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Record of Proceedings

Policy Committee on Public Works and Mass Transit Meeting - 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 / 2:23:57

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:03

Aloha, welcome to the 12th session on the Policy Committee on Public Works and Mass Transit.

0:07

My name is James Eustace, your chair and presiding officer for today's meeting.

0:11

We are here in the West Hawaii Civic Center, Council Chambers.

0:14

The time is 10 01 a.m.

0:16

Thank you for attending.

0:18

We have members in Hilo Chambers and here in Kona.

0:20

And our Hilo Chambers, we're joined by Councilmembers Kagiwata, Kirkowitz, and Kimball.

0:25

And our Kona Chambers, we're joined by Councilmembers Inaba and Oneshi.

0:29

Our other members will join us shortly.

0:32

All right.

0:33

Mr.

0:33

Clerk, if you could start us off with testimony from the public.

0:38

Thank you, Chair Houstis.

0:39

We'll start here in Kona with our first two testifiers, then go to Zoom or Outer Sites, then come back to Kona and do that over and over again.

0:47

So let's start, please.

0:48

Well, Rochelle Ching and Thomas Fine Sr.

0:52

Please come forward, both of my testimony on bill number 132.

0:56

Just work your way up to this table here.

0:58

Michelle Ching.

1:01

Thomas Fine.

1:06

Ms.

1:06

Ching, you're up first.

1:12

I just was notifying Ms.

1:13

Ching that she's up first to provide testimony.

1:20

You'll activate the microphone.

1:21

There's a button at the base there.

1:24

And it will turn red when it's ready to work.

1:26

And you just push the button at the base of the microphone.

1:32

Big button on the phone.

1:34

Could you please help out?

1:38

There you go.

1:40

Please start by identifying yourself, and you'll have three minutes.

1:44

Hi, I'm Rochelle Ching.

1:46

I moved to the village of Kailua Kona in 1977.

1:53

And it really was a village.

1:56

And I fell in love with it.

1:58

I made it my home.

2:00

And I've had four children and quite a few grandchildren since then.

2:06

But I will try to focus on the here and now.

2:10

So of those children.

2:17

The only one that has stayed on island for economic reasons, because we all know that term.

2:24

They can't afford to stay in Hawaii.

2:29

My one child that has stayed here, has five children from birth, or excuse me, newborn, two years, three years, four years, five years, and a teenager.

2:50

So that's one car, mom and dad.

2:53

I don't fit.

2:55

So when I want to go out to dinner with them, I have to drive my car, and grandpa has to drive his car.

3:02

He lives up by Donkey Mill.

3:04

That family lives by Calakahi, and I live over by Costco.

3:10

So that's three vehicles to go out to dinner.

3:13

You know what that's like for paid parking?

3:17

And dinner.

3:26

And oh, by the way, um, I need um handicap parking, and so does grandpa.

3:38

He's worse than I am.

3:41

And grandpa has been born and raised several generations in Kona, and he's built a lot of the he's the Qing family, and he's a fine carpenter, and he's built a lot of the facilities here.

4:06

Any of you have fine cabinetry in your homes.

4:11

You've probably experienced his handiwork.

4:14

Okay, never mind.

4:16

Anyways, what I'm trying to say is I looked over the bill as it's written right now.

4:22

Um, other than free pay free parking, which was really nice.

4:27

I remember those days.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Zoning And Land Use███████████████████████████27%
Public Engagement██████████████████18%
Public Access Open Space█████████████13%
Transportation Safety█████████9%
Public Safety████████8%
Procedural███████7%
Economic Development████4%
Community Engagement███3%
Parking Management███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Policy Committee on Public Works and Mass Transit Meeting - March 17, 2026

The 12th session of the Policy Committee on Public Works and Mass Transit convened on March 17, 2026, at 10:01 a.m. in the West Hawaii Civic Center, Council Chambers, with Chair James Eustace presiding. The committee addressed two bills: Bill 142 (Adopt-a-County Street Program) and Bill 132 (Regulation of Paid Parking in Kailua Village). After public testimony and deliberation, Bill 142 was forwarded to the full council with a favorable recommendation, while Bill 132 was postponed to the April 21, 2026, meeting in Kona.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Bill 132 (Paid Parking): A large number of testifiers spoke, with the majority expressing support for the bill. Supporters included Rochelle Ching (Kailua Kona resident), Elena Wiley (supports rate transparency and signage), Ilana Maxwell (resident and worker in Kailua Village, supports bill but has concerns about price capping), Jeffrey Foster (small business owner, supports reasonable regulation), Noelle Lindenman (Kailua Kona resident, supports walkability), Eva Konig (business owner, supports bill due to business decline), Mel Finkenberg (supports fairness), Kelly Sigler (visitor, supports transparency), and others. Opponents included Thomas Fine Sr. (property owner, argues bill is unconstitutional taking), Jasmine Cruzat (opposes, claims paid parking has existed for 50 years), Manuel Martinez (property manager, opposes rate caps, suggests collaboration), and Greg Ogan (property manager, argues market is adjusting). Several testifiers also spoke on Bill 142, including Josephine Kalipio (supports, suggests safety measures) and Barry Neal (supports, suggests program promotion).

Discussion Items

  • Bill 142 (Adopt-a-County Street Program): Introduced by Councilmember Inaba. The program would allow volunteers to adopt sections of county streets for cleanup, with DPW providing safety equipment and trash pickup. Councilmembers expressed support, noting community pride and existing efforts. Deputy Director Neil Azevedo confirmed DPW’s willingness to support the program. The bill passed unanimously.
  • Bill 132 (Paid Parking Regulation): Councilmember Viegas introduced the bill to regulate rates and require transparency in private parking lots in Kailua Village. Discussion included legal concerns (takings argument), enforcement issues (DPW vs. Planning Department), and potential amendments. Director Jeff Darrow (Planning) noted that many parking lots may not have proper permits or SMA compliance. Councilmember Viegas submitted a complaint regarding 14 lots. The committee entered executive session to confer with Corporation Counsel on legal analysis. After returning, Councilmember Viegas proposed amendments, but the committee decided to postpone to allow more time for drafting and legal review. Councilmember Kimball suggested a broader bill to avoid targeting issues.

Key Outcomes

  • Bill 142: Motion to forward to full council with a favorable recommendation passed unanimously (8-0, Councilmember Galimba absent).
  • Bill 132: Postponed to the April 21, 2026, committee meeting in Kona. Motion to postpone passed 8-0. The bill’s introducer, Councilmember Viegas, will prepare amendments and work with Corporation Counsel to address legal concerns, including potential unbundling of rate cap and transparency provisions.

Meeting Transcript

Aloha, welcome to the 12th session on the Policy Committee on Public Works and Mass Transit. My name is James Eustace, your chair and presiding officer for today's meeting. We are here in the West Hawaii Civic Center, Council Chambers. The time is 10 01 a.m. Thank you for attending. We have members in Hilo Chambers and here in Kona. And our Hilo Chambers, we're joined by Councilmembers Kagiwata, Kirkowitz, and Kimball. And our Kona Chambers, we're joined by Councilmembers Inaba and Oneshi. Our other members will join us shortly. All right. Mr. Clerk, if you could start us off with testimony from the public. Thank you, Chair Houstis. We'll start here in Kona with our first two testifiers, then go to Zoom or Outer Sites, then come back to Kona and do that over and over again. So let's start, please. Well, Rochelle Ching and Thomas Fine Sr. Please come forward, both of my testimony on bill number 132. Just work your way up to this table here. Michelle Ching. Thomas Fine. Ms. Ching, you're up first. I just was notifying Ms. Ching that she's up first to provide testimony. You'll activate the microphone. There's a button at the base there. And it will turn red when it's ready to work. And you just push the button at the base of the microphone. Big button on the phone. Could you please help out? There you go. Please start by identifying yourself, and you'll have three minutes. Hi, I'm Rochelle Ching. I moved to the village of Kailua Kona in 1977. And it really was a village. And I fell in love with it. I made it my home. And I've had four children and quite a few grandchildren since then. But I will try to focus on the here and now. So of those children. The only one that has stayed on island for economic reasons, because we all know that term. They can't afford to stay in Hawaii. My one child that has stayed here, has five children from birth, or excuse me, newborn, two years, three years, four years, five years, and a teenager. So that's one car, mom and dad. I don't fit. So when I want to go out to dinner with them, I have to drive my car, and grandpa has to drive his car. He lives up by Donkey Mill. That family lives by Calakahi, and I live over by Costco. So that's three vehicles to go out to dinner. You know what that's like for paid parking?

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