Kaimuki Neighborhood Board Meeting at Kaimuki Christian Church 7pm.

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Kaimuki, Hawaii
Event Calendar Item
Kaimuki Neighborhood Board Meeting at Kaimuki Christian Church 7pm.
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Type: Community
Date: Wednesday - 9/18/2013
Time: 7:00pm-9:30pm
Location:
Kaimuki Christian Church
Fellowship Hall
1117 Koko Head Avenue
Honolulu, Hawaii, 96816
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Cost: Free

Read last meeting 8/21/2013 minutes. Click here.

Courtesy of Neighborhood Commission Office

Source Neighborhood Commission Office

Kaimuki Neighborhood Board No. 4

DRAFT REGULAR MEETING MINUTES

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

KAIMUKI CHRISTIAN CHURCH FELLOWSHIP HALL

CALL TO ORDER: Chair pro tem Lyle Bullock called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. with seven (7) members present. Quorum was established. Note -- This 11 member Board requires six (6) members to establish quorum and to take official Board action.

Members Present: Lyle Bullock, Paul Hoe, Brian Kang, Russell McGuire, Marilyn Moniz-Kahoohanohano, Sharon Schneider, Leonard Tam (sworn in at 7:13 p.m.), and Lori Yamada.

Members Absent: None.

Vacancies: There were four (4) vacancies on the Board, including two (2) vacancies in Subdistrict 1, one (1) vacancy in Subdistrict 2, and one (1) vacancy in Subdistrict 3.

Guests: Lieutenant Allan Nagata (Honolulu Police Department), Senator Les Ihara, Representative Bertrand Kobayashi, House Speaker Emeritus Calvin Say, Mark Wong (Mayor Kirk Caldwell's Representative), Jarret Yip (Councilmember Ann Kobayashi's Office Staff), Stephen Enos (Councilmember Stanley Chang's Office Staff), Lorna Heller (Board of Water Supply), Anthony Ching (Hawaii Community Development Authority), Russell Kokubun (Governor Neil Abercrombie's Representative), Leon Kau, Regina Bode, Y. Tokuyama, Anselm Chuh, Zee Chuh, Gordon Tam, and Risé Doi (Neighborhood Commission Office Staff).

ELECTION OF OFFICERS

· Chair: Kang nominated Bullock for Chair, Hoe seconded. Yamada nominated both Hoe and McGuire, both declined. The nomination to have Bullock serve as Chair was ADOPTED by UNANIMOUS CONSENT, 7-0-0 (Aye: Bullock, Hoe, Kang, McGuire, Moniz-Kahoohanohano, Schneider, and Yamada).

· Vice Chair: Kang nominated Yamada for Vice Chair, Hoe seconded. Yamada nominated both Hoe and McGuire, and both declined. The nomination to have Yamada serve as Vice Chair was ADOPTED by UNANIMOUS CONSENT, 7-0-0 (Aye: Bullock, Hoe, Kang, McGuire, Moniz-Kahoohanohano, Schneider, and Yamada).

· Secretary: Yamada nominated Kang for Secretary, Hoe seconded. Yamada also nominated McGuire, Moniz-Kahoohanohano, and Schneider, and all had declined the nominations. The nomination to have Kang serve as Secretary was ADOPTED by UNANIMOUS CONSENT, 7-0-0 (Aye: Bullock, Hoe, Kang, McGuire, Moniz-Kahoohanohano, Schneider, and Yamada).

· Treasurer: Hoe nominated Schneider for Treasurer, McGuire seconded. The nomination to have Schneider serve as Treasurer was ADOPTED by UNANIMOUS CONSENT, 7-0-0 (Aye: Bullock, Hoe, Kang, McGuire, Moniz-Kahoohanohano, Schneider, and Yamada).

MEETING DETERMINATION -- DATE/TIME/LOCATION: Chair Bullock stated that meetings will continue to be on the third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Kaimuki Christian Church fellowship hall. Hearing no objection, the Kaimuki Neighborhood Board agreed by UNANIMOUS CONSENT to keep the meeting date/time/location the same, 7-0-0 (Aye: Bullock, Hoe, Kang, McGuire, Moniz-Kahoohanohano, Schneider, and Yamada).

RECESS SCHEDULE: No motion was made for any board recesses, therefore, no recess month was scheduled.

FACILITY USE RENTAL FEE AND OTHER BOARD EXPENSES: The Kaimuki Christian Church is allowing the Kaimuki Neighborhood Board to use the fellowship hall for free.

FILLING OF BOARD VACANCIES: Leonard Tam from subdistrict 2 volunteered to fill the vacancy. Tam has lived in Kaimuki for 60 years and had previously served on the Kaimuki Neighborhood Board. Hoe moved to allow Tam to fill the vacancy for subdistrict 2, McGuire seconded. The motion was ADOPTED by UNANIMOUS CONSENT, 7-0-0 (Aye: Bullock, Hoe, Kang, McGuire, Moniz-Kahoohanohano, Schneider, and Yamada).

Chair Bullock called a recess at 7:13 p.m. to allow Neighborhood Assistant Risé Doi to administer Tam the Oath of Office.

The meeting was called back to order at 7:16 p.m. Eight (8) members present.

PUBLIC SAFETY REPORTS

Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) -- No representative was present and no report was provided.

Honolulu Police Department (HPD) -- Lieutenant Allan Nagata reported the following:

July 2013 Statistics: There were 11 burglaries, 42 thefts, and 19 unauthorized entry of motor vehicles (UEMV).

Pedestrian Safety: Nagata emphasized that pedestrian safety involves both the pedestrian and driver. Pedestrians should not enter the crosswalk if the red hand signal is flashing, or finish crossing as quickly as possible if inside the crosswalk. Vehicles must stop if somebody is in the crosswalk.

Questions, comments and concerns followed:

Smoking Ban: Board member McGuire asked how HPD plans to enforce the smoking ban. Nagata advised the public to call HPD to report violations.

Mango Tree: Board member Yamada asked about the ownership of an overhanging branch of a mango tree into another property. Nagata indicated that if the tree is on a private property, then the tree belongs to that owner. However, if the tree's branches are overhanging into another property, then the mangos are "fair game."

Barking Dogs: Board member Schneider asked whether to report barking dogs to HPD. Nagata advised to call HPD, and commented that chronic dog barking might indicate crime.

Tree: A resident reported a tree is blocking the sidewalk on the 900 block of Koko Head Ave. Mayor's Representative Mark Wong recorded the concern.

Handi-Van: A resident asked if it is against the law to go around a parked Handi-Van when there is a double solid line on the road. Nagata advised to exercise due care and caution before going around a Handi-Van if considerable time has passed and the van has not moved.

Board of Water Supply (BWS) -- Lorna Heller reported the following:

Estimated Readings: BWS recently discovered that since the Department moved to monthly billing, some customers have received estimated bills for several months in a row. The standard practice of BWS is to bill its customers for water usage based on actual meter readings collected from the meter at their property. However, environmental factors, physical obstructions, and malfunctioning meter reading equipment, as well as other factors related to the billing process, are some reasons why a meter reading was not secured and a billing estimate was generated.

Reconciled Bills: As of May 2013, approximately 15-16% of BWS customers received multiple estimated bills. Once BWS recognized the magnitude of customers impacted, BWS worked immediately to reconcile these bills and reduce the amount of affected customers to 12% in June 2013 and 6% in July 2013. BWS is reviewing all accounts that have been flagged for review to ensure that customers have been accurately and fairly charged. These customers will receive a letter of explanation and a copy of each recalculated bill for their records. Reconciled bills are being sent only to the customers with multiple estimated bills and for the majority of customers, the recalculation effort is not necessary. For further information or concerns, contact BWS at 748-5030, or email at contactus@hbws.org, or go to the Customer Care Division at 630 South Beretania Street.

Long Wait Time: Heller apologized on behalf of BWS for the long wait times that customers have been reporting. BWS receives over 1,000 phone calls each day. BWS has added additional services to address this issue, including separate queues, a call back feature, and online bill pay.

Questions, comments and concerns followed: Resident's Cost Responsibility: Board member Schneider noted that a resident wanted to build on a vacant lot and a fire hydrant would have to be installed and water pipes would need to be replaced. The resident was responsible for the infrastructure costs. Schneider was surprised that the resident has to pay for the costs and asked why it was the resident's responsibility. Wong responded that when a developer is building a structure on property where existing infrastructure cannot support it, the developer is responsible for the costs for upgrading the infrastructure. If existing infrastructure needs repair, BWS will cover it, but upgrade costs on a vacant lot are the resident's responsibility. Schneider also commented about a time when she was responsible for the costs of replacing old electric wiring. Wong noted that Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) is a corporation and not a City entity.

BOARD ADMINISTRATION

Approval of the June 19, 2013 Regular Meeting Minutes -- Hoe moved to accept the June 19, 2013 minutes as published, McGuire seconded. The motion was ADOPTED by UNANIMOUS CONSENT, 7-0-0 (Aye: Bullock, Hoe, Kang, McGuire, Moniz-Kahoohanohano, Schneider, and Yamada).

Approval of the July 17, 2013 Memorandum for the Record -- Hoe moved to accept the July 17, 2013 memorandum for the record as published, Schneider seconded. The motion was ADOPTED by UNANIMOUS CONSENT, 7-0-0 (Aye: Bullock, Hoe, Kang, McGuire, Moniz-Kahoohanohano, Schneider, and Yamada).

Treasurer's Report -- Board member Schneider read the Treasurer's Report for June 2013. Costs included $8.16 for printing, $32.20 for postage, leaving a balance of $521.52. The report was filed.

PUBLIC INPUT

Pedestrian Button -- Resident Leon Kau commented that the crosswalk buttons on 12th Avenue and Waialae Avenue are not working and requested that the light actuators be removed or switched for automatic operation.

Sewer Usage -- A resident asked if sewer usage could be more accurately measured if most of the water is used for irrigation. Another resident installed a sewage meter, but the City Department of Environmental Services (ENV) does not consistently subtract the water usage.

Decorate Kaimuki -- A resident suggested decorating a bistro area in Kaimuki, commenting Kaimuki is a nice area to walk the streets and it would help businesses in the area. Chair Bullock noted that private organizations are decorating, and the Kaimuki Neighborhood Board only promotes events, not sponsor.

NEW BUSINESS

Hawaii Community Development Authority (HCDA) Informational Presentation: Anthony Ching from HCDA delivered a presentation regarding the development in Kakaako. Board member Kang excused himself from any discussion since he works for a firm that represents a developer in Kakaako. Ching discussed the goal of the project is to develop Kakaako into an urban village and a pedestrian-friendly environment. There will be diversity of housing in the district, including affordable units. Halekauwila Place will have 204 affordable rental units for families with incomes of $50,000 or less. 680 Ala Moana is a qualified rental project. The mean family income estimate for fiscal year 2013 is $86,300. HCDA encourages market place housing developers to provide housing and support at the work force level of income. HCDA focuses on low and moderate income families and does not do market housing. Ching went over variance rules and indicated that development in Kakaako is not necessarily a precursor to more traffic congestion in the area. Ching recommended using streets that are less congested. As mentioned earlier by Wong, Ching indicated that the developer pays a fair share for infrastructure upgrades. School facilities have not been planned yet.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed:

Parks: A resident raised concern that there are not enough parks for the large number of people who will be moving into the Kakaako district. Ching noted that for every 1,000 people, the City requires that there be two acres of parks. There is an estimated 12,000 people, and there are nearly 50 acres of parks available.

Trend: A resident asked if there is a development trend. Ching responded that there was not much residential housing in the Kakaako area, and the goal is to turn the area into a place where people can live in a walkable community.

Height Limits: A resident raised concern about height limits on high rises. Ching commented that all buildings are being built to City standards, and noted support for a public review process to grant certain buildings more height, expressing that "density and height equals efficiency".

Concerns about HCDA: Board member Tam expressed concerns about HCDA, commenting that HCDA and the developers are wasting time and money to design and develop facilities that do not meet building codes and City and County rules. Tam also commented that tall buildings will block the view of the State Capitol and City Hall from a distance. Ching emphasized that HCDA is following all of the City's building codes and standards. Resident Anselm Chuh agreed with Tam's concerns and does not want Honolulu to look like Hong Kong. Chair Bullock noted that the city has zoning rules, and developers would have to get zoning changes to build tall buildings in a residential zone. Chuh also raised concern about community complacency, noting that the community needs to be more involved to stop unwanted development. Community member David Frankel raised concerns about the HCDA presentation and expressed that he feels Ching delivered an inaccurate presentation.

ELECTED OFFICIALS

Mayor Kirk Caldwell's Representative -- Mark Wong provided the City newsletter and reported the following:

· Road Repairs: There are road repairs from 5th Avenue to 17th Avenue, between Waialae Avenue and the freeway.

· New Chief of Staff: Ray Soon is the new chief of staff for Mayor Caldwell.

· Sewer Lines: Wong commented that Ching was correct when explaining that the development in Kakaako is following City standards. The City is redoing sewer lines in the Kakaako area.

· Waialae Avenue Road Repairs: Wong indicated that the Waialae Avenue repairs should be completed at the end of 2013. Board member Tam asked if the road on Waialae Avenue would be safe for pedestrians during the Christmas parade. Wong will follow up.

· Driveways at 7-11 and Sierra Drive: The City Department of Transportation Services (DTS) will look into evaluating the concern of a resident regarding two driveways at 7-11 and Sierra Drive that are causing traffic problems.

· Road Widening: In response to an incorrectly reported question of having a left turn arrow signal onto 16th Avenue into Waialae Avenue mauka to makai direction, DTS is looking into the option of a road widening on Waialae Avenue to include an exclusive left turn lane. However, the actual question was if there could be a left turn arrow from 16^thAvenue onto Waialae Avenue, as was done at 10th Avenue and Waialae Avenue. Wong will follow up.

Councilmember Ann Kobayashi -- Jarret Yip provided Councilmember Kobayashi's newsletter and noting some updates in the newsletter, offered to take back any questions and concerns.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed: Budget: A resident asked whether Mayor Caldwell or Councilmember Kobayashi is presenting accurate information about the budget. Yip indicated that the budget had passed and could not elaborate further.

Councilmember Stanley Chang -- Stephen Enos provided Councilmember Chang's newsletter and announced there will be a Recycling Day at Kaimuki High School on Saturday, October 19, 2013.

Questions, comments and concerns followed:

Bills 25 and 28: Board member McGuire expressed concern about the citations for violations of Bill 25 and 28 and noted the fines seem excessive. McGuire expressed disappointment in Councilmember Chang regarding these bills. Enos noted that Bill 25 (smoking ban at all City parks) was introduced by Councilmember Ikaika Anderson, and Bill 28 (smoking ban at City bus stops) was introduced by Councilmember Ron Menor. Enos commented that Councilmember Chang had introduced a smoking ban last year that did not pass, to ban smoking on beaches in District 4. Enos commented that Councilmember Chang's intent was to implement a smoking ban on a trial basis with the beaches in his district. Councilmember Chang voted in favor of Bills 25 and 28.

Water Spigots: Board member Schneider asked why water spigots that are used for rinsing at the beaches are being removed.

Governor Neil Abercrombie's Representative -- Russell Kokubun reported that there are different ongoing freeway construction projects, including lane closures on H-1 Freeway and H-2 Freeway. More information is available online at www.pmcontraflow.com. There will be a public informational meeting regarding the H-1 Freeway westbound roadwork on Tuesday, August 27, 2013, at 6:00 p.m. in the Pearl City High School cafeteria.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed: Special Session: Resident Kau asked if it costs money to call a special session. Kokubun confirmed that a special session called by the Governor will cost money. Kau expressed concern that a special session is not necessary to address the issue of same-sex marriage. Kokubun noted that the recent Supreme Court ruling of finding the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional raised the possibility of having a special session. However, Kokubun commented that Governor Abercrombie will not call a special session unless there is a strong possibility that a law will pass, otherwise the issue will have to wait until the regular legislative session in January 2014.

Senator Sam Slom -- No representative was present and no report was provided.

Representative Calvin K.Y. Say -- House Speaker Emeritus Say had departed from the meeting earlier, but provided a newsletter.

Representative Bertrand Kobayashi -- Representative Kobayashi reported the following:

· Special Session: The State House of Representatives will caucus on Wednesday, August 28, 2013 to discuss the matter of a special session on the issue of same-sex marriage. A draft copy of the proposed same-sex marriage bill has been circulating at the Legislature. The bill includes a religious exemption. The projected time for a special session is in October 2013, depending on what happens in caucus.

· Prisons: Representative Kobayashi and other elected officials have visited various prisons across the state.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed: Same-Sex Marriage: Board member McGuire commented that he thinks certain groups would like the bill to be passed, and asked if the bill is being passed for economic reasons or for civil rights. Representative Kobayashi noted that same-sex marriage has become a civil rights equality issue and an economic issue, with revenue from weddings bringing in a projected amount of $217 million to the state in the first three years. Resident Chuh commented that he appreciates the State Legislature looking at the issue, and noted that in the past, interracial marriage was illegal, and those couples would have found themselves in a jail that Representative Kobayashi had visited. Chuh commented that it is very good that the legislators are looking into the issue and giving people the rights they deserve. Resident Kau agreed with the sentiment, but disagreed with having a special session.

Senator Les Ihara, Jr. -- Senator Ihara commented that if a same-sex marriage law were to pass, the only thing that would change would be granting same-sex civil union couples federal marriage benefits. Hawaii's civil union law grants same-sex couples the same marriage benefits and rights that the state grants heterosexual married couples. If there is a special session, the State Senate would need to confirm all the interim appointments, and appointments would end after the special session.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

· Next Board Meeting: The next meeting of the Kaimuki Neighborhood Board No. 4 will be on Wednesday, September 18, 7:00 p.m. at the Kaimuki Christian Church, Fellowship Hall, 1117 Koko Head Avenue.

· Bon Dance: One of the last bon dances of the season will be on Saturday, August 24, 2013 at Kapahulu Center.

ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m.

Submitted By: Risé Doi, Neighborhood Assistant

Reviewed By: Adam LeFebvre, Neighborhood Assistant

Reviewed and Finalized By: Lyle Bullock Jr., Chair

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