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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-28-2011 SKCDP AC Minutes - Final SOUTH KOHALA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN ACTION COMMITTEE MINUTES OF MEETING Held February 28, 2011 A regular meeting of the South Kohala Community Development Plan Action Committee was held on February 28, 2011. The meeting was called to order by the Chairman, Mike Fischer, at 4:10 p.m. at The Lilly Yoshimatsu Senior Center, 67-1199 Mamalahoa Highway, Waimea, Hawaii, pursuant to notice. The following members of the Committee were present when the meeting was called to order: Nancy Alvord Loreli Eberhardt Mike Fischer John Hoover Margaret Horwatt Robin Inaba Chris Roehrig Achahn Schulze Project Manager Allen Salavea also was in attendance. Committee member Leonard Librizzi was not in attendance when the meeting was called to order. The Chairman called the meeting to order, noted that a quorum of the Committee was present at the meeting, and noted that Recorder Judith Graham was not present. He then welcomed Ms. Eberhardt and Mr. Roehrig as new members of the Committee. There were no statements from the public on agenda items. Upon motion duly made by Ms. Alvord and seconded by Ms. Eberhardt, the Committee then approved the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on January 24, 2011, in the form distributed to the members in advance of the meeting. The next item on the agenda was a presentation by Steve Bowles concerning water resources on the Island of Hawaii and in the South Kohala District in particular. Committee members and members of the public received written materials to supplement the discussion and slide presentation. Mr. Bowles advised the Committee that he thought the discussion of water resources in the South Kohala Community Development Plan was accurate and that in his opinion there were adequate water resources in the District to meet drinking and agricultural needs. He stated that the issue is whether energy resources would remain available to access and deliver the water throughout the District. Mr. Bowles noted that it is more expensive to pump water from lower elevations than from higher elevations because the water table drops faster than the topography. He cited the Kawaihae area as most problematical in the District because it lies between resources to the north at Kohala Ranch and to the south and indicated that no solutions had been identified to his knowledge and that any solution would come with significant costs. Mr. Bowles also stated that brackish water may be desalinated and utilized to help meet the needs of the Puako area and that the Waimea and Waikoloa areas presently have systems accessing adequate amounts of water for their needs. He added that he thought the difficulties that led to apportioning water as a consequence of the drought of 1983 would not recur and that he could not imagine any demand that would deplete the high level aquifers. However, Mr. Bowles suggested that there is a need for greater and more effective monitoring of the water supplies and delivery systems. Mr. Fischer then noted that the vacancies on the Committee had been filled and that the agenda item relating to Committee vacancies would be removed from the agenda for the next meeting. Mr. Salavea then indicated that there was no Land Use Permit Activity Report for this meeting. The Committee then heard Liaison Reports regarding meetings and events attended by Committee members. Mr. Hoover reported that the Puako community remained committed to finalizing the fire break project. Mr. Fischer reported on the Mayor’s “talk story” meeting in Waikoloa. Ms. Inaba discussed the status of the special permit applicant that had met with the Waimea Design Review Committee regarding an automotive repair business to be located in an area zoned for agricultural use and in a residential neighborhood. Mr. Schulze advised the Committee that he had met with Michael Prinslow of the County Department of Housing and had visited the lot made available by the County in Waikoloa and that the likelihood was that the lot would be utilized as a dog park in the future. Ms. Alvord stated that the Kawaihae Subcommittee was adding several community leaders and would be meeting monthly to help establish priorities for the Kawaihae area and for future planning. Ms. Horwatt reported that the Parker Ranch leases relating to the pu’us in Waimea had been renewed by the Department of Land and Natural Resources without reference to the Action Committee’s expressed desire to have public access considered and without reference to the requests for access by others such as Hawaii Preparatory Academy, and added that the ruling by the Department was being appealed and, if a hearing on the appeal was to take place, that the Committee would have the opportunity to present testimony. She added that she would be proposing a CIP budget item to fund studies of a public access program that would include educational aspects and emphasize cultural awareness regarding the pu‘us. Further discussion of the next agenda item, CIP Budget proposals, was tabled. The Chair then noted that the agenda item for Subcommittee Reports would be combined in future agendas with the agenda item for Liaison Reports. To accommodate those members of the public and of the Committee wishing to attend the Mayor’s “talk story” later in the evening, the agenda items regarding Proposed Amendments to the SK CDP and Subcommittee Structuring and Assignments were tabled. Mr. Fischer then noted that the self evaluation process and the annual report, which constituted the next two items on the agenda, in fact would be combined as the self-evaluation responses would be used as the basis for the annual report. A draft of the annual report will be prepared and the matter was tabled. The Chair then noted that item 12 on the agenda was no longer relevant and the dates and processes for the Town Meetings (item 13 on the agenda) and Guest Speakers (item 14 on the agenda) had already been discussed as a prior meeting of the Committee. 2 There were no statements from the public on any agenda items at this point in the meeting. Mr. Salavea then announced that he would be leaving the Planning Department for a position with Kamehameha Schools. The Committee members thanked Mr. Salavea for his assistance during the past year and extended their best wishes and congratulations. Mr. Fischer then thanked Mr. Bowles for his presentation and thanked Ms. Alvord for making arrangements with Mr. Bowles. The next meeting of the Committee will be held on March 28, 2011, at Hokuloa Church in Puako at 5:00 p.m. and Mr. Hoover will arrange for a guest speaker. There being no further business to come before the meeting, the meeting was adjourned at 5:30 p.m. ______________________________ Michael B. Fischer Chairman 3