Policy Committee on Public Works and Mass Transit Meeting - February 17, 2026
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Policy Committee on Public Works and Mass Transit Meeting - February 17, 2026
The Policy Committee on Public Works and Mass Transit held its 10th session on February 17, 2026, at 11:33 AM in the West Hawaii Civic Center Council Chambers, with members participating from Hilo chambers. The committee considered a single agenda item: Bill 129, which proposes amending Hawaii County Code to establish no parking zones on Alii Drive at Kahaluu Beach Park to improve pedestrian safety. The meeting adjourned at 11:41 AM.
Discussion Items
- Bill 129 (No Parking at Any Time): Amends Chapter 24, Article 10, Division 5, Section 24-280, Schedule 28 of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2016 edition) relating to no parking at any time. The bill targets narrow sections of the shoulder on Alii Drive at Kahaluu Beach Park where parked cars force pedestrians to walk in the roadway. Department of Public Works Director Segawa requested additional time to conduct community outreach and gather input before the committee acted. Traffic Division Chief Aaron Takaba explained the engineering rationale: the proposed parking restrictions are in areas where the shoulder is especially narrow, creating a pedestrian safety concern.
- Postponement Motion: Councilmember Onishi moved to postpone Bill 129 to the March 17, 2026 committee meeting, seconded by Councilmember Galimba. Director Segawa indicated one month would be sufficient for community outreach. Councilmember Kirkowitz opposed the postponement, arguing that due diligence should have been completed before the bill was introduced. The motion failed on a roll call vote: 3 ayes (Galimba, Onishi, Chair Houstis), 4 noes (Kagiwada, Kleinfelder, Kirkowitz, Campbell), with 2 absent (Inaba and Viegas).
- Main Motion: Councilmember Kirkowitz moved to forward Bill 129 to the full Council with a favorable recommendation, seconded by Councilmember Onishi. Director Segawa noted that the department would still reach out to the community and provide feedback during the two remaining readings at Council.
Key Outcomes
- Bill 129 forwarded to Council: The motion to forward Bill 129 to the Council with a favorable recommendation passed with 7 ayes (Galimba, Onishi, Chair Houstis, Kagiwada, Kleinfelder, Kirkowitz, Campbell) and 0 noes. Two members (Inaba and Viegas) were absent. The bill will proceed to Council for further readings.
- Postponement denied: The motion to postpone to March 17, 2026 failed, allowing the bill to move forward immediately.
Meeting Transcript
Aloha, welcome to the 10th session on the policy committee on public works and mass transit. I am your chair and presiding officer for today's committee meeting. It is 1133. We are here in the Westwise Civic Center Council Chambers. I am joined by Councilmembers Galimba and Oneshi. In our Hilo chambers, we have Councilmembers Khali Kleinfelder and Councilmember Kirkowitz. With that, Mr. Clerk. Oh, we are absent of members. Kimball, Kagiwada, Viegas, and Inaba at this point. Mr. Clerk, do we have any testifiers to start us off? I'll just double check and call out there if there's anybody to testify on Bill 129. Please indicate so now. Hearing none, Bill 129 amends chapter 24, Article 10, Division 5, Section 24 280, Schedule 28 of the Hawaii County Code 1983. 2016 edition as amended relating to no parking at any time. Welcome any motion. Chair motion to forward Bill 129 to the Council with a favorable recommendation. We have a motion and a second to forward Bill 129 to Council with a favorable recommendation. Motion made by Councilmember Kirkowitz and a second, Councilmember O'Nishi. We count members, we are joined by DPW and Kona Chambers. We have Director Sagawa here. If you have any questions about this particular bill, and I think Director Sagal wanted to share just a couple words with us as well. Any questions from the members? Okay, Director Sagawa, if you want to come up and just kind of share some insight into this recommendation here, uh bill by request from your department. Good morning, council members. Director of Public Works with Segawa here today. Um I'm coming before the council members today to request uh your indulgence to give the administration a little more time to review this particular bill. In particular, we want to reach out to the community and get their input also so we can formulate our you know recommendations for this particular bill. And that's my request for being here today. Thank you, Director Sagawa. Any other questions from the members? I do have a question. Go ahead, Mr. Connelly Kleinfelder. Would it be pertinent to approve the resolution today while it moves forward to council? And in those two weeks, the department can decide what it wants to do between here and next hearing, so it's not lagged by two weeks. What's the sufficient amount of time you need to go out with the community? Um I think uh Westing our director of public works. Um I believe our administration is currently trying to reach out to the community to schedule this meeting time with the community. So I don't have that date uh yet. Uh, once I receive that, I'm sure we can let the uh council know. Thank you, Director. Uh Chair, my my suggestion would be to move ahead on this resolution, and then in two weeks, should there be no movement or movement, we can make a decision in two weeks, but it doesn't hold the resolution up. Uh, I don't see it, I don't see a purpose in holding it today. Uh, with with all due respect, director. Thank you, councilmember. Any other any other questions? Councilmember Onishi? Thank you, Chair.
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