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Record of Proceedings

Policy Committee Advances Bill 138 to Ban Commercial Activity at Kohaniki Beach Park – March 17, 2026

County Council & Committees — Tuesday, March 17, 2026

BodyHawaii County, Hawaii

SessionCounty Council & Committees

DateTuesday, March 17, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 7:55

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:00

This is Council uh Chair Denis Onishi with the Policy Committee on Health and Safety and Wellbeing.

0:06

It's a sixth session.

0:07

We're at the West Civic Center.

0:10

Today is March 17th, and the time is 120 p.m.

0:15

I'm going to introduce the members of this committee.

0:17

To my left is Mr.

0:18

Houstis, Vegas, Mr.

0:20

Kaneeli Kleinfelder, Ms.

0:22

Cherry Nava and Hilo.

0:24

We have Ms.

0:25

Kimball, Ms.

0:26

Kagiwara, and is Ms.

0:28

Kirkowitz in there.

0:33

She stepped out for a second.

0:35

Okay.

0:35

And so Ms.

0:36

Kirkerwitz will be joining us shortly, and Ms.

0:39

Galimba is excused.

0:43

Mr.

0:43

Clerk, any testimony.

0:45

Thank you, Chair O'Nesia.

0:46

No idea we don't have any testifiers here in the council chambers.

0:49

Mr.

0:49

Orcelli, I believe you have a testifier by Zoom.

0:52

Thank you so much, Mr.

0:54

Clerk.

0:54

I would like to note that we did have one testifier via Zoom, but they are not present at this time.

0:59

So no testifiers via Zoom or at any of your remote sites.

1:03

Okay, proceed to read the item in.

1:04

Yes, please.

1:05

Okay.

1:05

Bill 138.

1:06

Bill 138 amends chapter 15, Article 2, Division 1, Section 15-20 of the Hawaii County Code 1983, 2016 edition as amended, really needs a commercial activity in county park areas.

1:18

Purposes issuance of permits, licenses or other authorizations for commercial activity within Koh Niki Beach Park.

1:24

Chair and Alba, approval.

1:26

Yes.

1:27

Move to Ford Bill 138 to Council with a favorable recommendation.

1:33

Motion by Mr.

1:34

Chirinaba, second by Mr.

1:36

Hustis.

1:37

Go ahead.

1:37

Chair and Alba.

1:38

Thank you.

1:39

I'm sure everyone on the council is familiar with Kohanayiki Beach Park here in North Kona, one of the only park facilities in District 8.

1:49

We do have a standing committee that is made up of county parks in rec, a council member of the district, community members, whether through uh community organizations like Kohanaiki, Ohana, uh as well as Kohanayiki Shores, our ocean safety crew, um, just a solid group of folks who review and um discuss any matters related to Kohanayiki Park.

2:21

There has been some confusion over the years.

2:24

Um, generally speaking, section 15-20 of the Hawaii County Code um specifically subsection B states that commercial activity without a permit is prohibited, provided that it doesn't apply to transactions with authorized concession years.

2:41

Um the state office, um, the state film office and even our own departments here at the county have had some difficulty interpreting this section of the code.

2:56

Um, so what this bill does is specifically articulate that commercial activity at Kohanaiki Park is not allowed, and that a permit for such activity cannot be granted uh within the park.

3:10

Um so rather than having a general provision uh that governs all parks and leaves open that possibility.

3:18

If a permit is granted, this specifically does not allow for it.

3:23

Uh and we have our deputy director of parks and recreation here today, uh Melissa Samura, and I'd like to call on you, Deputy Director, if you uh want to provide a uh perspective from the department.

3:36

Uh besides this, this bill has been shared and reviewed by uh the working group at Kohana Iki with all members in support.

3:45

So, Deputy Director.

3:47

Hello everybody, Mahalo, Chair Inaba, my chair O Nishi and all of the members of the county council.

3:54

We here at the Department of Parks and Recreation, including uh Director Hunma, we do support this bill 138.

4:03

We really really think this is a great idea.

4:06

Um, regarding not even having the option to get a permit.

4:11

Um, we've been having uh several, we've been having a lot of asks to a permit, but we are in um favor of not having commercialization down there.

4:27

We've had several, at least one group that have commercialized without a permit, and so we often have to send them a seasoned desist.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Parks and Recreation█████████████████████████████████████████████74%

Procedural████████████████26%

Summary of Proceedings

Policy Committee on Health and Safety and Wellbeing, Sixth Session – March 17, 2026

The Policy Committee on Health and Safety and Wellbeing, chaired by Council Member Denis Onishi, convened at the West Civic Center on March 17, 2026 at 1:20 p.m. The committee unanimously voted to forward Bill 138 to the full Council with a favorable recommendation. The bill amends Chapter 15, Article 2, Division 1, Section 15-20 of the Hawaii County Code to specifically prohibit commercial activity and the issuance of permits, licenses, or other authorizations for commercial activity within Kohaniki Beach Park in North Kona.

Consent Calendar

No items were placed on the consent calendar.

Public Comments & Testimony

No testifiers appeared in person or via Zoom.

Discussion Items

Bill 138 (Prohibiting Commercial Activity at Kohaniki Beach Park): Chair Kiyomi Inaba (District 8) introduced the bill, explaining that Section 15-20(b) generally prohibits commercial activity without a permit, but has led to confusion among the state film office, county departments, and park users. The bill clarifies that commercial activity at Kohaniki Beach Park is specifically not allowed, and no permit may be granted for such activity. Inaba noted the bill was developed with input from a standing working group including the Department of Parks and Recreation, community organizations (Kohaniki Ohana, Kohaniki Shores), ocean safety personnel, and district council members, all of whom support the bill.
- Melissa Samura, Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation, voiced the department's full support, stating they have received numerous requests for permits and have had to issue cease-and-desist letters to groups that commercialized without permission. She noted the department will review its permitting processes to prevent third-party rentals. Samura thanked Stephen Rose and the Kohaniki Shores team for their on-the-ground role in fielding inquiries.
- Council Member Sue Viegas thanked the author and acknowledged Uncle Angel Pilago for originally including the no-commercial-use provision in the park's special rules, stating the bill closes a loophole and makes enforcement clearer. Council Member Cherry Nava asked whether existing events like surf meets would be affected; Inaba confirmed that no vending or sales of food, shirts, or other items would be allowed at any event. Nava expressed understanding and support.

Key Outcomes

The committee voted unanimously (8 ayes, 1 excused – Council Member Galimba) to forward Bill 138 to the full County Council with a favorable recommendation.
The meeting adjourned at 1:28 p.m.

Meeting Transcript

This is Council uh Chair Denis Onishi with the Policy Committee on Health and Safety and Wellbeing. It's a sixth session. We're at the West Civic Center. Today is March 17th, and the time is 120 p.m. I'm going to introduce the members of this committee. To my left is Mr. Houstis, Vegas, Mr. Kaneeli Kleinfelder, Ms. Cherry Nava and Hilo. We have Ms. Kimball, Ms. Kagiwara, and is Ms. Kirkowitz in there. She stepped out for a second. Okay. And so Ms. Kirkerwitz will be joining us shortly, and Ms. Galimba is excused. Mr. Clerk, any testimony. Thank you, Chair O'Nesia. No idea we don't have any testifiers here in the council chambers. Mr. Orcelli, I believe you have a testifier by Zoom. Thank you so much, Mr. Clerk. I would like to note that we did have one testifier via Zoom, but they are not present at this time. So no testifiers via Zoom or at any of your remote sites. Okay, proceed to read the item in. Yes, please. Okay. Bill 138. Bill 138 amends chapter 15, Article 2, Division 1, Section 15-20 of the Hawaii County Code 1983, 2016 edition as amended, really needs a commercial activity in county park areas. Purposes issuance of permits, licenses or other authorizations for commercial activity within Koh Niki Beach Park. Chair and Alba, approval. Yes. Move to Ford Bill 138 to Council with a favorable recommendation. Motion by Mr. Chirinaba, second by Mr. Hustis. Go ahead. Chair and Alba. Thank you. I'm sure everyone on the council is familiar with Kohanayiki Beach Park here in North Kona, one of the only park facilities in District 8. We do have a standing committee that is made up of county parks in rec, a council member of the district, community members, whether through uh community organizations like Kohanaiki, Ohana, uh as well as Kohanayiki Shores, our ocean safety crew, um, just a solid group of folks who review and um discuss any matters related to Kohanayiki Park. There has been some confusion over the years. Um, generally speaking, section 15-20 of the Hawaii County Code um specifically subsection B states that commercial activity without a permit is prohibited, provided that it doesn't apply to transactions with authorized concession years. Um the state office, um, the state film office and even our own departments here at the county have had some difficulty interpreting this section of the code. Um, so what this bill does is specifically articulate that commercial activity at Kohanaiki Park is not allowed, and that a permit for such activity cannot be granted uh within the park. Um so rather than having a general provision uh that governs all parks and leaves open that possibility.

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