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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-10-28 SKCDP Meeting Packet County of Hawai‘i SOUTH KOHALA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN ACTION COMMITTEE Aupuni Center • 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3 • Hilo, Hawaiʻi 96720 (808) 961-8288 • Fax (808) 961-8742 Mitchell D. Roth Mayor Tristie Licoan, Chair William Sanborn Ruth Smith Vacant Julia Alos Kevin McLaughlin Scott Nagata, Vice Chair Peter Hendricks Karen Anderson NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN of the following matters to be considered by the South Kohala Community Development Plan (CDP) Action Committee in accordance with the provisions of Sections 92-3.7 and 92-7, Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes (HRS). This meeting will be held in-person at the location listed in this notice and by Interactive Conference Technology (ICT) through Zoom. DATE: Monday, October 28, 2024 TIME: 5:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M IN PERSON LOCATION: Kūhiō Hale 64-756 Mamalahoa Hwy Waimea, HI 96743 ONLINE/ZOOM: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsc-uopjksGqI6gxboMl2vV1FcJmHNZcc NOTICE REGARDING PUBLIC TESTIMONY: The public may provide oral testimony at the meeting by joining Zoom or attending in-person at the physical location listed above. Although not required, to register in advance for oral testimony please contact staff at cdp@hawaiicounty.gov or (808) 961-8288. Pursuant to §92-3, HRS, interested persons who want to provide oral testimony may do so either at the time the committee takes public statements on the agenda, or at the time the specific agenda item is called. Please note that public testimony may be limited to three (3) minutes in length per agenda item. In addition, although not required, to ensure timely delivery of written testimony to committee members, it is requested that written testimony be submitted by 4:30 p.m. at least two business days prior to the meeting via email to cdp@hawaiicounty.gov or in person at the Hilo or Kona Planning Department. When submitting written testimony, please specify for which agenda item written testimony is being submitted. All written testimony will be a part of the public record. NOTICE REGARDING INTERACTIVE CONFERENCE TECHNOLOGY (ICT): A meeting held by ICT shall be automatically recessed for up to 30 minutes to restore communication when audiovisual communication cannot be maintained with all members participating in the meeting or with the in-person location identified in this notice. The meeting may reconvene when either audiovisual communication is restored, or audio-only communication is established after an unsuccessful attempt to restore audiovisual communication. If it is not possible to reconvene the meeting as provided in this subsection within 30 minutes after an interruption to communication, the meeting will be automatically terminated. AGENDA I. CALL TO ORDER & ROLL CALL II. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES: The Committee will consider approving the draft minutes from the June 24, 2024 & September 23, 2024 meeting. III. PUBLIC TESTIMONY ON AGENDA ITEMS: Pursuant to §92-3, HRS, interested persons who want to provide oral testimony may do so now, or at the time the specific agenda item is called. Public testimony may be limited to three (3) minutes in length per agenda item. IV. BUSINESS: 1. Final Draft General Plan 2045 – Discussion and decision making on submitting testimony to the Leeward Planning Commission regarding the Draft General Plan. 2. Water Resources Permitted Interaction Group (P.I.G.) – Discussion and decision making on whether to form a Permitted Interaction Group regarding community concerns related to water resources available for the area as noted in the South Kohala Community Development Plan. 3. Industries Permitted Interaction Group (P.I.G) – Discussion and decision making on whether to form a Permitted Interaction Group to find ways to support budding industries in the region in alignment with the South Kohala Community Development Plan. V. PROPOSED NEW BUSINESS: Committee members will discuss potential agenda items for the next meeting. VI. ANNOUNCEMENTS • The Planning Department is currently seeking applicants for the South Kohala Action Committee and is requesting assistance to get the word out to interested community members. The application can be found on the Mayor’s office website at: https://www.hawaiicounty.gov/our-county/boards-commissions-application VII. ADJOURNMENT This agenda 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: https://records.hawaiicounty.gov/Weblink/Browse.aspx?dbid=1&cr=1. These documents may also be requested from the Planning Department by calling (808) 961- 8288 or emailing cdp@hawaiicounty.gov. NOTICE: The purpose of the public hearings is to afford all interested persons a reasonable opportunity to be heard on the above items. A person desiring to submit oral or written testimony may indicate their name and whether the testimony is on their behalf or as a representative of an organization or individual. Written testimony can be submitted via email or hard copy. Hard copies should include an original and nine copies and be submitted no later than 4:30pm two business days prior to the meeting. Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service, other reasonable modification, or language interpretation to access this meeting please contact the Planning Department at (808) 961-8288 or cdp@hawaiicounty.gov as soon as possible, but no later than five business days prior to the meeting date, to arrange for accommodations. If a response is received after the five-business days deadline, we will try to obtain the auxiliary aid/service or accommodation, but we cannot guarantee that the request will be fulfilled. “Other reasonable modification” refers to communication methods or devices for people with disabilities who are mentally and/or physically challenged. Upon request, this notice is available in alternate formats such as large print, Braille, or electronic copy. If you are a lobbyist, you must register with the Hawaiʻi County Clerk within five days of becoming a lobbyist. (Article 15, Section 2-91.3(b), Hawai‘i County Code). A lobbyist means, “any individual engaged for pay or other consideration who spends more than five hours in any month or $275 in any six-month period for the purpose of attempting to influence legislative or administrative action by communicating or urging others to communicate with public officials.” (Article 15, Section 2-91.3(a)(6), Hawai‘i County Code). Registration forms and expenditure report documents are available at the Office of the County Clerk-Council, 25 Aupuni Street, Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720. SOUTH KOHALA CDP ACTION COMMITTEE SOUTH KOHALA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 1 ACTION COMMITTEE 2 COUNTY OF HAWAIʻI 3 DRAFT MINUTES 4 June 24, 2024 5 CALL TO ORDER 6 Vice-Chair Scott Nagata called the South Kohala Community Development Plan (CDP) Action 7 Committee (AC) to order at 5:07 p.m. A quorum was established with six members in 8 attendance. This meeting was held in person at the Waikoloa Village Association Banquet Room 9 and via the Zoom online platform. 10 The full YouTube video of this meeting can be found here: 11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJzzonbEFpY&t=2301s 12 ROLL CALL 13 Members Present (in person): Scott Nagata (Vice-Chair), Julia Alos and Kevin McLaughlin 14 (arrived at 5:21 p.m.). 15 Members Present (via Zoom): Ruth Smith (left at 5:35 p.m.), Peter Hendricks (left at 6:00 p.m., 16 and William Sanborn (left at 6:15 p.m.) 17 Members Absent: Tristie Licoan and Karen Anderson 18 County Staff Present (in person): Maryam Palma and Jessica Lahip 19 There were approximately eleven members of the public in attendance (seven in person and four 20 via Zoom). 21 APPROVAL OF MINUTES [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 4:15] 22 Committee member Julia Alos motioned to approve the February 26, 2024 meeting minutes. 23 Vice-Chair Scott Nagata seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. 24 PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS: 25 Michael Konowicz Testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 7:25] 26 BUSINESS 27 1. Overview of CDP Action Committee Purpose and South Kohala CDP Implementation 28 Priorities – Presentation by Planning Department staff on the background and roles of the 29 CDP Action Committee. Discussion to establish which implementation projects the 30 committee will pursue based off findings in the South Kohala CDP document. 31 32 This item was called to order at 5:07 p.m. [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 8:53] 33 SOUTH KOHALA CDP ACTION COMMITTEE Minutes of June 24, 2024 2 Planning Department Staff Maryam Palma presented on overview of the CDP Action Committee 34 purpose and South Kohala Implementation Priorities. In addition, reviewed the results from the 35 Google Form survey, which had been distributed to the AC prior to the meeting. There was a 36 discussion among the AC members regarding potential actions/avenues they were interested in 37 pursuing. Quorum was lost at 6:15 p.m. 38 Jojo Tanimoto Testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 53:52] 39 Avalon Paradea [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 58:48] 40 Public testifier (individual did not provide name) [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 1:03:08] 41 James Hustace testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 1:13:49] 42 This item concluded at 6:41 p.m. 43 AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING 44 There was no discussion on agenda items. 45 ANNOUNCEMENTS [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 1:34:02] 46 • South Kohala CDP AC comment letter for the Draft General Plan 2045 was submitted to the 47 Planning Department. 48 • The Planning Department is currently seeking applicants for the South Kohala Action 49 Committee and is requesting assistance to get the word out to interested community 50 members. The application can be found on the Mayor’s office website at: 51 https://www.hawaiicounty.gov/our-county/boards-commissions-application 52 • The Department of Environmental Management has begun the process to Draft an Integrated 53 Wastewater Management Plan. A recording of the first round of public meetings can be 54 found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmR2EgTRQVI 55 • Hawaiʻi Electric Public Safety Power Shutoffs Information and How to Prepare: 56 https://records.hawaiicounty.gov/WebLink/1/edoc/135908/202406_PSPS_Resources_Present57 ation.pdf 58 • County of Hawai’i Office of Housing and Community Development Waimea Public Meeting 59 for 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan to be held on July 11, 2024 at 9:30AM at the Waimea 60 Community Center, 65-1260 Kawaihae Rd. Kamuela, HI 96743 61 • County of Hawai’i Real Property Tax Public hearing on July 18, 2024 at 5:00 PM at the 62 County Council Chambers – Hilo or via Zoom (register at cohfinance@hawaiicounty.gov) to 63 discuss 3 Agricultural Programs: 64 o Community Food Sustainability 65 o Short Term Commercial Dedication – 3 year dedication 66 o Long Term Commercial Dedication – 10 year dedication 67 68 ADJOURNMENT 69 Vice-Chair Soctt Nagata adjourned the meeting at 6:45 p.m. 70 SOUTH KOHALA CDP ACTION COMMITTEE Minutes of June 24, 2024 3 These minutes and all related documents are available in the Planning Department’s South 71 Kohala Community Development Plan Action Committee folder via the County of Hawaiʻi 72 Public Documents Repository. These documents may also be requested from the Planning 73 Department by calling (808) 961-8288 or emailing cdp@hawaiicounty.gov. 74 SOUTH KOHALA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 1 ACTION COMMITTEE 2 COUNTY OF HAWAIʻI 3 DRAFT MINUTES 4 September 23, 2024 5 CALL TO ORDER 6 Chair Tristie Licoan called the South Kohala Community Development Plan (CDP) Action 7 Committee (AC) to order at 5:03 p.m. A quorum was established with six members in 8 attendance. This meeting was held in person at the Kūhiō Hale. 9 The full YouTube video of this meeting can be found here: 10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7pTSCj1Ons 11 ROLL CALL 12 Members Present (in person): Tristie Licoan (Chair), Scott Nagata (Vice-Chair), Julia Alos, and 13 William Sanborn 14 Members Present (via Zoom): Ruth Smith (left at 7:30 p.m.), Kevin Mclaughlin (left at 7:01 15 p.m., and Pete Hendricks (left at 7:15 p.m.) 16 Members Absent: Karen Anderson 17 County Staff Present (in person): Maryam Palma, Jessica Lahip, Kawelo Kalili, Janice Hata, 18 Natasha Soriano, and April Surprenant. 19 County Staff Present (via Zoom): Shannon Arquitola 20 There were approximately fifty members of the public in attendance (thirty-five in person and 21 fifteen via Zoom). 22 PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS: 23 Momi Naughton testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 4:50] 24 Donna Thompson testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 12:11] 25 Anna Kahoopii testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 17:21] 26 Lloyd Case testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 22:30] 27 Pier Shige testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 25:47] 28 Aislinn Chalker testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 32:54] 29 Owana Wilcox testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 34:27] 30 January Herron-Whitehead testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 37:28] 31 Pua Case testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 39:07] 32 SOUTH KOHALA CDP ACTION COMMITTEE Minutes of September 23, 2024 2 BUSINESS 33 1. Final Draft General Plan 2045 Presentation – Presentation and Q&A by Planning 34 Department Staff regarding the Final Draft General Plan 2045. 35 This item was called to order at 5:51 p.m. [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 48:45] 36 County Planning Department staff April Surprenant and Natasha Soriano presented on the Final 37 Recommended Draft General Plan 2045. The presentation covered what the General Plan is and 38 its role in the planning system, the comprehensive review process, and the structure and 39 organization of the draft. There was time for questions from members of the public. 40 During the presentation and Q&A session, numerous questions and comments arose concerning 41 land use, transportation, infrastructure, water, and the implementation of the plan. Many 42 attendees expressed concern about managing resources with rising population and land prices by 43 asking how the plan addresses immediate needs using existing resources. There were multiple 44 questions regarding the ʻŌuli Farms project and the implications of proposed land use changes 45 on rural and agricultural lands. Attendees also highlighted concerns about climate change, 46 cultural preservation, water shortages, and the lack of public health considerations in the plan. 47 The Action Committee lost quorum at 7:40 p.m. 48 Erin Petrosian testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 1:32:53] 49 Kulike Chow testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 1:36:55] 50 Kaulahea Wilcox testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 1:40:05] 51 No’eau Lindsey testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 1:51:48] 52 Pomai Bentelmann testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 1:58:55] 53 Ursula Chong testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 2:07:00] 54 Cindy Evans testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 2:17:20] 55 Tehani Barton testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 2:27:45] 56 Kalani Guerrero-Tilini testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 2:32:00] 57 Sharon Olson testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 2:34:32] 58 Patti Cook testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 2:39:05] 59 Name unknown testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 2:45:11] 60 Name unknown testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 2:50:24] 61 This item closed at 7:56 p.m. 62 ANNOUNCEMENTS [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 1:34:02] 63 • The Planning Department is currently seeking applicants for the South Kohala Action 64 Committee and is requesting assistance to get the word out to interested community 65 SOUTH KOHALA CDP ACTION COMMITTEE Minutes of September 23, 2024 3 members. The application can be found on the Mayor’s office website at: 66 https://www.hawaiicounty.gov/our-county/boards-commissions-application 67 ADJOURNMENT 68 Chair Licoan adjourned the meeting at 7:59 p.m. 69 These minutes and all related documents are available in the Planning Department’s South 70 Kohala Community Development Plan Action Committee folder via the County of Hawaiʻi 71 Public Documents Repository. These documents may also be requested from the Planning 72 Department by calling (808) 961-8288 or emailing cdp@hawaiicounty.gov. 73 The South Kohala Community Development Plan (CDP) Action Committee (AC) submits the following comments on the Draft General Plan 2045. The compiled comments correspond to the South Kohala CDP, Table 8.1 Implementation Matrix. The table is broken down into the four towns and villages of South Kohala (Waimea Town Plan, Waikoloa Village Plan, Kawaihae Community Plan, and Puakō Community Plan). The AC encourages the implementation of the following SKCDP strategies as they align with the General Plan. Waimea Town Plan Prioritize preserving Ag Lands and Open Spaces based on viewplanes, cultural sites, and historical sites. Preserve hillsides and grading for these areas, and change zoning to protect these lands. The AC also supports the development of more affordable housing and pedestrian access for the Waimea Community. •1.1 Acquire conservation easements for critical Puʻu parcels •1.2 Require a Use permit for grading on Steep Land •2.1 Acquisition of Fee Interest or of Conservation Easements of Open Space Areas in East Waimea •2.2 Internal Transfer of Development Rights •3.1 Self-help housing •3.2 Non-profit housing corporation(s) •4.1 Walkways and Bikeways for Waimea Waikoloa Village Plan In addition to the following action items, the AC strongly recommends prioritizing the completion of the Daniel K. Inouye Highway between Mamalahoa Hwy and Queen K. Hwy, from mauka to makai. •1.1 Finance and construct a second access road to Queen Kaʻahumanu •2.1 Finance and construct a community center and community park •3.1 New elementary school, middle school, and high school Kawaihae Community Plan •1.1 Complete the development of the Ouli Well Field and transmit the water from Ouli to the Kawaihae area in order to provide additional sources of potable water for the area o Revise 1.1 to focus on the area from Kawaihae to Kailapa Hawaiian Homes o Adding infrastructure for housing in Hawaiian homes o New action plan for an evacuation route for Kailapa subdivision Puakō Community Plan •1.1 Establish a fuel break along Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway and the northeastern section of Puakō Road •1.2 Upgrade existing emergency warning sirens to have a battery electrical power backup in case of power outages •1.3 Construct the Paniau Evacuation Route •2.1 Construct a sanitary sewer system for the Puakō Beach Lots Communication No. 2024-03 South Kohala CDP Action Committee General Plan (GP) Questions and Answers Monday, September 23, 2024 Climate Change Q: With the rising population and increasing land prices, how are we going to manage and maintain our current resources? How is the plan going to implement what we need in the short term with our existing resources? A: The General Plan is the County’s policy guide for the long-range comprehensive development of the island. The GP is intended to guide the pattern of future development based on long-term goals. As a comprehensive plan, the GP is meant to be a broad framework for more specific planning. The plan is limited in the sense that it often relies on further implementation actions, such as zoning and budget ordinances, to move toward our goals and priorities. Land Use Q: Given the project location, how is it possible for ʻŌuli Farms to do agriculture? A: If the area of land is zoned A-5a (Agricultural 5 acres), the landowner is allowed by right to subdivide the land into five-acre parcels. This is considered by right entitlement – approval is granted because the zoning allows for it. Rezoning land is a process that goes through the Planning Commission and County Council. Q: What does Objective 14, “Maximize the use of Rural designated lands to preserve rural character and lifestyle,” mean? How does this apply to agricultural land and preventing the rezoning of agricultural land? A: The General Plan focuses on overarching land use while a zoning designation addresses specific uses. Objective 14 of the plan is intended to better support the General Plan Land Use (GPLU) Rural designation, as much of our island is considered rural. This objective does not involve rezoning agricultural land to a different zoning district. Q: Where does the language regarding “amending zoning districts” or “rezoning” come from and what does it mean? (Reference to page 98, Action 14.b) A: To amend zoning districts indicates a change in the County Zoning Code (Chapter 25). To better utilize the GPLU Rural designation, action 14.b states that a Zoning Code amendment is needed. Specifically, it speaks to the need to update the zoning districts Family Agricultural (FA) and Residential Communication No. 2024-07 South Kohala General Plan Community Meeting Page 2 Agricultural (RA) to align with the Rural designation and allow types of uses that are not currently permitted in these districts. Q: What is meant by retreats and lodges? (Reference to page 98, Action 14.a) A: Currently, there is a lack of clear distinctions between those two types of uses and we want to better define those terms. This would require us to amend the definitions in the Zoning Code. Q: Does the General Plan Land Use Resort designation include residential uses? A: Yes, there are residential uses within the Resort designation. The GPLU Resort includes a mix of visitor-related uses such as hotels, condominiums hotels, single-family and multiple-family residential units, golf courses, and other typical resort recreational facilities, resort commercial complexes, and other support services. Q: In the GP Land Use Map, the intersection of Kawaihae Road and Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway has been labeled as Urban Expansion. Why is it possible for ʻŌuli Farms to develop here? A: The decisions that are being made right now are based on the 2005 General Plan. In the proposed plan, we tried to reduce or more specifically define urban footprints. We reviewed existing development in the Urban Expansion designation to identify areas that are built or at capacity and assign consistent urban designations. As mentioned earlier, the Ouli property is zoned for 5-acre agriculture lots, so they are allowed by right to do that. Transportation and Infrastructure Q: Are petitions a viable source for things like the Waikōloa Village roundabout? A: Yes, petitions, questions, or comments regarding the Waikōloa Village roundabout may be submitted to the County Department of Public Works (DPW). Q: While the General Plan emphasizes important topics such as conservation, sustainability, and climate change, the question remains – how will we fund all of this? What aspects of the plan can be streamlined or removed? A: Implementation, including funding, is critical to achieving the goals and objectives set out in the General Plan. Implementation will rely on a combination of coordination actions by county departments, collaboration with state and federal agencies, community engagement, and strategic funding mechanisms. Funding for projects and initiatives comes from a range of sources including the County budget and Capital Improvements Program (CIP), which play a key role in funding infrastructure, public facilities, and other priority projects (e.g., roads, housing, water/wastewater systems). State and federal grants are an example of external funding that may fund large-scale South Kohala General Plan Community Meeting Page 3 projects (e.g., disaster resilience initiatives, and transportation infrastructure). Public-private partnerships (PPP) and tax revenues are additional funding mechanisms that the County may pursue to implement projects and programs identified in the General Plan. Q: Can you clarify the ownership exchange of roads in Waimea? (Reference to Hwy 190 and Hwy 19) A: The State now owns certain roads in Waimea due to an exchange of roads that occurred in the County, which has also happened in other communities across the island. This exchange occurred in Waimea mainly so that the State has a complete route around the island. These roadways are also principal arterials, primarily managed by the State. Process and Implementation Q: When we give testimony, will it be recorded? A: Comments will be recorded and uploaded to the Planning Department's YouTube channel. Questions and comments will also be transcribed in written form and uploaded to the department website. The Planning Department will not be making any further adjustments to the draft plan at this stage. Currently, we are accepting public input until September 26, 2024. Afterward, the plan will move to the Planning Commission, where there will be another opportunity for public input before the commission makes its recommendations to the County Council for the final decision. YouTube recording: https://youtu.be/F7pTSCj1Ons?si=fvDoCGmAmijS9es0 Q: How was the General Plan sent out? A: The draft was made available through the Konveio website as well as on the Planning Department website. The Konveio platform is a powerful tool that allows people to comment directly on the plan and interact with other comments. Konveio also allows people to view and comment on the GP maps. Importantly the platform allows the Department to analyze the public feedback more efficiently. We have tutorial videos on how to use Konveio. For people who do not want to use Konveio, we have hard copies available at the Planning Department and all public libraries. Emailed or written comments have been accepted as well. Within the County, we maintain a listserv for various departments, allowing individuals to sign up for notifications about relevant updates. The draft was distributed across all listservs, accompanied by a press release, newspaper articles, and posts on social media. It was also shared with council members to pass along to their constituents. South Kohala General Plan Community Meeting Page 4 Planning Department website: www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov/general- plan-community-planning/gp Konveio: cohplanning.konveio.com/general-plan Q: Will my comments mean anything? Is it worth the effort to submit comments? A: All comments are important and treated equally. All comments received will be packaged and submitted to Planning Commissions to inform their review and recommendations. Q: In the future, will public notices include information on how the General Plan will affect the community? A: Press releases and public notices should include information on how the General Plan affects all of us. Staff will strive to include this type of information in public-facing materials. In past press releases from the Planning Department, we have included some context regarding the purpose of the General Plan and background information. We can improve on making this information more relatable to show the impacts on the average resident. Q: Who follows up or tracks the implementation progress of the 2005 General Plan policies and actions? A new plan is being proposed, but what happens to the previous plan? A: The current 2005 General Plan will remain in effect until a new plan is adopted. Progress and implementation status is reflected in the County’s Annual Budget Report. The Implementation section of the draft General Plan speaks more specifically to implementation, monitoring, and reporting going forward. Q: Did the Planning Department consult with cultural practitioners? A: Cultural practitioners have been involved throughout the process, including but not limited to, the Cultural Resources Commission, DHHL, and each of their communities, and various practitioners who have attended public meetings, workshops, or other individual/group meetings. Q: How can we trust something from 2005? There have been a lot of big changes from 2005 to now. This is just a piece of paper. We must move with the times, how is this plan going to help us do this? A: The proposed plan contains concepts that the 2005 General Plan did not account for. The final draft aims to be more integrative and holistic, introducing new sections including climate change, broadband, and integrated systems. The proposed draft also contains a section on community health and wellness, which is focused on integrating health into land use and infrastructure policies. South Kohala General Plan Community Meeting Page 5 General Comments • Concerns with the General Plan being a template from ICLEI. • There is interest in more information regarding emergency preparedness. • Dissatisfaction with the Konveio platform and online commenting process. It is discouraging that people have to go online to read the General Plan. People who work do not have time to do that. • The general plan is difficult to read and understand, especially for kupuna. • Need to ask ourselves whether these things mentioned in the plan are needs vs. wants. • We need to consider everyone’s manaʻo and the General Plan needs to reach a broader spectrum of people. Addressing Climate Change for Island-Wide Health • There are concerns regarding the section on historic sites in the General Plan, particularly its limited understanding of South Kohala’s history. Native Hawaiian cultural practices in the region require greater attention, especially in preserving important sites in South Kohala. Protecting the viewsheds and puʻu is a key priority. There are also many concerns about the ʻŌuli Farms development. • There is interest in establishing a museum and archive in Waimea to preserve the area’s heritage. • Cultural legacy is lacking in the plan. • There is a great need for more habitat and ecosystem protection. Sustainable Development and Resilient Communities • Many concerns about infrastructure and there is opposition regarding development in South Kohala. • Affordability of land and increased taxes are key concerns for residents as many people and their families struggle to remain in Waimea. • The plan lacks adequate industrial land use designations, which are crucial for advancing utilities, transportation, and related services. • Concerns with redesignation of agricultural land in the proposed land use map. Transportation Access and Mobility • Concerns were raised regarding public access and trails. • The General Plan proposes seven roadway projects for Waikoloa. There is a request that we prioritize a single second road for Waikoloa Village. The community urgently needs just one road and there is not enough in the budget for seven projects. • Roundabouts are going to increase traffic. Public Utilities • There is inadequate water for development. Water is among the most pressing concerns. South Kohala General Plan Community Meeting Page 6 • The South Kohala CDP is grounded in key values such as water, community, and safety. Water is one of the most critical issues, as Waimea’s kuleana is to protect and sustain the water resources of this area. Currently, there is insufficient capacity to meet the community’s water needs. The idea of “sustainable development” is challenged here, as everything upland (mauka) directly impacts the lowland (makai). Waimea is intrinsically connected to all things water related. Public Facilities and Services • The topic of health is limited in the plan.