Special Committee on Planning, Land Use & Economic Development: General Plan 2045 & 2026 Amendments - March 10, 2026
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Special Committee on Planning, Land Use & Economic Development: General Plan 2045 & 2026 Amendments - March 10, 2026
This special meeting of the Policy Committee on Planning, Land Use, and Economic Development convened on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at 9:01 a.m. in Hilo and Kona, chaired by Councilmember Ashley Karkowitz. The primary agenda item was Bill 66 (Draft 2), which would adopt the County of Hawaii General Plan 2045, and Communication 372.192, proposing a substitute draft (General Plan 2026) submitted by the Chair. After extensive discussion, public testimony, and an executive session, the committee postponed the matter to its April 7, 2026, meeting. The meeting adjourned at 11:27 a.m.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Dwight Vicente, representing the Hawaiian Kingdom, testified that the state and county lack jurisdiction over lands that were not ceded under the 1898 Joint Resolution. He argued that the state's Land Use Commission and county planning commission have no authority over agricultural lease lands and that the Hawaiian Kingdom still exists. He reserved the kingdom's rights under the Queen's protest.
Discussion Items
- Presentation of Communication 372.192 (General Plan 2026): Chair Kirkowitz presented the proposed amendment as a substitute for Draft General Plan 2045. She explained that the 2026 draft is a disciplined, streamlined policy framework focusing on land use and development, with eight elements: Implementation, Economy, Malama Aina and Community Resources, Public Services and Facilities, Public Utilities, Housing, Transportation, and Land Use. She emphasized that the plan is not a zoning code or project list but a policy guide for county decisions. Specific attention was given to Banyan Drive as a special case requiring state-county coordination.
- Planning Director's Comments: Director Jeff Darrell provided a detailed statement. He noted that the 2045 draft resulted from a decade-long process (initiated in 2015) with over 125 public meetings, 37 agency meetings, 37 landowner meetings, 26 council updates, and 8,600 public comments. He expressed concern that the new 2026 draft had not undergone public or agency input. He offered three options for the council: (1) not approve the 2026 draft and continue amending the 2045 draft; (2) approve the 2026 draft but hold public hearings, send to agencies, and complete maps and definitions before forwarding; (3) incorporate portions of the 2026 draft into the 2045 draft as amendments. He advised against rushing.
- Councilmember Questions and Concerns:
- Councilmember Houstis asked about the treatment of Banyan Drive (unique callout) and definitions. Chair Kirkowitz clarified that standard planning terms are used. Houstis also questioned the placement of solid waste (under public services) vs. wastewater (under utilities). Director Darrell noted that the 2005 plan’s amendment process was not included in either draft but that the council had previously agreed to put such procedures in code.
- Councilmember Inaba asked about maps. Chair Kirkowitz stated she intends to simplify land use designations (e.g., merging medium/high density into a single urban designation) and will work with the planning department to create new maps using a gradient-based approach. The maps are not yet complete. Councilmember Inaba expressed support for the 2026 draft but emphasized that maps must be reviewed by the committee before sending to the planning commission.
- Councilmember Keneli Kleinfelder raised concerns about the length of the process (10 years) and the lack of a clear, efficient amendment procedure in either draft. Director Darrell agreed that neither document specifies a clean process, leading to delays. He also noted that the 2026 draft lacks a public record or appendix showing how its policies were derived.
- Executive Session: The committee entered executive session from approximately 10:14 a.m. to 10:21 a.m. to consult with attorneys regarding liabilities, duties, and responsibilities. Upon returning, Councilmember Kimball reported that corporation counsel found no legal barrier to forwarding Communication 372.192, but recommended providing a tool showing how the 2026 plan is an amendment to the 2045 plan, along with maps.
- Motion to Postpone: After discussion, the motion to forward the communication was withdrawn. A motion was made and seconded to postpone Bill 66 to the April 7, 2026, committee meeting. The motion carried unanimously (7 ayes; Councilmembers Galimba and O'Nishi excused). Corporation counsel committed to providing a legal opinion by March 27, 2026, contingent on receiving the Chair’s nexus tool by March 17.
Key Outcomes
- Bill 66 (General Plan 2045) and Communication 372.192 (General Plan 2026) were postponed to the Policy Committee’s April 7, 2026, meeting.
- Chair Kirkowitz will deliver a document by March 17, 2026, showing the nexus between the 2026 and 2045 drafts to justify the 2026 version as an amendment.
- Corporation counsel will provide a legal opinion by March 27, 2026, on the propriety of the amendment process.
- Planning department will provide the former corporation counsel’s memo on amendment procedures and will work with the Chair and consultant to produce simplified maps.
- Councilmembers may submit mapping amendments using descriptive language; assistance with GIS may be available from Councilmember Campbell.
Meeting Transcript
Aloha and good morning. Welcome to the special meeting of the policy committee on planning, land use, and economic development. Today is Tuesday, March 10th, 2026. I am calling this meeting to order at 9.01 a.m. Joining us for today's special committee meeting in Kona is Council Chair Holeka Inaba here in Hilo, Council members Heather Kimball, James Eustis, Jennifer Kagiwada. My name is Ashley Karkowitz, Chair and Presiding Officer. At this time, we will take statements from the public. Mr. RSLI. Thank you so much. Madam Chair. Sorry for the delay. Um just wanted to confirm that we've heard that we have no testifiers at our remote sites. We do have one testifier via Zoom, who I believe has just joined us. Uh Mr. Dwight Vicente. Dwight, if you could unmute your mic. I I see that you're calling in, so if you just hit star six, you'll unmute your mic and you'll have three minutes after you introduce yourself. Dwight, if you're there, if you could just hit star six on your phone, you'll unmute yourself and you can begin to provide your testimony. Can you hear me now? Yes, we can okay. Good morning, Maime. My name is Dwight Vicente, representing Hawaiian Kingdom. Uh the land, the land use commission, state land use commission, uh county planning commission has no jurisdiction based on the historical history of this kingdom. 1875 did they did a reciprocity proclamation that was done by three U.S. citizens in Washington, DC. You got Fish Allen and Carter. That was the place. Then you got the uh 1898 joint resolution, which seeded the Banana Republic ceded 1,750,000 acres of Crown and Government lands that it did not have lease contracts on them. There are over 2.2 million acres of Crown and Government lands that was under King Kalakaua 30 year lease from 1890 to 1920. So those were not included. So what the state is doing, the illegitimate state of Hawaii is doing, they did the uh land use commission in 1955 to assume jurisdiction over the lands. It was not ceded under the uh 1898 joint resolution. In fact, the uh admission act 1959 rely on the 1898 joint resolution to assume jurisdiction over the ceded land. So the limitations are the three documents, uh 1590 admission act, the uh 1898 joint resolution, it's congressional, and the 1875 reciprocity proclamation, which is not an amendment to the uh uh July 1787 Northwest Ordinance. It's limited by its uh jurisdiction to uh Ohio River Valley Indian Reserve. So there is no jurisdiction over the so-called agricultural lease lands. So the uh the state and county has no jurisdiction, so those lands should not be included as part of the uh planning for what to do with those lands. So I'll reserve the rights of this kingdom under the 1898 uh Queen's protest against U.S. Minister Stevens. That is yet to go to the US Supreme Court article, Article 3, Section 2, Clause 2. And the uh Hawaiian Kingdom still exists because the state of Hawaii is illegitimate. It's created under the Northwest Ordinance of July 1787, no amendments. So thank you. Thank you so much for your testimony. And with that, Chair, those are all the testifiers we have for your meeting this morning. Thank you, Mr. R.S. Lie. Um excuse me.
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