DOWNTOWN – CHINATOWN NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD NO. 13
REGULAR MEETING AGENDA
THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2025, at 6:00 P.M.
Keʻelikōlani Middle School Library
1302 Queen Emma Street, Honolulu, HI 96813
AND VIA WEBEX
This meeting location is open to public participation.
Other available options including WebEx and phone-in instructions are as follows:
Meeting Link: https://cchnl.webex.com/cchnl/j.php?MTID=m2eec5eabd07f32af605be6e0c6aac97b
Meeting Number / Access Code: 2490 552 4947
Password: NB13 (6213 from phones and video systems)
Join by phone: +1(408) 418-9388 [United States toll]
Meeting Materials Link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1F4DdI9R8Er12TNf6Bl-yb4p4EW0-68vu
Rules of Speaking: Any audience member may raise their hand to speak on an agenda item at the announced time; when recognized by the Presiding Officer, questions/comments are limited to two (2) minutes. After the audience, Board members may raise their hand to speak with questions and comments limited to one (1) minute. Requests for follow-ups may or may not be granted by the Presiding Officer. Audience/Board members should refrain from interruptions and/or disruptive conduct. Any individual not following these rules may be ruled out of order.
Rules for Presentations/Reports: Presentation of materials are only permitted by individuals listed on the agenda (or by the Neighborhood Assistant/an Officer of the Board) during the listed presentation/report. Speakers are urged to keep their prepared remarks to under the allotted time on the agenda (unless otherwise authorized by the Chair/Presiding Officer). Subsequent responses during Q&A should be kept brief and direct (or may be addressed in private follow-ups).
Other Notes: The Board may vote upon any listed agenda item; items not listed cannot be voted upon unless allowed under HRS 92 (a.k.a. Sunshine Law). Matters raised during Public Concerns cannot be voted upon (but may be discussed by the Board at the discretion of the Presiding Officer). Members of the Board may not raise a matter not listed on the agenda during Public Concerns (but may request inclusion of an item on the agenda in advance of the meeting). Public testimony received in advance of the meeting may also be read aloud (during the listed agenda item or Public Concerns) at the discretion of the Chair.
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. PUBLIC SAFETY REPORTS (including discussion on board/community inquiries; 5 minutes each)
A. Honolulu Fire Department
B. Honolulu Police Department
III. PRESENTATIONS (including discussion on board/community inquiries; 10 minutes each)
A. Hawai‘i Health & Harm Reduction Center – Heather Lusk [hlusk@hhhrc.org]
B. “Exceptional Tree” tour for the Downtown-Chinatown community to coincide with the 50th Anniversary of the Exceptional Tree Law – Joshlyn Sand [jsand@honolulu.gov]
IV. PUBLIC CONCERNS (2 minutes each regarding issues not listed on this agenda)
V. ELECTED OFFICIALS – priority to be given to elected officials/representatives that are physically present at the meeting (including discussion on board/community inquiries; 5 minutes each)
A. Congressman Ed Case’s Representative
B. Governor Josh Green’s Representative – Steven Downes [stephen.downes@doh.hawaii.gov]
C. Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s Representative – Ian Santee [isantee@honolulu.gov]
D. City Council (District 6) – Tyler Dos Santos-Tam [tdossantos-tam@honolulu.gov]
E. State Senate (District 13) – Karl Rhoads [senrhoads@capitol.hawaii.gov]
F. State House (District 25) – Kim Coco Iwamoto [repiwamoto@capitol.hawaii.gov]
G. State House (District 28) – Daniel Holt [repholt@capitol.hawaii.gov]
VI. QUARTERLY REPORTS (including discussion on board/community inquiries; 3 minutes each)
A. Maunakea Villages – Greg Payton [gpayton@mhkhawaii.org]
VII. APPROVAL OF MINUTES (1 minute)
A. Thursday, February 6, 2025, Regular Meeting Written Summary for Video Record
VIII. BOARD BUSINESS (10 minutes)
A. Discussion on current status of Honolulu City & County’s preliminary Request for Qualifications on four (4) City-owned properties (including Kamali‘i Mini Park)
B. Discussion on Saint Patrick’s Day block party for 2025
C. Board vote on whether to put Bob Armstrong’s draft Resolution “Calling for a complete and permanent ban on all personal fireworks on Oahu on next month’s agenda.
IX. CHAIR’S REPORT
A. The next Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board No.13 regular meeting is tentatively scheduled to meet at Hockings Building meeting room next month.
X. ANNOUNCEMENTS
A. The next Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board No. 13 regular meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 3, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at a location to be determined and virtually via Webex.
B. YouTube – An archive of video recordings of Neighborhood Board meetings can be found at: http://www.youtube.com/@NeighborhoodCommissionOffice
C. Rebroadcasts of Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board No. 13 meetings are scheduled on ʻŌlelo channel 49 for every third Thursday at 9:00 p.m., as well as 9:00 a.m. on the fourth Saturday of each month. An archive of past meetings may be found on http://olelo.org/olelonet/ by searching on <Downtown>.
XI. 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, Hawai‘i 96817, by telephone on (808) 768-3710, fax (808) 768-3711, or e-mailing nco@honolulu.gov. Agenda documents and minutes are also available online at https://www8.honolulu.gov/nco/boards/.
All written testimony must be received in the Neighborhood Commission Office 48 hours prior to the meeting. If within 48 hours of the meeting, 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, HI 96817, fax (808) 768-3711, or email nbtestimony@honolulu.gov.
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.
DRAFT REGULAR MEETING WRITTEN SUMMARY FOR VIDEO RECORD
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2025 at 6:00 P.M.
PRINCESS RUTH KE‘ELIKŌLANI MIDDLE SCHOOL CAFETERIA – 1302 QUEEN EMMA STREET, HONOLULU, HI 96813
AND VIA WEBEX TELECONFERENCING
Video recording of this meeting can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkZpKdfEYA0
Reports & other meeting materials can be found at:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1F4DdI9R8Er12TNf6Bl-yb4p4EW0-68vu
I. CALL TO ORDER – [0:00:03]: 6:00 p.m.
Chair Ernest Caravalho called the Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board No. 13 meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Quorum was established with seven (7) members present. Note: This nine-member Board requires five (5) members to establish quorum and to take official Board action.
Members Present: Robert Armstrong, Ernest Caravalho, Ross Isokane, Lori McCarney, Kevin McDonald, Chu Lan Shubert-Kwock, Laura Sturges, Sean Fitzsimmons (arrived at 6:09 p.m.) and Kevin Lye (arrived at 6:18 p.m.)
Members Absent: None
Guests: Fire Captain Mark Bates (Honolulu Fire Department); Sergeant Freeman (HPD); Ian Santee (Mayor Rick Blangiardi); Jack Truesdale (Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam); Payton Haygood (Senator Karl Rhoads); Kate Ozawa and Kim Coco Iwamoto (House District 25 Representative); Chris Fong (Tradewind Capital); Rick Schneider (Events International); Sandra Pohl (Downtown Art Center); Maribell Pablan (Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation); Patrick Watson (Frank V. Coluccio Construction); Lee Stack (Chinatown Improvement District); Ronald Higa (Liliha Neighborhood Board No.14); Nicole Reid, Angie Rain, Lorinda Rov, Ben Dookchitra, Kristen Allspan, Deborah King, Cardenas Pintor, Randall Jadulang (Residents); Camilia Epa Gomes (Neighborhood Commission Office). Note: Name was not included if not legible. There were 40 total attendees.
II. PUBLIC SAFETY REPORTS – [0:02:25]
Honolulu Fire Department – [0:01:16]: Fire Captain Bates provided the report and shared the monthly statistics for January 2025. The safety tip for the month is in regards to power outage preparedness.
• Report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/17f9Rt7GqPr9LbNv0bTspgV9fqAAlswUs/view?usp=drive_link
Questions, comments and concerns followed – [0:03:08]
Honolulu Police Department – [0:05:44]: Sergeant Freeman provided the report and shared the monthly statistics for January 2025.
Questions, comments and concerns followed – [0:07:11]
Member Fitzsimmons joined the meeting at 6:09 p.m.; 8 members present.
Member Lye joined the meeting at 6:18 p.m.; 9 members present.
III. PRESENTATIONS – [0:20:42]
Potential establishment of a Business Improvement District (“BID”) for Downtown Honolulu – [0:21:26]: Chris Fong (Tradewind Capital) shared a presentation on an initiative to create a BID Downtown to address safety, cleanliness, and community enhancement. Mr. Fong highlighted the following: proposed boundaries of a Downtown Honolulu BID; common services of a BID; Fort Street Mall Business Improvement District; Waikiki Business Improvement District; and how a BID is created.
Questions, comments and concerns followed – [0:30:00]
Saint Patrick’s Day Block Party – [0:55:48]: Rick Schneider (Events International) shared an announcement that the famous block party will be back this year. The event setup will be the same as how it was done in previous years. The event will be on Monday, March 17, 2025 (St. Patrick’s Day) and take place on the blocks between the intersection of Merchant St. and Nu’uanu Ave. The event will start at 6:00 p.m. and officially end at 10:00 p.m.
Questions, comments and concerns followed – [0:57:17]
Annual HEART of Honolulu Street Festival – [1:05:45]: Sandra Pohl (Downtown Art Center) first shared about the “Guitars and Plein Air in the Park” event that will take place on Saturday, March 1, 2025 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Park (1041 Bethel St.). The event is free for the public and there will be live music and a plein air painting competition. The second event is the annual HEART of Honolulu Street Festival that will be on Saturday, April 12, 2025 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The festival is a free family friendly event that will take place on Nu’uanu Ave. from King St. to Chaplain Lane. There will be arts, crafts, live music, food and creative local vendors, as well as make-and-take art activities for everyone.
• HEART of Honolulu Street Festival Map: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NjzAWF1avOKfO6Ya-2Pxw3sLTVX7SehW/view?usp=drive_link
Questions, comments and concerns followed – [1:07:40]
Member Shubert-Kwock left the meeting at 7:08 p.m.; 8 members present.
V. PUBLIC CONCERNS – [1:09:00]:
Healthy Active Aging Fair – (1:09:40): Cardenas Pintor, representing Project Dana announced an event open to the public to attend and collect resources for healthy active aging. The event will be on Saturday, February 22, 2025 at Jikoen Hongwanji Okinawa Memorial Hall (1731 N. School St.) from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. There will be presentations, speakers, and resources from various local organizations.
Questions, comments and concerns followed – [1:11:20]
Kamaliʻi Mini Park – [1:13:00]: Doug Pile (Kukui Plaza resident) shared there was no public input regarding the Kamaliʻi Mini Park redevelopment plans. He would like to know if the public will have the oppurtunity to provide input before final decisions are made on the property. Mr. Pile shared various concerns regarding the removal of the park: a lack of green spaces in the Downtown district; increase in traffic; increase in population density; and impacts to the school zone.
Questions, comments and concerns followed – [1:15:40]
VI. ELECTED OFFICIALS – [1:17:20]
[1:17:24] – Chair Caravalho announced priority will be given to elected officials/representatives that are present in-person at the meeting. Chair Caravalho will take note of who is here in-person and will call the official/representative up to the microphone in the order he noted when they arrived. He will then call up the remaining elected officials/representatives who may be online.
State House (District 25) – Kim Coco Iwamoto – [1:18:10]: Kate Ozawa introduced herself and shared Representative Iwamoto is present via WebEx. She highlighted the following from the newsletter: office staff for this legislative session; upcoming events in the community; and office contact information.
Questions, comments and concerns followed – [1:19:16]
Congressman Ed Case’s Representative – [1:32:40]: No representative present.
Governor Josh Green’s Representative – [1:32:50]: No representative present. A report was submitted.
• Report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dZ3Iv4yJw4aAD1oORaWsCcscqkALLqu7/view?usp=drive_link
Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s Representative – [1:33:20]: Ian Santee (Deputy Director of City Department of Emergency Services) shared highlights from the newsletter for February 2025 and provided follow-up responses to questions raised in the previous Board meeting in December 2024.
Questions, comments and concerns followed – [1:38:40]
City Council (District 6) – Tyler Dos Santos-Tam – [1:49:20]: Jack Truesdale provided the report and shared the following highlights from the newsletter: 2025 transit consturction mitigation fund update; Council passes Bill 52 to regulate e-bike use and safety; legislative updates on Bill 56 (relating to pedestrian malls) and Bill 1 (relating to public spaces); Councilmember Dos Santos-Tam hosted a Chinatown Artists Townhall for community members and artists; newly installed bike lanes on S. King St.; and continuing legislative efforts to address game room concerns.
• Newsletter: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yEX0sFHctR28QymDDlvCcsf0zE7x1qa1/view?usp=drive_link
Questions, comments and concerns followed – [1:52:20]
State Senate (District 13) – Karl Rhoads – [2:05:06]: Payton Haygood provided the report and highlighted the following: updates on 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines; Hawaii Dept. of Transportation recieved $1.6 million in discretionary grant funding to explore the feasibility of constructing a Cap Park over H-1 Freeway, between Liliha St. and Quen Emma St.; two active sites were detected with little fire ants; Governor Greenʻs administration has released $550,000 in funding for the design and construction of the parking lot paving at Keʻelikōlani Middle School; and office contact information.
• Newsletter: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1znM2zEhKKP36pp0RsGMwosyARkLOToid/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=111917663458444584436&rtpof=true&sd=true
Questions, comments and concerns followed – [2:07:08]
State House (District 28) – Daniel Holt – [2:09:50]: No representative present.
VII. QUARTERLY REPORTS – [2:10:05]
Honolulu Board of Water Supply (BWS) – [2:10:10]: Iris Oda provided the report and shared that if you see water being waisted such as a broken pipe, a malfunctioning sprinkler, a running faucet, excessive watering, or something similar, to please call the water waste hotline.
• To report water waste:
• Visit BWS website: www.boardofwatersupply.com/waterwaste
• Email: contactus@hbws.org or call 808-748-5041
Questions, comments and concerns followed – [2:11:10]
Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) – [2:13:00]: Maribell Pabalan (HART’s Public Involvement Team) and Patrick Watson (Public Information Officer for Frank V. Coluccio Construction) provided the report. Maribell Pabalan shared construction in regards to the Downtown utilities relocation for the rail guideway (segment 3) is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2025. Halekauwila St. will have periodic one-way traffic and temporary road closures for the crews to work in that area. Final inspections are being done and removal of temporary equipment on Nimitz Highway are underway in this zone. The contractors in this zone will have sidewalk restorations as well as roadway restorations. Maribell also highlighted the following: 2025 Transit Construction Mitigation Fund deadline extension; bathrooms at rail stations is still in the design phase; and heavy foundation construction is anticipated to begin in the summer of 2025 for the City Center Guideway and stations.
Questions, comments and concerns followed – [2:17:25]
Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) – Continued – [2:19:00]: Patrick Watson shared an update from Frank V. Coluccio Construction that the activity on Alakea St. and Nimitz Highway intersection is expected to be completed with the trenching and the conduit installation and paving in February. Night work is anticipated to take place near 560 Halekauwila St.
Questions, comments and concerns followed – [2:19:50]
Chinatown Improvement District – [2:22:30]: Lee Stack reported that a sidewalk on the ewa side between King St. and Nimitz Hwy. has caved in and still needs to be addressed. A community member shared a concern that some of the cameras werenʻt working, as he didn’t the blue lights on in the evening and in the daytime in the district. Ms. Stack also offered insight on BIDʻs and urged the public to learn more about the benefits and drawbacks of BID’s.
Questions, comments and concerns followed – [2:26:30]
Chinatown Business Community Association (CBCA) – [2:34:39]: No representative present. A report was submitted.
• Report: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nVzj8chbAHO7KXVWyV2THmdNiJaWiuL9/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=111917663458444584436&rtpof=true&sd=true
VIII. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – [2:34:45]:
Thursday, October 3, 2024, and Thursday, December 5, 2024, Regular Meeting Written Summaries for Video Record – [2:34:50]: Chair Caravalho shared that based on his observations of how other boards (that he believes exercise best practices and run smooth and efficient meetings) approach this item, he agrees with the practice to keep the written summaries for video record to a minimum (given they are accompanied by the full YouTube video record). So, in the interest of keeping meetings productive for the community, Chair Caravalho recommended that the board approve the NCO draft written summaries for video record on the NCO website (which he also noted are reviewed in advance by the Chair and the Secretary). As such, Chair Caravalho recommended for this month that the board approve the NCO draft written summaries for video record for October 3, 2024, and December 5, 2024.
Questions, comments and concerns followed – [2:36:20]
[2:38:40] – Following the first round of discussion, Chair Caravalho reiterated his original recommendation that the board go ahead and approve the NCO draft written summaries for video record. Board Member Lye objected. Chair Caravalho allowed the board to continue with a second round of discussion.
Questions, comments and concerns followed – [2:39:35]
[2:43:15] – Following the second round of discussion, Chair Caravalho called for a vote to approve the October 2024 and December 2024 NCO draft written summaries for video record. The board conducted a roll-call vote. The Thursday, October 3, 2024, and Thursday, December 5, 2024, Regular Meeting Written Summaries for Video Record were APPROVED; 6-2-0 (Aye: Armstrong, Fitzsimmons, Isokane, McCarney, Sturges, Caravalho; Nay: Lye, McDonald; Abstain: None) – [2:44:15]
IX. ANNOUNCEMENTS – [2:44:20]
The next Downtown–Chinatown Neighborhood Board No.13 regular meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 6, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at Ke’elikolani Middle School and virtually via Webex.
[2:45:04] – Member Armstrong shared an announcement that there is a Honolulu Rate Commission meeting on Tuesday, February 11, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. at 711 Kapiʻolani Blvd, Suite 1600, to discuss increases on rates for the TheBus and TheHandi-Van. He also reminded the board that four years ago, the board adopted Resolution 01 (restricting the sale on oil based spray paints and pens to reduce graffiti in the neighborhood). The board has also adopted a resolution two years agoo to oppose sports book betting and it has been reintroduced again in the State legislature this year. He would like to propose and submit a draft resolution in regards to a complete and permanent ban on all personal fireworks and their sales on Oʻahu. He would like the Board and the public to consider the draft resolution at the next board meeting.
YouTube – An archive of video recordings of Neighborhood Board meetings can be found at: http://www.youtube.com/@NeighborhoodCommissionOffice
Rebroadcasts of Downtown–Chinatown Neighborhood Board No.13 meetings are scheduled on ʻŌlelo channel 49 for every third Thursday at 9:00 p.m., as well as 9:00 a.m. on the fourth Saturday of each month. An archive of past meetings may be found on http://olelo.org/olelonet/ by searching on <Downtown Chinatown>.
X. ADJOURNMENT – [2:47:07]: The meeting was adjourned at 8:47 p.m.
Submitted by: Camilia Epa Gomes, Neighborhood Assistant, NCO
Reviewed by: Dylan Buck, Community Relations Specialist, NCO
Finalized by: Ross Isokane, Secretary, Neighborhood Board No.13
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.
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