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KAHALU'U NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2007
KEY PROJECT
CALL TO ORDER – Chair Amy Luersen called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. with a quorum of thirteen members present.
MEMBERS PRESENT – Daniel Bender, Ned Busch, Richard Garcia, Gregory Geboski, David Henkin, Kelikokauaikekai Hoe, Rocky Kaluhiwa,
MEMBERS ABSENT – Kenneth LeVasseur, Wayne Panoke.
GUESTS – Rick Towill, Art Machado Jr. (Kaneohe Bay Regional Council – KBRC), Craig Nishimura (Mayor’s Representative – Deputy Director, Department of Design and Construction – DDC), Ralph Portmore (Group 70 International); Pastor John Rogers (Red Hill) and Pastor Janet Kusuhara (Ahuimanu) – First Assembly of God; Lt. Binford Strickland (Marine Corps Base Hawaii – MCBH; U.S. Marine Corps – USMC), Barry Usagawa; Major Rick Collins, Lt. Butch Malone, and Chief Warrant Officer Peter O’Hare (USMC – Blue Angels); Lt. Richard Robinson and Lt. John Cheong (Honolulu Police Department – HPD District 4-Kaneohe); Jacce Mikulanec (Councilmember Donovan Dela Cruz Office staff), Elwin Spray (Neighborhood Commission Office staff).
Welcome and Community Concerns – Chair Luersen welcomed the community and noted receiving a resident’s expression of concern on the need for State follow-up on the excavation at the upper end of Waihee Place, which she would address later in the meeting. Chair Luersen asked if there were any community concerns from the audience; there were none. Eleven Board members were present (Bender, Busch, Geboski, Henkin, Hoe, Luersen, Mench, Naluai, Renoir, Spray, Vermeesch).
INFORMATIONAL SESSION
Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) – Chair Luersen noted that no HFD representatives were present.
Honolulu Police Department (HPD) – Lieutenant Richard Robinson introduced himself and Lt. John Cheong from the Kaneohe HPD Station, distributed area crime activity statistics for the past month and highlighted reports of seventeen burglaries (a reduction), twenty-two graffiti incidents, sixteen motor vehicle thefts, fifty-seven thefts, thirty-seven unauthorized entry to a motor vehicle (down from forty-five), nineteen towed vehicles, thirteen felonies and twenty-seven driving under the influence arrests. He was available for questions. Chair Luersen thanked Robinson and Cheong for attending and for their report.
Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH) – Lt. Binford Strickland was present from MCBH, and reported he was available to respond to questions; there were no questions. Chair Luersen noted that air show was on later in the agenda and thanked Strickland for attending.
Board of Water Supply (BWS) – Barry Usagawa reported no main breaks for the past month and reported pumpage of 158 million gallons of well-water per day on Oahu the first week of August, the need to prepare an adequate personal supply of drinking water for emergency use in the hurricane season (which is recommended to be one-gallon-per-person-per-day) and invited visiting the www.boardofwatersupply.com to view the new interactive xeriscape plant page. Usagawa explained that as the result of conservation and other supplies of water for agriculture,
Garcia and Kaluhiwa arrived at 7:10; thirteen members present.
Kaneohe Bay Regional Council (KBRC) – Art Machado reported on the Kaneohe Bay Regional Council meeting of July 11, 2007. He reported on:
1. State Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) was not anticipating having an office/storage/sub-station site in the area, since the facility discussed at the Heeia State Park was turned over to the Kaneohe Canoe Club. Machado said there is an intent to support the DOCARE program by forming a community-base “Makai Watch” (like a community policing watch).
2. Concern about partying and drinking at the Kaneohe Bay sand-bar, where one observed problem has been the under-skilled water-craft users from the MCBH, who, when alcohol use is mixed in with the unfamiliarity with winds and waves, are at risk.
3. Gill-nets were required to have been registered, with the registration number on the net, as of January 1st, 2007, but that few – perhaps two dozen – are registered state-wide.
Machado reported Kaluhiwa was at the meeting. Chair Luersen asked about the adoption of proposed regulations for the Master Plan implementation; Machado said that action on the 250 pages of rules had been deferred, generally due to the four new members, who asked for a chance to fully review the material. Machado said the meetings are the first week of each quarter. Busch expressed concern about the difficulty in having the officers response to calls reporting problems; Machado reported that the number of officers was extremely limited. Machado explained to Henkin that there are not enough officers to completely enforce a ban of gill nets in the Bay. Kaluhiwa volunteered for the Makai Watch and expressed need to work with the MCBH rental organization to have them caution renters about unsafe rain and wind conditions. Kaluhiwa also expressed thanks to the seven DOCARE officers who made a recent presentation at the Kaneohe Library, reporting it to have been attended by approximately fifty people. Naluai asked who authorized the Kaneohe Canoe Club to use the Park; Machado said it was authorized by the State, with Luersen explaining that the Board’s request had been for a future area location for DOCARE, not the specific Heeia Park site. Spray suggested that Lt. Strickland might follow up with the safety concerns for the water-craft renters; Strickland said he would be checking on the orientation training the rental people provide as well as talking to the base patrol unit. Chair Luersen thanked Machado for his report.
APPROVAL OF REGULAR MEETING MINUTES OF JUNE 13, 2007-- Chair Luersen asked if there were any correction or additions to the Regular Meeting Minutes of June 13, 2007, with the following corrections agreed to:
Page 3, under Treasurer, record Henkin and Naluai as voting for Bender.
Page 3 and 4, under Board Recess, delete reference to December from amendment motion and from final votes.
Page 4, under Facility Rental, insert word “building” after KEY Project.
Page 5, under Board Banners, add phrase at end of sentence six “and said he would find them.”
Page 5, under Board Banners, delete reference to Henkin.
Page 5, under Board Banners, add after ninth sentence, “Chair Luersen stated it was more important to her to determine who would put up the banners every month than who would locate the banners. She then appointed Mench, who volunteered to put up the banners to find them.”
Page 9, under appointments, add LeVasseur as Vice-Chair of Water Conservation, Resources and Environment Committee.
Page 10, under Waihee Marsh, change the reference of “smell” to fresh water, not salt water, as having the smell problem.
An additional insertion on the Board Meeting site was proposed, with Naluai offering language that was not agreed to by Board vote, with members’ comments that the language was too detailed for the Board’s minutes (which are not transcripts), that a quoted individual is not present and the discussion is not accurately reflected. Naluai moved and Bender seconded to insert material into the Board Meeting Location section; Chair Luersen announced that the motion to insert failed to pass as it received only one vote in support. Aye: Naluai. Chair Luersen asked for a vote on the acceptance of the remainder of the corrections offered, and announced the acceptance of the proposed corrections 9-1-2. Aye: Bender, Busch, Henkin, Hoe, Kaluhiwa, Luersen, Mench, Renoir, Spray, Vermeesch. Nay: Naluai. Abstain: Garcia, Geboski. Chair Luersen asked for a vote on approval of the June 13, 2007 Minutes with corrections, and announced that approval 12-1-0. Aye: Bender, Busch, Garcia, Geboski, Henkin, Hoe, Kaluhiwa, Luersen, Mench, Renoir, Spray, Vermeesch. Nay: Naluai.
TREASURER’S REPORT – Bender reported the Operating/Publicity Account for the entire Board year is $2633, with $126 spent to date for the Board on the facility and mailouts (postage and printing). He explained that the City’s budget is on a July 1 to June 30 basis, pointing out that the planning for the future City Fiscal Year 09 Budget is now starting and that this is the appropriate time to be thinking about proposing Capital Improvement Project (CIP) items. He said the CIP deadline is September 17, 2007 for the next two-year budget. Geboski asked about the City definition of CIP items, with Bender explained is basically any “thing” or “item” needed is generally a CIP purchase.
COMMUNITY CONCERN – Chair Luersen brought up the issue of Waihee Place, explaining that she had an anonymous e-mail that was asking about the DLNR plans for the hillside area (slope improvement after a 1960 landslide), which asked for the State (the landowner) and DLNR (the project lead) to report on 1) what was required for the State to achieve it’s goals in the hillside mining, 2) it’s final plan for slope (contour map), 3) cubic yards of soil removed, 4) month/year of end of project, and 5) surface mitigation measures. Chair Luersen proposed to add the issue to a future agenda, with possible Board action being to request the information from the State. Bender expressed concern that the anonymous nature of the request was a concern to him; Chair Luersen said that the e-mail had said that the State had suggested the question be asked at a Neighborhood Board meeting rather than answered directly. Chair Luersen said she would put the issue on a future agenda, and would try to schedule the item to include resident Rick Towill, who is performing the grading for the State.
PRESENTATIONS
Proposed development at First Assembly of God site on Ahuimanu Road – Ralph Portmore, from Group 70 International was present to discuss plans of the First Assembly of God at their Ahuimanu Road property. Garcia asked for the Board to note that he is a member of the congregation. Portmore introduced Pastors John Rogers (Red Hill) and Janet Kusuhara (Ahuimanu). The project is at TMK 4-7-25:008 and 026, totally 3.957 acres. Portmore distributed a project information summary, including zoning maps, a project overview, photos and development drawings. The project is early in the process of looking at the planned creation of a new sanctuary, parking lot, education (classroom and multi-use) building, covered courtyard and retreat center at the current site. The first step is the preparation of a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) and a Special Management Area Use Permit (SMP) application (a year and a half project), with scoping or the welcoming of comments now at the being of the preparation (two months into the year and a half process). The current church has 120 members, with the growth anticipated for up to two services at 300 to 400 people. The retreat center would have overnight bungalows, for approximately 100 at a time, and 10-15 retreats a year. Traffic would include deliveries but the entrance way will be moved from the current 100 feet from Kahekili Highway to 250 feet from the highway.
Comments included concerns from the adjacent landowner about:
1. Increased noise – vehicles and activity, with existing residences adjacent to site
2. Exhaust from vehicles (especially with prevailing winds and re-location of entry way)
3. Traffic – jam/congestions backing up of road
4. Accidents – dangerous roadway, reported and unreported accidents (especially at dusk and dawn)
5. Dip – slope on road – safety issue
Bender asked about the site activity; Portmore explained that the weekend activity would mostly be on Sunday morning but that a pre-school could be expected with 60 students. Bender stressed that the location is a cork for the whole area, not just the upper Ahuimanu Road residents, who would all be using the road at school drop off/pick up hours; Portmore said he would address the issue with the traffic study. A question about sewage hookup was asked, with Portmore explaining that there would be an on-site treatment system. Busch asked about land use permits; Portmore confirmed that no variances were required. Busch asked about parking, with Portmore explaining that a City formulae exists of one stall for every 75 square feet of sanctuary (of eighty to ninety stalls), which, pointing to the Red Hill example, is too many stalls but that overflow could be added to the retreat area. Busch pointed to the St. Ann’s example of the backup of drop off backing up onto the adjacent roadway. Vermeesch suggested the traffic study include different vehicle numbers going north and south on Kahekili Highway. Henkin suggested future projects could have packets distributed in advance, that holding multiple services would potentially double the need for parking, that a written commitment to the limitation of overnight accommodations be secured (to not allow it to be turned into a hotel operation), and possible mitigation to community, through defining impacts and benefits. Pastor Kusuhara reported activity by the current church in support of food bank (site), outreach to homeless, adoption of adjacent housing center, its use for community meetings and the need for day care operation. Naluai pointed out the need to adjust to the adjacent canal. Kaluhiwa said she saw good activities at the site but agreed with the concern about bed and breakfast operation; Portmore pointed out that the design includes communal bathrooms. Bender asked about increasing the size of the pre-school; Portmore said the number of students generally could not be increased because of the number of square footage of space. Busch asked about the timetable, with Portmore pointing to the multipurpose building planned for 2009, the sanctuary and classroom in 2010, the retreat center in 2012 and the covered court in 2013. Renior asked about funding, which was explained as not developed, but that the church site is part of a regional group of six Hawaii churches. Portmore reported to Usagawa that the Board of Water Supply had said that water was sufficient but that the City had said that waste water disposal had to be designed for the project. Henkin commented that he didn’t mean that the church was not involved in the community but asked about how the church, now to become ten times bigger, could be a larger part of the community. Henkin made several suggestions to be considered: retreat availability for local groups, basketball court available for community, bicycle paths, and running paths. Naluai commented on the users needing to be faith-based, saying that the church is not obligated to be open. Chair Luersen asked possible users; Rogers said the retreat was not to be rented and Portmore added that there was no concept of it being available for weddings, explaining that non-church members were welcomed but that the use of the facilities would be through a member.
Chair Luersen summarized concerns about traffic, noise, sewage, parking, traffic egress/ingress on weekends and daily traffic hours, retreat, exhaust emissions and how to connect to bicycle paths. Chair Luersen thanked the group for the presentation. Portmore said that additional material would be sent out to Board members at the end of September.
“Blues on the Bay” – Blue Angels October 13-14, 2007 – Chief Warrant Office Peter O’Hare presented information on the planned “Blues on the Bay,” featuring the Blue Angles, accompanied by Major Rick Collins, Lt. Butch Malone, and Lt. Strickland. A charity and school day will be held on Friday, October 12, 2007. Event information is online at: www.mcbh.usmc.mil/airshow/ and www.bluesonthebay.org MCBH will be open to the public for the performance, although parking might be a concern, with preferred “show center” seating available with tickets to be purchased through ticketmaster.com. Some of the preferred seating includes food and drink, including free parking at Ford Island and bus service from there, but all of the Bay will have views of the air show, due to the aircraft flying in three dimensions. Flight requirements are very strict and will require flight run-throughs in advance of the event. A resident concern was asked about overflight and safety, with the report that the Angles would arrive on October 8 and be departing October 15, that the requirement includes a 500 foot minimum clearance above the ground and a 1000 foot not-angled-to-ground flight line. The flight times will be during daylight hours. Kaluhiwa suggested the inclusion of the Celebration for Kaneohe, with CWO O’Hare and Lt. Strickland welcoming calls about the program to Sgt. Carter at 257-8832. Henkin asked about a referenced environmental review entitled Cat Ex, commenting that a recent airshow death should be addressed, as well as the significant impacts of traffic and noise, which mean that a Categorical Exclusion (Cat Ex) (which is an action that does not individually or cumulatively have a significant environmental effect and is excluded from a requirement that might otherwise trigger an EA) is not appropriate here. Henkin asked for a legal officer to come to the next meeting to explain how an entertainment event would be a Cat Ex; Collins said that this was a recruiting effort. Henkin said that residents should have been able to comment; O’Hare said the event was run through the Base EA, which includes this type of activity, saying that the event goes off the base but that the nexus is base operations, permitting it to be categorized Cat Ex. Chair Luersen said she would plan to add the issue to the agenda in September, with Henkin requesting information in advance, stressing his desire to minimize and mitigate the effects. Geboski asked for event decibel levels to be displayed on a map, along with the projected areas for low flights. Chair Luersen thanked the group for the presentation.
REPORTS BY PUBLIC OFFICIALS:
Mayor’s Representative – Craig Nishimura, Deputy Director, Department of Design and Construction – DDC, was present to represent Mayor Mufi Hannemann. Nishimura reported the start of the new fiscal year for the City and the start of planning for the coming year, including the CIP budget cycle. He also reported the 75th anniversary celebration of the Honolulu Police Department. He reported that trees on Kamehameha Highway (between St. John’s By-the-Sea and the Hygienic Store corner) had been trimmed but that others will be trimmed in the later part of the month. He reported a small glitch at the
Governor’s Representative – Scott Ishikawa announced that the new representative of Governor Lingle would be Brennon Morioka, Deputy Director (Highways) of the Department of Transportation. Ishikawa distributed updates from the Governor’s office and discussed the following:
1. Planning was continuing for the Kahekili / Hygienic intersection area to be posted as a 25 mile per hour zone.
2. Community concerns were reported for the area under the banyan tree at the Hygienic Store, where the Kahaluu Master Plan has identified a need, in addition to the plans that Ishikawa has discussed at prior Board meetings – Chair Luersen reported 1) the need to make the speed limit 25 mph at some distance away from the actual intersection and 2) need to limit activity under the banyan tree, including creation of a fence barrier. Ishikawa noted that a discussion had included a single entrance point near Noriko’s. Kaluhiwa and Busch discussed the need for a fence and barrier at the bottom of the banyan tree.
3. Kahekili Highway landscaping is to start late September 2007.
Chair Luersen asked about funding for a Kahekili contra flow, which Ishikawa said had not been released and with Chair Luersen noting that the Board was not in support of the widening proposal. Kaluhiwa asked that the concrete barriers be replaced between the long bridge and the Heeia Park. Vermeesch asked for a report on the beautification plans and Henkin asked for the work schedule, which Ishikawa reported would be 8:30 am to 3 p.m. Kaluhiwa offered thanks to the DOCARE officers for the recent workshop at the Kaneohe Library. Towill reported that the recent repaving of the Likelike Highway was an exceptionally good job and asked for congratulations and thanks to be extended from the community. Spray asked about the authorization process for the use of the Heeia Park, which was reported to be given to the Kaneohe Canoe Club, noting that the Board had proposed a user; Chair Luersen said that the recommendation was not for that site but for the general community.
U.S. Congress Representative Maize Hirono – No representative was present.
Councilmember Donovan Dela Cruz – Jacee Mikulanec represented Councilmember Dela Cruz, distributed a monthly community report and reported the successful 7 a.m. to 7p.m. Aloha Aina Recycling Event at the KEY Project, announcing that community recycling had resulted in earnings of $4800 by KEY. Mikulanec announced that the Councilmember’s office was following up on issues, including:
1. Waihee Road intersection at Kamehameha Highway
2. Waikane Nature Reserve
3. Waileihua Road sewer hookups
4. Damaged fence at Ahuimanu Road
5. Ponding on a roadway a Miomio Loop
Mikulanec invited visiting the Community Website at: www.honolulu.gov/council/d2/cd2delacruz.htm
He reported a Real Property Workshop to be held at the end of August and on September 18. Spray asked how the tipping fee funds would be replaced if Councilmember Apo’s proposal to ship landfill trash to the mainland is adopted.
Senator Clayton Hee – No representative was present. Mikulanec reported Hee was involved at a special Kaaawa community meeting earlier in the evening.
Representative Colleen Meyer – No representative was present.
BOARD COMMITTEES
Water Conservation and Resources and Environment Committee – Henkin reported LeVasseur has been working hard.
Transportation and Safety Committee – No report.
Parks and Recreation Committee – No report.
Planning Committee – No report. Mench reported a meeting of the Kahaluu Master Plan committee was held on August 10, 2007.
Preservation of
Legislation, Education Issues and Schools Committee – No report.
Proposals to Authorize the Formation of Board Permitted Interaction Group – Chair Luersen noted last meeting’s discussions had suggested the formation of four permitted interaction groups:
Waihee Marsh Group – Henkin noted that several meetings outside the Board’s meeting were appropriate to provide information to the Board and proposed the formation of a group for a six month period, with the group to report back to the Board. Bender moved and Henkin seconded to form a permitted interaction group to develop a management plan for the Makai Waihee Marsh and report back to the Board in six months. Chair Luersen asked for volunteers: LeVasseur, Henkin, Spray, Mench, Luersen, Naluai. Chair Luersen asked for a vote and announced it had passed unanimously 13-0-0.
Homeless Sites Group – Chair Luersen noted that it might not be appropriate since Goodman had said there might not be action. Renior reported that the possible lease was still an open question. Henkin noted the need to react on short notice. Bender moved and Henkin seconded to form a permitted interaction group to explore development of homeless shelters and report back to the Board in six months. Chair Luersen asked for volunteers: Hoe, Luersen, Naluai (who noted her conflict as already involved with the Windward Homeless Coalition). Chair Luersen asked for a vote and announced it had passed unanimously 13-0-0.
Bender expressed thanks to Mench for posting the Board meeting sign.
Kahekili Highway – Chair Luersen noted that there was previous discussion on the need for this group, to include highway beautification (landscaping), potential widening, and Hygienic intersection. Busch moved and Bender seconded to form a permitted interaction group to explore transportation issues on Kahekili Highway between Hygienic Store and Haiku Road and report back to the Board in six months. Chair Luersen asked for volunteers: Panoke, Busch, Vermeesch, Luersen, Geboski, Renoir, LeVasseur. Chair Luersen asked for a vote and announced it had passed unanimously 13-0-0.
Master Plan – Chair Luersen noted that a prior Permitted Group one had been authorized but that the Master Plan process was ending, with an anticipated presentation at a November Board meeting.
Complaint Filed by D. Keala Naluai Against the Kahaluu Neighborhood Board No. 29 – Response by D. Keala Naluai to the Neighborhood Commission – Naluai said she has sent a letter explaining her position to the Commission and to Board Members, wherein she says she will continue with her complaint. She said she hopes the Commission will decide to stop the complaint process and give her letters of apology from the Commission and the Board. Chair Luersen and Spray explained that the formal complaint process requires that the Commission must continue with the process of fact-finding to a formal Commission hearing; Naluai said she is able to negotiate with the Commission.
Announcements – Chair Luersen announced:
1. Kahaluu Master Plan is online.
2. Neighborhood Board Review Task Force information is online (planned October recommendation to Council).
3. Sunshine law training is on August 14, 2007.
4. St. John’s has an after-school reading program.
5. December 21st is a Windward Holiday Festival for homeless is planned for Windward Community College (contact Naluai for information).
6. Hawaiian Civic Clubs will celebrate on September 11, 2006.
7. Photo contest – Faces of Kaneohe for youth – deadline August 30, 2007.
ADJOURNMENT – Without objections, Chair Luersen adjourned the meeting at 10:10 p.m.
Submitted by Elwin Spray, Neighborhood Commission Office staff