NU‘UANU – PUNCHBOWL NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD NO. 12

REGULAR MEETING AGENDA
Tuesday, July 16, 2024    
7:00 p.m.
Video-Teleconference: The Board will be making a good-faith effort to provide the public with the opportunity to observe the meeting as it happens and an opportunity to provide oral testimony without a physical presence in the physical meeting room, in accordance with the Governor’s Eighth Supplementary Proclamation, Related to the COVID-19 Emergency. Please ensure that your computer or phone is muted unless you are speaking.

Please join us by Webex
Meeting link: https://cchnl.webex.com/cchnl/j.php?MTID=m22265d6903aed1cdfb69d62e9e22bc7c
Meeting number/Access code: 2493 014 7034
Password: NB12 (6212 from phones and video systems)
Join by phone: +1-408-418-9388 United States Toll

Physical location: Kapālama Hale 925 Dillingham Boulevard, Room 153, Honolulu, HI 96817
*This is an alternative meeting location open to public participation.

Rules of Speaking: Anyone wishing to speak is asked to raise his/her hand, and when recognized by the Chair, to address comments to the Chair. Our public and elected officials giving reports are encouraged to keep their comments to less than three (3) minutes, board member’s comments limited to two minutes for each order of business, presenters are limited to 10 (ten) minutes for the presentation portion and community member input is limited to two (2) minutes per participant. Please silence all electronic devices.
Note: The Board may take action on any agenda item. As required by the State Sunshine Law (HRS Ch. 92), specific issues not noted on this agenda cannot be voted on, unless added to the agenda. A two-thirds (2/3) vote (10) of this 15-member Board is needed to add an item to the agenda. Adding an item to the agenda, however, is not permitted if (1) the item to be added is of reasonably major importance and (2) action on the item by the board will affect a significant number of persons. Determination of whether a specific matter may be added to an agenda must be done on a case-by-case basis.

I. CALL TO ORDER – Chair Pro-Tem Patrick Smith

II. ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND CONFIRMATION OF BOARD DETAILS
A. To Serve From Monday, July 1, 2024, to Monday, June 30, 2025 [NP §2-14- 120(b)].
The officers to be elected are the:
i. Chair
ii. Vice Chair
iii. Secretary
iv. Treasurer
v. Any other officer(s) determined to be needed to conduct the board’s business.
B. Meeting Date, Time, Location, and Format
C. Determination Of Recess Schedule-Up to Three (3) Per Year

III. CITY MONTHLY REPORTS (Limited to three (3) minutes each)
A. Honolulu Fire Department
B. Honolulu Police Department
1. District 1
2. District 5
3. Neighborhood Security Watch Reports – Paula Kurashige
C. Board of Water Supply

IV. FILLING OF VACANCIES
There are two (2) vacancies in Subdistrict 1 (Punchbowl).
(Proof of residency required, Oath of Office, as needed)

V. REPORT FROM NONBOARD EVENTS
A. OahuMPO (Metro Planning Org) – Rae Gee
B. Papakolea Community Updates – Adrienne Dillard

VI. RESIDENTS’/COMMUNITY CONCERNS (Limited to three (3) minutes each)

VII. ELECTED OFFICIALS (Limited to three (3) minutes each)
A. Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s Representative – Director Kim Hashiro
B. Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam
C. Governor Josh Green’s Representative
D. District 13 Senator Karl Rhoads
E. District 27 Representative Jenna Takenouchi
F. Federal Elected Officers & other Elected Officials

VIII. BOARD BUSINESS
A. Follow-up from State Department of Transportation Representative Regarding Pali Highway Pedestrian Safety Concerns
B. New Session Organizing Issues
C. Potential Expansion of Number of City Dog Parks
D. Consideration of Allowing Other Subdistricts to Fill Vacant Board Positions
E. Approval of Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Meeting Minutes

IX. ANNOUNCEMENTS
Next Regular Board Meeting – The next Nu’uanu/Punchbowl Neighborhood Board No. 12 meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 20, 2024.

X.      ADJOURNMENT

A mailing list is maintained for interested persons and agencies to receive this Board’s agenda and minutes. Additions, corrections, and deletions to the mailing list may be directed to the Neighborhood Commission Office (NCO) at Kapālama Hale, 925 Dillingham Boulevard, Suite 160, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96817; Telephone (808) 768-3710 Fax (808) 768-3711; or Email nco@honolulu.gov. Agendas and minutes are also available on the internet at www.honolulu.gov/nco

If you need an auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation due to a disability or an interpreter for a language other than English, please call the Neighborhood Commission Office at (808) 768-3710 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. or send an email to nco@honolulu.gov at least three (3) business days before the scheduled meeting. It may not be possible to fulfill requests received after this date.

All written testimony must be received in the Neighborhood Commission Office 48 hours prior to the meeting. If within 48 hours, written and/or oral testimony may be submitted directly to the Board at the meeting. If submitting written testimony, please note the Board and agenda item(s) your testimony concerns. Send to: Neighborhood Commission Office, 925 Dillingham Boulevard, Suite 160 Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96817. Fax: (808) 768-3711. Email: nbtestimony@honolulu.gov

DRAFT REGULAR MEETING WRITTEN SUMMARY FOR VIDEO RECORD
TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 2024 7:00 P.M.
KAPĀLAMA HALE CONFERENCE ROOM 153 – 925 DILLINGHAM BOULEVARD, HONOLULU, HAWAIʻI, 96817 AND VIA WEBEX TELECONFERENCING

Video recording of this meeting can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peub1jzxG48

Reports and other meeting materials can be found at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Th_r5SpEofyVf6k1XoeuiP9z_Xfa77xN

I. CALL TO ORDER – [0:00:01]

Chair Smith called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Quorum was established with 9 members present. (Note – This 15-member Board requires eight (8) members to establish quorum and to take official Board action.)

Board Members Present – Paula Kurashige, Sylvia Young, Audrey Hidano, Patrick Smith, Meghan Kenny, Adrienne Dillard, Katherine Grebe, Mason Aiona, Michael Lum, Kaapuni Kama (joined at 7:05 p.m.), and Rae Gee (joined at 7:17 p.m.).

Board Members Absent – Phillip Soon and Jill Easley Allen.

Guests – Lieutenant Arnold Sagucio – District 1, Lieutenant Keone Hong – District 5 (Honolulu Police Department-HPD); Firefighter Sheldon (Honolulu Fire Department); Jimmy Yanos (Board of Water Supply-BWS); Director Kim Hashiro (Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s Representative); Lisa Leonardo (Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam’s Office); Ashton Stallings (Governor Josh Green’s Representative); Senator Karl Rhoads; Representative Jenna Takenouchi; George Abcede (State Department of Transportation); Pat Taira, Gary Kikuchi, Larry Smith, Ronald Higa (residents and guests); Rachel Cristobal (Neighborhood Commission Office-NCO). Note: Name was not included if not legible. Total of 22 participants.

II. CITY MONTHLY REPORTS – [0:00:08]

Honolulu Fire Department – [0:00:12]: Firefighter Sheldon provided the statistics for the month of May 2024. He also included the monthly safety tip regarding power outages.
● Report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/11C-F4aEKOe4c40X9hYbqj06vQfhjfDH9/view?usp=drive_link

Questions, comments and concerns followed – [0:02:45]

Honolulu Police Department – [0:04:21]:
● District 1 – [0:04:26]: Lieutenant Sagucio reported the monthly statistics for the month of May 2024. He shared that he looked into the 4 recent burglaries due to the high number compared to the last month. 3 were businesses and 1 was a local school. An arrest was made and the school case was sent to the prosecutor’s office for final disposition. Lieutenant Sagucio announced that they are still conducting the speed traffic enforcement program on the Pali Highway. District 1 officers were also managing the major power outage in the Chinatown business district at numerous intersections. The monthly safety tip for the month of June 2024 was regarding unattended drinks.
○ Website: www.honolulupd.org

Member Kama joined at 7:05 p.m.; 10 members present.

Questions, comments and concerns followed – [0:07:40]

Member Gee joined at 7:17 p.m.; 11 members present.

● District 5 – [0:30:14]: Lieutenant Hong reported the monthly statistics for the month of May 2024. There was an arrest made on Friday, May 28, 2024 relating to motor vehicle thefts. A person was initially located in the Pali Lookout’s area and was attributed to some of the car break-ins. Details on one of the aggravated assaults related to a student arrest was provided.

Neighborhood Security Watch Reports – [0:31:48]: Paula Kurashige reported that they’re still trying to find a venue to meet since places cost about $120. She asked if there was anyone that has a venue or a garage with 2 outlets to reach out to her. At the end of her report, she expressed gratitude to the community for making the Neighborhood Security Watch meeting in Waiʻanae successful.

Questions, comments and concerns followed – [0:34:32]

Board of Water Supply (BWS) – [0:34:36]: Jimmy Yanos addressed concerns from the previous meeting. Two significant main breaks occurred in May 2024. The concern was that there were a high number of main breaks in the area. The response was that repairs are underway, with paving near 3148 Alika Avenue scheduled tentatively towards the end of the month of July 2024, pending final approvals to begin final paving near 2000 Alika Avenue. Jimmy also provided a response to a concern regarding newly installed fire hydrants. Another update provided was regarding the upcoming water system improvement project, Jimmy noted that progress is delayed pending necessary approvals, with no expected start date before September 2024. He also highlighted the forthcoming annual water quality report, emphasizing BWS’s commitment to rigorous testing to ensure compliance with safe drinking water standards.

Questions, comments and concerns followed – [0:38:51]

III. FILLING OF VACANCIES – [0:42:30] – No volunteers.

IV. REPORT FROM NONBOARD EVENTS – [0:43:00]

OahuMPO (Metro Planning Org) – [0:43:05]: Chair Smith announced that he has the OahuMPO application, but it is pending to be sent out. Member Gee had no report. However, there was a discussion regarding issues with the Pali Highway and other road projects. Concerns were raised about the maintenance and accessibility, including The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance on Pali Highway, managed by Oahu Metro Planning Org. Specific projects like rockfall mitigation were highlighted, with funding challenges for certain sections. Long-term planning cycles and coordination with federal funding sources were also mentioned.

Papakōlea Community Updates – [0:54:03]: Member Dillard reported that they took their junior leader teams to the Big Island for a trip. They have wrapped up their afterschool programs for the summer. Additionally, a community member participated in the Kamehameha Day parade and won an award, while the Board Treasurer won 1st place for Princess of Hawaiʻi. The Roosevelt High School football team and some local youth from Papakōlea performed a lei draping ceremony for Kamehameha Day. Amidst these activities, many staff members and community members have been involved in upcoming events and festivities, keeping the center busy as they plan for the next school year.

V. RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY CONCERNS – [0:56:24]

Certificate Announcement – [0:56:32]: Chair Smith announced that he has the certificate for Dale Arakaki, so he will send out an email to the Board to check who is available to meet to present the certificate.

Question, comments, and concerns followed – [0:56:56]

Hawaiʻi Buddha Peace Festival – [0:57:19]: Sylvia Young announced that on Saturday, August 3, 2024 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Chinatown Cultural Plaza that the Hawaiʻi Buddha Peace Festival will be held. Admission is free.

Kona Farmers – [0:58:49]: Paula Kurashige shared that the Kona Farmers are excited about what happened in the legislature towards the end when Kona Coffee is being recognized by having more than 10% included in the coffee. She recommended that if anyone plans to purchase coffee that they should research how much coffee is provided.

VI. ELECTED OFFICIALS – [1:03:44]

Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s Representative – [1:03:48]: Director Hashiro provided updates starting with the Mayor’s newsletter, which included the creation of an Ocean Safety department and plans for a voter resolution to establish oversight similar to other emergency services. The City’s 911 system improvements were also highlighted, including efforts by the Honolulu Police Department to recruit more call takers and test an automated callback feature for dropped calls. Resources for Hurricane Preparedness Month and Hawaiian Electric Company’s public safety power shut-off program were noted, affecting the west side of the island starting Monday, July 1, 2024. Additionally, efforts to support the Hawaii Food Bank and seeking summer staff for The Department of Parks and Recreation were mentioned, alongside details of a final Town Hall scheduled at Waialua Elementary School. Regarding follow-up items from the previous meeting, issues included tree trimming delays at Booth Park due to saturated grounds and ongoing concerns about potential rental car operations on Henry Street. Director Hashiro included a suggestion for addressing parking congestion issues on Henry Street by having the installation of no-parking signs.
● Mayor’s Newsletter: https://www8.honolulu.gov/mayor/newsletter/
● Summer Fun Jobs: bit.ly/SummerFunJob

Question, comments, and concerns followed – [1:15:40]

Council Member Tyler Dos Santos-Tam – [1:21:37]: Lisa Leonardo highlighted the council member’s monthly newsletter for updates on completed action items across all districts. A fire ant community meeting originally planned for July 2024 has been rescheduled to September 2024 due to scheduling conflicts with presenting organizations and other legislators. Councilmember Kiaʻāina, Chair of The Planning and Economy Committee, plans to host public community meetings in September 2024 regarding the primary urban center development plan, with details on dates, times, and locations to follow. Updates on specific properties, including 2761 Pacific Heights Road and 157 Ragsdale Place, were also mentioned, with ongoing follow-up and requests for information from The Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP).

Question, comments, and concerns followed – [1:23:40]

Governor Josh Green’s Representative – [1:26:57]: Ashton Stallings posted a link to the Governor’s newsletter in the chat, encouraging everyone to read it for valuable information. The newsletter covers topics like Coconut Rhinoceros Beetles, affordable housing on Kauaʻi, and other updates. She also mentioned the Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture, acknowledging it had ended.
● The Governor’s newsletter: https://governor.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Ke-Ala-Hou-Newsletter-June-2024-FINAL.pdf

District 13 Senator Karl Rhoads – [1:28:25]: Senator Karl Rhoads noted a recent spike in COVID-19 cases. He reported that there were 1,330 new cases and emphasized the importance of staying updated on COVID-19 and flu vaccinations. He also mentioned that if anyone is over the age of 60 that they should consider getting vaccinated against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). The last thing was that Senator Rhoads offered assistance with noise from rooster hotspots.
● Report: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17NzccC63iK-44XshhtOpa7Hjv45ShG_d/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=101205618811575423434&rtpof=true&sd=true

Question, comments, and concerns followed – [1:29:46]

District 27 Representative Jenna Takenouchi – [1:38:09]: Representative Takenouchi addressed ongoing projects and concerns: no progress yet on crossing signs for Nuʻuanu Elementary School, ongoing issues with maintenance around Nuʻuanu Stream Bridge, and awaiting The Department of Land and Natural Resourcesʻ final report on tree cutting. On a positive note, improvements for Papakōlea children’s pathway to school are moving forward with Safe Routes to Schools funding. Representative Takenouchi also mentioned Aloha Care’s healthcare scholarship is until Sunday, June 30, 2024, and reminded the Board about the upcoming unclaimed property program starting Monday, July 1, 2024.
● State Unclaimed Property: https://unclaimedproperty.ehawaii.gov/lilo/property-search.html
● AlohaCare Scholarships: imualoa.alohacare.org

Federal Elected Officers & other Elected Officials – [1:46:58]: None.

VII. BOARD BUSINESS – [1:47:09]

Questions & Answers session with Representative of Department of Transportation Regarding Traffic safety issues around Pali Highway – [1:47:27]: George Abcede attended the Neighborhood Board meeting to be available for questions. During the meeting, several Board Members expressed frustrations over speeding problems, lack of pedestrian safety measures, and the allocation of funds intended for safety improvements being redirected elsewhere. Some highlighted personal experiences of difficulty in accessing transportation due to inadequate infrastructure like bus stops and poorly maintained pedestrian pathways. Others emphasized the need for better coordination between the Department of Transportation (DOT) and other relevant agencies to address these longstanding issues effectively. George acknowledged these concerns, explained the challenges of funding limitations and competing priorities across different regions of the State. He mentioned efforts to implement raised crosswalks as effective speed mitigation measures but also stressed the constraints in allocating funds where they are most needed due to statewide demands and budgetary constraints. The Board Members also raised questions about transparency in project listings and suggested exploring community fundraising as a potential solution to supplement government funding for local projects.

Potential expansion of number of City Dog Parks – [2:26:18]: MOVED by Member Dillard and SECONDED by Member Young that the Neighborhood Board writes a letter to Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam regarding their opposition to having Booth Park as a dog park. There was a discussion. Hearing no objections, the motion was amended so that the Neighborhood Board writes a letter to Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam regarding their opposition to having Booth Park as a dog park and they are withholding their decisions on other parks until they do more research. The motion was ADOPTED 10-0-1 [2:35:34] (Aye: Kaapuni, Lum, Aiona, Dillard, Grebe, Smith, Gee, Hidano, Kurashige, Kenney; Nay: None; Abstain: Young;).

Permit Issues at Potential Monster Home in Pacific Heights – [2:41:58]: Chair Smith recapped that from the last meeting that a letter would be sent. However, the situation developed quickly whereas the Director of The Department of Permitting and Planning and few others were involved and opposed the permit. They’re in the process of revoking the permit.

Question, comments, and concerns followed – [2:45:17]

Capital Improvement Funds for Community – [2:48:21]: Chair Smith noted that the topic was discussed earlier in the meeting. He asked if there is anyone that would like to add anything to this discussion and if the item would need to be added to the next month’s agenda since there will be a Pali Highway follow-up at the next meeting. Hearing no further discussion and objections, the Pali Highway follow up will satisfy this topic for the following month.

Consideration of Allowing Other Subdistricts to Fill Vacant Board Positions – [2:49:29]: Item was deferred to the next meeting.

Approval of Tuesday, May 21, 2024 Meeting Minutes – [2:49:37]: There were no amendments, so the Tuesday, May 21, 2024 minutes were approved as distributed.

VIII. ANNOUNCEMENTS – [2:50:11]

Next Regular Board Meeting –The Nuʻuanu Neighborhood Board No. 12 meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 16, 2024.

IX. ADJOURNMENT – [2:50:54] Chair Smith adjourned the meeting at 9:51 p.m.

Submitted by: Rachel Cristobal, Neighborhood Assistant, NCO
Reviewed by: Lindon Valenciano, Public Relations Assistant
Finalized by: Michael Lum, Secretary

To view agenda and minutes, visit our board website.

Event shows physical location; however, other options of participation may also include WebEx and phone.  If available, instructions for WebEx and phone can be found at the top of the agenda.