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Kaimuki Neighborhood Board Meeting MAY 2023 Minutes
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NEXT MEETING - Click here to read next meeting agenda scheduled for 6/21/2023.

With Permission / Courtesy of: City and County of Honolulu Neighborhood Commission Office

KAIMUK NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD NO. 4

May 2023 Minutes

REGULAR MEETING MINUTES DRAFT

WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 2023

KAIMUKI PUBLIC LIBRARY MEETING ROOM and WEBEX APPLICATION

CALL TO ORDER - Chair Yamada called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. Quorum was established with eight (8) members present. Note - This 11-member Board requires six (6) members to establish a quorum and to take official Board action.

Board Members Present - Brian Kang, Lori Yamada, Paul Hoe, Jason DeMarco, Kelsie Aguilera (via WebEx), Becky Gardner (via WebEx), Rob Haak (via WebEx), and Eric McCutcheon.

Board Members Absent - None.

Guests - Sergeant Rance Okano (Honolulu Police Department); Lorna Heller (Board of Water Supply (BWS); Adoree Yu (Queen Theatre); Eric Crispin (3650 Waialae Avenue); Carol Hoshiko (Kapiolani Community College); Director of the Department of Information Technology Mark Wong (Mayor Rick Blangiardi's Representative); Amanda Zepeda (Office of Council Chair Tommy Waters); Bryan Kimura (Hawaii State Department of Transportation (HDOT); Councilmember Calvin Say, Janel Denny, and Melvia Kawashima; Amanda Stevens (Governor Josh Green's Representative); Ariel (Office of Senator Stanley Chang); Franklin Chung, Nora Garrett, Elwood, Anthony Callione, Joyce Murakami, Mike Town, Zoe Finn, Eugene, Patrick Watson (Residents); and Thomas Baldwin (Neighborhood Commission Office).

Chair Yamada passed the gavel to Vice Chair Hoe.

ROLL CALL Vice Chair Hoe called the roll.

FILLING OF VACANCIES

There were no volunteers to fill vacancies.

CITY MONTHLY REPORTS

Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) - No representative; the following report was provided prior to the meeting:

• April 2023 Statistics: There were one (1) structure fire, one (1) wildland/brush fire, one (1) cooking fire, one (1) activated alarm, 57 medical calls, and one (1) motor vehicle crash/ collisions.

Honolulu Police Department (HPD) - Sergeant Rance Okano reported the following:

April 2023 Statistics: There were 8 motor vehicle thefts, 10 burglaries, 25 thefts, 15 unauthorized entries into motor vehicles (UEMVs), and 6,798 total calls for service.

Safety Tip: Sergeant Okano provided tsunami safety tips.

Board of Water Supply (BWS): Lorna Heller reported that the BWS is looking for volunteers to help at the Halawa Xeriscape Garden on Wednesdays or Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

PUBLIC INPUT

Aircraft: Resident Nora Garrett expressed concerns with helicopters and airplanes flying over the Kaimuki area. Vice Chair Hoe referred Resident Garret to Congressman Case's office for follow-up.

Resolution: Chair Yamada discussed adding a resolution regarding the City Official Salaries to the next regular meeting agenda.

PRESENTATION

Heart Walk: Molly of The American Heart Association announced the Heart Walk on August 5, 2023 from 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at Kapiolani Park. The event is open and free to the public. The walk is a fundraiser to help support the mission of the American Heart Association.

UPDATES FROM COMMUNITY GROUPS

Hawaii Bicycling League: Member McCutcheon of the Hawaii Bicycling League provided a presentation and reported the following. May 2023 is National Bike Month, featuring many events and activities to promote biking. McCutcheon discussed the bikeway fund, funding accumulated through bike, ebike, and moped registrations that are intended for the acquisition, design, construction, improvement, repair, and maintenance of bikeways. Member McCutcheon discussed the availability of highway federal funds to establish multi-use paths, bicycle paths, and bicycle lanes as well as install signage and safety devices along bikeways.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed: Ala Wai Golf Course: Resident Franklin Chung inquired into any projected bike lane projects that would impact the makai side of the Ala Wai Golf Course.

Queen Theater: Due to technical difficulties, this item was deferred to later in the meeting.

Kapiolani Community College (KCC): Carol Hoshiko announced a Capital Improvement Project (CIP) virtual town hall on July 6, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. with more information to be expected at the June 2023 regular meeting.

3650 Waialae Avenue (Goodwill Building): Eric Crispin, the project executive for 3650 Waialae Avenue, provided an update on the project. Construction is nearing conclusion-expected completion by Fall 2023. Closure of the sidewalk is expected to end in early June 2023. Drivers should expect some delays due to the construction and the City and County of Honolulu paving of Wilhelmina Rise from May 2023 to June 2023. Crispin also discussed the Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) closure of a portion of Wilhelmina Rise from Monday, May 22, 2023 through Tuesday, May 31, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for utility work.

Queen Theater: Adoree Yu reported that they are working on ways to improve the appearance of the theatre and discussed the adoption of the tree well in front of the theatre to this end. Yu is taking suggestions from the community to improve the theater as well.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed: Lease Status: Chair Yamada asked if the lease status for the space changed and Yu responded that it had not.

ELECTED OFFICIALS' REPORTS

Mayor Rick Blangiardi's Representative - DIT Director Mark Wong distributed a newsletter (oneoahu.org/newsletter) and reported the following:

• Meet your City Officials: Mayor Blangiardi and his team has been on the road visiting communities around O ahu. There are 2 Town Hall meetings left which will include an open Q&A session with Mayor Blangiardi and representatives from 25 City departments and agencies. The public is encouraged to attend to give suggestions on how this administration can better serve the people of O ahu.

o Thursday, May 18th 6-8 p.m. King David Kal kaua Middle School

o Thursday, May 25th 6-8 p.m. Pearl Harbor Elementary School

• One O�ahu with Mayor Rick Blangiardi Podcast: Another great way to ask the Mayor and City leadership a question is to submit a question to the One O�ahu with Mayor Rick Blangiardi podcast! Every week, Mayor Blangiardi and members of City leadership provide updates on various City functions and answer questions from the public. Host Brandi Higa leads the conversation that can range to anything from property tax assessments and permitting questions to the Honolulu Zoo and renovations to the Neil S. Blaisdell Center. Subscribe to the One O�ahu podcast wherever you listen to podcasts to get new episodes in your feed every Thursday. Learn more at www.oneoahu.org/podcast!

• Earth Month: April was Earth Month in Honolulu, with April 22 being celebrated as Earth Day on our island home and around the globe. This year's theme, Invest in Our Planet, focused on bringing awareness to the investments in time, money, and attention needed to ensure a bright future for our all our residents, from keiki to k puna.

• Chinatown Food Waste Composting Pilot: On O ahu, food waste comprises about 20% of the overall solid waste stream. As the City looks to reduce waste overall, food waste is a key target for innovation. In April, City staff announced that, three months into implementation, the O ahu Compost Project continues to successfully divert food waste and excess food from O ahu's waste stream. Learn more about the O ahu Compost Project at www.resilientoahu.org/ocp

Follow-up

• EV Parking Stall at Lot 2: The Department of Transportation Services (DTS) invited car-sharing organizations (CSOs) to apply for reserved car-share parking stalls under the Car-Sharing Program authorized by Article 28 in the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu (ROH) 1990, Chapter 15. Qualified CSOs can park car-sharing organization vehicles in city-controlled parking facilities. The Program supports the City's sustainability goals and is part of the City's efforts to promote multi-modal transportation options. More details on how to apply and what must be included in the application can be found in the HAR on the DTS Shared Mobility Car Share webpage at: https://www.honolulu.gov/transportation/shared-mobility.html

• Tiny Homes: Multiple City departments have been working closely with the State on the implementation of tiny home villages on Oahu. A similar effort is also well underway with State departments that also regulate development. The City is excited about the progress being made and supports this effort. The Department of Community Services was recently awarded congressional earmarks of $11,987,000 to use towards tiny home villages. Look for more information to come on this measure from the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed. Director Wong responded that he would follow-up except where noted:

1. EV Parking Stall at Lot 2: Vice Chair Hoe clarified his prior question, asking if and when an EV parking stall will be installed.

2. Parking Along Date Street/ Kapiolani - Kapahulu Ave: Member DeMarco expressed concerns with parking at peak traffic hours despite signage.

3. Date Street and Kapahulu Right Hand Turn onto Kapahulu: Member DeMarco expressed concerns with motorists turning right onto Kapahulu from Date Street as pedestrians are crossing.

4. Road Construction Sign Obstructions: Member DeMarco commented that, during Roadway construction, temporary signs intended for drivers are placed either on bike lanes or sidewalks, obstructing bikers and pedestrians respectively.

5. Electric Vehicle Weight: Member DeMarco expressed concerns with the impact of electric vehicle weight on infrastructure. Concerns were raised that if the City is going to promote the adoption of EV, public infrastructure will need to be reinforced to withstand the increased load.

6. 8th Avenue - Waialae Signage: Member Gardner expressed concerns with the placement of traffic signals coming down 8th Avenue towards Waialae Avenue. The concern is that one set of traffic signals are placed on the sides, in the driver's peripheral vision, while the next traffic signals are high and center. She requested these two lights be synchronized to alleviate any risk.

7. Security on the Rail: Resident Elwood asked and Director Wong discussed the security personnel that will be on the rail and at the stations to ensure passenger safety.

City Council Chair Tommy Waters - Amanda Zepeda addressed a community concern from the previous meeting about a tour operator storing commercial vehicles on Kaimuki residential streets. The company banned the operator from the platform after community's complaints. This banning has led to most vehicles being removed from problem areas.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed:

1. Proposed Salary Raises: McCutcheon asked about Chair Waters's stance on the proposed raises for City Councilmembers. Zepeda responded that the Chair acknowledges the concerns with the proposal and that it is still under consideration.

2. Traffic Study for 16th Avenue and Waialae Avenue: Chair Yamada asked and Zepeda responded that the traffic study for 16th Avenue and Waialae Avenue has not been completed by DTS.

Councilmember Calvin Say (City Council District 5): Councilmember Calvin Say discussed a town hall meeting that took place at the Ala Wai clubhouse with residents and board members from different neighborhood boards. He informed the participants that his report and the upcoming budget could be found on the District 5 website. The Councilmember Say discussed the real property tax issues they have been addressing, and that they were exploring possible tax relief measures. In terms of capital improvement projects, Councilman Say highlighted the community park improvement and the rehabilitation of a local street. Councilmember Say addressed concerns from residents about Harding Avenue and the need for traffic calming measures to address speeding. Councilmember Say also mentioned issues with faded street signs and suggested prioritizing their replacement.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed: Councilmember Pay Raises: Member McCutcheon asked Councilman Calvin Say clarified his position on pay raises, stating that he will not take any action until he hears more from the general public. While he believes that all of the city council members deserve a pay raise to some extent, he emphasized that it is not their decision to make, but rather one made at another level. He dismissed the notion of the city council trying to control the commissioners' salary report, asserting that he had not communicated with any of the commissioners regarding this matter. At present, he explained, there is an in-depth analysis underway to determine the salaries of the city. In closing, he stressed his commitment to awaiting feedback from the residents of district 5.

Governor Josh Green's Representative: Amanda Stevens discussed news about the first class of Halawa Correctional Facilities inmates receiving associate degrees from Chaminade University. This inaugural event was held at the correctional facility for seven (7) inmates, marking the first time a college degree program has been offered there. Amanda highlighted this achievement as having potential benefits for reducing recidivism and promoting education. Stevens discussed the Ko Hale initiative, centered on tiny homes, with around eight (8) to ten already in place. Amanda also mentioned a recent interview on public radio that detailed the intent and future of this project. Amanda shared the sharp increase in Hawai'i Medicaid enrollment due to the pandemic. This increase was 141,001 new enrollments from March 6, 2020 to April 10, 2023, or 43%.

Hawaii State Department of Transportation (HDOT): HDOT Representative Bryan Kimura provided updates on several projects. In March 2023, they completed the installation of larger 25 mph signs, fixed missing signs, and refreshed road striping near Ekaha Avenue. They also installed flexible delineators to prevent cars from veering off the off-ramp and potentially into homes. Shared-use paths were also installed coming off Waialae Avenue as an interim measure until guard rails could be extended to protect the area. The design for the extension of the guard rail has just started, with negotiations for design fees with a consultant recently concluded. This project is expected to be completed in the following three (3) to four (4) months. The construction project, which includes hardware shoulder improvements for guardrails, is planned to be advertised for bids in early 2024. Kimura discussed the signal modernization project, which includes reconfiguring a lane on Koko Head Avenue approaching Harding Avenue. This project is still on schedule for advertising in early January 2024.

Senator Stanley Chang: Legislative Aide Ariel Office of Senator Chang shared several updates. The recent legislative session saw Senator Chang introduce and lead the passage of Bill 865, the Aloha Homes pilot program, which aims to provide low-cost leasehold condos for Hawaii residents. In collaboration with the Committee on Health and Human Services, Senator Chang helped pass SB 898, expanding the state supplement program for those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The Senator also worked with the House to pass several bills, including HB677, which authorizes the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation (HHFDC) to establish a five (5)-year delegated revolving fund equity pilot program and another bill that establishes a supportive housing pilot program in the office on homelessness and housing solutions. In terms of capital improvement projects, over 5 million dollars was appropriated for security and infrastructure updates for Kaimuki high school, and Kaimuki middle school received over 800,000 dollars for equipment improvements.

Representative Jackson Sayama: No representative was present; no report given.

Representative Bert Kobayashi: No representative was present; a newsletter was distributed to the board.

United States Representative Ed Case: No representative present; no report given.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Kaimuki Neighborhood Board No. 4 Website: Chair Yamada shared a website hosting information relevant to Kaimuki and the Neighborhood Board:

https://knb4kaimuki.wixsite.com/boardmeetings

BOARD BUSINESS

Report of Planning and Zoning Committee and Recommendations: Committee Chair Jason DeMarco commented that residents should expect a committee agenda to be distributed with the next regular meeting agenda.

Discussion on forming Committees to address community issues - Transportation, Environment, Safety, etc. No report.

Approval of Regular Meeting Minutes (April 2023)

The April 2023 Regular Meeting Minutes WERE ADOPTED AS WRITTEN.

REPORTS

Treasurer's Report - No report was available.

Members' Attendance at Other Meetings: No reports.

Next Meeting: The next Kaimuki Neighborhood Board No. 4 Regular Meeting is scheduled on Wednesday, June 21, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. in person and / or WebEx Application.

ADJOURNMENT - The meeting was adjourned at 8:16 p.m.

Submitted by: Thomas Baldwin, Neighborhood Assistant

Reviewed by: Naomi Hanohano, Community Relations Specialist

Final approval by: Lori Yamada, Chair

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Kaimuki Hawaii News Item

Kaimuki Neighborhood Board Meeting MAY 2023 Minutes

KAIMUK NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD NO. 4

Kaimuki Hawaii
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