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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-07-24 South Kohala Community Development Plan Action Committee Minutes - DRAFTHarry Kim Mayor County of Hawaii PLANNING DEPARTMENT Michael Yee Director Daryn Arai Deputy Director SOUTH KOHALA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN ACTION COMMITTEE Aupuni Center • 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Phone (808) 961-8288 • Fax (808) 961-8742 Monday, July 24, 2017 DRAFT Meeting Minutes CALL TO ORDER Chairperson John Mueller called the South Kohala Community Development Plan (SKCDP) Action Committee (AC) to order at 5:03 p.m. in the Lily Yoshimatsu Senior Center in Waimea. SOUTH KOHALA CDP AC MEMBER INTRODUCTION Action Committee: John Mueller (Chair), Diane Kaneali'i (Vice -Chair), Julia Ann Alos, Josephine "Dojo" Tanimoto, Mark Gordon, Roger Harris, and George "Robby" Robertson. Absent/Excused: Eddie Akau. Staff: Keola Childs, South Kohala CDP Planner, Hans Santiago, CDP Planner; Heather Bartlett, Planner. Members of the public: Twelve. ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA: None. ANNOUNCEMENTS: None. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC REGARDING ITEMS ON AGENDA: None. ADMINISTATIVE MATTERS 1. Minutes of the June 26, 2017 AC meeting. The Action Committee noted some typographical errors to be corrected in the minutes as a condition of their approval. Committee Member Tanimoto proposed the following additions to the minutes regarding first item of business: the discussion about water distribution which coincides with infrastructure improvements within the district, emergency routes which include Waimea, Puako, and Hawaii County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer Page I Kawaihae; and discussion about water resources in communicating with Hawaiian Homelands (DH HQ regarding future zoning intentions. The Committee deferred action on the June 26, 2017 meeting minutes to a future meeting when all the requested amendments had been incorporated into the draft minutes. ACTION COMMITTEE ELECTIONS: Mr. Childs informed the Action Committee that nothing prevents a hold -over Committee Member from being elected, however he did caution that once the holdover chairs get replaced with new members, a new election will have to take place. Chair Mueller asked if anyone sitting on the Action Committee would be interested in being nominated Chair or Vice Chair, no response was heard. Committee Member Robertson nominated John Mueller to continue as Chair and Diane Kaneali'i to continue as Vice Chair. No further nominations were heard. Committee Member Tanimoto moved to elect John Mueller as Chair and Diane Kaneah'i as Vice Chair. Second by Committee Member Alos. The motion passed unanimously. BUSINESS: 1. Presentation by Julia Rose (South Kohala Coastal Partnership): Guest speaker Julia Rose presented the research done by the South Kohala Coastal Partnership on future low impact development. She provided background on the organization, including past and current projects and priorities. Ms. Rose stated "Our vision is essentially a restored, healthy, abundant, resilient South Kohala coastal system cared for and cherished by the island community, guided by the values and traditions of South Kohala." She explained the Conservation Access Planning Process in which over 70 different organizations participated to implement their strategies to conserve coastal and marine resources, coastal wetlands, community kinship and stewardship, coral reef ecosystems, and native reef herbivores/predators. The South Kohala Coastal Partnership collaborates with its partners on the Pelekane, Wai'ula'ula and Honokoa watershed restoration projects, marine monitoring projects, Puako wastewater treatment upgrade projects, the ecological effects of sea -level rise, community based fisheries management, collaborative solutions to water quality issues, and low -impact development planning. Action Committee members engaged in discussion with Ms. Rose asking her questions regarding how to find more resources and asking clarifying questions about the South Kohala Coastal Partnership projects. Other questions included updates on Pelekane bay restoration, and the latest work done through the fishery council in regards to herbivore management. Committee Member Tanimoto expressed her interest in the South Kohala Coastal Partnership collaborating with the Ahu Moku organization. Ms. Rose referenced the "Stormwater Management in Pacific and Caribbean Islands: A Practitioner's Guide to Implementing LID [Low Impact Development]" which can be found here: https://data.nodc.noaa.gov/coris/library/NOAA/CRCP/proiect/1906/Feb2014 IslandBMPGuide wAppendix.pdf She also referenced a document titled "Stormwater Management the Natural Way: Low Impact Design and Development" which can be found here: http://coral.org/wordpress/wp- content/uploads/2014/10/Stormwater-Management Final 10 7 Low-Res.pdf www.cohylannin,-deyt.com PZannin�ahawahcounty.Qov Page 2 2. Presentation by James Hustace (South Kohala Traffic Safety Committee): Guest speaker James Hustace, chair of the South Kohala Traffic Safety Committee, presented about a survey they conducted to gather community input on traffic safety issues within the South Kohala district. Recurring survey response topics indicated need for: a Waimea/Kawaihae bypass, Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway/Kawaihae road intersection improvements; overall road maintenance (resurfacing, repair, replacement of safety measures in the timely fashion, repainting of lines); bike lanes; sidewalks/trails; traffic circulation studies; Wai'aka Bridge repair/replacement; enforcement of traffic laws; Paniolo Avenue intersection, and emergency roads. Mr. Hustace said the South Kohala Traffic Safety Committee will publish the survey results in August and present them to the County's administration. He stressed Action Committee awareness on three important safety issues in particular: the Mauna Lani Resort Intersection, Paniolo Avenue Intersection, and the Kawaihae Road - Akoni Pule Highway intersection. He addressed additional topics which he believes are pertinent to the Action Committee: a demand for industrial zoning in Waimea, Waimea Post Office and Lindsey Road Development, and various emergency roads throughout the district. Committee members engaged in discussion and raised several issues including the need for a storage lane for the Puako northern exit, a request for a copy of the Waimea Traffic Circulation Study, and a request to see the South Kohala Traffic Safety Committee priorities separated by State/County jurisdiction. A community member raised the concern about the increase of road development and concurrent increase in urbanization in the South Kohala district. The Waimea Traffic Circulation study may be found here: http://www.hawaiicountvcdp.info/south- kohala-cdp/public-planning-resources/waimea-traffic-circulation-study-2008/at download/file 3. Presentation by Elizabeth Pickett and Pablo Beimler (Hawai'i Wildfire Management): Guest speaker Pablo Beimler gave an overview of the major wildfire hazards along with wildfire management strategies and efforts island wide. Mr. Beimler presented trend data showing that wildfires tend to occur in populated or commuting areas. The Hawaii Wildfire Management organization defines various hazards as a means to measure fire risk in an area, these include past incidents, vegetation, environment, building, subdivision, and fire protection capability hazards. Committee members asked clarifying questions about interagency response to wildfire threats which led to a discussion about the Pohakuloa Military base fire response as compared to those led by the State or County. A Committee Member proposed a project with the Hawaii Wildfire Management organization to maintain the grass on the sides of the highways to further prevent wildfires. Concern was raised about a previous wildfire in Kawaihae which happened just before a heavy rain event that resulted in erosion runoff leading into the ocean. A concern was further raised about how this affects the watershed on the Kohala Mountain running towards Kawaihae and how we can mitigate these issues in the future. Mr. Beimler named a reference titled the "Community Wildfire Protection Plan for Northwest Hawaii Island" which is a document created in 2007 and currently under revision. An overview of the Plan can be found here: www.cohplannin,-dept.com plannin�ahawaiicounty.,-ov Page 3 https:Hstaticl.squarespace.com/static/5254f be2e4bO4bbc53b5782 1/t/54ff 5cfee4bOl287ee1d6696/142602169822 4/N orthwest+H awa i i+CWP P+-+2007. pdf He also provided a handout about fire prevention which is available here: https:Hstaticl.squa respace. com/static/5254fbe2e4b04bbc53b57821/t/54ff8419e4bOl26bO7f7d941/14260316638 39/RSG+Hawaii+Your+Personal+Wildland+Fire+Action+Guide.pdf LIAISON REPORTS: Prior to the meeting two liaison reports were distributed to the Action Committee. The first completed by the Kawaihae Liaison Group (Committee Member Tanimoto) available here: http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/weblink/1/doc/89417/Pagel.aspx The other by the Waikoloa Liaison Group (Committee Members Alos and Gordon) available here: http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/weblink/1/doc/89418/Pagel.aspx AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING: Chair Mueller asked the Action Committee for suggestions on agenda items for the next meeting, there were none heard. ANNOUNCEMENTS: 1. The next Regular Meeting of the South Kohala Action Committee is scheduled for September 25, 2017 in Waikoloa Village Association Community Room. ADJOURNMENT: Chair John Mueller adjourned the meeting at 6:57 p.m. All Action Committee information can be viewed and downloaded from our website: http://www.hawaiicountvcdp.info/south-kohala-cdp www.cohplannin,-dept.com planningahawaiicounty.-ov Page 4