Hawaii County Council Committee Approves Credit Union Zone Changes on March 3, 2026
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Hawaii County Council Committee on Legislative Approvals and Acquisitions – March 3, 2026
The Committee on Legislative Approvals and Acquisitions held its 21st session on March 3, 2026, at 1:15 PM HST in the Hilo Chambers, with video conference to the Kona Chambers. Chair Heather Kimball presided initially but recused herself from two items, passing the chair to Vice Chair Onishi. The committee considered communications and two bills related to the CU Hawaii Federal Credit Union's proposed new branch facility. Seven council members were present; Councilmember Viegas and Councilmember Coney Kleinfelder were excused, and Chair Kimball recused from two items.
Consent Calendar
- Communication 752: Request to form an ad hoc committee (permitted interaction group) for reviewing fiscal year 2026-2027 VIVI nonprofit grants and aid applications, introduced by Councilmember Kimball. The committee voted to close the file on Communication 752 and then formed the ad hoc committee with Councilmembers Kagiwada, Houstis, Inaba, and Chair Kimball as chair. Councilmember Houstis volunteered to join, citing positive prior experience; Councilmember Kagiwada also volunteered. The committee then postponed Communication 752 to the call of the chair.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public testified on any agenda item.
Discussion Items
- Bill 130: Amends Ordinance 09-44 to extend a 10-year time extension for condition C (complete construction), amend condition D (dedication of road widening), and delete condition E (roadway improvements) for a credit union branch at 533 Monono Street (TMK 2-2-034-036). The applicant, CU Hawaii Federal Credit Union, proposes to construct a new member-facing facility at that location and maintain its existing facility on Hinano Street for administrative use. The Windward Planning Commission forwarded a favorable recommendation on December 4, 2025. Planning Director Jeff Darrow presented the proposal, noting the applicant would provide a pro rata payment to the county for road improvements instead of constructing them, as the county has a project planned for Monono Street. The committee approved Bill 130 with a favorable recommendation to the full council by a vote of 6 ayes (Councilmembers Kagiwada, Houstis, Kirkwitz, Fresh O'Neill, Inaba, Golemba; Chair Kimball recused; Viegas and Kleinfelder excused).
- Bill 131: Requests a change of zone from single-family residential (RS-10) to neighborhood commercial (CN-10) for a 22,500-square-foot parcel at 494 Hinano Street (TMK 2-2-034-045), to construct a 41-stall parking lot for the credit union's proposed new branch. The Windward Planning Commission forwarded a favorable recommendation with an amendment to condition G (replacing it with the applicant's suggested language). President/CEO James Takamine testified that design is expected to begin around 2028 due to a current core system upgrade, with construction likely taking a few years thereafter. The committee approved Bill 131 with a favorable recommendation to the full council by a vote of 6 ayes (same as above; Chair Kimball recused; Viegas and Kleinfelder excused).
Key Outcomes
- Communication 752: Closed file; ad hoc committee formed with Councilmembers Kagiwada, Houstis, Inaba, and Kimball (Chair) to review VIVI grant applications for FY 2026-2027; matter postponed to the call of the chair.
- Bill 130: Approved (6-0-3) for forwarding to the full council with a positive recommendation.
- Bill 131: Approved (6-0-3) for forwarding to the full council with a positive recommendation.
- The meeting adjourned at 3:36 PM HST.
Meeting Transcript
All right, good afternoon, everyone. We are gonna get started with the committee on legislative approvals and acquisitions. This is our 21st session. We are located today in the Hilo Chambers and connected by video conference to the CONA chambers. In the Hilo Chambers this afternoon, we have Councilmember Kagiwada, Councilmember Houstis, Councilmember Kirkwitz, Councilmember Fresh O'Neill, Councilmember Inaba, Councilmember Golemba, and do we still have Councilmember Viegas in Kona? Nope. Okay. And then I am chair of the committee, Councilmember Heather Kimball. With that, we appreciate everyone's patience. We will start at the top of the agenda. Are there any testifiers today, Mr. Clerk? There are no testifiers for your committee this afternoon, Madam Chair. With that said, I give one last chance on the specific agenda item, communication 752. If anyone would like to testify in that, please speak up now. Hearing and seeing none, communication 752, request formation of an ad hoc committee for the purpose of reviewing applications and developing recommendations for fiscal year 2026-2027 VIVI nonprofit grants and aid awards from Councilmember Councilmember Heather L. Kimball, dated February 11, 2026. Motion to close file on communication 752. Second. Motion by Councilmember Nava, seconded by Council Member Houstus to close file on communication 752. Councilmember Inaba. Thank you. This is our annual uh establishment of our permitted interaction group for the evaluation of applications for our county grant and aid, our Vivai program. Um volunteer is one of the members. Thank you. Um I don't know how many years we've worked on this, Councilmember Kimball, but um I think we we're we've been making a lot of good progress and look forward to continuing that progress. Thank you. Do we have other volunteers? Councilmember Eustace, are you willing to join our GIA ad hoc this year? We'd love to have you. Yes, thank you, Chair. I'm interested in joining. It was it was uh good good experience. Creating and judging and going through the reviews uh last year, uh going through that process, you know, learning more about the nonprofits that are going after these funds and really supporting them. So yes, I'm interested to participate. Thank you. I will say that one of your predecessors, Mr. Councilmember Richards, was always very active in the GIA process. So you've following in his cowboy booths. Councilmember Kagiwada. Thank you. I'm I'm willing to join unless there's somebody else who really wants to be on. Uh I'm happy to do the work and step up. I don't see the doors being knocked down, but uh council member inaba, if you would, with the motion. Sure. Uh move to create a permitted interaction group. Um for the purpose of investigating and making relevant inquiries to the nonprofit organizations that the finance director deems eligible and in line with communication 752, the members of the committee being council members Kagiwada, Councilmember Houstis, myself, and you uh chair Kimball as chair of the permitted interaction group. Second motion by Councilmember Inaba, seconded by Councilmember Houstis for the formation of the ad hoc committee to examine the VAVI grant members stated in the motion. All those uh any discussion on that motion. Seeing none, all those in favor, please say aye.
openpublica.com