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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-11-08 HCDP Minutes DraftMitchell D. Roth Mayor Lee E. Lord Managing Director Zendo Kern Director Jeffrey W. Darrow Deputy Director County of Hawai‘i PLANNING DEPARTMENT HĀMĀKUA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN ACTION AC 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 Wednesday, November 8, 2023 1 DRAFT Meeting Minutes 2 CALL TO ORDER 3 Chair Tawn Keeney called the Hāmākua Community Development Plan (HCDP) Action AC 4 (AC) to order at 5:33 P.M. Quorum was at this time. This meeting was held in-person at the 5 Honoka’a Peoples Theater. 6 ROLL CALL 7 AC Members Present: Tawn Keeney, Brad Kurokawa, Robert (Bobby) Nishimoto, David 8 Meyer, Richard Bidleman, and Mahealani Maikui. 9 AC Members Absent: Desiree Cruz and Crystal Kua 10 Discussion of serial absence for 7 months of Crystal Kua and Desiree Moana Cruz 11 Approximately 15 members of the public attended the meeting 12 County Officials: Deputy Corporation Counsel, Sinclair Salas-Ferguson 13 ANNOUNCEMENTS: 14 • Deputy Corporation Counsel provided clarification of requirements for removal of AC 15 Members 16 o Discussion of addition to Agenda: writing a letter to the Mayor recommending to 17 remove two members from commission. 18 o AC Members wished to have communication from members or Planning before 19 letter to recommend removal. Chair Keeney had discussed with Mayor’s office 20 and Planning department, Planning indicated Director Kern would attempt to 21 contact. 22 AC member Richard Bidleman motioned to add to the agenda discussion on writing a letter to 23 the Mayor recommending removing Crystal Kua and Desiree Moana-Cruz from the AC. 24 Seconded by Chair Tawn Keeney. Motion did not pass with a voice vote 4 in favor, 2 opposed 25 (4-2). 26 • Resignation of AC Member Niki Hubbard noted. 27 • Volunteer Secretary unable to participate in “in person,” meetings, but may be possible 28 to attend through Zoom. 29 www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov/ CDP@hawaiicounty.gov Page 2 • Council member Kimball notified of absence from meeting due to illness. 30 • Ques�on raised of encouragement of individuals to apply for AC membership. Efforts 31 have been made by mul�ple AC members to encourage new member applica�on. 32 • Ques�on raised about Zoom capabili�es. AC members described technical difficul�es 33 with Zoom due to audio feedback and bandwidth for computers in the room and other 34 audio issues. 35 PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS: 36 1. Two member of the public provided oral testimony: 37 Michael Guth commented about roads in limbo and encouraged the AC to take up the issue. 38 Discussion: difficulties are due to the capacity of the Public Works Department. 39 Michale McCool concerned about individuals and entities closing off roads which have been 40 previously open to access for ages, such as, Mauna Ware(?) Homestead Road and Standard 41 Oil Road. Respondent mentioned, “ag theft” as a reason for closure of many roads. Roads in 42 limbo began with the closure of Plantation. Bridge closures are likewise a similar problem. 43 Aspects of safety raised after the Lahaina fire and earlier Pa’auilo fires. 44 Member Richard Bidleman described frustrations with development of speed humps on 45 Lehua Street. 46 Questions raised about fire hazards around our communities. Deferred to later agenda item. 47 APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 48 Email address restoration segment of September 19, 2023 with unanimous vote to restore 49 the email address. Email addresses have still not been restored. Was told the email 50 addresses of members would be restored when the Planner returned from vacation 2 weeks 51 ago after catching up on her work. 52 AC member Richard Bidelman motioned to approve the September 19, 2023 minutes. 53 Seconded by Robert Nishimoto. Motion passed unanimously with a voice vote (6-0). 54 BUSINESS: 55 1. Hakalau School Transition Status 56 Brad Kurokawa gave a brief history of the effort to achieve use of the long closed Hakalau 57 School and the leter which was endorsed by the AC. The Management Plan of the 58 community has been submited to the DLNR. State Law exists that if a facility has not been 59 used for long �me it will be turned over to community. Community groups have been taking 60 care of the building. 61 Richard raised the ques�on of working through the county rather than state agencies. 62 Chair Keeney requested an item be added to the agenda, a writen leter to the Honoka’a 63 Heritage Center of endorsement of the Center’s effort to state a Sugar Days Agricultural 64 Fes�val in October 2024. 65 www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov/ CDP@hawaiicounty.gov Page 3 AC member Mahealani Maikui motioned to add to the agenda a discussion on the written 66 letter of endorsement to the Honoka’a Heritage Center and their efforts in the Sugar Days 67 Agricultural Festival in October 2024. Seconded by AC member Brad Kurokawa. Motion 68 passed unanimously with a voice vote (6-0). 69 The leter which Chair Keeney wrote was read in support of the Honoka’a Heritage Center’s 70 efforts towards crea�on of the fes�val. The leter is submited as Communica�on Number 71 2023-31 . It was moved and seconded and passed unanimously for the AC to endorse the 72 leter writen and read by Chair Keeney. 73 AC member Brad Kurokawa motioned to endorse the letter written by Chair Keeney to the 74 Honoka’a Heritage Center and their efforts in the Sugar Days Agricultural Festival in October 75 2024. Seconded by AC member Robert Nishimoto. Motion passed unanimously with a voice 76 vote (6-0). 77 78 2. Annual Nomina�on and Elec�on of Commitee Chairperson and Vice Chairperson for 79 2024 80 Brad Kurokawa was nominated by Chair Keeney. Brad indicated his reluctance to assume 81 chairmanship due to previous chairmanship and the limita�on of his previous commitment 82 and �me availability. It was pointed out that there are only four people iden�fied on the 83 website who will be on the AC beginning in January, three of them are new to the AC. 84 Ques�ons raised about previous outreach for recruitment. Sugges�on made of placing an 85 ar�cle in Hāmākua Times. Ramona Frances offered to write an article for Hāmākua Times to 86 help with recruitment. Chair Keeney will contact Ramona. 87 88 AC Members Mahealani and Richard Bidleman indicated inability to assume chairmanship. 89 David Meyer expressed reluctance but would consider, especially if process was shared with 90 the Vice Chair. Encouragement for Chair and Vice Chair to work together. 91 92 Impression expressed by Chair Keeney that Boby and Tawn will be leaving at the end of 93 2023. The selection of Chair and Vice Chair was tabled until the next meeting. 94 95 Brad indicated might consider being the Vice Chair. 96 3. Hāmākua CDP AC’s Recommendations to Amend the County of Hawaii’s Draft General 97 Plan. 98 Comments and ques�ons arose as to what has been changed in the Dra� General Plan from 99 the previous General Plan. Per Chair Keeney, the Planning Department has expressed that 100 they are working on a compendium of changes from the previous General Plan. The Dra� 101 General Plan is approximately 200 pages. Discussion took place of how to address making 102 comments on amending the Plan and Dra� Plan. Considera�ons were, 1) Establishment of a 103 Permited Interac�on Group. The advantage being unlimited interac�on between 104 themselves, and the public, then return to the whole AC for a vote. 2) The AC would iden�fy 105 www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov/ CDP@hawaiicounty.gov Page 4 individuals from the community with exper�se and experience to work on recommenda�ons 106 which would be submited to the AC. 3). Each AC member to take a sec�on of the Dra� 107 General Plan to review and raise ques�ons and make recommenda�ons. 108 Chair Keeney recounted that the leter which he had writen to other district ACs had 109 received no responses from the Chairs regarding a Joint AC mee�ng. Expressions made that 110 the Dra� General Plan recommenda�ons would benefit from a combined Joint AC mee�ng. 111 Expression that lots of concepts and terms are new and need explana�on from Planning. 112 There was a request made to Planning to make a presenta�on of the Dra� General Plan to 113 the Hāmākua AC. Chair Keeney expressed preference that a combined meeting take place 114 where questions and comments will be addressed. 115 Chair Keeney expressed that the advisory function of the AC extended to the public and 116 County Council. Suggested that if the request for delineation of new changes in the Draft 117 General plan has not been addressed sufficiently by the Planning Department that 118 expression to County Council could be undertaken. 119 Frustration was expressed with the “shop talk” and terminology in the Draft Plan. It needs to 120 have clarification of all the concepts available to the public. 121 AC member Brad Kurokawa motioned to write a letter to the Planning Department asking for 122 clarification of changes in the Draft General Plan from the current plan. Seconded by AC 123 Member David Meyer. 124 Expressed that this clarification should be written, and that Planning be asked to make a 125 presentation to the Hāmākua AC describing these changes. Changes should be made in 126 layman terms. Ask Planning to make a presentation at the next meeting. Recommendation 127 that Planning present the synopsis of changes 2 weeks before the presentation. First, we 128 want to look at the changes to prepare to make comments. Discussion of the Draft General 129 Plan will take place at each meeting. 130 Unable to tell what is changed and not changed on the land use maps. Need to click on any 131 property before knowing if zoning is changed. 132 Motion passed unanimously with a voice vote (6-0). 133 AC member Bidleman motioned to have assignment of AC members to individual sections of 134 the Draft General Plan. Seconded by AC Member Brad Kurokawa. Motion passed 135 unanimously with a voice vote (6-0). 136 4. Discussion of the Draft General Plan’s Expansion of Heavy Industrial Zoning at Hu Honua 137 near Pepe’ekeo. 138 Brief history explained that PUC denied contract of Hu Honua with Hawaiian Electric. The 139 denial was sustained by the Supreme Court and the purchase contract was not in the best 140 interest of the public. 141 www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov/ CDP@hawaiicounty.gov Page 5 AC member Brad Kurokawa motioned to request that Planning provide explanation/reason 142 for expansion of Heavy Industrial Zoning at Hu Honua. Seconded by AC member Robert 143 Nishimoto. 144 Expression made from AC desiring to hear reasoning from Planning. Kuleana expressed that 145 the AC should try to protect important agricultural lands and that the heavy industrial zoning 146 increase was taken from important Agricultural lands. Therefore, an explanation should be 147 given as to why this expansion is taking place. 148 Motion passed unanimously with a voice vote (6-0). 149 5. Discussion of the Draft General Plan’s Expansion of Heavy Industrial Zoning at the Old 150 ʻŌʻōkala Mill Site 151 AC member Mahealani Maikui motioned to ask Planning for explanation/reason for 152 expansion of Heavy industrial Zoning at Ookala. Seconded by AC member Brad Kurokawa. 153 Comment offered that the zoning change is taking place in agricultural lands. Comment 154 offered that the heavy industrial zoning should not be placed next to the residential 155 neighborhoods in the current General Plan. Comment offered that the Hāmākua Community 156 Development Plan states that Heavy Industrial zoning in most areas of North Hilo is 157 inappropriate due to proximity to coastline. Request made to Planning to identify on the land 158 use map where changes are being made because currently able to tell. 159 Motion passed unanimously with a voice vote (6-0). 160 6. Hāmākua CDP AC’s Investigation into the Fire Preparedness of the Communities in the 161 Hāmākua District 162 Chair Tawn Keeney has spoken with the Fire Captain of Honoka’a and the Fire Prevention 163 Office of Hāmākua, Director of Civil Defense, the Asset Manager of Kamehameha Schools, 164 and the Board of the Honoka’a Business Association about Fire Break and Fuel Break around 165 Honoka’a. A representative of the Board of the Honoka’a Business Association and Hawaii 166 Wildfire and Chair Keeney will have further discussion of this topic. Kamehameha Schools 167 expressed that we need to express very specifically what we wanted, and that this 168 communication would be passed to their administration for evaluation. This model should be 169 applied to each community on the Hāmākua Coast. 170 AC member Bidleman motioned the AC write a letter addressed to the various groups and 171 persons written by Chair Keeney after further investigation. Chair Keeney, after discussions 172 with Honoka’a Business Association representative and Hawaii Wildfire Preparedness rep 173 would write a letter to be presented in Communications for the next meeting. Seconded by 174 AC member Mahealani Maikui. Motion passed unanimously with a voice vote (6-0). 175 7. Mud Lane Roadway that runs from Kukuihaele to Māmalahoa Highway 176 Discussion of Mud Lane status as emergency route or as public roadway. Concern raised with 177 AC Member Mahealani about evacua�on and emergency route a�er the Lahaina fire. 178 Comment offered of the presence of several op�ons for evacua�on. Ainsley Loo said that a 179 www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov/ CDP@hawaiicounty.gov Page 6 second ‘way out’ is needed as currently only one exit present. Chair Keeney read several 180 passages from the Hāmākua CDP pertaining to determina�on of evacua�on and emergency 181 route from Waipio. Also, policy statements from the CDP were read regarding advoca�ng for 182 making study of Kukuihaele to Mud Lane connector road. In addi�on, a policy to do a study 183 of development of park on rim of Waipio at the old lookout was noted. Impact on Honokaa 184 must be considered. Considera�on of ‘one way’ public road was raised, referencing the leter 185 from Chair Keeney to Public Works Director. Google Earth images were presented of the Mud 186 Lane area. Michael McCool presented perspec�ve from residents of Mud Lane. No 187 emergency route for the Mud Lane residents. The access from Mud Lane residents used to be 188 down to Old Airport Road un�l 3 years ago when Old Airport Road was blocked off at the 189 Waipio end. It is clear to Mr. McCool that the residents of Mud Lane would object to making 190 Mud Lane public access to Kukuihaele. It was stressed that this discussion should take place 191 for months to come before any decision making. No mo�on was entertained. This will again 192 be on the agenda of next month’s meeting. 193 8. Scheduling of Future Hāmākua Community Development Plan Ac�on Commitee 194 Mee�ngs 195 Discussion held on date of next mee�ng and whether it should be Zoom capable. Next 196 mee�ng is scheduled for December 13. It was decided that it would be an in-person mee�ng 197 unless Chair Keeney is able to enable a sa�sfactory Zoom environment. 198 9. Future Agenda Item Recommendations 199 1. Annual Nomination and Election of AC Chairperson and Vice Chairperson 200 2. Mud Lane as an Emergency Route or Public Roadway 201 ADJOURNMENT: 202 AC Chair Keeney motioned to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by AC Member Richard 203 Bidleman. The meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:51 p.m. 204 These meeting minutes and all related documents are available in the Planning Department’s 205 Hāmākua Community Development Plan Action AC folder via the County of Hawaiʻi Public 206 Documents Repository. These documents may also be requested from the Planning 207 Department by calling (808) 961-8288 or emailing cdp@hawaiicounty.gov. 208