HomeMy WebLinkAboutAC Minutes 9Sept2014 DRAFT JNZY OF h,�
William P.Kenoi �:•'�� �'.ol Duane Kanuha
Mayor Director
Bobby Command
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>e oF'N►�' Deputy Director
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, September 9, 2014
DRAFT Meeting Minutes
CALL TO ORDER
Chairperson Patti Pinto called the Puna Community Development Plan (PCDP) Action Committee
(AC) to order at 3:00 p.m. in the Kea'au Community Center. The following persons were present:
Action Committee: Sharon Daun, Elmer Solis, Leila Kealoha, Patti Pinto, Susan Osborne, June
Conant, Farris Etterlee and Oshi Simsarian. Rene Siracusa was absent.
Staff. Larry Brown—PCDP Planner, Hans Santiago— County Planner and Keiko ercado—PCDP
Planning Assistant.
Members of the public: 5 yr
ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA: None
ANNOUNCEMENTS: None
PUBLIC TESTIMONY: Two people sign to testify, one chose to tify at the start of the
meeting and one chose to defer their testimony until their agenda items me up for consideration by
the AC.
1. Council Person, Greg lagan testified on Agenda item (Budget Subcommittee). He
stated that either he or a representative from his office would try their best to attend the
monthly AC meetings to ensure a good working relationship with the AC. He chose to testify
on Agenda itSm 94 because he wants to work with the AC on anything regarding District 4.
Councilperson Ilagan assured the AC hat he was always open for questions/comments and that
he was there to help.
APPRO OF MINUTES:
June moved to approve the minutes of the August 12, 2014 meeting as submitted. Second by Elmer.
The motion to approve the minutes as submitted passed with 8 votes aye, 0 votes nay.
NEW BUSINESS:
1. Connectivity and Emergency Response Subcommittee (CERS) Report Marlene Hapai
reported on the 2014 PREP Fair, which took place on August 30, 2014. At the start of the
PREP Fair they received a"Puna Emergency Preparedness Day"proclamation from Governor
Abercrombie. Marlene intends to suggest to the subcommittee that the Fair should now be
moved on to di rent areas of the island. One reason for suggesting this is that the PREP Fair
works as a vehicle for collecting information and now that they've collected the information for
Puna, energy needs to be spent getting the connectivity connections. Approximately 300
Hawai`i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer
volunteers, 63 new CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) sign ups, 72 exhibitors,
approximately 2000 participants and 36 donors (in kind donations and cash donations)
participated in this PREP Fair. All the data gathered at the PREP Fair has not been compiled as
of yet. Marlene reported that they received new road connectivity suggestions, comments on
existing connectivity points, and also demographic data. Patti reported on the information
gathered from one specific survey question: 1) Are you familiar with the Puna Community
Development Plan? Less than 50% said they were familiar with the PCDP, so it was great that
the AC members had an informational booth at the PREP Fair! The CERS will now move
forward with compilation of the collected data and then on to impl tation. CERS meetings
are held on the 4t'Tuesday of every month, next meeting will b Sep mber 23°2014 at the
Kea'au Community Center.
2. Town Meeting Subcommittee: Members of the Town Me ting Subcommittee reported on
their participation at the 2014 PREP Fair and their efforts to xpand public awareness of the
PCDP and Action Committee. Elmer reported that the respo se was good, and they got the
opportunity to share the PCDP with many people at the PREP Fair. As Patti reported earlier,
on Agenda item 91, most people were not familiar with the*PCDP. The next focus of the
subcommittee will be outreach to the individual Community Associations. Dependent on the
activities of the June 27 lava flow, the subcommittee's next event will be the Pahoa Christmas
Parade. Patti suggested the possibility of running an article in the Hawaiian Tribune Herald.
3. Communication 2014-54—Volcano Long Range Plan (VLRP) Subcommittee: The Action
Committee discussed the July 2014 Volcano Long Range Plan that was submitted at the August
AC meeting and their responses to the request of the VLRP Subcommittee to forward the plan
to the Planning Director. Patti asked Dan Taylor if he would be willing to answer any
questions the AC might have regarding the VLRP. Dan said that it was the VLRP
Subcommittees expectation that the AC would produce a letter to accompany the VLRP on to
the Planning Director.
Oshi moved gat the VLRP be forwarded on to the Planning Director for review and comment.
Second by Sharon. Motion passed with 8 votes aye and 0 votes nay.
Susan expressed her concern that maybe sewage and waste infrastructures haven't been
comprehensively addressed. Dan acknowledged that, that sort of comment is exactly the kind
of feedback the VLRP Subcommittee is looking for. More discussion ensued regarding the
importance of receiving feedback from the Planning Department and how the VLRP will be
presented to the Planning Director.
Sharon moved that the VLRP Subcommittee submit a draft letter regarding the submittal of the
VLRP to the Planning Director for approval at the next AC meeting. Second by Susan. Motion
passed with 8 votes aye and 0 votes nay.
Please note that any comments AC members wish to have included in the draft letter must be
emailed to Sharon by Monday, September 15 at loam. Sharon will not respond to these emails
in order to remain in compliance with the Sunshine Law.
4. Budget Subcommittee—Communication No. 2014-62: Members from the Budget
Subcommittee reported on their progress in prioritizing existing CIP projects related to
implementing actions in the PCDP and their prioritizing process for identifying any possible
new projects that should be recommended by the AC for inclusion in the FY 2015-16 CIP
Budget.
Public Testimony:
1. Marlene Hapai testified that in 2012, she stood before the AC for the first time, and at
that time there was a major urgency to address the health and safety of the Puna
District. This urgency has increased. Lots of time and effort has been put into gathering
connectivity points and it is time to include them in the budget. We have to address this
urgent need for alternate routes.
Farris reported that the Budget Subcommittee has reviewed items that have already been
approved in prior year's budgets. The SC then indicated which items were closely aligned
/related to the PCDP and created"categories" to assist with the prioritization process. At this
point the SC is formulating relevant questions that can be put forth to the Dept. of Parks and
Recreation and the Dept. of Public Works to gain a better understanding of how our priority
projects align with theirs and what would ensure success moving forward. The Budget SC is
requesting information from the other Subcommittees by September 15th to help with their
prioritization process. Members of the Budget SC will chambion past approved PCDP
budgeted items to ensure they remain in the spotlight and ultimately secure funding to move
forward. New budget requests may be submitted to the Budget SC by October Is'. Greggor
Ilagan was called up to clarify some budgeting questions. He stated that if the AC can provide
him with their top priorities he will be committed to seeing those priorities through.
5. Communication No. 2014-56.1 —Draft AC Comments on Special Permit Application (SPP
14-168): The AC considered draft comments from the Mt. View Community Village Center
Plan Subcommittee prepared in response to the Planning Director's request for comments on
the application for a Special Permit (Communication 2014-56)by Ronald Quade, D.D.S. to
allow for a Professional Dental Clinic off of Highway 11 approximately 5 miles mauka of Mt.
View. Patti forwarded this permit request to members of the Mt. View Village Center Planning
Committee and drafted the letter consistent with their reputes.
Farris moved ept Co munication No. 2014-56.1. Second by Elmer.
Susan expressed concern about a traffic study not being done. Sharon shares Susan's concerns
about the traffic study and expressed additional concern about the sewage impact when
switching from a residential property to a commercial property.
Sharon moved to amend the letter to add a third concern, what environmental impacts would
occur with the conversion of the existing residential wastewater system into commercial use.
SecontCby Elmer. Motion passed with 7 votes aye and I vote nay.
Farris moved to add a fourth required item, that the Special Use Permit must require that the
project be ADA compliant. Second by Susan. Motion passed with 8 votes aye and 0 votes nay.
Farris moved to dd written comments submitted by Rene after the last sentence in the first
paragraph: Here are facts from the State of Hawaii Primary Care Needs Assessment Data
Book. 2012: 1. The Puna District has a federal designation as a Dentally Underserved Area
(DUA). 2. 32.7% of Hawaii County residents (43,500) did not see a dentist within the P
year, and 35.9% of Puna resident (7,400) did not see a dentist. 3. 38% of Hawaii County
residents (49,000) did not have their teeth cleaned within the last year, and 43.8% of Puna
residents (8,900) did not have teeth cleaning. Second by Oshi. Motion failed with I vote aye
(Oshi), 3 votes opposed(Sharon, Elmer, Leila) and 4 votes to abstain (Susan, Patti, Farris,
June).
Elmer moved to change the last sentence on item two under concerns to state: We do not
support any commercial development on Volcano Highway in this corridor. Second by Leila.
Motion failed with 4 votes aye, 3 votes nay (Oshi, June and Patti) and I vote to abstain
(Sharon).
Sharon moved to amend the second item under concerns to state: Village Center Plans. As
Action Committee members and stewards of the Puna Community Development Plan we
recommend that commercial developments be located within the Village and Regional Town
Center planning areas. Second by Elmer. Motion passed with 6 vot aye, and 2 votes nay
(June and Oshi).
The original motion to accept Communication No. 2014-^11amendedpassed with 6 votes
aye and 2 votes to abstain (June and Oshi).
6. Draft Grubbing and Grading Bill Proposed by Malama O Puna: The AC considered a
draft bill presented by Rene, proposing stiff fines and penalties for land Nnex and heavy
equipment operators who violate the existing grubbing and grading laws
Due to Rene's absence, Leila moved to postpone agenda item #6 until th A meeti ng.
Second by Farris. Motion passed with 8 votes aye and 0 votes nay.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: None
AGENDA FOR NEXT MEETING: (October 14, 2014)
1. Review of Malama O Puna's draft grubbing and grading bill.
2. VLRP draft letter
3. Budget Subcommittee
4. Mt. View Subcommittee report
5. Connectivity and Emergency Response Subc mmittee
6. Mass Transit S bcommittee
7. Impact of La
ADJOURNMENT: The without ob'ection, a ' urned the meeting at 6:00 p.m.