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Home My WebLink About2025-12-03 HCDP Minutes Final HĀMĀKUA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 1 ACTION COMMITTEE 2 COUNTY OF HAWAIʻI 3 FINAL MINUTES 4 December 3, 2025 5 CALL TO ORDER 6 Chair Brad Kurokawa called the meeting of the Hāmākua Community Development Plan (CDP) 7 Action Committee (AC) to order at 5:08 p.m. This meeting was held in person at the Paʻauilo 8 Elementary and Middle School Library and online via the Zoom platform. 9 The full YouTube video of this meeting can be found here: 10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sklWi641ENs 11 ROLL CALL 12 Members Present (in person): Brad Kurokawa (Chair), p.m., Tawn Keeney, Robert Nishimoto, 13 and Ben Dalauidao. 14 Members Present (via Zoom): Mahealani Maikui (Vice Chair) arrived at 5:48pm 15 County Staff (in person): Maryam Palma and Jessica Lahip 16 County Staff (via Zoom): Kawelo Kalili 17 There were approximately eight (8) members of the public in attendance – (4) in person and 18 (4) via Zoom. 19 PUBLIC TESTIMONY ON AGENDA ITEMS [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 3:33] 20 There was no public testimony at this time. 21 BUSINESS: 22 1. Proposed Nīnole Community Hub – Presentation by Christy Toledo on developing a 23 community hub at Tax Map Key (TMK) 3-2-003-006, which includes a gas station, post 24 office, and convenience store. Discussion and potential action to follow. [SEE YOUTUBE 25 TIMESTAMP 4:48 & 1:33:56] 26 Christy Toledo provided a presentation on a proposed Nīnole Community Hub located at 27 TMK: 3-2-003-006. The proposed project includes a gas station, post office, and 28 convenience store intended to serve as a centralized community resource for Nīnole and 29 surrounding areas. Toledo described the project’s goals of improving access to essential 30 services, reducing travel time for residents, and supporting community resilience. 31 Toledo requested a letter of support from the Action Committee. Following discussion, the 32 Committee agreed to defer action on the request. Members indicated they would like 33 additional information on the proposed hub and requested that Toledo return at a next 34 meeting with a more detailed presentation. The Committee also discussed the preparation 35 of a draft letter for consideration at the next meeting prior to taking any formal action. 36 HĀMĀKUA CDP ACTION COMMITTEE Minutes of December 3. 2025 2 Council Member Heather Kimball testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 1:38:35] 37 Meizhu Lui testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 1:44:12] 38 Tom Fratinardo testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 2:19:08] 39 2. Proposed Amendment to the Planning Department’s Public Notice Procedures 40 Update – Planning department staff will provide an update to the proposed amendment to 41 the Planning Department’s Public Notice Procedures. (See Communication No. 2025-02a) 42 [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 30:16] 43 Planning Department staff provided an update on the proposed amendment to the Planning 44 Department’s Public Notice Procedures, which would expand public notification beyond the 45 legally required newspaper postings. The update included discussion of potential electronic 46 notification methods, as well as staffing and technical considerations associated with 47 implementation. Staff noted that both interim and long-term solutions are currently being 48 explored. 49 Meizhu Lui testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 40:12] 50 3. Roads-in-Limbo – Committee Member Keeney will propose the Committee prioritize 51 roadways where ownership and responsibility are unclear and hamper public access. 52 Discussion and potential action to follow. (See Hāmākua CDP Policy 49, page 71). [SEE 53 YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 45:57] 54 The Committee discussed the issue of roads in limbo, focusing on Mealani Road in the 55 Waimea area. Committee Member Keeney provided background on repeated efforts to 56 clarify jurisdiction and secure public bicycle access along the roadway, which is identified 57 in some records as a road in limbo. The discussion highlighted conflicting information 58 among County records, Hawaiian Homes (DHHL), property tax maps, and plat maps, as 59 well as prior legislative and engineering efforts related to emergency bypass planning. 60 Although a draft resolution was presented, it was withdrawn in favor of continued 61 investigation and coordination offline with Council Member Heather Kimball and relevant 62 agencies. 63 Council Member Heather Kimball testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 1:00:57] 64 Meizhu Lui testimony [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 1:00:19] 65 4. Election of Chair and Vice Chair – Discussion and potential action to elect a Chair and 66 Vice Chair for the Hāmākua CDP Action Committee for 2026. [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 67 1:26:40] 68 Chair Kurokawa made a motion to nominate Vice Chair Maikui for Committee Chairperson 69 for 2026. The motion is seconded by Committee Member Keeney. The motion passed 70 unanimously. Vice Chair Maikui accepted the role of Chair for 2026. 71 HĀMĀKUA CDP ACTION COMMITTEE Minutes of December 3. 2025 3 Chair Kurokawa agreed to serve as interim Vice Chair for 2026 until a Vice Chair is 72 appointed. 73 THIRD-PARTY REPORTS; GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 74 1:47:07] 75 Council Member Heather Kimball provided legislative and programmatic updates relevant to 76 the Hāmākua district, including the passage of a single-use plastics ban, an update on Bill 103 77 (Senior Farmer Tax Abatement Program), the proposed Wahi Pana designation in Waipiʻo 78 Valley, the Pepeʻekeo shoreline easement initiative, and the ongoing Hāmākua Heritage Trail 79 project, all of which involve coordination among multiple agencies and community 80 stakeholders. 81 Planning Department staff provided updates on the Falls on Fire contested case involving 82 Teppy Mountain LLC, noting that a hearing was held on November 13 and that the Hearings 83 Officer will issue a recommendation to the Windward Planning Commission, which is expected 84 to consider the matter in January or February, with additional public testimony to be received 85 at that time. Staff also relayed an update from Mass Transit regarding bus shelter planning in 86 Papaʻikou and Pepeʻekeo, clarified that the Kaʻahakini Stream Bridge project scope includes 87 Old Māmalahoa Highway embankment repairs, and provided an update on the coastline 88 setbacks project, including completion of GIS data collection, ongoing policy development, 89 planned public outreach, and anticipated completion before February 2027. 90 In relation to the Falls on Fire contested case, Chair Kurokawa shared community concerns 91 regarding large festival-type events on agricultural lands, including potential impacts to 92 environmental resources, agricultural operations, public safety, and access, as well as 93 concerns related to compliance and enforcement. Following discussion, the Chair indicated an 94 intent to draft a letter based on relevant Hāmākua Community Development Plan policies for 95 the Committee to review at a future meeting. 96 PUBLIC TESTIMONY ON MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA 97 There was no public testimony at this time. 98 APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 1:07:42] 99 Vice Chair Maikui made a motion to approve the October 1, 2025 meeting minutes, as 100 requested by Chair Kurokawa, with an amendment to Line 85 to read: “The work is being 101 treated as one project. Stormwater continues to contribute to bank erosion near Kaʻahakini 102 Bridge, and the embankment issue needs to be resolved sooner rather than later.” The motion 103 was seconded by Committee Member Keeney and passed unanimously. 104 NEW BUSINESS [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 2:21:45] 105 • Draft Letters: Nīnole Community Hub and Falls on Fire 106 • Fire Safety (abandoned houses) 107 HĀMĀKUA CDP ACTION COMMITTEE Minutes of December 3. 2025 4 • Follow up status of Mealani Road 108 ANNOUNCEMENTS [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 2:23:00] 109 • Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB) installed at intersection of Highway 19, 110 Mamalahoa Highway and Mill Road in Pāpaʻikou. 111 • The Planning Department is seeking applicants for the Hāmākua CDP Action Committee 112 and requests assistance to get the word out to interested community members. The 113 application can be found on the Mayor’s office website at: 114 https://www.hawaiicounty.gov/our-county/boards-and-commissions/boards-and-115 commissions-application 116 ADJOURNMENT 117 Chair Kurokawa adjourned this meeting at 7:34 p.m. [SEE YOUTUBE TIMESTAMP 2:26:08] 118 These minutes and all related documents are available in the Planning Department’s Hāmākua 119 Community Development Plan Action Committee folder via the County of Hawaiʻi Public 120 Documents Repository. These documents may also be requested from the Planning 121 Department by calling (808) 961-8288 or emailing CDP@hawaiicounty.gov. 122