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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAC Minutes 13Aug2013William P. Kenoi Mayor County of Hawaii PLANNING DEPARTMENT PUNA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN ACTION COMMITTEE Aupuni Center • 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Phone (808) 961 -8288 • Fax (808) 961 -8742 Tuesday, August 13, 2013 Meeting Minutes CALL TO ORDER Duane Kanuha Director Bobby Command Deputy Director Chairperson Patti Pinto called the Puna Community Development Plan (PCDP) Action Committee (AC) meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. in the Kea "au Community Center and asked Madie Greene to assume the role of chairperson in conducting the meeting. The following persons were present: Action Committee: Madie Greene, Patti Pinto, June Conant, Dan Taylor, Farris Etterlee, Oshi Simsarian, Keikialoha Kekipi and Rene Siracusa. Excused absent: Sharon Daun Staf£ Larry Brown, PCDP Project Manager. Members of the public: 13 ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA Larry announced that Council Member Zendo Kern's office called earlier today confirming that the Council Member would not be able to attend today's AC meeting and that he was tentatively scheduled for the September 10 AC meeting. ANNOUNCEMENTS - None PUBLIC TESTIMONY Kevin Sulgit, President of Kalapana Seaview Estates Community Association ( KSECA), stated that there is a consensus within the KSECA supporting the uses allowed in the existing Special Permit for SPACE, which is the extent of their endorsement for SPACE. The community is divided on the question of having commercial activity within the subdivision. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Patti moved to approve the minutes of the July 9, 2013 meeting as submitted. Second by Rene. Motion passed with 7 votes aye and 1 abstain ( Keikialoha). NEW BUSINESS 1. Communication No. 2013 -4545 and Communication No. 2013 -4646: Connectivity and Emergency Response Subcommittee (CERSC) Reports. Marlene Hapai handed out flyers for the August 31 Puna Regional Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Fair at Kea`au High School. She also outlined some of the activities and desired Hapai `i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer outcomes of the fair. She also reported on a request from DPW for a list of roadway connection projects in Puna, as they have some funding available. 2. Mass Transit Subcommittee (MTSC). Marty Mimmack submitted a written report being the minutes for the MTSC meeting held on July 23 and reported on a few highlights from the meeting. 3. Mountain View Village Center Plan Update. Frank Commendador reported that about 12 regular participants are engaged in the Mt. View planning effort. The geographic planning area is from Kukui Camp Road mauka to North and South Glenwood Roads. On line community surveys using Survey Monkey and a separate survey of elementary to high school students have been initiated. Hard copies of the survey are also being made available through several locations in the community. 4. Volcano Village Center Plan Report. Dan Taylor handed out a preliminary list of the top 15 projects identified in the draft Volcano plan and an action statement template that will identify an implementation process for each project and track its progress. 5. Communication No. 2012 -49: PCDP Action High Priority List. Farris briefly described the additions and changes made to the list based on previous discussion and new information provided by AC Members. A project description section is being added for each project and he suggested also adding a budget item for each. 6. Budget Subcommittee. Farris moved to appoint June, Oshi, Patti and himself to the Budget Subcommittee for the next fiscal cycle. Second by Patti. Motion passed with 8 votes aye. 7. Geothermal Operations in Puna. Public Testimony: i. Jon Olson testified that the County of Hawaii response to the Emergency Response Plan for PGV prepared by the EPA consists only of the installation of H2S monitors at the Pahoa station. ii. Suzanne Wakelin, Pohoiki resident, commented on the adverse noise impacts that she and her husband experienced during the drilling done last year. iii. Paul Kuykendall, Suzanne's husband, stated that state and county monitoring of PGV can't be relied on to ensure public safety. iv. Luana Jones offered her interpretation of the native Hawaiian perspective on the appropriateness of geothermal power generation in Puna. V. Laura Travis, part of a geothermal study group initiated by Mayor Kenoi, commented on some of the health impacts associated with geothermal operations. vi. Tom Travis, part of the geothermal public health working group, spoke about the amount of water resources consumed in geothermal power generating operations. The importance of location of geothermal operations has not been adequately studied. Faye Hanohano, District 4 State Representative, testified that she and her family having lived in proximity to volcanic vents have not experienced any health issues. She also offered her native Hawaiian perspective regarding use of natural resources. 2 The AC discussed the relevance of geothermal operations to the goals, objectives and actions of the Puna CDP and the responsibilities of the AC. Patti moved to have two members, Oshi and Rene, draft an amendment to the PCDP regarding geothermal production. Second by Farris. Motion passed with 8 votes aye. Keikialoha moved to request that Representative Faye Hanohano draft home rule legislation that returns local approval authority for any expansion of geothermal operations. Second by Rene. Motion passed with 8 votes aye. 8. Forum to Address Infrastructure Deficiencies in Puna. Dan reported on a meeting that he and Patti had with Rep. Richard Onishi, Sen. Russell Ruderman, Bill Walter, Mark Hinshaw and Tom English where the long term infrastructure needs of Puna were discussed. He and Patti propose that the AC sponsor a forum where people in a position to help address these needs can begin to identify the most important infrastructure needs in Puna are and how to move initiatives forward to address those needs. Members expressed support for the proposal. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 1. Communication No. 2013 -47: Draft Letter of Recommendations from the AC to the Director on the Application to Amend SPP 1122. Public Testimony: Jenna Way, Executive Director of HVC, expressed support for the revised AC letter to the Director. ii. David Snover, Kalapana Seaview Estates resident, suggested the AC postpone deciding on the content of their comments to the Director until additional changes to the proposed amendments to SPP 1122 have been submitted to the Planning Department. Rene moved to table action on the draft letter pending any further changes to the proposed amendments to SPP 1122. Second by Keikialoha. Motion passed with 8 votes aye. 2. Communication No. 2013 -34: AC Comments on Pahoa Village District Ordinance and Design Guidelines. Discussion focused primarily around how local review of proposed projects in the Pahoa Village District might be accomplished. Dan moved to endorse the ordinance and design guidelines as is with the understanding that the final means for local design review has yet to be determined. Second by Rene. Motion passed with 6 votes aye, 1 vote nay (Farris), 1 abstain ( Keikialoha). AGENDA REQUESTS FOR NEXT MEETING (September 10, 2013): 1. Geothermal operations in Puna amendment to PCDP and letter to Rep. Hanohano requesting home rule. — Rene and Oshi ADJOURNMENT: The Chair, without objection, adjourned the meeting at 6:02 p.m.