laupāhoehoe. •Kokua Action 49: Assess Highway 19 for passing opportunities and passing zones per DOT standards and implement these standards where feasible. Public Facilities: •Emergency shelters – harden existing public facilities, coordinate with the State DOT and DLNR •Repairs to Hakalau School and Old Gym •Papa‘aloa Gym replacement project •Laupāhoehoe Boat Ramp, road and bridge Wahi Pana: •Waipi‘o Valley roadway access – in conjunction with a long range management plan to address public access, carrying capacity, resource management, and on-going maintenance of streams and roads HB:bm:as Sent by email