Kaimuki, Hawaii
News Item

Kaimuki Neighborhood Board - Minutes Of September 16th, 2009 Posted

• • ‘Stitch This’ is not the cause of traffic problems. The owner goes off site to various customer locations and brings the items back to the shop for necessary repairs. There are very few customers that drop off and pick up items.
• • An independent professional traffic survey has been submitted with the zoning application and has determined that even if the property owner were to rebuild (currently there are no intentions to do so) no mitigation changes would be required. A set number of parking stalls is required by the building department depending on what it is the property owner plans to do on the property. Illegal street parking is not the caused by the property owners business. Residents on the street and other business owners are all guilty of parking in the “No Parking” zones. Property owner suggests removing all street parking, or working a ‘Resident Parking Only’ permit system; which will allow only residents on that street to park. The map of the area is mainly zoned as B-2. There are only 2 remaining R5 lots on the property owners block.
• • Facts have been presented in support of ‘Stitch This’ and the property owner and would like the board to consider rezoning the property. Pictures the property owner presented show that he was not the one who turned Kaimuki into a business district, it was already there.

• • Resident request the denial of rezoning the property from Residential zoning 5 to Business zoning 2 because once that is done, there is no turning back. There already are current empty business spaces that may be filled instead of rezoning what is left of the R5 areas in the Kaimuki area. Residents would like to preserve what is left of the residential area. They are not against the property owner; they wish him well in his business. Residents are against rezoning the area because it is on a smaller dead end street.
• • Resident grew up in the 12^th Avenue area. The planners and developers do not live in the area they want to change and do not understand what’s going to happen. Not rezoning the area will protect long time residents that have resided in the area. Although DPP currently agrees with rezoning the area, to do so is a legislative action and the will of the people play an important role.

• • The current Kaimuki area took 17 years before the new design of the town came to what it is. There needs to be proper planning, organization and something agreeable to all parties.

• • ‘Stitch This’ has always done well for an individual boating business. If there were a need to go to 12^th Avenue, parking would be provided in the drive way and there wasn’t an issue with having constant traffic. ‘Stitch This’ owner would go out to do a job. Business owner doesn’t understand why ‘Stitch This’ is being discriminated against.
• • ‘Stitch This’ has been a huge help with innovation for the sport of canoe paddling. The prices the company has given has been helpful for getting what the paddling team needs. Most of the work he has done for the paddlers have been out at beach sites. ‘Stitch This’ is already located in a business district and change should be permitted. If there are times for a need to go to the 12^th Avenue address, there would always be room in the drive way to park.
• • A current resident and former employee living at the ‘Stitch This’ address stated the business is not the cause of traffic in the area. Currently limousines are parked on the street in front of the houses. More respect has to be given to the residents in the area. ‘Stitch This’ does not take any street parking. There have been many changes in the community and the owner of ‘Stitch This’ is a large asset to the community. It has been suggested to look at all the facts and give this business owner a fair chance.

• • The owner of the parking lot behind the property in question is zoned as R5 with a conditional use permit for the parking. He bought the empty lot to provide parking for the building. The City wanted him to rezone his property to a B2 but the value would go up to $35,000 a month across parking stalls and I told them I didn’t want to rezone the property. Suggested ‘Stitch This’ owner get a conditional use permit so there is no need to rezone. There are a lot of empty business places ‘Stitch This’ can move into. As residents of the area, we need to preserve all that we can for the neighborhood.
• • The owner of Elite Limos does have limos parked on the street, but it is not illegal because it is made for parking. Elite Limo owner stated ‘Stitch This’ owner would use the parking space for cutting materials outside of his property. The area would be more congested if a new business were to be built in an already congested area. 
• • Resident is interested in the parking for the area should rezoning happen. Resident spoke with a law enforcement officer who reviewed all the letters and concluded that the business is more than just a home occupation business. The officer also commented that the area is not suitable for rezoning and should be kept the way it is.
• • The younger generation will not get to experience what Kaimuki once was. Rezoning the area would have a negative impact and would make it difficult for street access. It is an old residential area and should remain that way. It should be considered to work out of empty zoned business spaces. Over 200 residents in the neighborhood signed a petition in opposition to the rezoning.

• • Meade questioned the audience members who were the longest living residents that live on 12^th Avenue. The longest by far has been living there pre 1927, then 1993 followed by a resident living on the street since 2000.
• • Meade also questioned the resident who owns the parking lot next to the 1049 12^th Avenue address and if his ‘conditional use’ permit was brought before the board? His response was no.

• • Due to the growing demand for wireless internet service in the Kaimuki area, Clearwire would like to submit an application for a Conditional Use Permit to build a small wireless facility on the rooftop of the Kaimuki Middle School. The proposed installation includes extending an existing elevator penthouse with 6 ft panels matching the existing building that would hide the equipment. Clearwire’s equipment would not be seen.

• • There are no safety issues concerning this wireless facility. There is a six foot safety distance and the towers being built are lower than the average towers normally used for wireless internet service. Again, to minimize visual impact, the new panels will match the existing building to hide any necessary equipment.
• • There is a program that will have Clearwire technicians regularly check on the equipment. The system does not use much voltage – between four and eight amps, equivalent to an air conditioner unit.

• • Hawaii is one of eight states in America that has not passed a Human Trafficking State Law. The growing number of trafficking activity worldwide is making it difficult for the federal government to regulate all 50 states. In Hawaii, if ‘pimps’ are caught they usually are prosecuted for promoting prostitution; which has a maximum of 10 years in prison and $25,000 fine and a minimum one year in prison and $2,000 fine. PASS’s goal is to end trafficking in Hawaii through education, advocacy, outreach, intervention and prevention. PASS requests the support for Anti-Human Trafficking legislation. Currently, PASS has outreach programs in Waikiki, local schools and is looking to gain support from Neighborhood Boards on Oahu as well as the Senate and House of Representatives.
• • Formed in 2009, PASS is a coalition of both secular and faith-based groups located in Hawaii who share a common mission to educate the public about the growing problem of human trafficking, advocate for the passage of local state legislation, and to ensure the enforcement of such legislation to especially focus on prosecuting ‘pimps’ and patrons.
• • The demand for children is on the rise as the pornography business grows. The youngest child reported to have contracted aids was nine months old. Children are kidnapped, sold, forced, or born in brothels and become victims. Over 17,500 children and women are annually trafficked into the United States for sexual services and the trend is accelerating.
• • This upcoming legislative term is the third year it will be presented to the State Legislature.

• • November 2008 was the original presentation for this zone change. The application was turned in to the Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) and the recommendation for the zone change has been accepted. It is a 4,000 square foot property that was set aside by the Department of Transportation (DTS) when the freeway was built and later purchased by a private owner.
• • On September 9, 2009, DPP presented information to the planning committees who okayed the project. There are no current plans to redevelop the property as it is too small. However, it may provide an entry way to buildings and more parking.

• • Mayor Hannemann continues to work on the collective bargaining negotiations.
• • In early September, Mayor Hannemann and fellow mayors, went to Los Angeles to promote Hawaii as a visitor destination. Organized by the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, the mayors participated to demonstrate how important the industry is to the economy and workforce.
• • At the last meeting, the Board received a copy of all the coring sites in the Kaimuki Neighborhood Board area. However, no map has been provided.
• • Ishibashi will get back to the board regarding the request to have the City and County of Honolulu help with the erection of the Kaimuki Christmas tree. Budgetary concerns and cuts may limit the county’s involvement this year.
• • The mahogany tree leaves on 10^th Avenue and Kaimuki Avenue were swept on September 15, 2009.

• • The Kaimuki Christmas tree is a public and private partnership. KPPA and GECA have spent $3,500 last year to replace or get new lights for the tree. The least the Department of Facility Maintence (DFM) or the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) could do is put up a tree before the end of October 2009.

• • Bulky items are becoming a problem that she is trying to resolve. If residents have bulky items to pick up, call the office and they will try to assist with notifying when the bulk item pick up days are scheduled.
• • There has been a resolution drafted to know how the rail transit money is being spent. It has been questioned about the way the money being spent not public knowledge.

• • A question regarded how a $1 billion bond will effect residents. The pay back on borrowing such a large amount of money will amount to about $4 billion dollars.
• • A comment noted if property taxes could be lowered.
• • A concern regarded when old neighbors move out a mess is left along the road side creating a problem for the new residents moving in.
• • Kaimuki High School will host the 6^th Annual Aloha Aina Earth Day on Saturday, October 17, 2009.

• • Welcome back to Councilmember Ann Kobayashi.
• • Sidewalk sleeping ban is not appropriate and doing nothing is not acceptable.
• • Shark tours are already illegal in the state and the Council is trying to ban commercials and marketing for these tours. The difficulty is the enforcement on the water.
• • Real Property Tax Exemption: For anything that allows for renewable energy.
• • Increase of Home Owners Tax Credit: The current $80,000 has been introduced to be increased to $100,000; this has not yet passed.
• • Councilmember Djou is in support of Pacific Allienance to Stop Slavery proposal.
• • The plastic bag ban has been deemed stuck in committee.

• • Currently our economy is down $3 billion. The state is trying to find ways to close the deficit. Some ways this has been happening is by putting a freeze on hiring, travel and new equipment. The state is trying to use federal stimulus monies and finding ways to get more.
• • Current union negotiations have not come to an agreement. If no agreement has been made, there will be layoffs. Teachers have made an agreement.

• • Governor’s Representative will have to report back on the mental health administration situation.

• • The Senate went into special session and voted to confirm Craig Nakamura as chief judge of the Intermediate Court of Appeals
• • Senator Ihara is working with two community members regarding care home issues. They met with DPP and major branch chiefs are working on how to regulate care home work with care home associates. They would like to see community support for regulated care homes.
• •  Senator Ihara may be contacted at 808-586-6250.

• • Resident is concerned with neighbors from Vietnam. She is not able to indicate their ethnicity on the complaint form. Resident was informed that the ethnicities on the forms are done by reaching a certain criteria. The number of Vietnamese people needs to reach a critical mass to be specifically identified. The State Department of Labor may be able to assist with the matter and have the Office of Languages help with language barriers.

• • Page 1, Guest name Debbie Sekire should read Debbie Sekirne.
• • Page 1, Guest name Lydice Chock should read Lydia Chock.
• • Page 3, Both motions board member Carter should read Cater.
• • Page 5, Approval of Minutes, board member Carter should read Cater.

• • The next meeting of the Kaimuki Neighborhood Board will be Wednesday, October 21, 2009, 7:15 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Liliuokalani Elementary School.
• • There will no longer be reimbursements for refreshments as of September 2, 2009.