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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-06-23 Hawai'i Island Chamber of Commerce Opposition Testimony From: Carla Kuo To: Planning WPC Testimony Subject: Bill 154 Testimony - HICC Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2026 11:51:08 AM Attachments: Bill 154 HICC 06.22.2026.pdf Aloha Members of the Windward Planning Commission, Please find attached, testimony on Bill 154 for your upcoming hearing scheduled for July 2nd. Mahalo, Carla Carla Kuo Executive Officer Hawai‘i Island Chamber of Commerce 1321 Kino‘ole Street Hilo, HI 96720 Phone: 808-935-7178 Fax: 808-961-4435 hicc.biz HICC on Facebook & Instagram Hawai‘i Island Chamber of Commerce _________________________________________________________________________________ 1321 Kino‘ole Street - Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720 Phone (808) 935-7178 - Fax (808) 961-4435 - Email exec@hicc.biz - www.hicc.biz Testimony to the County of Hawai‘i Windward Planning Commission Thursday, July 2, 2026 at 9:00 AM Re: Bill 154 An Ordinance Amending Chapter 25, Articles 1, 5, and 7, of the Hawai‘i County Code 1983 (2016 Edition, As Amended), Relating to Commercial Parking Lots and Garages Aloha Members of the County of Hawai‘i Windward Planning Commission, On behalf of the Hawaiʻi Island Chamber of Commerce, representing more than 340 businesses and individual members primarily on the east side of Hawaiʻi Island, I write in respectful opposition to Bill 154 as currently written. While we appreciate the bill’s intent to support thoughtful land use planning and manage traffic impacts, we are concerned about the unintended consequences this bill may have on Downtown Hilo and other commercial areas. Parking remains a significant challenge for small businesses, employees, residents, and visitors. While no one generally wants to pay for parking, paid parking provides an option when free parking is unavailable and creates additional parking opportunities that may not otherwise exist. For many, having the choice to pay for convenient parking is preferable to not finding parking at all. By prohibiting new privately operated commercial parking lots and garages, Bill 154 would remove opportunities to increase parking supply and further constrain an already limited resource. This could discourage customers from visiting local businesses, hinder efforts to revitalize our town center, and create real barriers for families simply trying to attend their children's activities, appointments, and community events. Rather than an outright prohibition, we respectfully encourage a more balanced approach by identifying where commercial parking may be appropriate and what types of parking facilities could be permitted to address land use concerns while preserving flexibility to meet our community's parking needs. Mahalo for the opportunity to testify on this measure. Sincerely, Carla Kuo Executive Officer Hawai‘i Island Chamber of Commerce Executive Officer Carla Kuo 2025-2026 Board of Directors President David Kurohara President-Elect Dennis Lin Vice President Bonnie Irwin Treasurer Joshua Vierra Immediate Past President Keith Marrack Directors Mary Begier Vanessa Carlson Rebecca Choi Jeremy Chong Chelsey Chow Mark Chun Dean Fuke Larisa Hamamoto Dayna Kawazoe Daniel Kea Randy Kurohara Geoli Ng Matthew Pickett James Staub Jase Takeya Nimr Tamimi Jennifer Tobey Joni Waltjen Irene Yamanaka Tracie Yoshimoto