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HomeMy WebLinkAbout16Sep2010 AC Minutes County of Hawai‘i PLANNING DEPARTMENT PUNA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN ACTION COMMITTEE 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 BJ Leithead Todd Director Margaret Masunaga Deputy Director William P. Kenoi Mayor Thursday September 16, 2010 Meeting Minutes CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Barbara Bell called the Puna Community Development Plan (PCDP) Action Committee (AC) meeting to order at 3:07 p.m. in the Kea’au Community Center, with the following persons present: Action Committee: Barbara Bell, Frank Commendador, Larry Higgins, Keikialoha Kekipi, Jeffrey Krepps, Madie Greene, Tim Tunison. Excused: Wesley Owens, Daniel Taylor. Staff: Larry Brown (Planning Department, Project Manager), Elizabeth “Liz” Hultman-Salfen (Planning Department, Community Planning Assistant), Lahilahi Verschuur (Planning Department, Recorder). Public servants: County Councilman J Yoshimoto and Shelly Ogata, 3rd District Members of the public: 12 ANNOUNCEMENTS None PUBLIC TESTIMONY 1. Toby Hazel, Kupuna o Puna, testified in favor of a teaching hospital in Kea’au that could be connected with the University of Hawaii and could provide jobs and host interns. 2. Diane Ware testified in support of the AC and their amendment recommendations to the Planning Director. Suggested the AC get in touch with the Kona AC to work on the cultural resources commission issue. 3. James Weatherford asked how the parks and recreation land at Kumukahi would be paid for; thought it would be an Open Space Commission nomination. Testified that mass transit is Puna’s greatest need and shortcoming. Asked about progress on grant for hub & spoke system, transit hub in Kea’au, and getting the Puna Makai Alternate Route (PMAR) on the State Transportation Improvement Project (STIP) list. 2 APPROVAL OF MINUTES Madie moved to approve the Aug. 19, 2010 meeting minutes; Jeffrey seconded. All in favor. NEW BUSINESS 1. Guest speaker Linda Ugalde, director of the Cooper Center in Volcano Village, shared information about their non-profit community center as a potential model for future centers in Puna. A. The center was built in 1985 on county land with funds raised by the Volcano Community Association. B. The Cooper Center is the non-profit group that runs the center and makes up the users. C. The center includes a main hall, bookstore, thrift store, certified kitchen, and farmer’s market. D. The County takes care of landscape management; Cooper Center maintains the building. i. County provided building materials; members provided labor. ii. County installed cement slab and soft surface for playground. E. Large volunteer base operates the center, including community service volunteers who serve in lieu of paying traffic ticket fines. F. Recommends avoiding masonite surfaced skate parks due to liability and maintenance issues. G. The Center operates a “Friends feeding friends” program. H. Has several fundraisers including 4th of July event and biannual Mongolian BBQ. I. Said 501 C-3 status is paramount, with Memo of Understanding (MOU) with the County. i. Offered to share MOU with community members. ii. Toby Hazel requested a workshop with community groups on how to work with the County. J. Site includes police sub-station and volunteer fire department. 2. Subcommittee reports A. Budget/Finance i. No meeting held. A. Malama I Ka `Aina i. Meeting held Sep. 1 addressed the biosphere reserve buffer zone (BRBZ) issue due to interests of those in attendance from Volcano. a. National park can’t initiate action but is supportive; encourages incentives vs. restrictions. b. The Ka’u Action Committee is proposing a buffer zone; subcommittee will attempt to integrate efforts. c. Work plan includes education support in Volcano community. d. A public attendee made a request for clear communications about subcommittee meetings for those who have signed up. B. Managing Growth i. No meetings were held for parks/recreation or agriculture/economic development subcommittees. Jeffrey announced they are looking for volunteers for the ag./economic development subcommittee. ii. Jeffrey announced a County Parks and Rec. meeting would be held Tues., Sep. 21 to 3 discuss Pahoa Regional Park. iii. Larry B. announced a USDA grant for new community gardens, which is posted on the county resource website. iv. Larry H. offered to meet with any community group about village centers. C. Transportation i. No meetings held. ii. Toby Hazel brought up a suggestion regarding the Bus and was asked to put it in writing. iii. Stephanie Bath spoke on behalf of a mass transit sub-subcommittee that is forming. a. Recommends posting schedules and voucher information at the bus terminal. b. Looking at bus service on county roads, waiting to talk to County Mass Transit. Frank asked her to put her request for information in writing. Larry B. said he can follow up to request status. iv. Next meeting will be held Thursday, Sept. 30 at 4 p.m. on the outdoor lanai at the Kea’au Community Center. D. Amendment Subcommittee i. Discussed Dan’s draft communication to Hawai’i County Council Chair J Yoshimoto regarding the AC’s position on Bill 194’s amendments to the PCDP. ii. Chairman Yoshimoto was present and provided his comments: a. He is considering withdrawing the amendment to change action language in the PCDP. Needs to clarify the intent of the original motion. b. On the biosphere reserve buffer zone, he asked the AC to forward their work to the Council when “you feel you’ve done all you can do”. Tim wants to find out the formal UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) process. c. Bill 194 is on the Sep. 20 agenda in Kona at 2 p.m. Puna residents can participate via video conferencing at the County building in Hilo. d. Transfer of Development Rights and Floating Zone concepts: J believes they need to be put into the County Code before they can be included in the PCDP and is open to looking at how to amend the Code. iii. Frank moved to table the discussion on the letter, Keiki seconded. During discussion Frank said the letter isn’t needed. Barbara felt it would be good to provide another testimony. Keiki withdrew his second. Madie moved to accept the letter, Jeffery seconded. All voted in favor. Larry B. will format the letter. iv. Madie moved to invite Councilmember Emily Naeole to speak to the AC about her amendments to the PCDP. Jeffrey seconded, all voted in favor. 3. Action Committee Workshops A. No discussion UNFINISHED BUSINESS 1. Implementation Work Plans A. Liz outlined a process to identify the AC’s top priority actions using a voting method on each subcommittee’s top three priorities. 4 B. While votes were being tabulated, Larry B. gave an update on the Puna Makai Alternate Route (PMAR). i. He said the next step is to get it on the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) list and to move forward on the environmental and preliminary engineering study. ii. Larry B. sat on the selection committee that recently recommended a consultant to produce the functional classification report needed for the STIP. 2. Larry H. moved to have a special meeting to invite Councilmember Emily Naeole to speak regarding her amendments to the PCDP. Keiki seconded. September 30 at 3 p.m. was agreed upon. All voted in favor. 3. Implementation Work Plan discussion continued with the results of the AC vote: A. Top action priorities identified: i. County-wide Mass Transit Master Plan ii. PMAR iii. Wastewater disposal systems iv. Biosphere Reserve Buffer Zone v. Develop transit hubs B. No requisite amendments to the General Plan identified in order to implement actions. C. Work plan follow-ups i. Larry B. said the work plans are in Excel format, will be available on the County website and can be distributed on CD. ii. Sub-subcommittees can provide greater detail and present revised work plans to the AC. iii. Committees can report back to Liz or Larry. 4. Cultural Resources Commission letter A. Barbara moved to table consideration of Jeffrey’s draft letter to Mayor Kenoi expressing support for implementation of the Hawai’i County Cultural Resources Commission, then rescinded her motion. Keiki moved to refer the letter back to the subcommittee. Madie seconded, all voted in favor. 5. Cost of Government Commission Letter A. Jeffery moved to defer discussion until the special meeting, Tim seconded. All voted in favor. AGENDA FOR NEXT MEETING 1. Bill 194 amendments 2. Cost of Government Commission letter ADJOURNMENT Larry H. moved to adjourn, Keiki seconded. All voted in favor; meeting adjourned at 6:15 p.m.