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Kaimuki Neighborhood Board - Minutes Of March 21, 2007 Posted
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Courtesy of Neighborhood Commission Office
Source Neighborhood Commission Office
KAIMUKI NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 2007
QUEEN LILI‚UOKALANI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
The meeting was called to order by Chair Abe at 7:05 p.m. with a quorum present.
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Jim Cone, Sharon Schneider, Abigail Leong, Chair Mike Abe, Randolph Hack and Daniel Nahoopii.
BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Daniel Carvalho, Eduardo Hernandez.
BOARD VACANCIES: - 3 seats in Subdistrict 1 bounded by Waialae, 12th, Alohea, Huanui, Puu Panini and Luawai.
GUESTS: - Bob Ginlack, Interim Principal ( Queen Lili‚uokalani Elementary School), Lori Yamada (Queen Lili‚uokalani Elementary School), Capt. Clyde Sasaki (Kaimuki Fire Station), Lt. Kilantang, Sgt. Yano, Sgt. Asato, Officer Forman, Officer Kahapea, Officer Rivers (Honolulu Police Department, District 7), Jenny Kaya (Representative Nishimoto‚s office), Representative Barbara Marumoto, Joan Shinn (Representative Marumoto‚s office); Senator Les Ihara, Janel Cohen (House Speaker Calvin Say‚s office), Jay Ishibashi (Mayor‚s Representative), Stan Fichtman (Councilmember Charles Djou‚s office), Glenn Yamasaki; Dallas Wheeler, Norman Tyau, Walter Jardine, Sam Suzuki, Julia Allen, Mel Kihara, Gordon Tam, Lydia Chock (Leahi Hospital), Ron Arnold, Senior Pastor; Mark Gallagher, School Principal; Bill Yamada, Church Elder; John Rosati, Norman Hong, Church Elder and Senior Partner, Group 70 (Kaimuki Christian Church), Derrick Kiyabu (Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Task Force), Bonnie Trustin (Neighborhood Commission Office staff).
PUBLIC SAFETY REPORTS:
HONOLULU POLICE DEPARTMENT (HPD) ˆ Sgt. Asato introduced Sgt. Yano, Lt. Kilantang, Officer Kahapea, Officer Forman and Officer Rivers and reported the following:
1. The statistics for the month of February were 15 burglaries, 22 thefts, 24 UEMV and 4 narcotic complaints.
2. Tip for the Month ˆ Be aware of using the ATM machines and heed these suggestions:
a) Constantly be aware of your environment when at ATM machines. If you see anything or anyone who is suspicious, cancel your transaction right away.
b) Don‚t use your birthdate or social security number for your pin number and don‚t keep your pin number with you or let someone else use it or know what it is.
c) Have what you need for your transaction ready as you approach the ATM.
d) If you are at a walk-up ATM, stand between the ATM and anyone waiting to use the terminal so they can‚t see your pin number or your transaction amount.
e) Do not count your money at the ATM and put cash withdrawn away immediately before exiting the ATM area.
f) If you are followed after making an ATM transaction, immediately go to a well-lit and crowded area and call the police.
Questions, answers and concerns:
Nahoopii asked about noise issues for two residents. One neighbor continues to put up a noisy wind chime after the police told them to take it down. The other has noisy chickens at Claudine and 16th Avenue; residents have talked with the Humane Society and the police and the problem still exists. Sgt. Asato suggested an officer can come out and assess the situation with the wind chimes. As this is between neighbors, they can be referred to the police mediation board called „MARS‰ if the two parties agree to meet with a third party to find a solution. The chicken problem can use this resource also.
HONOLULU FIRE DEPARTMENT (HFD) ˆ Capt. Clyde Sasaki (Kaimuki Fire Station) reported the following:
1. February statistics were 3 structure and 2 rubbish fires; 84 medical emergencies, 7 search and rescue calls and 17 miscellaneous calls.
2. Fire Safety Tip: Brush fires cause great damage in our communities and use resources that could be better utilized elsewhere. Now is the time to prepare for brush fire season. Be responsible and extinguish fires properly. Even small sources of fire, such as cigarettes and charcoal, can cause immense destruction. Formulate plans and communicate with family members and neighbors to create a safer community. Report and remove hazards. Maintain a 30-foot wide firebreak by clearing vegetation surrounding all structures.
For further information on creating a safe space around your home, street, or community, contact Denise Laitinen of Firewise Communities at 808-281-3407 or go to <http://www.firewise.org/>www.firewise.org.
There were no questions.
BOARD OF WATER SUPPLY ˆ There was no report distributed.
PUBLIC INPUT AND CONCERNS:
LILI‚UOKALANI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL ROBERT GINLACK ˆ Robert Ginlack reported there are rumors about closing the school due to low enrollment. The last two years this school passed their Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) rating for the No Child Left Behind ruling, even with a sizeable special needs population, which tells you about the quality of the teachers here and they are doing an excellent job.
RESIDENTS‚ CONCERNS:
1. Nahoopii explained more thoroughly that at 1128 15th Avenue a neighbor has a large wind chime that rings loudly and constantly. The surrounding neighbors have all reported this to the police who have gone to the site and asked the owner to take the chime down. After about a month they put it back up so the police were called again and came to the house but as soon as the police left, the chimes were reinstalled. The neighbors in the area are very concerned about getting into a confrontation with the owner of the wind chimes and are asking for help.
Secondly, for the last year Nahoopii has been monitoring a problem with feral chickens at Claudine and 16th near Maumae Park. Area neighbors have worked diligently to keep the park clean and coordinate with the Hawaii Game Breeders Association that supports the Hawaii
Humane Society who provided the traps to catch the chickens. Assistance is needed from the Board of Water Supply, Hawaiian Electric and City and County of Honolulu every time they go
out to catch the chickens because some of the park belongs to the above mentioned agencies which are also responsible for the maintenance of the property, cutting the grass and granting permission to put the traps in their area of the park. The neighbors think there are some neighbors who feed the chickens and some who are trying to get rid of them. Nahoopii asked for someone to follow up to help these neighbors.
2. Fichtman responded to Chair Abe‚s question about the Hawaii Game Breeders Association‚s contract being cancelled because of lack of funds to remove feral chickens on Oahu. The contract will be renewed relatively soon. The Game Breeders Association is claiming they are not getting enough money from the City for all the complaints they are getting in regard to the chickens in Hawaii Kai but he thinks the they are still giving their services until their contract ends.
3. Derrick Kiyabu reported on the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Task Plan. The State Legislature created a Sustainability Task Force in 2005 which is now developing a sustainability plan for the State of Hawaii. He is one of six coordinators in the state to encourage people to get involved in the development of the sustainability plan. They are asking for citizens to participate by getting the brochure in the back of the room and filling out the survey on page 4 that asks for your definition of sustainability and your vision for Hawaii in 2050. In April and May four community meetings are scheduled on Oahu where you will hear reports on some of the input the task force has received and they will also share some issue papers on the economy, environment, water use, energy, agriculture, land use and related issues. That will be another opportunity for citizens to provide input and get some information back from the State to know where they stand currently. After this survey there will be one more and then the task force will be drafting a Draft Sustainability Plan for the 2008 Legislature for review and approval. Please fill out the survey because they are seeking a good cross section of the island population to give a balanced response and hear everyone‚s voices.
Questions, answers and concerns:
1. Kiyabu replied to Chair Abe that the economy, environment, water use, energy, etc., will effect the quality of life for residents of Kaimuki in a number of different ways. If we don‚t have policies to maintain the quality of life for residents, by 2050 our environment, water, energy, and air pollution could be overrun by other ideas and interests that wouldn‚t necessarily be helpful for the residents of Hawaii. Chair Abe asked about considering health care, insurance, elderly care, housing and transportation. Kiyabu agreed those are important issues and Abe could state how it is or isn‚t being reflected in the Plan.
2. Hack reported funding for the Plan is alive in the legislature and Kiyabuk added that for the last two years monies have been appropriated for the development of this Plan.
ELECTED OFFICIALS:
COUNCILMEMBER ANN KOBAYASHI: Councilmember Kobayashi sent her report for distribution.
COUNCILMEMBER CHARLES DIJOU: Stan Fichtman represented Councilmember Dijou, circulated his report and mentioned the following highlights:
1. The City budget introduced by the Mayor on February 28 proposes the biggest budget in the City‚s history partially due to the increase in real property taxes and Dijou thinks we should be cutting the rate on real property taxes.
2. Last week the City Council honored Eddie Flores, Jr. as a business leader.
3. When Maunalani Park reopens there will not be an antennae erected and we hope the park will open soon. Kapaolono Park has no date opening currently.
Questions, answers and concerns:
1. Leong reported at the last meeting they said there would be restrooms on the new rail system but she suggested that wasn‚t a good idea because they could start smelling badly. Maybe they could build facilities along the way that people could use instead.
Responding to Chair Abe about the excise tax projected revenues being much more than they originally projected, he will get back to him on that.
2. A resident commented that he doesn‚t like people drinking in parks because then there are broken bottles all over. Fichtman reported the Department of Parks and Recreation is considering closing some of the parks with which they have those difficulties. They did it at Ala Moana Beach Park and at Pokai Bay in Waianae. He knows Kahala Beach Park has had a problem for a number of years. This resident is there in the mornings and sees what has been left over from the night before. Fichtman knows that there is an ordinance saying there is no drinking in the parks. If you call police and tell them there is drinking in the park, they will come.
MAYOR‚S REPRESENTATIVE ˆ Jay Ishibashi, representative of the Mayor‚s Office, reported the following:
1. Kahala Park ˆ We will try to control the park more but there are limitations as far as having police force available. We are having problems throughout the county in the parks; they are talking about closing parks in the Ewa and Kapolei areas. The factions can be very contentious, for example the fishermen want the parks open to go night fishing and others want them closed.
2. The Honolulu Family Festival ˆ It was very successful last year and will be held again on Magic Island starting March 29 at 5:00 p.m. through April 1 at 10:00 p.m. with all kinds of carnival attractions from years gone by.
3. Bathroom Facilities for Bus Drivers - The Department of Transportation Services reported for areas with public facilities drivers can use those. If there aren‚t public facilities, some fire stations and private companies make their facilities available and the drivers know where to go.
4. Kaimuki Parking Lot ˆThe City is still in negotiation with the contractor to settle some of the details. Everything is set including the handicapped ramps, but they are deciding how to have a minimal closure of certain parts of the lot at different times. At first the contractor wanted to shut down a major portion of the lot but we are trying to get him to close certain parts because they are going to resurface the whole lot and put in some features including habitat ramps and some of the medians. Hopefully by the next meeting we will have the contract settled.
Questions, answers and concerns:
1. Cone asked to have potholes checked on Waialae Avenue underneath the freeway, also on Kalanianaole Highway going around Makapuu, and on the highway on the bikepath; they have
been there forever. Ishibashi reported the bikepath is on State land but he will tell them the complaint.
2. Cone asked Ishibashi to check on promoting this proposition: lower the taxes citizens can‚t deduct namely gasoline, car registration and sewer taxes, in lieu of lowering property tax deductions which currently is the only deductable tax there is so people don‚t get hit on both sides.
3. A resident who pays property taxes for her elderly parents would gladly accept a property tax credit ˆ that might be something to look into.
4. Trustin reported that you can go online to the pothole link on the Neighborhood Board website. Clicking on „Potholes‰ gives you a form to fill out and that is the fastest way to get your concern taken care of.
5. Answering Chair Abe on the plan for configuring the parking with location of stalls, even with the handicapped ramps going in and the reconfiguration of the lot itself, there could be an addition of parking stalls. This conforms with the current guidelines for the size of the parking stalls. He concedes some of the stalls will probably be less wide than before.
6. The contract for the parking lot contractor is ready to go, but the City wants to make sure everything is in compliance and the contractor understands what he needs to do; there have been delays in negotiation. He hopes construction will begin in a couple weeks.
7. A resident voiced her concern about the deletion of nine bus stops along Pahoa Avenue by Leahi Hospital from Kaimuki to 21st Avenue because there are many elderly in the neighborhood who take the bus and can barely walk several blocks. Taking out the 16th Avenue bus stop and the one at the top of Leahi Avenue where you turn right on Makapuu Avenue would be a hardship for a lot of people who catch a bus there daily. Ishibashi explained Kaimuki is the third or fourth neighborhood to experience the loss of bus stops and the Mayor is aware of this. The Department of Transportation Services has done a study and is trying to be more efficient about where the stops should be; some stops have been reinstated when residents expressed that the change affected more than a handful of people.
Ishibashi responded to Nahoopii if he has complaints about the Number 1 route bus stops that were deleted, contact the Department of Transportation Services at <http://www.thebusstop@honolulu.gov/>www.thebusstop@honolulu.gov. Nahoopii just wants to be able to give feedback; he does feel many stops should be deleted.
Ishibashi noted when stops are deleted the bus company is supposed to post a sign stating the bus stop has been deleted. He will look into how the bus stop realignment study was conducted and encourages people to call if they want to see a bus stop reinstated.
8. He reported to Leong that there will be rest stop facilities along the way with the new rail system.
9. He will check for Chair Abe when the Kapaolono Park Pool will be repaired and reopened.
10. Leong is concerned that Lake Wilson is filled to capacity. Without the sugar cane and pineapple fields the water is not being used and suggested the Park and Recreation Department might want to use it. She suggested we build a dam and Chair Abe suggested it be discussed in the sustainability plan on water for Hawaii 2050.
GOVERNOR‚S REPRESENTATIVE ˆ Susan Jackson was not able to attend but her report was
distributed.
SENATOR LES IHARA ˆ Senator Ihara distributed his report that listed the bills on which he has been working. This Friday is the last day a bill can arrive at the last committee in each of the chambers for them to consider the bills. The following are some important ones:
1. HB 1512 was a culmination of meetings over the last eight months conducted by the University of Hawaii to allow Neighborhood Boards narrow exceptions to the Sunshine law but this bill is about to die. The law permits that: a) As long as a meeting is publicly noticed it can be conducted without a quorum and as long as the minutes are recorded and no action is taken b) More than two people can attend legislative hearings, other board‚s meetings and organization meetings c) A general category can be on your agenda called „public input‰ d) For issues of health and safety that request immediate action, you can take action on an item not on the agenda.
This bill was referred to Intergovernmental Relations in the Senate and in speaking with Chair Elaine Inouye, she decided not to hear the bill. Ihara feels the issues in HB1512 are necessary in order for the Sunshine Law to work. There are two options to keep the bill issues alive: 1) convince Senator Inouye to re-refer the bill making a special request to the Ways and Means Committee to have a single hearing moving the deadline to April 5. To accomplish this, Senator Inouye would have to change her mind after saying approving the bill would be opening a can of worms. Option two is to pursue passing House Bill 128 which relates to public meetings and amends provisions relating to permitted interactions of members. It does not go to Inouye‚s committee. It passed the House and was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee chaired by Senator Clayton Hee. There is a week and a half to have that bill heard and perhaps amended to include any provisions that would not be in HB 1512. Grant Tanimoto, the chair of the Neighborhood Commission, said he would get people together to lobby for the bill, therefore, please send your email messages and letters on HB1512 to Senator Clayton Hee asking he hear HB 128. When you know the date it will be heard, ask for people to come hear the bill and request amendments to it.
Senator Ihara responded to Chair Abe‚s question asking for legitimate reasons why the bill will not be heard. Senator Ihara reported Sunshine Law bills go to the Judiciary Committee but in this case, because the issue is about the counties, it went to the Intergovernmental Relations Committee whose Chair is Senator Inouye. She said she is not familiar with the Sunshine Law, and doesn‚t have time to study it to make a judgment on it so it will be addressed next year. Ihara doesn‚t feel Inouye should let the bill die for that reason. He will contact Tanimoto and see what kind of communication system he has set up. There are so many hundreds of bills being considered that if there is silence on a bill, it dies. Ihara reported Inouye doesn‚t have time to learn about HB 1512 now so it will be looked at next year, he thinks the bill should not die for that reason.
Hack feels the State has an institutional bias against powers of authorities of the counties. More education explaining the operation of the Neighborhood Board system would be helpful because Senator Inouye may not have a clear understanding of the process. Ihara added she might not have attended a board meeting because there are no meetings like these on the other Hawaiian islands.
2. House Bill 1133 allows for voter registration on Election day.
3. Senate Bill 1916 is a family caregivers omnibus package which strengthens support of family caregivers by, among other things: extending the joint legislative committee on family care-
giving; requiring the executive office on aging to conduct a comprehensive assessment of care recipients‚ needs and the needs of their family caregivers‚ and appropriating funds to expand services for care recipients and their family caregivers.
He has been focusing much of him time on family care giving in the home and today is the 2007 Family Caregiver Day at the capitol with exhibits and a luncheon. Yesterday The Star Bulletin published a tabloid on family care givers and today a 20 page booklet called ŒŒAging Issues 2007, A Briefing Guide for the Hawaii State Legislature‰ was given to them and made available to the public describing the aging issues the Kapuna Caucus and Hawaii Family Caregiver Coalition is working on.
4. Bills concerned with noise are:
a) Senate Bill 1237 allows backup warning beepers on trucks to be turned off between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
b) House Bill 435 requires annual inspections of mopeds and prohibits modification of the moped exhaust system which makes them louder. There were other bills on noise regulation but they did not pass.
c) Senate Bill 1084 would allow all legislative proceedings to be webcast on the internet for convenient viewing.
5. Last week was Sunshine Week with many stories published on open government and the Sunshine Law. He worked with the Society of Professional Journalists that audits thirty-two state and county boards that hold meetings in executive session. Sixty-five executive sessions throughout the State were selected, and minutes were requested. Even closed meeting minutes have to be released once the reason for their being secret is no longer necessary. When the reason for the secrecy becomes public you could have to release the secret parts which would have to be redacted.
There were no questions.
REPRESENTATIVE BARBARA MARUMOTO.ˆ Representative Marumoto distributed her report. She applauds the Sunshine Law Bills Senator Ihara discussed and his work to promote ethics in government. He was a Legislator in Residence a few years ago and was instrumental in starting a study by the Public Policy Center at the University of Hawaii of the Neighborhood Board openness rules and the legislation to allow less than a quorum to go to another public meeting came out of his research. Also the bill would allow presentations to be heard if there wasn‚t a quorum present. She thinks these changes to bring more openness to the ruling of the laws would be more reasonable. She is very sorry to hear the Sunshine Law reform bills are doing poorly in the Senate; they sailed through the House with very little opposition. It‚s ironic that Senator Inouye is from the Big Island and doesn‚t have neighborhood boards there.
1. Representative Marumoto is now a Legislator in Residence with Senator Chun-Oakland and they are working on the Sustainability Saunders Project. Saunders is an aging, seven story classroom/office building on Maile Way by the College of Business which expends an excess of energy on air conditioning and elevators and uses a lot of water with non low-flush toilets. There is a group of faculty meeting with students and administrators to retrofit the air conditioning, put up a potable water system, retrofit the toilets, and recycle. There are 50 students involved in this effort which has the blessing of the Manoa Chancellor because she is very enthusiastic about renewable energy and conservation. Architects and many others in the community want to make Saunders Hall a model for upgrading older buildings. Representative Marumoto and Senator Chun-Oakland are supporting the project asking the legislature for $1.7 million to fund the upgrades.
2. She is supporting Senator Ihara‚s bills, specifically Senate Bill 1483, to add a loop trail at the top of Diamond Head summit. This could be hard to pass because there are so many requests and needs.
3. She is supporting Leahi Hospital to get money for retrofitting bathrooms so the staff can assist patients who need special bathroom configurations and bathtubs.
4. Many schools are now going through „whole classroom renovation‰ ˆ in Kaimuki it will be taking place at Kaimuki High School, Liholiho Elementary, Waialae Elementary and Wilson Elementary schools. Wilson is the only school that has gone through all the preliminary steps to ready itself for upcoming construction. She will try to find out more information and reported that last year the legislature put in $200 million into this special facility fund.
5. She reported there is a new program at Kapiolani Community College (KCC) encouraging students to pursue science, technology, engineering and math called the STEM Program. Students from about 15 different high schools are participating, many of whom are Hawaiian. She feels as the students interact, they will encourage each other and grow from their experiences.
Questions, answers and concerns:
1. Nahoopii had a question about the Board of Education retaining the sixth grade at Manoa Elementary School and not moving it over to Kaimuki Middle School. He has two concerns:
1) educational studies have shown the middle school configuration of grades 6, 7, and 8 being together are important for their development and 2) when the decision to move was changed at the last minute, all the budgeting done for the middle school had to be changed. This could happen at Wilson Elementary next.
She thought the Wilson sixth graders were definitely going to Kaimuki Middle School. There have always been these problems, Aina Hina brought it up in years past, but she doesn‚t know the specifics on Manoa. Educators all tell us it is better to have middle school start in sixth grade.
Nahoopii asked her as a legislator if she could watch how the Board of Education is doing this, making sure there is enough notification given for the transfer to the middle school affording the schools and students to get what they need because the schools suffer without the appropriate allocations. She agreed there is a need for the Manoa sixth graders to move to Kaimuki Middle School to alleviate the crowding at Manoa Elementary.
REPRESENTATIVE SCOTT NISHIMOTO ˆ Jenny Kaya distributed Representative Nishimoto‚s report. There were no questions for Representative Nishimoto.
REPRESENTATIVE LYLA BERG ˆ Jenny Kaya distributed Representative Berg‚s report. There were no questions for Representative Berg.
HOUSE SPEAKER CALVIN SAY ˆ Janel Cohen distributed Speaker Say‚s report and asked for comments or questions of which there were none.
PENDING BUSINESS:
KAIMUKI PARKING UPDATE - This has already been discussed.
NEW BUSINESS:
KAIMUKI CHRISTIAN CHURCH ˆ Pastor Ron Arnold presented the Church‚s future plans for their school. He introduced others from his church: Mr. Norman Hong, church elder and Senior Partner with the architectural firm Group 70; school principal Mark Gallagher, a member of the church; Bill Yamada, an elder of the church who works with the senior groups; and Mr. John Rosati. The church made a presentation to the board 12 years ago to expand their facilities, which at that time was approved.
Their school grew in 1995 and 1996 adding a 7th and 8th grade to their elementary grades with forty percent of the students from Kaimuki and 10 percent of the parents and grandparents live and work in Kaimuki. Their school is highly regarded with a lengthy waiting list. Their church through the years has involved themselves to be a force in the community for good working with organizations such as the River of Life Mission. They have their own foodbank open on Saturdays, their own senior ministry, they have built a school in Kenya partnering with a village there to make a difference and will be going to the Philippines this summer. They currently partner with Liliuokalani School with one to one help for students on a weekly basis mentoring and being a friend to a lonely or vulnerable child the school has indicated would benefit from this help. They also have a „Love your Neighbor‰ ministry for the elderly knocking on a neighbor‚s doors and seeing how they can help.
He showed a color representation of Koko Head Avenue, Harding Avenue, 13th Avenue and Mahina Street block where they propose changes. Four years ago the church acquired the corner property at Harding Avenue and 13th Avenue. They tore down the dilapidated house and made it into a parking lot to serve the school and church minimizing the impact on street parking. More recently they acquired 3652 Harding Avenue which will be renovated and used for senior and keiki programs for the church.. The Ventura House is at 3652A Harding Avenue in the middle of the block which they have started using as the church office because it adjoins the existing church offices. We would like to relocate one classroom now in the church facility as one of the two classrooms into the new Asato House at 3645 Mahina Street. The Sugihara house at 3649 Mahina Street we would like to renovate as a residence. We are not creating any new structures but using existing structures for three interior renovations and improving the landscaping.
Questions, answers and concerns:
1. Nahoopii is concerned about the traffic at the school when the children are dropped off and picked up which causes a back up on both sides affecting cars and buses on Harding Avenue. Pastor Arnold replied the drop off will continue to be on Harding Avenue. The preschoolers are dropped off on Mahina Street because that is closer to the preschool so you make a right turn off Harding so no one is backing up traffic trying to turn left - that has helped significantly over the years; that will continue to be the main drop off. Generally we don‚t see a change in traffic pattern or in the additional load because it will be a minimum. The church use is at a non-peak time.
Nahoopii feels the situation is currently better than it was before, but it still creates a lot of traffic. He was hoping with their increased property they would address the traffic congestion. Pastor Arnold answered they will certainly take that into consideration, maybe in the longer term they will come up with a plan.
2. Cone reported he hasn‚t been a follower of organized religion, but this community institution is one of the finest establishments of nurturing our children that we have in our community. If we can expand that to the detriment of having a little more traffic, and improving the education and nurturing of our children, it is a great tradeoff. I do not think we could put that in finer hands than this wonderful organization. We should hope our community would build more establishments like this for its people and its children so that the waiting lists weren‚t so long.
3. A resident suggested a different kind of student drop off, possibly along another street; Harding Avenue is already such a busy street. She is very familiar with the church and assumes parents can‚t get in because the lot is full. She thinks drivers keep their place in line rather than circling around the lot which causes traffic to back up because they will be half way into the driveway and more cars are waiting behind them.
4. Pastor Arnold replied they are trying a different route for pick up and drop off and they are in the process of developing a master plan in the next year or two which will be presented to this Board before they put it in place.
5. Hack suggested people on duty could tell the drivers not to wait in line but go around the block. Pastor Arnold reported there is now an attendant who opens the car door for the children so they can jump out to speed up the drop off process. Mr. Gallagher said he will implement a plan for next year to have two attendants helping children exit their car instead of just one because sometimes the cars do back up. He also wants to be more diligent to make sure the parents are following their guidelines regarding „no left turn‰. There is a concern about the narrowness of Harding Street. To improve the situation, the school wants to make the onsite drop off area wider.
6. Nahoopii is also concerned about what the property will look like since it is in a residential area, especially since you have now taken over the side properties. You have beautified the parking lot on the corner, but it does look ugly in a residential area. As they do their renovations, he would appreciate they maintain the feeling of the Kaimuki residential ambiance on that side of 13th Avenue as opposed to the big flat parking lot with the little hibiscus around it. The school representatives said that was a point well taken and added that people who have lived here a while know the streetscape along Harding Avenue has been improved and irrigated.
7. Pastor Arnold explained that because school uses and church uses are permitted uses in a residential 5 zone, it is a conditional use and for that they need a Conditional Use Permit, also called a minor permit, which the Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) calls a discretionary permit. They will also get a development permit which allows them to treat all their land parcels as one parcel which was recommended by the staff planner at the DPP.
8. Nahoopii commented their church did a good job of integrating the houses into classrooms giving them a residential look but with the proposed changes he doesn‚t want to see the area look like a commercial block. Pastor Arnold feels that they have been very careful in maintaining the facilities and believes when the church starts to work on the homes it will be a good improvement.
9. He told resident Suzuki that the preschoolers are dropped off at the playground area on Mahina Street but it also serves as the drop off area for Queen Lili‚uokalani School so they don‚t want to impact that school too much by having it be their only drop off area. Suzuki is concerned the drop off is too close to the traffic causing problems. Pastor Arnold said they will draw up a master plan and he sees this as a long term issue.
10. Chair Abe replied to a resident‚s concern that when one car parks illegally during peak hours it is a problem with the bump out on Mahina Street. Abe reported the City said several months ago they would remove the bump out and they are also planning to reroute the buses back to the Koko Head stop that will also help that area.
Hack moved the Kaimuki Neighborhood Board #4 support Kaimuki Christian Church‚s renovations provided that the Kaimuki Neighborhood Board and the community‚s input are taken into consideration. The motion was seconded by Cone.
The motion carried unanimously.
Kaimuki Christian Church expressed their appreciation for the supportive motion of the Board.
Civil Rights Update on Civil Unions Bill - Chair Abe reported this item will be passed over tonight because Hernandez, who put it on the Agenda, is not in attendance. We will discuss it in the future when he is here.
Kapaolono Park Pool Repair ˆ Chair Abe reported this item will be updated at the next meeting.
Kaimuki Neighborhood Board Authorization for Meeting Location and Rental Arrangements Negotiation - Chair Abe reported the members Hack and Nahoopii are to be the sub-committee to meet with Mr. Ginlack and the Liliuokalani Elementary School concerning the future use of the cafeteria for Board meetings. Hack and Nahoopii will present their negotiated plan to the Board for approval at next month‚s meeting and then funding can ensue.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The minutes of the February 21, 2007 meeting were accepted unanimously with no corrections.
TREASURER‚S REPORT: ˆ Hack reported the Balance of the Total Operating/Publicity Budget 2007 Funds are $4,020.00, the previous balance was $3,833.68, the current expenses are $60.75 giving us a current balance of $3,772.93. The refreshment account previously was $53.09 with a current balance of $27.79.
ADJOURNMENT:
The meeting was adjourned at 8:50 p.m.
Submitted by:
Bonnie Trustin
Neighborhood Board Staff Assistant
Source Neighborhood Commission Office
KAIMUKI NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 2007
QUEEN LILI‚UOKALANI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
The meeting was called to order by Chair Abe at 7:05 p.m. with a quorum present.
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Jim Cone, Sharon Schneider, Abigail Leong, Chair Mike Abe, Randolph Hack and Daniel Nahoopii.
BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Daniel Carvalho, Eduardo Hernandez.
BOARD VACANCIES: - 3 seats in Subdistrict 1 bounded by Waialae, 12th, Alohea, Huanui, Puu Panini and Luawai.
GUESTS: - Bob Ginlack, Interim Principal ( Queen Lili‚uokalani Elementary School), Lori Yamada (Queen Lili‚uokalani Elementary School), Capt. Clyde Sasaki (Kaimuki Fire Station), Lt. Kilantang, Sgt. Yano, Sgt. Asato, Officer Forman, Officer Kahapea, Officer Rivers (Honolulu Police Department, District 7), Jenny Kaya (Representative Nishimoto‚s office), Representative Barbara Marumoto, Joan Shinn (Representative Marumoto‚s office); Senator Les Ihara, Janel Cohen (House Speaker Calvin Say‚s office), Jay Ishibashi (Mayor‚s Representative), Stan Fichtman (Councilmember Charles Djou‚s office), Glenn Yamasaki; Dallas Wheeler, Norman Tyau, Walter Jardine, Sam Suzuki, Julia Allen, Mel Kihara, Gordon Tam, Lydia Chock (Leahi Hospital), Ron Arnold, Senior Pastor; Mark Gallagher, School Principal; Bill Yamada, Church Elder; John Rosati, Norman Hong, Church Elder and Senior Partner, Group 70 (Kaimuki Christian Church), Derrick Kiyabu (Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Task Force), Bonnie Trustin (Neighborhood Commission Office staff).
PUBLIC SAFETY REPORTS:
HONOLULU POLICE DEPARTMENT (HPD) ˆ Sgt. Asato introduced Sgt. Yano, Lt. Kilantang, Officer Kahapea, Officer Forman and Officer Rivers and reported the following:
1. The statistics for the month of February were 15 burglaries, 22 thefts, 24 UEMV and 4 narcotic complaints.
2. Tip for the Month ˆ Be aware of using the ATM machines and heed these suggestions:
a) Constantly be aware of your environment when at ATM machines. If you see anything or anyone who is suspicious, cancel your transaction right away.
b) Don‚t use your birthdate or social security number for your pin number and don‚t keep your pin number with you or let someone else use it or know what it is.
c) Have what you need for your transaction ready as you approach the ATM.
d) If you are at a walk-up ATM, stand between the ATM and anyone waiting to use the terminal so they can‚t see your pin number or your transaction amount.
e) Do not count your money at the ATM and put cash withdrawn away immediately before exiting the ATM area.
f) If you are followed after making an ATM transaction, immediately go to a well-lit and crowded area and call the police.
Questions, answers and concerns:
Nahoopii asked about noise issues for two residents. One neighbor continues to put up a noisy wind chime after the police told them to take it down. The other has noisy chickens at Claudine and 16th Avenue; residents have talked with the Humane Society and the police and the problem still exists. Sgt. Asato suggested an officer can come out and assess the situation with the wind chimes. As this is between neighbors, they can be referred to the police mediation board called „MARS‰ if the two parties agree to meet with a third party to find a solution. The chicken problem can use this resource also.
HONOLULU FIRE DEPARTMENT (HFD) ˆ Capt. Clyde Sasaki (Kaimuki Fire Station) reported the following:
1. February statistics were 3 structure and 2 rubbish fires; 84 medical emergencies, 7 search and rescue calls and 17 miscellaneous calls.
2. Fire Safety Tip: Brush fires cause great damage in our communities and use resources that could be better utilized elsewhere. Now is the time to prepare for brush fire season. Be responsible and extinguish fires properly. Even small sources of fire, such as cigarettes and charcoal, can cause immense destruction. Formulate plans and communicate with family members and neighbors to create a safer community. Report and remove hazards. Maintain a 30-foot wide firebreak by clearing vegetation surrounding all structures.
For further information on creating a safe space around your home, street, or community, contact Denise Laitinen of Firewise Communities at 808-281-3407 or go to <http://www.firewise.org/>www.firewise.org.
There were no questions.
BOARD OF WATER SUPPLY ˆ There was no report distributed.
PUBLIC INPUT AND CONCERNS:
LILI‚UOKALANI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL ROBERT GINLACK ˆ Robert Ginlack reported there are rumors about closing the school due to low enrollment. The last two years this school passed their Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) rating for the No Child Left Behind ruling, even with a sizeable special needs population, which tells you about the quality of the teachers here and they are doing an excellent job.
RESIDENTS‚ CONCERNS:
1. Nahoopii explained more thoroughly that at 1128 15th Avenue a neighbor has a large wind chime that rings loudly and constantly. The surrounding neighbors have all reported this to the police who have gone to the site and asked the owner to take the chime down. After about a month they put it back up so the police were called again and came to the house but as soon as the police left, the chimes were reinstalled. The neighbors in the area are very concerned about getting into a confrontation with the owner of the wind chimes and are asking for help.
Secondly, for the last year Nahoopii has been monitoring a problem with feral chickens at Claudine and 16th near Maumae Park. Area neighbors have worked diligently to keep the park clean and coordinate with the Hawaii Game Breeders Association that supports the Hawaii
Humane Society who provided the traps to catch the chickens. Assistance is needed from the Board of Water Supply, Hawaiian Electric and City and County of Honolulu every time they go
out to catch the chickens because some of the park belongs to the above mentioned agencies which are also responsible for the maintenance of the property, cutting the grass and granting permission to put the traps in their area of the park. The neighbors think there are some neighbors who feed the chickens and some who are trying to get rid of them. Nahoopii asked for someone to follow up to help these neighbors.
2. Fichtman responded to Chair Abe‚s question about the Hawaii Game Breeders Association‚s contract being cancelled because of lack of funds to remove feral chickens on Oahu. The contract will be renewed relatively soon. The Game Breeders Association is claiming they are not getting enough money from the City for all the complaints they are getting in regard to the chickens in Hawaii Kai but he thinks the they are still giving their services until their contract ends.
3. Derrick Kiyabu reported on the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Task Plan. The State Legislature created a Sustainability Task Force in 2005 which is now developing a sustainability plan for the State of Hawaii. He is one of six coordinators in the state to encourage people to get involved in the development of the sustainability plan. They are asking for citizens to participate by getting the brochure in the back of the room and filling out the survey on page 4 that asks for your definition of sustainability and your vision for Hawaii in 2050. In April and May four community meetings are scheduled on Oahu where you will hear reports on some of the input the task force has received and they will also share some issue papers on the economy, environment, water use, energy, agriculture, land use and related issues. That will be another opportunity for citizens to provide input and get some information back from the State to know where they stand currently. After this survey there will be one more and then the task force will be drafting a Draft Sustainability Plan for the 2008 Legislature for review and approval. Please fill out the survey because they are seeking a good cross section of the island population to give a balanced response and hear everyone‚s voices.
Questions, answers and concerns:
1. Kiyabu replied to Chair Abe that the economy, environment, water use, energy, etc., will effect the quality of life for residents of Kaimuki in a number of different ways. If we don‚t have policies to maintain the quality of life for residents, by 2050 our environment, water, energy, and air pollution could be overrun by other ideas and interests that wouldn‚t necessarily be helpful for the residents of Hawaii. Chair Abe asked about considering health care, insurance, elderly care, housing and transportation. Kiyabu agreed those are important issues and Abe could state how it is or isn‚t being reflected in the Plan.
2. Hack reported funding for the Plan is alive in the legislature and Kiyabuk added that for the last two years monies have been appropriated for the development of this Plan.
ELECTED OFFICIALS:
COUNCILMEMBER ANN KOBAYASHI: Councilmember Kobayashi sent her report for distribution.
COUNCILMEMBER CHARLES DIJOU: Stan Fichtman represented Councilmember Dijou, circulated his report and mentioned the following highlights:
1. The City budget introduced by the Mayor on February 28 proposes the biggest budget in the City‚s history partially due to the increase in real property taxes and Dijou thinks we should be cutting the rate on real property taxes.
2. Last week the City Council honored Eddie Flores, Jr. as a business leader.
3. When Maunalani Park reopens there will not be an antennae erected and we hope the park will open soon. Kapaolono Park has no date opening currently.
Questions, answers and concerns:
1. Leong reported at the last meeting they said there would be restrooms on the new rail system but she suggested that wasn‚t a good idea because they could start smelling badly. Maybe they could build facilities along the way that people could use instead.
Responding to Chair Abe about the excise tax projected revenues being much more than they originally projected, he will get back to him on that.
2. A resident commented that he doesn‚t like people drinking in parks because then there are broken bottles all over. Fichtman reported the Department of Parks and Recreation is considering closing some of the parks with which they have those difficulties. They did it at Ala Moana Beach Park and at Pokai Bay in Waianae. He knows Kahala Beach Park has had a problem for a number of years. This resident is there in the mornings and sees what has been left over from the night before. Fichtman knows that there is an ordinance saying there is no drinking in the parks. If you call police and tell them there is drinking in the park, they will come.
MAYOR‚S REPRESENTATIVE ˆ Jay Ishibashi, representative of the Mayor‚s Office, reported the following:
1. Kahala Park ˆ We will try to control the park more but there are limitations as far as having police force available. We are having problems throughout the county in the parks; they are talking about closing parks in the Ewa and Kapolei areas. The factions can be very contentious, for example the fishermen want the parks open to go night fishing and others want them closed.
2. The Honolulu Family Festival ˆ It was very successful last year and will be held again on Magic Island starting March 29 at 5:00 p.m. through April 1 at 10:00 p.m. with all kinds of carnival attractions from years gone by.
3. Bathroom Facilities for Bus Drivers - The Department of Transportation Services reported for areas with public facilities drivers can use those. If there aren‚t public facilities, some fire stations and private companies make their facilities available and the drivers know where to go.
4. Kaimuki Parking Lot ˆThe City is still in negotiation with the contractor to settle some of the details. Everything is set including the handicapped ramps, but they are deciding how to have a minimal closure of certain parts of the lot at different times. At first the contractor wanted to shut down a major portion of the lot but we are trying to get him to close certain parts because they are going to resurface the whole lot and put in some features including habitat ramps and some of the medians. Hopefully by the next meeting we will have the contract settled.
Questions, answers and concerns:
1. Cone asked to have potholes checked on Waialae Avenue underneath the freeway, also on Kalanianaole Highway going around Makapuu, and on the highway on the bikepath; they have
been there forever. Ishibashi reported the bikepath is on State land but he will tell them the complaint.
2. Cone asked Ishibashi to check on promoting this proposition: lower the taxes citizens can‚t deduct namely gasoline, car registration and sewer taxes, in lieu of lowering property tax deductions which currently is the only deductable tax there is so people don‚t get hit on both sides.
3. A resident who pays property taxes for her elderly parents would gladly accept a property tax credit ˆ that might be something to look into.
4. Trustin reported that you can go online to the pothole link on the Neighborhood Board website. Clicking on „Potholes‰ gives you a form to fill out and that is the fastest way to get your concern taken care of.
5. Answering Chair Abe on the plan for configuring the parking with location of stalls, even with the handicapped ramps going in and the reconfiguration of the lot itself, there could be an addition of parking stalls. This conforms with the current guidelines for the size of the parking stalls. He concedes some of the stalls will probably be less wide than before.
6. The contract for the parking lot contractor is ready to go, but the City wants to make sure everything is in compliance and the contractor understands what he needs to do; there have been delays in negotiation. He hopes construction will begin in a couple weeks.
7. A resident voiced her concern about the deletion of nine bus stops along Pahoa Avenue by Leahi Hospital from Kaimuki to 21st Avenue because there are many elderly in the neighborhood who take the bus and can barely walk several blocks. Taking out the 16th Avenue bus stop and the one at the top of Leahi Avenue where you turn right on Makapuu Avenue would be a hardship for a lot of people who catch a bus there daily. Ishibashi explained Kaimuki is the third or fourth neighborhood to experience the loss of bus stops and the Mayor is aware of this. The Department of Transportation Services has done a study and is trying to be more efficient about where the stops should be; some stops have been reinstated when residents expressed that the change affected more than a handful of people.
Ishibashi responded to Nahoopii if he has complaints about the Number 1 route bus stops that were deleted, contact the Department of Transportation Services at <http://www.thebusstop@honolulu.gov/>www.thebusstop@honolulu.gov. Nahoopii just wants to be able to give feedback; he does feel many stops should be deleted.
Ishibashi noted when stops are deleted the bus company is supposed to post a sign stating the bus stop has been deleted. He will look into how the bus stop realignment study was conducted and encourages people to call if they want to see a bus stop reinstated.
8. He reported to Leong that there will be rest stop facilities along the way with the new rail system.
9. He will check for Chair Abe when the Kapaolono Park Pool will be repaired and reopened.
10. Leong is concerned that Lake Wilson is filled to capacity. Without the sugar cane and pineapple fields the water is not being used and suggested the Park and Recreation Department might want to use it. She suggested we build a dam and Chair Abe suggested it be discussed in the sustainability plan on water for Hawaii 2050.
GOVERNOR‚S REPRESENTATIVE ˆ Susan Jackson was not able to attend but her report was
distributed.
SENATOR LES IHARA ˆ Senator Ihara distributed his report that listed the bills on which he has been working. This Friday is the last day a bill can arrive at the last committee in each of the chambers for them to consider the bills. The following are some important ones:
1. HB 1512 was a culmination of meetings over the last eight months conducted by the University of Hawaii to allow Neighborhood Boards narrow exceptions to the Sunshine law but this bill is about to die. The law permits that: a) As long as a meeting is publicly noticed it can be conducted without a quorum and as long as the minutes are recorded and no action is taken b) More than two people can attend legislative hearings, other board‚s meetings and organization meetings c) A general category can be on your agenda called „public input‰ d) For issues of health and safety that request immediate action, you can take action on an item not on the agenda.
This bill was referred to Intergovernmental Relations in the Senate and in speaking with Chair Elaine Inouye, she decided not to hear the bill. Ihara feels the issues in HB1512 are necessary in order for the Sunshine Law to work. There are two options to keep the bill issues alive: 1) convince Senator Inouye to re-refer the bill making a special request to the Ways and Means Committee to have a single hearing moving the deadline to April 5. To accomplish this, Senator Inouye would have to change her mind after saying approving the bill would be opening a can of worms. Option two is to pursue passing House Bill 128 which relates to public meetings and amends provisions relating to permitted interactions of members. It does not go to Inouye‚s committee. It passed the House and was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee chaired by Senator Clayton Hee. There is a week and a half to have that bill heard and perhaps amended to include any provisions that would not be in HB 1512. Grant Tanimoto, the chair of the Neighborhood Commission, said he would get people together to lobby for the bill, therefore, please send your email messages and letters on HB1512 to Senator Clayton Hee asking he hear HB 128. When you know the date it will be heard, ask for people to come hear the bill and request amendments to it.
Senator Ihara responded to Chair Abe‚s question asking for legitimate reasons why the bill will not be heard. Senator Ihara reported Sunshine Law bills go to the Judiciary Committee but in this case, because the issue is about the counties, it went to the Intergovernmental Relations Committee whose Chair is Senator Inouye. She said she is not familiar with the Sunshine Law, and doesn‚t have time to study it to make a judgment on it so it will be addressed next year. Ihara doesn‚t feel Inouye should let the bill die for that reason. He will contact Tanimoto and see what kind of communication system he has set up. There are so many hundreds of bills being considered that if there is silence on a bill, it dies. Ihara reported Inouye doesn‚t have time to learn about HB 1512 now so it will be looked at next year, he thinks the bill should not die for that reason.
Hack feels the State has an institutional bias against powers of authorities of the counties. More education explaining the operation of the Neighborhood Board system would be helpful because Senator Inouye may not have a clear understanding of the process. Ihara added she might not have attended a board meeting because there are no meetings like these on the other Hawaiian islands.
2. House Bill 1133 allows for voter registration on Election day.
3. Senate Bill 1916 is a family caregivers omnibus package which strengthens support of family caregivers by, among other things: extending the joint legislative committee on family care-
giving; requiring the executive office on aging to conduct a comprehensive assessment of care recipients‚ needs and the needs of their family caregivers‚ and appropriating funds to expand services for care recipients and their family caregivers.
He has been focusing much of him time on family care giving in the home and today is the 2007 Family Caregiver Day at the capitol with exhibits and a luncheon. Yesterday The Star Bulletin published a tabloid on family care givers and today a 20 page booklet called ŒŒAging Issues 2007, A Briefing Guide for the Hawaii State Legislature‰ was given to them and made available to the public describing the aging issues the Kapuna Caucus and Hawaii Family Caregiver Coalition is working on.
4. Bills concerned with noise are:
a) Senate Bill 1237 allows backup warning beepers on trucks to be turned off between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
b) House Bill 435 requires annual inspections of mopeds and prohibits modification of the moped exhaust system which makes them louder. There were other bills on noise regulation but they did not pass.
c) Senate Bill 1084 would allow all legislative proceedings to be webcast on the internet for convenient viewing.
5. Last week was Sunshine Week with many stories published on open government and the Sunshine Law. He worked with the Society of Professional Journalists that audits thirty-two state and county boards that hold meetings in executive session. Sixty-five executive sessions throughout the State were selected, and minutes were requested. Even closed meeting minutes have to be released once the reason for their being secret is no longer necessary. When the reason for the secrecy becomes public you could have to release the secret parts which would have to be redacted.
There were no questions.
REPRESENTATIVE BARBARA MARUMOTO.ˆ Representative Marumoto distributed her report. She applauds the Sunshine Law Bills Senator Ihara discussed and his work to promote ethics in government. He was a Legislator in Residence a few years ago and was instrumental in starting a study by the Public Policy Center at the University of Hawaii of the Neighborhood Board openness rules and the legislation to allow less than a quorum to go to another public meeting came out of his research. Also the bill would allow presentations to be heard if there wasn‚t a quorum present. She thinks these changes to bring more openness to the ruling of the laws would be more reasonable. She is very sorry to hear the Sunshine Law reform bills are doing poorly in the Senate; they sailed through the House with very little opposition. It‚s ironic that Senator Inouye is from the Big Island and doesn‚t have neighborhood boards there.
1. Representative Marumoto is now a Legislator in Residence with Senator Chun-Oakland and they are working on the Sustainability Saunders Project. Saunders is an aging, seven story classroom/office building on Maile Way by the College of Business which expends an excess of energy on air conditioning and elevators and uses a lot of water with non low-flush toilets. There is a group of faculty meeting with students and administrators to retrofit the air conditioning, put up a potable water system, retrofit the toilets, and recycle. There are 50 students involved in this effort which has the blessing of the Manoa Chancellor because she is very enthusiastic about renewable energy and conservation. Architects and many others in the community want to make Saunders Hall a model for upgrading older buildings. Representative Marumoto and Senator Chun-Oakland are supporting the project asking the legislature for $1.7 million to fund the upgrades.
2. She is supporting Senator Ihara‚s bills, specifically Senate Bill 1483, to add a loop trail at the top of Diamond Head summit. This could be hard to pass because there are so many requests and needs.
3. She is supporting Leahi Hospital to get money for retrofitting bathrooms so the staff can assist patients who need special bathroom configurations and bathtubs.
4. Many schools are now going through „whole classroom renovation‰ ˆ in Kaimuki it will be taking place at Kaimuki High School, Liholiho Elementary, Waialae Elementary and Wilson Elementary schools. Wilson is the only school that has gone through all the preliminary steps to ready itself for upcoming construction. She will try to find out more information and reported that last year the legislature put in $200 million into this special facility fund.
5. She reported there is a new program at Kapiolani Community College (KCC) encouraging students to pursue science, technology, engineering and math called the STEM Program. Students from about 15 different high schools are participating, many of whom are Hawaiian. She feels as the students interact, they will encourage each other and grow from their experiences.
Questions, answers and concerns:
1. Nahoopii had a question about the Board of Education retaining the sixth grade at Manoa Elementary School and not moving it over to Kaimuki Middle School. He has two concerns:
1) educational studies have shown the middle school configuration of grades 6, 7, and 8 being together are important for their development and 2) when the decision to move was changed at the last minute, all the budgeting done for the middle school had to be changed. This could happen at Wilson Elementary next.
She thought the Wilson sixth graders were definitely going to Kaimuki Middle School. There have always been these problems, Aina Hina brought it up in years past, but she doesn‚t know the specifics on Manoa. Educators all tell us it is better to have middle school start in sixth grade.
Nahoopii asked her as a legislator if she could watch how the Board of Education is doing this, making sure there is enough notification given for the transfer to the middle school affording the schools and students to get what they need because the schools suffer without the appropriate allocations. She agreed there is a need for the Manoa sixth graders to move to Kaimuki Middle School to alleviate the crowding at Manoa Elementary.
REPRESENTATIVE SCOTT NISHIMOTO ˆ Jenny Kaya distributed Representative Nishimoto‚s report. There were no questions for Representative Nishimoto.
REPRESENTATIVE LYLA BERG ˆ Jenny Kaya distributed Representative Berg‚s report. There were no questions for Representative Berg.
HOUSE SPEAKER CALVIN SAY ˆ Janel Cohen distributed Speaker Say‚s report and asked for comments or questions of which there were none.
PENDING BUSINESS:
KAIMUKI PARKING UPDATE - This has already been discussed.
NEW BUSINESS:
KAIMUKI CHRISTIAN CHURCH ˆ Pastor Ron Arnold presented the Church‚s future plans for their school. He introduced others from his church: Mr. Norman Hong, church elder and Senior Partner with the architectural firm Group 70; school principal Mark Gallagher, a member of the church; Bill Yamada, an elder of the church who works with the senior groups; and Mr. John Rosati. The church made a presentation to the board 12 years ago to expand their facilities, which at that time was approved.
Their school grew in 1995 and 1996 adding a 7th and 8th grade to their elementary grades with forty percent of the students from Kaimuki and 10 percent of the parents and grandparents live and work in Kaimuki. Their school is highly regarded with a lengthy waiting list. Their church through the years has involved themselves to be a force in the community for good working with organizations such as the River of Life Mission. They have their own foodbank open on Saturdays, their own senior ministry, they have built a school in Kenya partnering with a village there to make a difference and will be going to the Philippines this summer. They currently partner with Liliuokalani School with one to one help for students on a weekly basis mentoring and being a friend to a lonely or vulnerable child the school has indicated would benefit from this help. They also have a „Love your Neighbor‰ ministry for the elderly knocking on a neighbor‚s doors and seeing how they can help.
He showed a color representation of Koko Head Avenue, Harding Avenue, 13th Avenue and Mahina Street block where they propose changes. Four years ago the church acquired the corner property at Harding Avenue and 13th Avenue. They tore down the dilapidated house and made it into a parking lot to serve the school and church minimizing the impact on street parking. More recently they acquired 3652 Harding Avenue which will be renovated and used for senior and keiki programs for the church.. The Ventura House is at 3652A Harding Avenue in the middle of the block which they have started using as the church office because it adjoins the existing church offices. We would like to relocate one classroom now in the church facility as one of the two classrooms into the new Asato House at 3645 Mahina Street. The Sugihara house at 3649 Mahina Street we would like to renovate as a residence. We are not creating any new structures but using existing structures for three interior renovations and improving the landscaping.
Questions, answers and concerns:
1. Nahoopii is concerned about the traffic at the school when the children are dropped off and picked up which causes a back up on both sides affecting cars and buses on Harding Avenue. Pastor Arnold replied the drop off will continue to be on Harding Avenue. The preschoolers are dropped off on Mahina Street because that is closer to the preschool so you make a right turn off Harding so no one is backing up traffic trying to turn left - that has helped significantly over the years; that will continue to be the main drop off. Generally we don‚t see a change in traffic pattern or in the additional load because it will be a minimum. The church use is at a non-peak time.
Nahoopii feels the situation is currently better than it was before, but it still creates a lot of traffic. He was hoping with their increased property they would address the traffic congestion. Pastor Arnold answered they will certainly take that into consideration, maybe in the longer term they will come up with a plan.
2. Cone reported he hasn‚t been a follower of organized religion, but this community institution is one of the finest establishments of nurturing our children that we have in our community. If we can expand that to the detriment of having a little more traffic, and improving the education and nurturing of our children, it is a great tradeoff. I do not think we could put that in finer hands than this wonderful organization. We should hope our community would build more establishments like this for its people and its children so that the waiting lists weren‚t so long.
3. A resident suggested a different kind of student drop off, possibly along another street; Harding Avenue is already such a busy street. She is very familiar with the church and assumes parents can‚t get in because the lot is full. She thinks drivers keep their place in line rather than circling around the lot which causes traffic to back up because they will be half way into the driveway and more cars are waiting behind them.
4. Pastor Arnold replied they are trying a different route for pick up and drop off and they are in the process of developing a master plan in the next year or two which will be presented to this Board before they put it in place.
5. Hack suggested people on duty could tell the drivers not to wait in line but go around the block. Pastor Arnold reported there is now an attendant who opens the car door for the children so they can jump out to speed up the drop off process. Mr. Gallagher said he will implement a plan for next year to have two attendants helping children exit their car instead of just one because sometimes the cars do back up. He also wants to be more diligent to make sure the parents are following their guidelines regarding „no left turn‰. There is a concern about the narrowness of Harding Street. To improve the situation, the school wants to make the onsite drop off area wider.
6. Nahoopii is also concerned about what the property will look like since it is in a residential area, especially since you have now taken over the side properties. You have beautified the parking lot on the corner, but it does look ugly in a residential area. As they do their renovations, he would appreciate they maintain the feeling of the Kaimuki residential ambiance on that side of 13th Avenue as opposed to the big flat parking lot with the little hibiscus around it. The school representatives said that was a point well taken and added that people who have lived here a while know the streetscape along Harding Avenue has been improved and irrigated.
7. Pastor Arnold explained that because school uses and church uses are permitted uses in a residential 5 zone, it is a conditional use and for that they need a Conditional Use Permit, also called a minor permit, which the Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) calls a discretionary permit. They will also get a development permit which allows them to treat all their land parcels as one parcel which was recommended by the staff planner at the DPP.
8. Nahoopii commented their church did a good job of integrating the houses into classrooms giving them a residential look but with the proposed changes he doesn‚t want to see the area look like a commercial block. Pastor Arnold feels that they have been very careful in maintaining the facilities and believes when the church starts to work on the homes it will be a good improvement.
9. He told resident Suzuki that the preschoolers are dropped off at the playground area on Mahina Street but it also serves as the drop off area for Queen Lili‚uokalani School so they don‚t want to impact that school too much by having it be their only drop off area. Suzuki is concerned the drop off is too close to the traffic causing problems. Pastor Arnold said they will draw up a master plan and he sees this as a long term issue.
10. Chair Abe replied to a resident‚s concern that when one car parks illegally during peak hours it is a problem with the bump out on Mahina Street. Abe reported the City said several months ago they would remove the bump out and they are also planning to reroute the buses back to the Koko Head stop that will also help that area.
Hack moved the Kaimuki Neighborhood Board #4 support Kaimuki Christian Church‚s renovations provided that the Kaimuki Neighborhood Board and the community‚s input are taken into consideration. The motion was seconded by Cone.
The motion carried unanimously.
Kaimuki Christian Church expressed their appreciation for the supportive motion of the Board.
Civil Rights Update on Civil Unions Bill - Chair Abe reported this item will be passed over tonight because Hernandez, who put it on the Agenda, is not in attendance. We will discuss it in the future when he is here.
Kapaolono Park Pool Repair ˆ Chair Abe reported this item will be updated at the next meeting.
Kaimuki Neighborhood Board Authorization for Meeting Location and Rental Arrangements Negotiation - Chair Abe reported the members Hack and Nahoopii are to be the sub-committee to meet with Mr. Ginlack and the Liliuokalani Elementary School concerning the future use of the cafeteria for Board meetings. Hack and Nahoopii will present their negotiated plan to the Board for approval at next month‚s meeting and then funding can ensue.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The minutes of the February 21, 2007 meeting were accepted unanimously with no corrections.
TREASURER‚S REPORT: ˆ Hack reported the Balance of the Total Operating/Publicity Budget 2007 Funds are $4,020.00, the previous balance was $3,833.68, the current expenses are $60.75 giving us a current balance of $3,772.93. The refreshment account previously was $53.09 with a current balance of $27.79.
ADJOURNMENT:
The meeting was adjourned at 8:50 p.m.
Submitted by:
Bonnie Trustin
Neighborhood Board Staff Assistant
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