Policy Committee on Public Works & Mass Transit: Bill 132 Withdrawn (May 19, 2026)
Policy Committee on Public Works & Mass Transit – 14th Session (May 19, 2026)
The committee met on May 19, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. in the Hilo Chambers to consider a single agenda item: Bill 132, which proposed to regulate parking rates at private parking facilities in Kailua Village. After public testimony and discussion, the bill’s sponsor withdrew the measure.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Manuel Martinez (in person in Kona) testified in opposition to Bill 132. He argued that the bill is part of a growing pattern of government restricting private parking decisions while exempting resorts and hotels and not opening additional county-owned spaces. He compared the proposed price caps to hypothetical mandates on other goods and services, characterizing the approach as overregulation.
- Brian Mick (via Zoom), representing the State Department of Health’s Disability and Communication Access Board, testified in support of the bill. He noted that the bill’s section on accessible parking requirements would be the first county-level ordinance addressing design standards for accessible parking spaces statewide. He offered minor amendments to align language with state law and expressed hope that the regulation would eventually extend to all parking facilities.
Discussion Items
- Councilmember Viegas (bill sponsor) opened discussion by acknowledging the second testifier’s support for the accessible parking provisions. She noted conflicting legal advice about whether that section was already covered by state law. She then asked Director Darrow (Department of Public Works, via Zoom) for an update on signage enforcement at commercial parking lots in the Kailua Village Business Improvement District.
- Director Darrow reported that inspectors investigated complaints about unpermitted signs. Most signs (small, informational) did not require a permit, but several larger signs along roadways—identifying parking operators such as Diamond Parking or ParkLink—needed a sign permit and possibly a review by the Kailua Village Design Commission. The department will instruct those businesses to apply. He noted that the larger signs were associated with existing Special Management Area permits covering the overall development.
- Councilmember Viegas expressed disappointment that businesses often disregard rules and only comply after complaints, effectively legalizing past violations. She then announced her decision to withdraw Bill 132 because it could jeopardize the county in potential lawsuits. She apologized to the community and encouraged continued engagement, vowing to introduce other legislation that falls within the county’s legal authority and to work with the state on changes that would give the county clear authority over paid parking lots. She characterized the current private parking practices as “predatory.”
- Councilmember Inaba thanked Viegas for bringing the issue forward and noted that a related measure, Bill 154, which addresses parking island-wide, is under review by the planning commissions. He assured the public that the effort is not dead.
Key Outcomes
- Bill 132 was withdrawn by Councilmember Viegas (motion made and accepted without objection). No vote was taken on the bill’s passage.
- The committee adjourned at 3:16 p.m.
- No other actions were taken; the consent calendar was not addressed.
Meeting Transcript
Aloha, good afternoon. Welcome to the 14th session on the policy committee on public works and mass transit. We are here in the Hilo Chambers. It is 3 p.m. Today I'm joined by Councilmembers Kirkowitz, Kagiwada Onishi, Inaba, Viegas, Galimba, and Kimball. And I am your chair and presiding officer James Eustace. Mr. Clerk, we have one item on today's agenda. If you want to start us off with uh public testimony, thank you so much, Chair. I just want to note that we do have one Zoom testifier and uh I believe one testifier in Kona. So what we'll do is we'll start with our testifier in Kona and end with our Zoom testifiers. So Scott, if you could lead us off, please. Thank you, Raleigh. Yeah, this afternoon we've got uh Manuel Martinez in opposition of Bill 132. I'll go ahead and state your name for the record and proceed. You'll have three minutes. Yes, my name is Manuel Martinez. Thank you for the opportunity to testify before this body here today. Previously, I have stated the reasons for our opposition to the bill, which I have resubmitted here that today for the record, so there's no need to publicly repeat them again today. Over the last year alone, we have seen Bill 132, this bill proposing government-controlled parking pricing in Kailua Village. Bill 154, prohibiting new commercial parking lots in multiple zoning districts. Bill 129 expanding no parking zone along Lee Drive near Kaalu Beach. And now a new state mandate law prohibiting parking within 20 feet of intersections and crosswalks, regardless of signage. Collectively, there represent a growing pattern of government increasingly regulating, restricting, controlling or replacing private parking decisions selectively, while exempting resorts and hotels and while not opening additional county-owned spaces, such as the library or Holly Halloween facilities for broader public access. Acknowledging that parking facilities require funding and uh ongoing expenses to maintain. And they cap them five dollars afterwards, or limit the price of a burger and fries at eight dollars, or a pizza at ten, or tattoos at twenty-five, or a day at the spot forty. Why not regulate and mandate that anyone with a spare bathroom provide free lodging to the homeless individual for 30 days and then limit the rent for 300 a month after that? Please summarize. Thank you for the opportunity to express opposition to this bill. Thank you for your testimony. That concludes Kona. Thank you so much, Scott. And with that, Chair, our last testifier is via Zoom, Brian Mick. Brian, when you're ready to begin, please introduce yourself, and you've got three minutes. Hi, good afternoon, Chair and Committee members. My name is Brian Mick. I'm with the state of Hawaii, the Department of Health, the Disability and Communication Access Board. We previously had submitted testimony to this committee in support of this bill. We're primarily interested in this bill because of the section regarding the requirement for accessible parking. This would be the first case of one of the counties putting in two ordinances regulations regarding the design of accessible parking spaces, which is a really weak spot in the parking program statewide. So thank you guys for including that in this bill. We did have a few small amendments that we suggested just to make the language a little more consistent with state language. But yeah, we would encourage you guys to continue this. Although this obviously applies to only certain types of parking facilities in a certain part of the island, um, it is an important start, and we hopefully would like to see um this spread to all parking facilities in the future. Thank you. Thank you so much for your testimony. And with that, Chair, those are all the testifiers you have at this time. Thank you, Mr. Arcelli. Last chance for anyone to like to testify in Bill 132, please speak up now.
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