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Home My WebLink About2025-05-15 SKCDP Final Minutes SOUTH KOHALA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 1 ACTION COMMITTEE 2 COUNTY OF HAWAIʻI 3 FINAL MINUTES 4 May 15, 2025 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 attendance. 8 This meeting was held in person at the Waikōloa Village Association Community Room. 9 The full YouTube video of this meeting can be found here: 10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc3kP1VVmBM 11 ROLL CALL 12 Members Present (in person): Tristie Licoan (Chair), Scott Nagata (Vice-Chair), William Sanborn, 13 Karen Anderson, Josephine (Jojo) Tanimoto, and Ruth Smith (arrived at 5:11 p.m.) 14 Members Absent: Kevin McLaughlin and Julia Alos 15 County Staff Present (in person): Maryam Palma, Jessica Lahip, and Janice Hata 16 There were approximately six (6) members of the public in attendance (four in person and two via 17 Zoom). 18 APPROVAL OF MINUTES [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 2:33] 19 Vice-Chair Nagata moved to approve the January 16, 2025 meeting minutes. Committee member 20 Anderson seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. 21 PUBLIC TESTIMONY ON AGENDA ITEMS [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 3:48] 22 None at this time. 23 BUSINESS 24 1. Puakō Sewer Project Update – Committee member Karen Anderson will provide an update 25 on the Puakō Sewer Project, with potential committee decision-making. 26 This item was called to order 5:07 p.m. [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 4:53] 27 Committee member Anderson provided an update on the Puakō Sewer Project, which aims to 28 prevent wastewater pollution from damaging the coral reef. In response to this issue, the Puakō 29 community established the nonprofit Puakō for Reefs and developed a plan for a low-pressure 30 sewer system that would connect to the Mauna Lani treatment plant. To advance the project, 31 support is needed from the County’s Planning, Environmental Management, and Finance 32 departments. 33 Committee member Anderson made a motion to request $1 million in Capital Improvements 34 Program (CIP) funding for the Puakō Sewer Project. The motion was seconded by committee 35 member Smith and passed unanimously. Committee member Anderson will draft the funding 36 request letter, and the Community Development Plan (CDP) team will finalize it and submit it 37 to Chair Licoan for signature. 38 SOUTH KOHALA CDP ACTION COMMITTEE Minutes of May 15, 2025 2 Additionally, committee member Anderson will draft letters addressed to the directors of the 39 Planning, Environmental Management, and Finance departments, with Mayor Kimo Alameda 40 cc’d. These draft letters will be presented at the next meeting for review and approval. 41 James Hustace Testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 36:22] 42 This item closed at 5:41p.m. 43 2. Waimea Water Resources Community Meeting Update – Vice-Chair Scott Nagata will 44 report on the Waimea Water Resources Community Meetings held on January 22, 2025 and 45 April 30, 2025 with potential committee decision-making. 46 This item was called to order at 5:25 p.m. [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 39:17] 47 Vice-Chair Nagata reported on the Waimea Water Resources Community Meetings held in 48 January and April 2025. These meetings focused on local concerns about water supply and 49 infrastructure, particularly the status of one of Waimea’s three reservoirs, which has been out of 50 service for several years due to earthquake damage. Community members expressed strong interest 51 in restoring the reservoir, but progress has been hindered by funding challenges. 52 Committee member Tanimoto noted that Council Resolution No. 137-25 is scheduled for 53 discussion at the May 21, 2025 County Council meeting. The resolution requests that the 54 Department of Water Supply establish a publicly accessible website with data on water resources 55 and usage. 56 Planning staff member Maryam Palma provided an overview of the pros and cons of forming a 57 Permitted Interaction Group (PIG). While a PIG would allow more committee members to 58 collaborate outside of formal meetings, it would also restrict public updates and reduce flexibility. 59 After discussion, the Action Committee opted not to form a PIG, choosing instead to continue 60 addressing the issue through regular updates and community engagement. 61 This item closed at 6:07 p.m. 62 3. Kailapa Firewise Evacuation Plan Update – Committee member Jojo Tanimoto will provide 63 an update on the Kailapa Community Meeting held on December 27, 2024, with potential 64 committee decision-making. 65 This item was called to order 6:07 p.m. [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 1:05:11] 66 Committee member Tanimoto provided an update on the Kailapa community’s evacuation 67 concerns. Although a firebreak was constructed using Firewise grant funding, the project remains 68 incomplete due to the absence of a required gate and pending completion of an archaeological 69 survey. The subdivision is fully enclosed by fencing, leaving no alternative exit during 70 emergencies. While the County of Hawaiʻi and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) 71 have allocated some funding to connect the evacuation route to public roads, coordination among 72 the involved agencies has been limited. 73 Chair Licoan made a motion authorizing Committee member Tanimoto to draft and send a letter 74 requesting a joint meeting with relevant agencies – such as Firewise, DHHL, and the Department 75 of Public Works – to be held during the next Kailapa community meeting. The purpose of the 76 meeting is to confirm the gate location and address the archaeological survey requirements needed 77 SOUTH KOHALA CDP ACTION COMMITTEE Minutes of May 15, 2025 3 to advance the evacuation route project. The motion was seconded by Committee member Sanborn 78 and passed unanimously. 79 This item closed at 6:16 p.m. 80 PROPOSED NEW BUSINESS [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 1:14:05] 81 1. Water Resources for Waimea update 82 2. Puakō Sewer Project letters to department heads 83 3. Waikōloa Intersection/Roundabout Traffic Congestion and Second Access Road 84 4. Invitation to Waikōloa Heights 85 5. Identifying and registering all the cultural and historic sites in the Kawaihae area 86 Vice-Chair Nagata made a motion to send a letter to Department of Parks and Recreation 87 requesting repairs to the Waimea Community Center, specifically addressing needs such as 88 painting, ceiling repairs, and cabinet restoration. The motion was seconded by Committee member 89 Anderson and passed unanimously. 90 ANNOUNCEMENTS [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 1:47:00] 91 • Mahalo to Pete Hendricks for his time, dedication, and service to the community and the 92 South Kohala CDP Action Committee. 93 • Council member James Hustace provided update on the General Plan, the Ad Hoc 94 Committee formed to evaluate the CDPs, and noted that the County Council’s first meeting 95 regarding the Capital Improvements Program (CIP) is scheduled for May 22, 2025. 96 • Jeff Darrow was confirmed as the new Director of the Planning Department as of January 97 22, 2025. 98 • A joint meeting of the Action Committee Chairs and Vice-Chairs was held on February 13, 99 2025. 100 • Senate Bill 869, relating to Community Outreach Boards, has passed the full Senate and is 101 awaiting the Governor’s signature. 102 • Environmental Notice – Pololū Trailhead Management Plan: 103 https://files.hawaii.gov/dbedt/erp/The_Environmental_Notice/2025-03-23-TEN.pdf 104 • The Planning Department is seeking applicants for the South Kohala Action Committee 105 and requests help in sharing this opportunity with interested community members. The 106 application is available on the Mayor’s Office website: 107 https://www.hawaiicounty.gov/our-county/boards-commissions-application 108 For inquiries, contact Micah Alameda, Executive Assistant to the Mayor, at 109 Micah.Alameda@hawaiicounty.gov or (808) 961-8211. 110 111 Committee member Sanborn announced his resignation from the South Kohala CDP Action 112 Committee. 113 ADJOURNMENT 114 Chair Licoan adjourned the meeting at 7:10 p.m. 115 These minutes and all related documents are available in the Planning Department’s South Kohala 116 Community Development Plan Action Committee folder via the County of Hawaiʻi Public 117 Documents Repository. These documents may also be requested from the Planning Department 118 by calling (808) 961-8288 or emailing cdp@hawaiicounty.gov. 119