Contact Us Subscribe
  1. Back
  2. Current News
  3. News Archive
With Permission / Courtesy of: City and County of Honolulu Neighborhood Commission Office

WAIK K NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD NO. 9

 

April 2023 Minutes

 

WAIKIKI NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD NO. 9

REGULAR MEETING MINUTES - DRAFT

TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 2023

WAIK K COMMUNITY CENTER IN PERSON

CALL TO ORDER: Chair Robert Finley called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. A quorum was established with 10 members present. Note: This 17-member Board requires nine (9) members to establish quorum to take official board action.

Board Members Present: Robert Boyack, Michael Brown, Robert Finley, Melissa Filek, Daniel Jacob, Ken Jacob, John Nigro, Tommy Penrose, Gregory Misakan, and Mark Smith.

Board Members Absent: Lisa Cabanero, Mark Garrity, Louis Erteschik, Katheryn Henski, Jeffery Merz, Bowe Souza, and Jacob Wiencek.

Guests: Captain Miles Bellis (Honolulu Fire Department); Lieutenant Dason Toma (Honolulu Police Department); Tracey Bender (Special Olympics Hawaii); Dominic Dias (Board of Water Supply); Nola Miyasaki (Mayor Rick Blangiardi's Representative); William Oku Jr. (Governor Josh Green's Representative); Senator Sharon Moriwaki; Representative Adrian Tam; Keola Fisher (Council Chair Tommy Waters Office); Carlino Giampaolo, Jamel Duldulao, Sarah Worth, Shotaro Dabbs, Pam Walker, Michelle Bunnell, Bonnie Fraser, Tristan David, Denise Boisvert, Chris Ulu, Tiny Tadani, Katherine Li, Franklin Chung, Sally Manglicmot, Brianna Kaui, Dale Head, Pat McCain, Ed Springer (Residents) and Lindon Valenciano (Neighborhood Commission Office). In-Person Total Participants: 32.

CITY MONTHLY REPORTS

Honolulu Fire Department (HFD): Captain Miles Bellis report the following:

• March 2023: One (1) structure fire, two (2) nuisance fires, one (1) cooking fire, 11 activated alarms, 247 medical calls, two (2) motor vehicle crash/collision with pedestrians, six (6) motor vehicle crash/collisions, one (1) ocean rescue, and one (1) hazardous materials incident.

• Safety Tip: Evacuation planning safety tips were provided. For more information visit www.fire.honolulu.gov.

Questions, comments and, concerns followed: Motor Vehicle Crash/Collision with Pedestrians: Member Smith asked about the motor vehicle crash/collision with pedestrians on Ala Wai Boulevard. Captain Bellis will follow-up.

Honolulu Police Department (HPD): Lieutenant Dason Toma responded with follow-ups and gave the following report:

• March 2023: Robbery: four (4); burglary: burglary (6); theft: 169; Unauthorized Entry into Motor Vehicle (UEMV): 22; assault: 38; sex crimes: 6

o Citations: Bike/skateboard on sidewalk: 33; speeding: 64; parking: 2,316; loud muffler: 3; and park closures: 111.

o Arrests: Park Closures: 9

o Total calls of service; 5,210. For more information visit http://www.honolulupd.org.

Questions, comments and concerns followed:

1. City Ordinance: Member D. Jacob asked and Lieutenant Toma clarified City Ordinance 15-19.28 refers to excessive muffler noise.

2. Motorcycle Split Lanes: Member Smith asked if there is a "split lane law" for motorcycles on the roads and freeways. Lieutenant Toma clarified splitting lanes are considered an unsafe lane change, which is illegal.

3. Special Olympics: Tracey Bender, Special Olympics Hawai i, announced the 38th Annual First Hawaiian Bank Troy Barboza Law Enforcement Torch Run to raise awareness and support for Special Olympics Hawai i.

Board of Water Supply (BWS): Dominic Dias gave the following report:

• Breakages: No breaks for the month of March 2023.

• Detect-A-Leak Week: Detect-A-Leak Week runs from Sunday, April 16, 2023 to Saturday, April 22, 2023.

BOARD BUSINESS

Legislative Update: Chair Finley noted the testimony period is over, however the Board has supported a number of bills.

Legislative Resolution HB175/SB346: Brown MOVED and D. Jacob SECONDED the Motion to adopt the Legislative Resolution HB175/SB346. The Motion PASSED by UNANIMOUS HAND VOTE.

Red Hill Resolution: D. Jacob MOVED and Brown SECONDED the Motion to Adopt the Red Hill Resolution. The Motion PASSED by UNANIMOUS HAND VOTE.

Resolution on Noise: D. Jacob MOVED and Brown SECONDED the Motion to Adopt the Resolution on Noise. D. Jacob introduced and summarized the resolution. The Motion PASSED by UNANIMOUS HAND VOTE.

Consumer Protection Resolution: Misakan introduced, summarized, and shared the intent of the resolution. Discussion followed. Misakian MOVED and Brown SECONDED the Motion to Adopt the Consumer Protection Resolution. The Motion FAILED by HAND VOTE (8-2-0); (Aye: Boyack, Brown, Filek, D. Jacob, K. Jacob, Nigro, Misakan, and Smith ; Nay: Penrose, Finley; Abstain: None.)

Wall repair on the Ala Wai Canal Update:

No representative present, but Chair Finley noted the walls are in dire need of repair, especially with the rat infestation.

PUBLIC EVENTS

Public events were announced by Chair Finley: April 2023 agenda.

APPLICATIONS FOR LIQUIOR LICENCES

Applications for liquior licences were announced by Chair Finley: See April 2023 agenda.

ELECTED OFFICIALS AND OTHERS

Mayor Rick Blangiardi's Representative: The Department of Human Resources (DHR) Director Nola Miyasaki gave the following report:

Highlights

• State of the City Address: On March 14, 2023, Mayor Blangiardi gave his State of the City address in front of a full house at Mission Memorial Auditorium. The speech was focused on the City's progress in tackling our island home's most complex issues, or "wicked problems". A "wicked problem" is one that is inherently difficult to address and requires the expertise and experience of talented individuals from a variety of sectors as well as an environment where there is a willingness to embrace change and innovation. Watch or read the full State of the City address at www.oneoahu.org/newsletter/#april2023.

• Meet your City Officials: Mayor Blangiardi and his team has been on the road to visit communities around Oahu. There are 7 Town Hall meetings left which will include an open Q&A session with Mayor Blangiardi and representatives from 25 City departments and agencies. The public is encouraged to attend to give suggestions on how this administration can better serve the people of Oahu.

Thursday, April 13th 6:30-8:30 p.m. Kalani High School

Thursday, April 20th 7-9 p.m. L ie Elementary School

Thursday, April 27th - 6:30-8:30 p.m. Benjamin Parker Elementary School

Thursday, May 4th 7-9 p.m. Waialua Elementary School

Thursday, May 11th 6-8 p.m. Ala Wai Golf Course Clubhouse

Thursday, May 18th 6-8 p.m. King David Kal kaua Middle School

Thursday, May 25th 6-8 p.m. Pearl Harbor Elementary School

• Fair Housing Month: April is Fair Housing Month. OÔahu residents deserve fair and affordable housing. This is a key priority and one of our city's "wicked problems" that we are working to address. Stable housing is not just a roof over one's head and a place to call home. We know that individuals and families who are in stable housing environments have the ability to focus their energies on other critical aspects of life from education or career advancement to giving back to their communities.

• Climate Change: Climate change is another "wicked problem" facing our island home. This multi-faceted problem requires a multi-layered approach. The Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency (known to many as the Resilience Office), established by Honolulu voters in 2016, coordinates across City departments to drive climate change adaptation and action. In the last year, the office secured more than $3 million in federal grants to address climate hazards including sea level rise and coastal and inland flooding, and for urban and community forestry to tackle the impacts of increasing temperatures and heat events. This summer, the office, through collaboration with City agencies and community, will release the City's first-ever climate change adaptation strategy called, "Climate Ready OÔahu." Stay tuned for release of the City's Annual Sustainability Report in time for Earth Day this April, and learn more about the CCSR at www.resilientoahu.org.

• One OÔahu with Mayor Rick Blangiardi Podcast: Another great way to ask the Mayor and City leadership a question is to submit a question to the One OÔahu with Mayor Rick Blangiardi podcast! Every week, Mayor Blangiardi and members of City leadership provide updates on various City functions and answer questions from the public. Host Brandi Higa leads the conversation that can range to anything from property tax assessments and permitting questions to the Honolulu Zoo and renovations to the Neil S. Blaisdell Center. Subscribe to the One OÔahu podcast wherever you listen to podcasts to get new episodes in your feed every Thursday. Submit your questions and learn more at www.oneoahu.org/podcast! Mayor's Newsletter may be found at https://www.oneoahu.org/newsletter For the second year in a row, Forbes has distinguished The City and County of Honolulu among America's Best Employers by State, ranking #2 employer in HawaiÔi and #1 in the state for government services. To explore career opportunities at the City and County of Honolulu, please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/honolulu.

• Ala Wai Project: In conjunction with the US Army Corps of Engineers, The City is planning the next virtual meeting for the Ala Wai Flood Risk General Re-evaluation Study. The meeting will take place on April 24th at 5:30 pm with the link: https://usace1.webex.com/meet/AlaWai. This is part of the public scoping period for intent to prepare a supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). It is intended for public comments and questions on the prospective plan and supplemental EIS. There will be a presentation on the prospective plan with NEPA/HEPA process to be available by April 17 at https://honolulu.gov/AlaWai. Please download and review the presentation at your convenience, prior to meeting. More information about the project can be found at this website, as well as recordings of all previous virtual public meetings. You can also subscribe to the project mailing list by inputting your email address and clicking "subscribe" at the bottom left section of the page.

Follow Up:

Property: Member Jacob requested to look at 236 K h o Avenue as a potential location to revitalize in Waik k . (3/23/2023 Revision: the address is 226 K h o Avenue). The Department of Land Management ("DLM") reattempted to research the property location, but the address provided was incomplete. Please provide a complete legal address and/or TMK number to us for consideration.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed:

1. Property: Member D. Jacob clarified the property as a potential location to revitalize in Waik k is 2260 K h o Avenue. Chair Finley noted it's owned by ABC Stores who are waiting for the Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) to demolish it and inquired about the status of the permit.

2. Podcast: Filek inquired and Director Miyasaki replied the Mayor's podcast comes out every Thursday. D. Jacobs noted it is available on all streaming platforms.

3. Ala Wai Project: Resident Franklin Chung inquired and Miyasaki clarified the Ala Wai project virtual meeting time. Resident Chung asked why it is not a hybrid meeting allowing for in-person attendance/testimony.

4. Royal Waik k Garden Project: Resident Chung asked what public groups and/or officials has interest in the turning Ala Wai Golf Course into a botanical garden.

5. Usage: A resident asked how many bikes currently use the bike lane on Ala Wai Boulevard and how many are projected. Director Miyasaki will follow up. Member Penrose noted in the March 2023 minutes: Using the example of King Street, after the installation of the secured bike lane, there are currently 1,200 bikes per day using the bike lane.

Council Chair Tommy Waters: Keola Fisher reported the Department of Transportation Services (DTS) is in the process of modernizing the parking meters and gave an overview of the monthly report. www.tommy.waters@honolulu.gov.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed: Time Limit: Chair Finley inquired and Member Boyack noted there is a 2-hour parking limit. Fisher warned everyone to be aware of a scam going around with the wrong QR code for parking.

Senator Sharon Moriwaki: Senator Moriwaki gave a quick overview of her monthly report regarding a number of bills submitted. www.senstormoriwaki@capitol.hawaii.gov.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed:

1. Condos: Chair Finley asked if she heard the condo discussion earlier. Senator Moriwaki replied the only condo bill that passed was in regards to complaints against association boards, but they can look into it for the next session.

2. Boat Harbor: Resident Brianna Kaui inquired and Senator Moriwaki replied the bill regarding commercial permits at boat harbors will affect all boat harbors, including Ala Wai Boat Harbor.

Governor Josh Green: William Oku Jr. shared the Governor's newsletter and highlighted his priorities. www.governor.hawaii.gov.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed: Public Comments: Chair Finley noted in the past, inquired and Oku replied public testimony will be accepted though the Governor's website like done in the past.

Waikiki Business Improvement District Association (WBIDA): For more information go to www.waikikibid.org. Resident Rick Egged gave updated reports regarding road closures during the Hapalua event on Sunday, April 16, 2023, the Safe and Sound program's progress, and the Waik k Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for beach improvements.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed:

1. Beach: Chair Finley noted the Waik k Beach improvement EIS is very important. Chair Finley noted and resident Egged replied they are requesting to close K hi Beach at midnight rather than 2:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. to deter illegal activity, hoping for Board support in the future. Penrose commended the beach cleaning crews.

2. Royal Waik k Garden Project: Resident Chung asked what institutional support is there for the Royal Waik k Garden, turning Ala Wai Golf Course into a botanical garden. Resident Egged replied they were not approached.

3. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs): Resident John Deutzman noted he is not interested in PPPs because they would turn the properties into tourist attractions.

4. Earlier Closure: Resident Deutzman echoed closing K h o Beach at midnight to reduce illegal activities.

Representative Adrian Tam: Representative Tam provided legislative updates. www.reptam@capitol.hawaii.gov

Questions, comments, and concerns followed:

1. Senate Bill (SB) 588: Chair Finley inquired if they can adapt the excessive noise detection equipment to detect/report stolen vehicles.

2. Management: Member Misakan inquired and Representative Tam replied condo management companies operating without a license is illegal and unacceptable.

Approval of Minutes Tuesday, March 14, 2023: Misakian MOVED and D. Jacob SECONDED the Motion to Adopt the Tuesday, March 14, 2023 minutes with amendments. The Motion was PASSED by UNIANIMOUS HAND VOTE.

Amendments: Page 4: Surf Contests: Property: Strikeout "226" and replace with "2260".

Approval of Minutes Tuesday, February 14, 2023: Hearing no objections, the Tuesday, February 14, 2023 minutes were APPROVED as presented by UNANIMOUS CONSENT.

RESIDENTS'/COMMUNITY CONCERNS NOT COVERED BY EARLIER DISCUSSION:

Trash Pick-Up: Resident Carlino Giampaolo raised concerns of early morning trash pick-ups disturbing the peace and shared his intention is to unite the Neighborhood Boards regarding this issue, hoping to be put on a future agenda.

Open House: Tristan David, the Center for Resilient Neighborhoods' (CERENE), announced the O'ahu Resilience Hubs Open House on Zoom on Monday, April 24, 2023 at 6:30 p.m.

Oshana Hale: Resident Chris Ulu, Ohana Hale owner, introduced himself, reported moving into the area, and welcomed small businesses.

Safe and Sound Update: Resident Deutzman reported the Safe and Sound program have banned 55 repeat offenders from the area, however the issue is that only half of those are abiding and staying away from the area.

REPORTS:

Suggestions to use $1000 one-time funds for Outreach: Chair Finley hoped it would be offered again in the next term so the Board could rent a trolly and participate in parades.

Sub district 1 Report - JEFF MERZ: Absent. No Report.

Sub district 2 Report - JACOB WEINECK: Absent. No Report.

Sub district 3 KATHERYN HENSKI: Absent. No Report.

Chair Report: The next Waik k Neighborhood Board meeting will be on Tuesday, May 9, 2023.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

2023 Neighborhood Board Election: Chair Finley announced the 2023 Neighborhood Board Elections begins on Friday, April 28, 2023 through Friday, May 19, 2023.

Ohana Hale Waik k : Tiny Tadani announced Ohana Hale has recently moved to the old Local Motion/Capital One ING building which has reduced homeless in the area, shared his contact number (808) 306-6500, and noted they will be applying for a liquor license. Tadani asked and Chair Finely noted the Board does not take donations, however he suggested donating to the facility, Waik k Community Center, instead.

ADJOURNMENT - The meeting adjourned at 7:58 pm.

Submitted by: Lindon Valenciano, Public Relations Assistant

Reviewed by:

Final Review:

Last Updated: 03 May 2023
  1. Back
  2. Current News
  3. News Archive

Like Our Facebook

  • RELATED LINKS
Please send questions about this website to
Copyright© 2012 - 2023 WaikikiGetDown.com. All rights reserved.
Terms of Use / Legal Disclaimer / Privacy Statement
Site Designed and Managed by MacBusiness Consulting