NU‘UANU – PUNCHBOWL NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD NO. 12
REGULAR MEETING AGENDA
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
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.
Board Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Th_r5SpEofyVf6k1XoeuiP9z_Xfa77xN
Board Meeting Recordings: https://www.youtube.com/@NeighborhoodCommissionOffice
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 Patrick Smith
II. CITY MONTHLY REPORTS (Limited to three (3) minutes each)
A. Honolulu Fire Department- Monthly report; fire and emergency incident statistics for this community’s jurisdiction for March-April 2025, HFD safety tips reminders, and upcoming events, residential, commercial and wildfires, medical assistance as EMTs, road traffic accidents, hazardous materials, enforcement of fire codes and preventative measures in commercial buildings, open firehouse days and related activities, safety talks at schools and nursing homes, animal assistance, responding to vehicle accidents, fire alarms sounding/malfunctioning, gas leaks, lift-assist (helping uninjured citizens who are unable to get up on their own), hiker rescue, hazardous material spills/release, specialty rescues, down power lines, building flooding/water leaks, and police assist.
1. In addition to regular reports, please discuss the below listed questions.
i. Discussion: I have not seen solo riders on the Windward side and particularly on the H3. Can there be more of a presence there?
ii. Sport motorcycles are joining in with the muscle cars going back and forth on the H3. Entering Kailua on ramp, exiting Kamehameha Hwy and repeating the loop.
iii. 5-Year Plan for Evacuation thru Nu’u-anu Past the School – report by Paula Kurashige
B. Honolulu Police Department – Monthly report; crime and incident statistics for this community’s jurisdiction for March-April 2025, HPD safety tips, reminders, and upcoming events, daily patrol activities, emergency response and protocols, crime prevention measures, law enforcement and criminal investigations including evidence collections and witness interviews, traffic control and road safety, accident investigation, domestic assistance such as crisis intervention, disaster management, first aid and medical assistance, arresting suspected and their processing, swat operations, K-9 unit tasks, Detective Division tasks, court appearances and legal duties, community engagement and crime prevention programs, public safety and education functions, Neighborhood Watch coordination, youth outreach programs.
1. District 1
i. 5-Year Plan for Evacuation thru Nu’u-anu Past the School – report by Paula Kurashige
2. District 5
i. 5-Year Plan for Evacuation thru Nu’u-anu Past the School – report by Paula Kurashige
3. Neighborhood Security Watch Reports – Paula Kurashige – Neighborhood patrols, mobilize and conduct neighborhood cleanups, provide information and crime prevention seminars to community residents, assist with homeless (or houseless), work with law enforcement officers.
C. Board of Water Supply – Monthly report; water main break incidents and statistics for this community’s jurisdiction for March-April 2025; BWS tips, reminders, and upcoming events, Clean water, water resources including aquifers, water safety testing including monitoring and regulating water quality standards, emergency responses to potential contamination incidents, infrastructure needs such as upgrading aging pipelines and waterline/watermain bursting incidents and resulting construction issues. public information campaigns and public outreach projects.
III. FILLING OF VACANCIES
There are two (2) vacancies in Subdistrict 1 (Punchbowl).(Proof of residency required, Oath of Office, as needed)
IV. REPORT FROM NONBOARD EVENTS
A. OahuMPO (Metro Planning Org) – Rae Gee
B. Papakolea Community Updates – Adrienne Dillard
V. RESIDENTS’/COMMUNITY CONCERNS (Limited to three (3) minutes each)
VI. ELECTED OFFICIALS (Limited to three (3) minutes each) – Topics include: Access to affordable and quality childcare, family leave, medical leave, housing affordability and access, youth issues, education, Lalihina housing and redevelopment issues, planning and permitting issues, infrastructure issues including electrical, water and streets and thoroughfares, climate crisis and impact on the island islands, wildfire prevention and management, affordable and access to healthcare, study and establishment of nuclear energy in Hawaii, pollution issues including pesticides in environment, proliferation of firework and prevention of import, protection and promotion of unions or the mitigation of abuses by unions, care of household pets, education for children and adults, traffic laws including such issues as helmet requirement statutes or ordinances, motor vehicle violations enforcement, unlawful entry of motor vehicles, assaults, sexual assaults and other sexual crimes, sex trafficking.
A. Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s Representative – Director Kim Hashiro
i. Replacement Request of Pauoa Area Streets Signs – report by Paula Kurashige
ii. Cutting of Grass from School Street to upper Nu’u-anu – report by Paula Kurashige
iii. 5-Year Plan for Evacuation thru Nu’u-anu Past the School – report by Paula Kurashige
B. Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam
i. Replacement Request of Pauoa Area Streets Signs – report by Paula Kurashige
ii. Cutting of Grass from School Street to upper Nu’u-anu – report by Paula Kurashige
C. Governor Josh Green’s Representative
i. Ducks in the Community – Ducks Being Killed in School Zone by Speeding on Wood and Alika– report by Paula Kurashige
ii. Red Fire Ants Near Roosevelt High School and Found on Wood Street – report by Paula Kurashige
iii. Bus Stop on Pali on Ewa side of Road-Grass High– report by Paula Kurashige
iv. 5-Year Plan for Evacuation thru Nu’u-anu Past the School – report by Paula Kurashige
D. District 13 Senator Karl Rhoads
i. Americans with Disabilities (ADA) and Wheel Chair for Sub District 3– report by Paula Kurashige
ii. ADA standards for Dowsett Circle – report by Paula Kurashige
iii. Sidewalk on Pali at Moanawai Street Blocked for Blind Persons and Disabled – report by Paula Kurashige
iv. Sidewalk on Pali Hwy does not allow moving past for two people at the same time – report by Paula Kurashige
v. Wood Street Light at Pali Highway– report by Paula Kurashige
vi. 5-Year Plan for Evacuation thru Nu’u-anu Past the School – report by Paula Kurashige
E. District 27 Representative Jenna Takenouchi
i. 5-Year Plan for Evacuation thru Nu’uanu Past the School – report by Paula Kurashige
F. Federal Elected Officers & other Elected Officials
VII. BOARD BUSINESS
A. Presentation and Discussion of status of community dog parks – Nate Serota (Dept. of Parks and Recreation), will discuss First Tee Program at municipal courses
B. Expansion or contraction of NB12 district for areas surrounding Punchbowl – discussion only
C. Homeowner possibly poisoning stream
D. Lack of handicap access and walkway poor condition/hedge overgrowth
E. Pali Highway Pedestrian Safety Concerns, including raser strip
F. ADA and W/C for Sun District 3 – report by Paula Kurashige
G. Pauoa area Streets signs – report by Paula Kurashige
H. ADA standards for Dowsett Circle – report by Paula Kurashige
I. Red Fire Ants found on Wood Street – report by Paula Kurashige
J. CIP Budget – report by Paula Kurashige
K. Sidewalk on Pali at Moanawai Street block for persons and disabled – report by Paula Kurashige
L. Sidewalk on Pali Hwy does not allow moving past for two people at the same time – report by Paula Kurashige
M. 2960 Pali Hwy and parking on side street blocking sidewalks – report by Paula Kurashige
N. Wood Street light at Pali – report by Paula Kurashige
O. Cutting of grass from School Dtreet to upper Nu’u-anu – report by Paula Kurashige
P. Bus stop on Pali on Ewa side of road-grass high – report by Paula Kurashige
Q. Ducks being killed in School Zone by speeding on Wood, and Alika – report by Paula Kurashige
R. Ducks in the community
S. Pigs on Pacific Heights and remediation efforts
T. 5 year plan for evacuation thru Nu’u-anu past the school – report by Paula Kurashige
U. Update on Nuuanu Valley Park operation and security
V. Pali Highway Pedestrian Safety Concerns
W. Approval of Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Meeting Minutes
VIII. ANNOUNCEMENTS
A. Next Regular Board Meeting- The next Nu’uanu/Punchbowl Neighborhood Board No. 12 meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 17, 2025.
IX. 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, APRIL 15, 2025 AT 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=nitfKoxRGQc
Reports and other meeting materials can be found at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Th_r5SpEofyVf6k1XoeuiP9z_Xfa77xN
I. CALL TO ORDER – [0:00:03]
Chair Smith called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Quorum was NOT established with 7 members present. (Note – This 15-member Board requires eight (8) members to establish quorum and to take official Board action.)
Board Members Present – Patrick Smith, Paula Kurashige, Rae Gee, Audrey Hidano, Katherine Grebe, Jill Easley Allen, Sylvia Young, and Kaapuni Kama (joined at 7:05 p.m.).
Board Members Absent – Michael Lum, Adrienne Dillard, Mason Aiona, Meghan Kenny, and Phillip Soon.
Chair Smith announced that Member Aiona and Member Lum will not be attending tonight’s meeting. – [0:00:06]
Guests – Lieutenant Creighton Hatico – District 5 (Honolulu Police Department); Firefighter Ponce (Honolulu Fire Department); Kathleen Pahinui, Patrick Chun (Board of Water Supply-BWS); William Nhieu (Governor Josh Green’s Representative); Mia Ogata (Senator Karl Rhoads’ Office); Peggy Mierzwa (Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam’s Office); Ronald Higa, Kevin Lye, Fenton Lee, Gary Kikuchi, Larry Smith, Pat, Terrie Easley (residents and guests); Rachel Cristobal (Neighborhood Commission Office-NCO). Note: Name was not included if not legible. Total of 31 participants.
II. CITY MONTHLY REPORTS – [0:00:39]
Honolulu Fire Department – [0:00:45]: Fire Fighter Ponce reported the following:
● Monthly statistics for the month of March 2025
● Provided a follow up response from the previous meeting regarding a 5-year plan.
● Fire Safety Tip: Evacuation
● Report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fGpXbhDNd7Ceea9c7-yGQY2racRSPZPn/view?usp=drive_link
Questions, comments and concerns followed – [0:04:49]
Member Kama joined at 7:05 p.m.; 8 members present.
Honolulu Police Department – [0:08:31]:
● District 1 – [0:08:37]: Lieutenant Hatico reported the following:
○ Monthly statistics for the month of March 2025
○ Highlighted burglaries which one had a backsliding door pried open and a number of things were taken while residents weren’t home. Another had a female woke in the middle of the night and found a male standing in her bedroom. When the female awoke, the male fled. Lieutenant Hatico mentioned that the community does not need to be alarmed because it is not something that HPD sees as ongoing. HPD has also increased their presence in areas where burglaries are occurring.
○ Provided few other crimes that were reported.
○ Safety tips on distracted driving.
Questions, comments and concerns followed – [0:11:54]
● District 5 – [0:12:49]: No representative present.
Neighborhood Security Watch Reports – [0:13:08]: Member Kurashige reported the following:
● According to the statistics there were 98,000 calls directed to HPD island wide, so she provided a reminder to the community to be alert.
● Reminded everyone to be careful on the Pali Highway and to drive the speed limit.
Board of Water Supply (BWS) – [0:14:13]:
Chair Smith asked if there were any objections to having The Board of Water Supply present their presentation after their report [0:14:17]. Hearing no objections.
Kathleen Pahinui reported the following:
● 1 water main break
● Detect-A-Leak Week: Saturday, April 19, 2025 there will be a closing event at Kahala Mall from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
● BWS will be giving out toilet leak detection dye tablets.
● The Department of Emergency Management for the City and County Honolulu has launched a new emergency notification system called HNL Alert.
● Report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/19mNdue5oEp82K1zW78sAao0bJ3hQ6UZq/view?usp=drive_link
● HNL Alert: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1p9_6x8RKTzX8_qYrALb6rhuaeuCpHXTe/view?usp=drive_link
● Board of Water Supply Puiwa/Dowsett Proposal: Patrick Chun from BWS provided an update on the progress of obtaining approvals for an upcoming infrastructure project, noting that while there’s still a way to go, some documents have moved forward and they’re getting closer to securing full approval. The project will focus on replacing water mains along Dowsett, Alika Avenue, Wood Street, and nearby roads—areas known for frequent main breaks and deteriorating conditions. Patrick explained the current process for handling main breaks: BWS performs the repair, prepares the road, and hires a paving contractor to complete the patch. The Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) inspects and approves the patch, after which BWS maintains it for one year before turning over responsibility to the Department of Facility Maintenance (DFM). Many patches in these neighborhoods have now expired and are in poor condition, prompting BWS to take proactive steps. While the full project is expected to take about two years and cannot begin until all approvals are cleared, BWS plans to perform limited, curb-to-curb interim repairs on the worst sections in the meantime. Two key areas were identified for these repairs—on Alika Avenue and Wood Street—based on resident feedback and past incidents. These improvements aim to alleviate some of the current issues residents are facing while they await the full infrastructure upgrade.
● Puiwa/Dowsett Presentation: https://drive.google.com/file/d/19nbNlJxOPnkoRfvJAx7zHf-bddDFQ_Ot/view?usp=drive_link
Member Kurashige left at 7:23 p.m.; 7 members present.
III. FILLING OF VACANCIES – [0:28:41] – No volunteers.
IV. REPORT FROM NONBOARD EVENTS – [0:29:13]
OahuMPO (Metro Planning Org) – [0:29:16]: Member Gee reported the following:
● Attended the April 2025 meeting
● Discussed at the meeting was the Access Maps Project and provided some details about it.
● Provided a few projects nearby, but not in their neighborhood in case any Board Members are aware of any gap projects that can be provided to the OahuMPO.
Member Gee announced that she received a call from Member Kurashige that her phone died and requested to have her reports deferred until she gets back on. – [0:32:26]
Papakōlea Community Updates – [0:33:03]: No representative present.
V. RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY CONCERNS – [0:33:23]: None.
VI. ELECTED OFFICIALS – [0:33:40]
Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s Representative – [0:33:43]: Director Kim Hashiro reported the following:
● Highlights from the newsletter which covered the following: Mayor’s Town Halls; Neal S. Blaisdell Center Concert Hall reopens after back-of-house renovations; Department of Parks and Recreation’s annual hiring for the City’s Summer Fun program; HNL Alert, the Cityʻs new alert system;
● Newsletter: https://drive.google.com/file/d/172Jx79Jj3pIY7PxrbOMVx2eIF7P9n8Qz/view?usp=drive_link
Member Kurashige joined at 7:35 p.m.; 8 members present.
Council Member Tyler Dos Santos-Tam – [0:35:38]: Peggy Mierzwa reported the following:
● Provided follow up responses regarding Judd Street sidewalk request and overgrown trees on Pacific Height Road.
● Legislative update on Bill 60 relating to the sewer fees
● Volunteers are needed for the Emergency Management Reserve Corps
● Provided an update on the faded parking stall lines at the Nuʻuanu Valley Community Park
● Newsletter: https://drive.google.com/file/d/134JDBCU5mUkXoqtlpspoEgj9kEjTkVhY/view?usp=drive_link
● HNL Alert Website: https://www8.honolulu.gov/dem/hnl-alert/
Questions, comments and concerns followed – [0:40:25]
Governor Josh Green’s Representative – [0:44:15]: William Nhieu reported the following:
● Pilot Program called Akamai Arrival
● Provided follow up responses towards Member Kurashige’s concerns regarding Speed mitigation and ducks.
● Concrete median on Wood Street for raised crosswalks
● Received an inquiry from Neighborhood Assistant Rachel Cristobal that came from Member Kurashige regarding the lawn cutting from School Street to upper Nu’uanu. The Hawai’i Department of Transportation has acknowledged and is looking into it at this time.
● Newsletter: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1V9yZG_70jmIX5eg8h8x66Skt0ED29uxw/view?usp=drive_link
Questions, comments and concerns followed – [0:46:58]
District 13 Senator Karl Rhoads – [0:53:23]: Mia Ogata reported the following:
● Introduced Senate Bill (SB) 405 relating to Neighborhood Board Meetings and it is currently still alive.
● $500,000 in Capital Improvement Projects funds was released to Nu’uanu Elementary School.
● Confirmed case of measles in an unvaccinated child on Oʻahu
● Report: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gGTnXeDDEmomaX4k5Uz630DW8tLLzvNu/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=101205618811575423434&rtpof=true&sd=true
● Little Fire Ants FAQs: https://drive.google.com/file/d/15g1xfDMNp7xicqzARjEFAzdUpO3_exJj/view?usp=drive_link
Questions, comments and concerns followed – [0:56:04]
District 27 Representative Jenna Takenouchi – [1:01:26]: No representative present.
Federal Elected Officers & other Elected Officials – [1:01:41]: Hearing none.
VII. BOARD BUSINESS – [1:02:02]
Board Member Jill Easley Allen – 3 Meeting Absence Discussion and Resolution – [1:02:14]: Member Allen shared why she wasnʻt able to attend the meetings that were missed and stated that she would like to continue to serve on the Board. There was no motion to vacate the seat. Member Allen will continue to serve the Neighborhood Board.
Board of Water Supply Puiwa/Dowsett Proposal – [1:03:53]: Item was discussed earlier in the meeting after The Board of Water Supply had provided their report.
Overgrown Trees on Pacific Heights Road – [1:03:56]: This was discussed earlier in the meeting during Council Member Tyler Dos Santos-Tamʻs report. No further discussion, but Chair Smith informed Member Grebe that he will send her the photos and address relating to this item.
Resolution in Support of Establishing an Empty Home Tax in Honolulu (see McCully – Moʻiliʻili NB No 8 resolution on shared drive) – [1:04:09]: Chair Smith informed the Board to take a look at the resolution and to let him know if the Board would like this to be on the agenda for consideration.
2960 Pali Highway and Parking on Side Street Blocking Sidewalks – [1:05:05]: There was a discussion that parked cars weren’t being seen as frequent and it looked like there was a paper on the property’s door. Member Gee was wondering if The Department of Planning and Permitting had provided a notice or did Director Kim Hashiro help with the issue.
Pigs on Pacific Heights and Remediation Efforts – [1:09:03]: Chair Smith shared that someone had reached out to a real estate agent regarding the pig issue on Pacific Heights, so the issue is being worked on. Member Grebe stated that she is still seeing pigs, so Chair Smith informed that he had contacted Stanford who is a part of the Neighborhood Association. Stanford had contacted the agency that will assist with the pigs. Member Grebe also shared that she had seen 2 beautiful peacocks which may have come from Papakōlea.
Update on Nuʻuanu Valley Park Operation and Security – [1:11:09]: No updates, but the item is on the agenda in case there were any activities that needed to be reported.
Pali Highway Pedestrian Safety Concerns – [1:13:08]: Item was discussed earlier in the meeting with the representatives and there was no further discussion.
Approval of Tuesday, March 18, 2025 Meeting Minutes – [1:13:24]: Chair Smith asked if there was anyone that would like to make any amendments to the meeting minutes. Member Young requested to have her name to be revised to be spelt correctly. She also shared why she was not able to attend the last meeting and mentioned it’ll be beneficial to have members notify if they are not able to attend. The reason is that so the Board can be aware if there will be a quorum or not. Member Young asked if under the Board Members Absent section in the minutes could list if Board Members had sent a notification. Neighborhood Assistant Rachel Cristobal informed the Chair that she can have it listed in the minutes during the section when the Chair announces that he has been notified. Hearing no further discussion and amendments. The Tuesday, March 18, 2025 meeting minutes were ADOPTED as amended (Aye: Smith, Kurashige, Gee, Hidano, Grebe, Allen, Young, Kama. Nay: None. Abstain: None.) [1:18:08].
VIII. ANNOUNCEMENTS – [1:18:34]
Next Regular Board Meeting: The next Nu’uanu/Punchbowl Neighborhood Board No. 12 meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 20, 2025.
Department of Transportation Servicesʻ (DTS) 2025 Public Transit Title VI Program (Report) Update:
Draft report can be found at: https://www8.honolulu.gov/dts/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2025/03/DRAFT-2025-DTS-Public-Transit-TVI-Program-Report.pdf
Questions, comments and concerns followed – [1:19:39]
City’s Climate Action Plan community workshop: Manoa Library on Monday, May 5, 2025 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM
Nuʻuanu ʻAuwai – [1:21:49]: Chair Smith made the announcement regarding the Nuʻuanu ʻAuwai and that there will be a Retired Military General speaking on the history of Nuʻuanu. Member Easley mentioned that it will be on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at 5:00 p.m.
IX. ADJOURNMENT – [1:24:33]: Chair Smith adjourned the meeting at 8:24 p.m.
Submitted by: Rachel Cristobal, Neighborhood Assistant, NCO
Reviewed by: Dylan Whitsell, Deputy, NCO
Finalized by:
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.