NORTH SHORE NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD NO. 27

NORTH SHORE NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD
AG COMMITTEE AGENDA
TUESDAY, JULY 9, 2024
WAIALUA COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION (WCA)
66-434 KAMEHAMEHA HIGHWAY
HALEʻIWA, HAWAIʻI 96712
6:00 P.M. – 7:30 P.M.

I. CALL TO ORDER: Chair Racquel Achiu

Rules of Speaking: (In Person Meeting)
Please silence all electronic devices – Anyone wishing to participate in the meeting discussions please raise your hand to be recognized by the Chair. Please identify yourself by name (and affiliation if any) when speaking for the first time. When recognized by the Chair, please address comments to the Chair. You will have 2 MINUTES to speak and/or ask your question. Please do not interrupt others when they are speaking; committees are less formal but want every voice to be heard

Note: The Committee may take action on any agenda item. As required by the State Sunshine Law (HRS 92), specific issues not noted on this agenda cannot be voted on, unless added to the agenda.

II. COMMUNITY CONCERNS REGARDING AGRICULTURAL ISSUES – Limit to Two (2) Minutes each person.

III. COMMITTEE BUSINESS
A. BILL 64 – discussion and recommendations to Ag section of BILL 64 and the upcoming Land Use Ordinance review.

IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A. Committee Minutes of May 14, 2024
V. ANNOUNCEMENTS
VI. ADJOURNMENT

A mailing list is maintained for interested persons and agencies to receive 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, HI 96817; Telephone (808) 768-3710 Fax (808) 768-3711; or call Neighborhood Assistant Zhoydell Magaoay at (808) 768-4224 or e-mail zhoydell.magaoay@honolulu.gov. Agendas and minutes are also available on the internet at www.honolulu.gov/nco.

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, HI 96817. Fax: (808) 768-3711. 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.

NORTH SHORE NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD
AG COMMITTEE MINUTES (DRAFT)
TUESDAY, MAY 14, 2024
WAIALUA COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION (WCA)
66-434 KAMEHAMEHA HIGHWAY
HALEʻIWA, HAWAIʻI 96712
6:00 P.M. – 7:30 P.M.

Chair Achiu called the meeting to order at 6:10 P.M. In attendance were Chair Racquel Achiu, Leif Andersen, Mark Takemoto, Vice-Chair Casi Alexander, Secretary Boyd Ready, NSNB Chair Kathleen Pahinui, and guests.

COMMUNITY CONCERNS. ATV tours with respect to the Land Use Ordinance, need folks to testify in committee. Some have fought short terms rentals for years, not necessarily against BnBs, can see carving out space for what farms to do short term rentals. Is there an opportunity for community “approval” / “verification” of agritourism?
Can we invite ag committee members to join GoFarm tours of different farms? For theft concerns, one member recommended live on property, have gate. Can there be an ʻaina focused tour bus? High school service hours as options for labor. Would you want to put another structure to house your farm labor? Topic for future agenda, ag fair at high school?

Secretary Ready left at 6:24, Vice-Chair Alexander assisted with notes.

AG SPOTLIGHT – Vice-Chair Alexander introduced Noe Neumann, of Loko ea Farms. Ms. Neuman’s presentation included: leasing and purchasing lands from Dole, and a lease from Kamehameha Schools, for 8 acres of citrus and other tropical fruit (oranges and lemons – 90% of the year available for pickup). The farm uses ‘FarmLink,’ sells to restaurants, value added suppliers, Foodland & other grocery stores during the heavy season. Serves as a Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers (HTFG) Repository, and as President of the HTFG.
Farmer networks, including FarmLink, with a lot of small farmers on the North Shore enables good give and take.
Farm tours for AirBnB experiences once a week make up 20% of income – one of the reasons why the farm is doing well. The people who come on the tour are the kind of tourists we want.
Challenges include labor, it is very hard to find people who want to live and work on a farm, the farm plan which remains under the original business plan and involved short term rentals, a challenging topic, but believes it would be beneficial, and delivery of produce to consumers.

Secretary Ready returned at 6:54.

WAIALUA FARMERS MARKET (WFM)

A collaboration plan updates was presented by Mark Hamamoto & Kathleen Pahinui. Vision is to move
WFM from the Sugar Mill to the Band Stand Park which is under-utilized. Mayor Fasi implemented rules and regs related to the peoplesʻ market which need to change before the move can be implemented. This Thursday night at 7PM Mark is going to make a comment at the Mayorʻs town hall, requesting a pilot project. Please attend in support. On paper fencing, bathrooms, parking problems have been solved.The majority of vendors are farmers, some prepared foods and crafts, and music. It is thought that the park can accommodate up to 50 vendors.
Used to be run by Waialua Farmerʻs Coop – leased land and ran farmers market, it is now run by Waialua Farmers Market a Hawaii state non-profit. As such it is considered the first vendor-run farmers market on Oʻahu
Booth fees can potentially be used to help with maintenance of the park. The topic has been added to June neighborhood board agenda.

FURTHER COMMUNITY CONCERNS. Additional concerns were raised about the upcoming rewrite of the Land Use Ordinance, the agricultural section expected to be on Council agendas in July. Specific concerns were the misuse of condominium-rules for dividing ag lands for housing despite the process not adding additional housing allowances on a given section, with lack of enforcement and widespread disregard leading to a likely high number of lawsuits should enforcement begin to be effective.
An informal, unofficial discussion group on the Land Use Ordinance was announced as beginning soon, with four members or guests interested, point of contact Casi Alexander. Also the high cost of agricultural lands that has been a departure from previous practice of large landowners whose land sales used to be more compatible with ag uses, the practice now changing to increasing prices beyond ag productivity ability to service debt.

Also discussed was the new State law allowing 2 accessory dwelling units per lot, no matter how small the lot, and the consequent challenges to wastewater, roads & traffic, potable water, and other public services not planned for the increased population density. It is said the City has two years to implement its own rules in this regard or the State law will become the default.

These and other concerns raised at the meeting may be brought up at the next Mayor’s ‘town hall.’

NSNB Chair Pahinui announced that the State of Hawaii has approved Coconut Rhinoceros Beatle (CRB) competitive sealed proposals for non-profits to control and manage CRB, and CRB will be on next month’s agenda.

North Shore Farmer Survey was announced, to be found at k2kag.org

Oahu RC&D conservation cost share grant deadline is May 22nd.

Chair Achiu adjourned the meeting.at 7:42 P.M.

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.