Meeting was moved from Jan. 26, 2009!
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REGULAR MEETING MINUTES (DRAFT)
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2009
WAHIAWA RECREATION CENTER
OPENING CEREMONIES: Chair Acohido welcomed everyone to the meeting, opened with a moment of reflection of the past week, and led everyone in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
CALL TO ORDER: Chair Acohido called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. with a quorum of eight (8) members present. Note this nine (9) member Board requires five (5) votes to adopt a motion.
MEMBERS PRESENT:
MEMBERS ABSENT: Sheri Bentley.
GUESTS: Lieutenant Ben Ballesteros (HPD), Keanu Young (Councilmember Donovan Dela Cruz's office), Tracy Kubota (Representative Marcus Oshiro's office), Master Sergeant Williamson (USAG-HI), Lt. Dave Watkins and Linda Huddy (NCTAMS PAC), Rodney Funakoshi, Mark Takemoto and Kathy Best (Dole/Castle & Cooke), Dr. Kioni Dudley (Friends of Makakilo), Kate Butts, Gay Chinen, Sarah Tome, Cheryl Ann Young, Hugh Lowrey, Alisa Au, John Kitakis, Marie Tamayose, Amy Sun, Leland S.M. Ribac and Peter Salbiejo (
RESIGNATION OF SHERI BENTLEY AND APPOINTMENT TO FILL BOARD
- With the unanimous approval of the Board Chair Acohido deferred action on this agenda item to the February 23, 2009 Board meeting.
APPROVAL OF THE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 17, 2008: Lee moved and Chuensanguansat seconded to approve the regular meeting minutes of November 17, 2008.
- The motion to approve the Regular Meeting Minutes of November 17, 2008, was ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY.
TREASURER'S REPORT: Yamamoto read the treasurer's report for December 2008, highlighting a current expense of $117.16 due to printing and postage, leaving a current balance of $1,170.26. Francher moved and Lee seconded to approve the Treasurer's Report of December, 2008.
- The motion to approve the Treasurer's Report was ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY.
DEFENDERS & FIRST RESPONDERS
- HONOLULU FIRE DEPARTMENT (HFD): No report available at this time.
- HONOLULU POLICE DEPARTMENT (HPD): Lieutenant Ballesteros reported the following information;
Statistics for the month of December 2008 compared to November 2008 include; 21/21 burglaries, 8/8 unauthorized entrance to a motor vehicle (UEMV), 15/33 thefts, 5/9 auto thefts.
1. A resident reported that there is illegal parking occurring on the sidewalks especially near several schools including Iliahi Elementary School on California Avenue. This forces pedestrian to have to walk onto the street to get around the parked cars. Chair Acohido responded that this is an ongoing problem because drivers park too close to the side because many of the sidewalks in the area don't have raised concrete curbs. Lt. Ballesteros replied that he will inform his beat officers to be on the look out for this and to take appropriate action. He also said that they are plagued by a shortage of officers. Chair Acohido suggested they should concentrate on areas near schools during school hours. A resident suggested that the schools should send a letter home to parents informing them of this issue. Someone responded that this has been done before and maybe it is time to try it again.
2. A resident asked if the shortage of officers is due to the bulk of them being assigned to the North Shore area. Lt Ballesteros replied that there are normally eight officers assigned to the Wahiawa area but two or three are normally not available due to various circumstances (injured or sick, court appearances, etc). He commented that there is a formula that is used to determine the amount of officers assigned to a particular district and according to the formula the district is close to being fully staffed. Francher asked what percentage is the district short of man power. Lt. Ballesteros responded that they are close to 100%, currently in the high 90s'.
- EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (EMS): No report available at this time.
· U.S. ARMY SCHOFIELD BARRACKS: Sergeant Major Williamson reported that 300 soldiers have returned from duty in Iraq and 1,500 more soldiers from the Stryker Brigade will be returning soon.
1. Yamamoto referred to the Reservoir Emergency Action Plan and requested to see a copy of it. Sergeant Major Williamson said he will find out about making a copy of the plan available for the Board to review.
2. Yamamoto requested information about a sewage spill into Kaukona Stream. Sergeant Major Williamson said he will request information about that and report back to the Board.
- U.S. NAVY NCTAMS PAC: Capt. Stewart reported that she will be off-island for three months and introduced Lt. Dave Watkins as her replacement representative to the Wahiawa Neighborhood Board. She also expressed her gratitude to the residents and businesses of Wahiawa for their participation and support for "Operation Aloha". She shared that it was a big success and acknowledged it could not have happened without the enthusiastic support from everyone in Wahiawa. She also reported that there have been 331 consecutive days of no DUI citations issued to Navy personnel. The Chief Petty Officer's Association has adopted Wahiawa Recreation Center and has planned different types of service projects designed to benefit the park. Details will be forthcoming.
RESIDENTS' CONCERNS
Concerns were reported to HPD when their report was shared earlier in the meeting.
(Board member Jeanne Ishikawa arrived at 7:45 pm)
PRESENTATIONS: Castle & Cooke Koa Ridge Environmental Impact Study (EIS)
Rodney Funakoshi delivered a power point presentation outlining the findings of the Koa Ridge EIS. During the presentation he highlighted:
- The study primarily addressed traffic concerns and how they would be addressed.
- The study listed improvements that are planned to be implemented between now and 2016 without the Koa Ridge project. These include:
- Ka Uka Boulevard/Interstate H-2 Northbound On-and Off-Ramps.
- Ka Uka Boulevard/Interstate H-2 Southbound On-Ramp.
- Ka Uka Boulevard/Interstate H-2 Southbound Off-Ramp/Moaniani Street.
- Ka Uka Boulevard//Kamehameha Highway.
- Kamehameha Highway/Waipahu Street.
- The study outlined other improvements planned between 2016 and 2025 without the Koa Ridge project.
- The study showed that with the project completed the effect on commuters using the H-2/H-1 Freeway would be:
- During the morning peak period commute, the drive times between the Mililani Interchange and the Kaahumanu Street Overpass would increase from 10-21 minutes (current) to between 11-23 minutes with 6:30 am representing the slowest time period.
- During the afternoon peak periods most of the predominant traffic volumes would continue to occur in the westbound direction as a result of significant future developments expected on the west side of the island. Along the westbound Interstate H-1 Freeway traffic lines would continue to extend through the Waiau Interchange and beyond the Halawa Interchange.
- The study summarizes that with the implementation of the intersection and roadway improvements, Transportation Demand Management Strategies such as flexible or staggered work shift times and ride sharing programs and the proposed City Rail system, the traffic Level of Service (assessment of traffic operations) would improve from a current LOS "F" to a LOS "D" (LOS "A" represents ideal of free-flowing traffic operating conditions and LOS "F" represents unacceptable or potentially congested traffic operations).
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS AND CONCERNS:
- Yamamoto asked if Castle & Cooke is planning to pursue development the land mauka of the Koa Ridge project, which was denied previously. Funakoshi replied that they are not doing so at this time. They are only looking at areas zoned for urban growth by the City and County of Honolulu.
Chair Acohido called for a five minute recess at 8:05 pm. The meeting was called back to order at 8:10 pm with a quorum of eight (8) members present.
CHAIRPERSON'S REPORT: Chair Acohido reported the following information:
- The terms of the current board members expires on June 30, 2009. Applications are being accepted now for anyone interested in running for election to one of the seats. Interested individuals may complete an application online or pick up one tonight. They are available on the table by the entrance.
- The neighborhood board is an advisory body which brings concerns from residents and businesses of the community to the attention of representatives from all levels of government. Government officials are required to attend neighborhood board meetings in order to hear questions and concerns, provide answers, and report on the solutions. If you as an individual call or write letters to government officials you may or may not get results If you bring your concern to the neighborhood board eventually you will get results – it is probably going to take three or four years – but you will get results.
- Wahiawa isa laid back community that will only rise up and take action on issues of survival. For example the closing of Poamoho and Kunia Camps, or the knocking down of our sewer system. He encouraged everyone here to invite their friends and neighbors to the neighborhood board meetings if they want to be informed of issues specific to the Wahiawa area.
- This neighborhood board recognizes and supports the over 100 year partnership between the military and the community.
GOVERNMENT & COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS (3 MINUTE LIMIT PER SPEAKER)
- Mayor's Representative: No representative. Report passed out.
- Governor's Representative: No representative. No report.
- Senator Robert Bunda: No representative. No report.
- Representative Marcus Oshiro: Tracy Kubota from Rep. Oshiro's office passed out his report and highlighted the following:
1. Representative Oshiro is the Chairman of the Finance Committee.
2. Referred to a handout containing information about the Wahiawa Public Library.
3. Referred to a handout containing bills of interest that he introduced.
a) HB30 – relating to tort reform
b) HB37 – relating to repeal the constitutional requirement that a tax refund or credit be provided to taxpayers whenever the General Fund balance at the close of two successive fiscal years is larger than five percent of the General Fund revenues.
c) HB198 – related to the prohibiting of aftermarket car audio equipment with the potential to produce nuisance volume levels. Establishes fines for violation.
d) All of the bills are currently being heard in their respective committees. Everyone is invited to provide their input regarding these bills. Comments can now be sent through e-mail.
- Councilmember Donovan Dela Cruz
Keanu Young from Councilman Donovan Dela Cruz's office passed out his newsletter and highlighted the following:
1. Councilman Dela Cruz has proposed legislation to help victims of the recent flooding that has affected residents in Central Oahu, North Shore and Windward communities.
a) Resolution 08-269 – Requests the Department of Facility Maintenance to carry out its responsibilities for stream monitoring and maintenance.
b) Resolution 08-270 – Urges the Department of Emergency Management to establish clear guidelines for activating the Emergency Operations Center and Emergency Warning System during flood warnings.
c) Resolution 08-271 – Requests the Department of Emergency Management to identify on its emergency evacuation planning documents the roadways that are necessary for emergency evacuation from coastal areas, including the determination of which private plantation roads are safe for such use.
d) Resolution 08-272 – Requests the Department of Emergency Management to establish and maintain an emergency preparation website for the public.
e) Bill 69 (2008) – Requests the administration to waive the first initial payment of real property taxes for Tax Year 2008-2009 for property damaged or destroyed by natural disaster on Dec. 11, 2008.
2. Councilman Todd Apo is the new Council Chair. Councilman Dela Cruz is the Chair of the Public Safety and Services Committee. He is the Vice Chair of the Transportation and Planning Committee and also sits on the Executive Matters and Legal Affairs and Public Infrastructure Committees.
3. Resolution 08-261 which changed the City Rail route from Salt Lake to the Airport was adopted by the Council on January 28, 2009.
4. Resolution 09/2 which amends the State Fireworks Control Law to allow the counties to adopt laws that are more stringent than state law was adopted by the Council on January 28, 2009.
5. Bill 6 which relates to opening the permitting process to new Bed and Breakfast homes was deferred in the zoning committee on January 27, 2009.
6. Construction of the Wahiawa Transit Center is on schedule with construction slated to begin no later than June 2009. Due to budget concerns the height of the clock tower may be lowered from 50 feet to 40 feet with the pineapple design still intact.
- Wahiawa Community Business Organization (WCBA): Chair Acohid shared that the whole city of Wahiawa has been classified as a poverty area by the U.S. Census Bureau. Federal funds are available through the Empower Oahu program to use for economic revitalization, education improvement and other worthwhile projects. Please consider getting involved by coming to the meetings.
· Wahiawa Satellite City Hall: Chair Acohido read a note from Geri Tramontano, Manager of the Wahiawa Satellite City Hall reminding everyone to try and conduct their business at the beginning of the month when it is not busy as opposed to the end of the month where it can get hectic.
NEW BUSINESS
- Resolution regarding Ewa Development Impact on Freeways – Dr. Kioni Dudley
1. Dr. Dudley is a member of the Makakilo/Kapolei Neighborhood Board and Friends of Makakilo. He is presenting tonight as the President of the Friends of Makakilo.
2. He has been to other boards making similar presentations and also asked them for their support for this resolution.
3. He is asking the Wahiawa Neighborhood Board to support a resolution that would ask the City and County of Honolulu to change the Urban Growth Boundary so that the land the project is scheduled to occupy is outside the Urban Growth Boundary. This would force the project to be built in a different location outside of the Urban Growth Boundary. He is also asking the Board to support a separate resolution asking the State Land Use Commission not to change the zoning from Agriculture to Urban. This would in effect force the cancellation of the project.
4. Building more homes in that location would bring add to the problem of increased traffic on the H-1 which would back up traffic on H-2 at the H-1/H-2 merge. The project would also be built on prime agriculture land of which is slowly disappearing as more projects like this are built on it.
Discussion followed.
1. A resident asked who the developer is for the project. Dudley replied that the developer is D.R Horton/Schuler Homes.
2. A resident asked if this method if successful in stopping the development can the same strategy be used to stop the Koa Ridge project. Dudley replied that he believes that the Koa Ridge project has already passed the review stage compared to the Hoapili project so this strategy would probably not work in stopping the Koa Ridge project.
3. Francher asked if the Hoapili project has been included in the City and County of Honolulu's growth projections for 2030. Dudley said that it had been. Francher commented that he believes the Resolution with the Mililani Neighborhood Board asks for something different than what Friends of Makakilo is asking for. Dudley replied that is correct. Mililani Neighborhood Board's resolution asks that the project not be approved until certain conditions are met. By doing this they believe that the project will be stopped long enough that the developer will give up.
4. Lee asked if a consensus had been reached with other Neighborhood Boards. Dudley replied that the Ewa and Makakilo boards are currently studying the resolution. He feels that the Makakilo/Kapolei board will end up not taking any action. He is scheduled to speak at the Nanakuli and Waianae boards next month.
5. Yamamoto commented that although he is not a fan of development, he is sympathetic to the developer who has acquired the land and has been instructed to follow the master plan. Then all of a sudden the plan is changed. This could result in a financial loss. He is concerned about being perceived as anti – business because of the changing of the rules.
6. Chair Acohido asked Dudley to provide a draft copy of the resolution so it can be studied to provide guidance when the Board looks at the whole issue. Dudley agreed to do so.
Chair Acohido motioned and Francher seconded to study the proposed draft resolution provided by Dr. Dudley from the Friends of Makakilo.
· The motion to study the proposed draft resolution provided by Dr. Dudley was ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY.
RESIGNATION OF SHERI BENTLEY
Chair Acohido announced that Sheri Bentley had tendered a verbal resignation to him due to illness. He has scheduled discussion on filling the vacancy as an agenda item at the next Board meeting on Feb. 23, 2009. Lee asked if she is able to submit a letter of resignation. Chair Acohido said she is in command of her faculties but has a difficult time moving her hand. Yamamoto stated he believed the Neighborhood Commission has the power to declare a seat vacant if the circumstances are extraordinary. Lee requested with Chair Acohido's consent that Neighborhood Assistant Peter Salbiejo research the issue and report back to the Board if Sheri Bentley's situation falls under the definition of "extraordinary circumstances". He agreed to do so and report his findings to the Board. Chair Acohido reminded the Board that because it is an agenda item this issue cannot be discussed in private between Board members.
SPEED HUMPS FOR GLENN AVENUE
Transportation Committee Chair Francher reported that two well attended meetings were held in November and December 2008 for the residents of Glenn Avenue regarding placing speed humps on their street as a means to force drivers to slow down. After the second meeting the committee came up with a recommendation that was read by Francher. It stated "The Transportation Committee recommends that the Wahiawa Whitmore Village Neighborhood board accept the attached petition for speed hums on Glen Avenue and Eames Street, signed by 222 residents of the affected streets. We recommend that the Board vote to send this petition to the Director of the Department of Transportation Services and ask that they proceed with the installation of speed humps as an immediate relief measure for the traffic and vehicle speeding concerns on the affected streets. However, we believe that speed hums are not a wholly effective alternative and we recommend that the Board strongly urge the Department of Transportation Services and the City to consider more effective traffic calming alternatives, not only for the affected streets, but for the town of Wahiawa as a whole." At the conclusion of the reading, Francher gave to Chair Acohido the petitions that were signed by the residents of the affected streets. Chair Acohido asked that the recommendation be amended to include the requesting of speed humps on Lemi Way and Lemi Street since the petitions for those speed humps were submitted earlier to the Director of Transportation Services. There were no objections to the request. A resident asked why other alternatives such as stop signs were not included in the recommendation. Francher replied that it is the intention of the Board to ask for other traffic calming measures to be implemented based on the results of the placement of the speed humps. Funding is an issue. It is easier to ask for funding for one type of calming measure than for several of them. Speed humps are just the first step in the overall plan. Ishikawa asked if the residents input such as where the speed humps should be placed on the street will be taken into consideration. Francher said that the Mayor's Representative or an invited official from DTS would normally be present at Board meetings and residents' input could be given to them.
Several questions were asked regarding the need to curb speeding on Wahiawa streets in general. Chair Acohido responded by saying that we are currently discussing the agenda item regarding the placement of speed humps on Glen Avenue, Lemi Way and Lemi Street. He observed, based on questions asked tonight, that there is a need to address traffic issues and pedestrian safety in Wahiawa. He suggested if residents would like to bring these issues to discuss in the Transportation Committee or at a Board meeting they contact him to communicate their interest.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Several announcements were made at this time;
- A special meeting is scheduled for February 9, 2009 at 7:00 pm at the Wahiawa Recreation Center to discuss the resolution presented by Dr. Kioni Dudley for the "Friends of Makakilo"
- The next regular February Board meeting has been rescheduled to February 23, 2009 due to the President's Day holiday.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 9:40 p.m.
Submitted By:
Peter Salbiejo
Neighborhood Assistant