Kaimuki Neighborhood Board Meeting MAY 2025 Minutes

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Kaimuki Neighborhood Board Meeting MAY 2025 Minutes
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NEXT MEETING - Click here to read next meeting agenda scheduled for 6/18/2025.

With Permission / Courtesy of: City and County of Honolulu Neighborhood Commission Office

KAIMUKĪ NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD NO. 4

DRAFT REGULAR MEETING WRITTEN SUMMARY FOR VIDEO RECORD

WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 2025 AT 6:30 P.M.

KAIMUKĪ PUBLIC LIBRARY MEETING ROOM -- 1041 KOKO HEAD AVENUE, HONOLULU, HI 96816

AND ONLINE VIA WEBEX

Video recording of this meeting can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJeTrBr9hiM

Meeting materials: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Wt9pOrbakhHBtITFDEP84GlbdXeCis0s

I. CALL TO ORDER [0:00:00]: Chair Kang called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. Quorum was established with 5 members present. Note: This 11-member Board requires six (6) members to establish a quorum and to take official Board action. Board members must be in person or have video access.

Board Members Present: Brian Kang (Chair), Paul Hoe (Vice Chair), Kelsie Aguilera (Secretary), Audrey Abe (Treasurer), Franklin Chung, James Logue, Woody Salhi, and Judi-Ann Smith-Kauhane.

Board Members Absent: Becky Gardner, Joyce Murakami, and Travis Saito.

Guests: Fire Fighter Brehm (Honolulu Fire Department); Lieutenant Nishimura (Honolulu Police Department); Lorna Heller (Board of Water Supply); Tasha Luke (Council Member Waters); Amanda Stevens (Governor Green); Angie Chapman (State Senator Chang); Emily Cristobal (State Representative Grandinetti); Carol Hoshiko (Kapiʻolani Community College); Lori Yamada, Eric McCutcheon, Cyrus Howe, and Robert Dewitz (Residents/Guests); Jeffrey Jones (Neighborhood Commission Office). Note: Name not included if not legible or stated for the record. There were 48 total participants, including those on Webex.

II. CITY / STATE MONTHLY REPORTS [0:00:00]

Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) [0:00:02]: Fire Fighter Brehm provided the monthly statistics for April 2025 and home fire sprinkler safety tips.

• April 2025 Statistics: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YIqFWH0u9h3G2uOJKwD8qtVFUehpJEG2/view?usp=drive_link

Honolulu Police Department (HPD) [0:01:35]: Lieutenant Nishimura provided the monthly statistics for April 2025.

• Crime Mapping Statistics: https://www.honolulupd.org/information

Board of Water Supply (BWS) [0:03:22]: Lorna Heller shared there were no main breaks to report and provided summer water conservation tips.

Question, comments, and concerns followed -- [0:04:55]

III. PUBLIC INPUT [0:09:05]:

• Honolulu Community College Update [0:09:24]: Carol Hoshiko shared Kapiʻolani Community College will be offering court interpreter training and the ongoing work being done at the campus's restaurant.

• Adopt-A-Park Cleanup [0:11:06]: Resident Lori Yamada thanked the volunteers who helped at the Mauʻumae Natu re Park Adopt-A-Park cleanup.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed -- [0:12:58]

IV. COMMUNITY UPDATES [0:15:08]

Kaimuki Business and Professional Association (KBPA) [0:15:16]: No representative present.

V. PRESENTATIONS [0:15:21]

Hawaiʻi Bicycling League [0:15:26]: Eric McCutcheon provided a presentation on the updated bills regarding Safe Streets for Bicycles, E-bicycles, and Road Sharing. Out of multiple bills proposed in the 2025 legislation, only two bills that are still alive are House Bill (HB) 958 and Senate Bill (SB) 1117. McCutcheon also provided information on alive bills regarding moped safety, helmet requirements for skateboarders, surcharges on vehicle registration for Safe Routes to Schools, and no parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk.

• Presentation: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1p5oa4543_YmzORLQWfbYYvgU_nkHd-II/view?usp=drive_link

Questions, comments, and concerns followed -- [0:22:18]

Update on Hawaiʻi Green Growth / Follow the Drop Initiative [0:25:11]: Cyrus Howe (Operations Manager) from Hawaii Green Growth (local non-profit) shared information regarding the Ala Wai Watershed (AWS). Hawaii Green Growth is leading an AWS collaboration which is a network of community, government, and business, partners committed to a more resilient AWS. The working group meets quarterly to discuss best practices and way to improve the state and health of the AWS. A watershed is an area or ridge of land with water that separates waters flowing to different bodies of water such as into the ocean, rivers, or canals. A report (2019) was done to determine if it is feasible to create a Special Improvement District at the City & County of Honolulu level under ROH Chapter 28. Mr. Howe shared examples of green stormwater infrastructures that could be beneficial especially in the urban core of the island to help recharge aquafers and promote sustainability within our community instead of storm water becoming run-off, polluting streams and our ocean or contributing to floods.

• Presentation: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1l4xlXowXEo_PPHc26zIjL3ogs_0seL5N/view?usp=drive_link

Questions, comments, and concerns followed [0:32:32]

Update on Proposed Kyudojo at Mauʻumae Nature Park [0:33:35]: Robert Dewitz announced that a formal agreement was signed with the administration and Dewitz will be having a meeting with the administration and the Department of Parks and Recreation.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed -- [0:34:52]

Discussion on DPR Request for Board and Community Input / Feedback on Allowing Dogs in City Parks [0:43:13]: Chair Kang announced that the Department of Parks and Recreation is asking for public input on having dog privileges in city parks and opened the floor for commenting.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed -- [0:44:36]

Discussion on 3615 Sierra Drive property / status [1:00:49]: There were no updates to the 3615 Sierra Drive property; Chair Kang opened the floor for commenting.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed -- [1:01:44]

VI. ELECTED OFFICIALS' REPORTS [1:10:23]

Mayor Rick Blangiardi Representative [1:10:25]: No representative present.

• Mayor's Newsletter: https://www8.honolulu.gov/mayor/newsletter

• Mayor's Representative Report Memo: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1H5VnMlGnnAnEFRICnzL9BrROj9PREEaz/view?usp=drive_link

Council Member Tommy Waters (City Council District 4) [1:10:38]: Tasha Luke provided the report and highlighted the following: the City and County's "311" app; Councilmember Waters' office assisted in the Kaimukī Community Park cleanup.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed -- [1:13:40]

Governor Josh Green's Representative [1:15:32]: Amanda Stevens provided the report and highlighted the following: Hurricane Preparedness Week will be from Sunday, May 18, 2025 to Saturday, May 24, 2025 to help prepare for Hurricane Season; residents are being encouraged to view their insurance policies in light of hurricane season; the state's efforts to fill vacant positions to help displaced federal workers.

• Governor's Newsletter: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Pg5NA1QdHyL0FHq6xSeXi8tGCb1IpI5l/view?usp=drive_link

Questions, comments, and concerns -- [1:17:49]

State Senator Stanley Chang (Senate District 9) [1:18:20]: Angie Chapman provided the report and highlighted the following: the legislature wrap-up; the bills addressing the Illegal Fireworks Task Force; efforts to prohibit underage moped riders; the extension of free school meal coverage.

State Senator Les Ihara, Jr. (Senate District 10) [1:20:07]: No representative present.

State Representative Tina Grandinetti (Representative District 20) [1:20:16]: Emily Cristobal provided the report and highlighted the following: the legislature wrap-up; the failure to pass paid family leave; the continued erosion of public trust; the passing of a historic green fee to help fund climate resilience; expanded access to free school meals; the creation of funding for safe routes to school; the investment in biosecurity work to protect the island's ecosystem; the passing of Senate Bill 332; the creation of statewide regulatory framework for E-Bikes; the office is still open despite the legislative session finishing.

State Representative Jackson Sayama (Representative District 20) [1:24:29]: No representative present.

Congressman Ed Case (Congressional District 1) [1:24:46]: No representative present.

VII. ANNOUNCEMENTS [1:24:56]: Chair Kang thanked Neighborhood Assistant Jeffrey Jones for the assistance he has given to the Board.

VIII. BOARD BUSINESS [1:25:32]

Approval of April 16, 2025 Written Summaries of Video Record [1:25:32]: The April 2025 Written Summary for Video Record was approved as written.

IX. REPORTS [1:26:01]

Traffic and Transportation Committee [1:26:06]: Member Abe shared the committee has requested meetings with the City Departments to follow up with the March 2025 joint Transportation Committee meeting.

Members Attendance at Other Meetings [1:27:19]: Board members shared meetings they attended in April 2025.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed -- [1:28:02]

X. NEXT MEETING OF THIS BOARD [1:28:32]

The next regular meeting of the Kaimukī Neighborhood Board will be on Wednesday, June 18, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. at the Kaimukī Public Library meeting room and remotely via Webex.

XI. ADJOURNMENT [1:28:44]: Chair Kang adjourned the meeting at 8:03 p.m.

Submitted by: Jeffrey Jones, Neighborhood Assistant, Neighborhood Commission Office

Reviewed by:

Final approval by:

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Kaimuki Neighborhood Board Meeting MAY 2025 Minutes

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