Kaneohe Neighborhood Board Learns More About He’eia Wetlands Research Reserve Project

Conserving Kaneohe Bay was a key topic at our February meeting. Speakers told us that the federal government stands ready to work with local groups and the state to improve management of the state’s largest sheltered body of water.

The presentations came on the heels of federal designation of 1,385 acres around the He’eia Wetlands in the bay as a National Estuarine Research Reserve. The designation, announced in January, said the federal government will provide 70 percent of the project’s funding, about $700,000, with the state expected to pay the rest. The Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, based on Coconut Island in the bay, is to manage the project.

Rob Toonen

Rob Toonen, a researcher at the institute, told our meeting that the project will integrate traditional management practices with modern science to manage the area. He said local nonprofit groups that are dedicated to those management practices initiated the process which led to the research reserve designation.

Board Member Mahealani Cypher told the meeting that the project will include educational programs for students in Grades K-12. And she said the project will develop facilities that will provide a long-term economic benefit to the Kaneohe Bay area.

Both speakers noted that the Legislature is considering two measures that would provide the state’s 30 percent share of funding for the reserve. The measures are House Bill 588 and Senate Bill 1178.

In addition to the funding, the bills would authorize four staff positions, all through the University of Hawaii. Those positions would be a reserve manager, education coordinator, research coordinator and cultural resources coordinator.

The text and status of House Bill 588 and Senate Bill 1178 are available online (click on the highlighted items for details).

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‘Safety First’ Ordinance For Funding Sidewalks Discussed At Neighborhood Board Meeting

Should there be a “safety first” ordinance for funding sidewalks on our island? That’s the question Kaneohe Neighborhood Board member Mahealani Cypher asked at our January meeting.

Speakers at the meeting said current ordinances treat sidewalks as property improvements that should be approved by a majority of the affected property owners and partially funded by all of them. That can make funding construction difficult even where there is a clear safety risk to residents who walk or use wheelchairs.

Mahealani Cypher

Ms. Cypher said that the walkway along Waikalua Road hasn’t been improved since she used it to get to school as a child 40 years ago. She said that the safety of residents is clearly affected by the condition of the walkway and that the city needs a better way to make it safe.

The issue came up when residents on Waikalua Road expressed concern about the poor condition of the street and the paved walkway next to it. The street is riddled with potholes and the walkway is crumbling and narrow.

The street had been scheduled for resurfacing in November, but the work has not begun. A representative of the Mayor’s Office, Lori Kahikina, told the meeting that she will look into the plans for repaving but that there are no plans for sidewalk improvements.

Ms. Kahikina, the city’s Director of Environmental Services, said that the city ordinance will need to change before the city can fund sidewalks for safety reasons. Francisco Figueiredo, a representative of City Councilman Ikaika Anderson, noted that adding sidewalks can take away parking spaces, which are important for many residents.

Neighborhood Board Chairman Mo Radke encouraged residents to fill out a complaint form, which he would forward to the city for investigation.

For more information: Click here and scroll to Section 18 to review the city sidewalk ordinance. Click here to explore the city’s road repaving map and project list.

We Welcome Your Comments, In Person And Online

Please join us for all of our meetings. If you are unable to attend, you may provide testimony online and contact Neighborhood Board members directly.  

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Neighborhood Board Takes Stand On Voter Eligibility At June Meeting

The Kaneohe Neighborhood Board took action on several fronts at its June 16 meeting. Here’s a quick summary:

Deborah Collins

Voter Eligibility. Acting on a resolution by member Deborah Collins, the Board voted unanimously to oppose a proposed amendment to the Honolulu Neighborhood Plan.  The amendment, to section 2-17-202, would limit eligibility to vote for board candidates to those who had voted in the most recent state primary or general election. That change in turn would limit those who could run for board seats because the city code requires candidates to be registered voters for the board election. Kaneohe Board members said the amendment would limit participation in neighborhood boards instead of encouraging it.

Mahealani Cypher

Board of Water Supply.  Acting on a suggestion by member Mahealani Cypher, the Board voted 13-0, with two abstentions, to create a resolution for presentation at a future meeting to oppose a proposed amendment to the City Charter that would increase City Council oversight of the Board of Water Supply. The amendment would give the City Council control of the Water Supply capital and operating budgets, and allow the City Council to veto property acquisitions. Neighborhood Board members said the changes would unnecessarily politicize the work of the water agency. The resolution will be presented to the Board for decision-making at a future meeting.

Sustainable Communities Plan.  Acting on a request by Ms. Cypher, the Board voted unanimously to seek a one-month extension to the deadline for submitting testimony on the Koolaupoko Sustainable Communities Plan. The Board has appointed a study group to examine parts of the plan affecting building heights around transit stations and expansion of cemeteries in the area. The city has scheduled a final public hearing on the document at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 6, at Pali Golf Course, 45-050 Kamehameha Hwy. However, the study group did not receive a working draft of the document until the night of the Board meeting. The study group plans to meet on Wednesday, June 29, to continue its work.

Other Developments.

• The Board expressed support for residents of the Puohala neighborhood, who have raised concerns about noise disruptions and health risks from farm animals on their street. Neighborhood residents had told the Board previously that they were having trouble getting any enforcement agencies to take an interest in their concerns. However, at the June 16 meeting, the Board learned that a court hearing on a noise citation over the animals has been scheduled for June 29.
• The Board also reappointed Nancy Davlantes to the seat for Sub-District 9, Keapuka. She had asked to step aside because of attendance issues but later reconsidered.

Please join us for all of our meetings. If you are unable to attend, you may provide testimony online and contact Neighborhood Board members directly.

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Neighborhood Board Committee To Study Homelessness In Kaneohe

The Kaneohe Neighborhood Board has formed a committee to study homelessness in the area.

Deborah Collins
Chairwoman of
new committee
on homelessness.

At its May 19 meeting, the Board appointed members Mahealani Cypher, Deborah Collins and Mo Radke to the group. Ms. Collins will be the chairwoman.

The decision came in response to a community member’s concerns about funding to address homelessness issues in Windward Oahu. The community member, K. C. Connors, alerted the Board that an official survey in January found only a handful of homeless people in Kaneohe. The low count was related to a lack of volunteers to conduct the survey.

Board members are concerned that the low count could lead to reduced funding from the federal government.

A count in 2015 found 330 homeless people in the area from Kaneohe to Waimanalo. That included 48 chronically homeless people living without shelter.

The Neighborhood Board has heard concerns about homelessness off and on for several years. In 2010, residents reported problems with homeless people living in brush around the Kaneohe Stream Bridge on the Kamehameha Highway. In late 2014, officials cleared a homeless encampment next to the Kaneohe Police Station and Library. And a year ago, the Board reported concerns about homeless people around businesses on Kahuhipa Street and at Pahia Road.

The new committee is expected to report to the full Board at a future meeting.

Please join us for all of our meetings. If you are unable to attend, you may provide testimony online and contact Neighborhood Board members directly.

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Study Group To Look At Plan For Building Heights, Cemetery Expansion In Kaneohe

Facing an important deadline, the Kaneohe Neighborhood Board has appointed a group to study a city plan to guide growth in the area.

The group will focus on how the plan regulates high-rise buildings and the development of designated open space by cemeteries.

Called a permitted interaction group, the panel will meet 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 25, at the Koolaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club office, 46-005 Kawa St # 104, in the Yim’s Kaneohe Atrium building. The meeting is open to the public.

The meeting comes six weeks before the city is scheduled to hold the final public hearing on a revised version of the growth plan, also known as the Koolaupoko Sustainable Communities Plan. That meeting is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 6, at Pali Golf Course, 45-050 Kamehameha Hwy.

Board members Mahealani Cypher and Bill Sager will co-chair the permitted interaction group. Board member Warren Ditch also is a member.

The permitted interaction group will study whether the revised plan would relax height limits on buildings in areas around transit hubs, such as the one in Kaneohe, and what position to take on the issue. Some interpret this section of the plan as affecting only hubs along the Honolulu Rail Transit Project. Others say it would apply to all hubs, including those like Kaneohe where building heights are more restricted.

The group also will study how the revised plan would affect construction on preservation land owned by cemeteries. Preservation land is set aside under city rules to save open space. A proposed change to the plan would allow expansion of the cemetery at Hawaiian Memorial Park onto 56.5 acres of preservation land that the park owns. The Department of Planning and Permitting supports the change. The group savekaneohe.org has asked the Board to oppose the expansion.

The permitted interaction group is expected to report its findings to the full Board at its next business meeting, Thursday, June 16. That meeting will be held in the cafeteria of Benjamin Parker Elementary School, 45-259 Waikalua Road, starting at 7 p.m.

Please join us for all of our meetings. If you are unable to attend, you may provide testimony online and contact Neighborhood Board members directly.

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City Charter Update Offers Opportunities For Kaneohe Residents To Get Involved

The city is updating its charter, and Kaneohe residents can take part in the process.

The update is led by the Honolulu Charter Commission, which the city assembles every 10 years to study and review the operation of city government. According to its website, “The Commission may propose amendments to the Honolulu City Charter which, as the city’s ‘constitution,’ lays out the foundation, structure and operations of city government.”

Kaneohe Neighborhood Board member Mahealani Cypher has been tracking the Commission’s work and reports to the Board on a regular basis.

Meetings, Public Hearings & More

Currently, the Commission is about halfway through the review. The deadline for submitting proposed amendments has passed, but there are still opportunities to influence the outcome.

For example, the Commission will meet Monday, January 25, at 3:30 p.m. in the committee meeting room of Honolulu Hale, 530 King St. Click on this link for the agenda.

The Commission plans to hold public hearings throughout Oahu, starting this month and continuing to May. After that, the Commission is to develop proposals to be placed on the ballot for the November 2016 election. A Commission timetable is available by clicking on this link.

The list of proposed amendments is available on the Commission website. They cover subjects like affordable housing, open government, the environment, the Police Department and the Fire Department. There is even a section on neighborhood boards and the Honolulu Neighborhood Commission.

The full text of submitted amendments also is available on the website.

You can submit testimony and submit comments using links on the site.

We Welcome Your Suggestions

Share your ideas with us. You may add comments to any item on this blog by clicking on the link with the word “comment” directly below it.

Thank you for your interest in our community and the Kaneohe Neighborhood Board.