Policy Committee on Planning, Land Use, and Economic Development Meeting – August 4, 2026
Policy Committee on Planning, Land Use, and Economic Development Meeting – August 4, 2026
The Policy Committee on Planning, Land Use, and Economic Development of the Hawai‘i County Council met on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at 1:33 p.m. at the West Hawai‘i Civic Center in Kailua-Kona. Chair Ashley Kierkiewicz presided. The sole agenda item was Bill 176, which amends the General Plan amendment procedures. The meeting adjourned at 1:53 p.m.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No oral testimony was offered for any agenda item.
Discussion Items
- Bill 176 – General Plan Amendment Procedures: Councilmember Inaba introduced an amendment (Communication 968.5) to the bill. The amendment clarified that the council may adopt the planning director's recommendations as-is, with amendments, or reject them; extended the planning director's review period from 30 to 60 days; and required the planning department to submit a complete legislative history report including summaries of public workshops, comments, and relevant records. The amendment did not include a requirement for the planning department to provide recommendations or a draft plan before initiating the comprehensive review—a policy kept per discussion between Chair Kierkiewicz and Councilmember Inaba.
- Planning Director Jeff Darrow expressed concern about Section 16A, subsections 1 and 2, arguing it would be difficult for the department to produce a draft plan or amendment recommendations at the start of the process without first receiving input from other agencies and the public. He requested a change to that section.
- Councilmembers debated the timing and clarity of the requirement. Councilmember Kimball noted the need for a clear direction before public outreach. Councilmember Hustace questioned the interpretation of the section. Councilmember Inaba argued that prior consultation could occur and that providing a draft or recommended amendments at initiation gives the public and council a solid starting point.
- Chair Kierkiewicz stated for the record that the intention of Section 16A is to produce either recommended amendments to the current plan (subsection A1A) or a draft new plan (subsection A1B), not mere recommendations. She emphasized this interpretation for future reference.
- Councilmember Kimball suggested wordsmithing the section for clarity.
Key Outcomes
- Amendment to Bill 176: Councilmember Inaba’s motion to amend the bill with Communication 968.5 passed unanimously (8 ayes, 0 nays, 1 excused – Councilmember Onishi).
- Final Vote on Bill 176: The bill as amended was forwarded to the full county council with a favorable recommendation. The roll call vote was 6 in favor (Councilmembers Kimball, Villegas, Inaba, Hustace, Kagiwada, and Kierkiewicz), 1 opposed (Councilmember Galimba), and 2 absent (Councilmembers Kaneali‘i-Kleinfelder and Onishi).
- Next Step: Bill 176 proceeds to the full council for first reading.
Meeting Transcript
Aloha and good afternoon. Welcome to the 28th session of the Policy Committee on Planning, Land Use and Economic Development. Today is Tuesday, August 4th, 2026. I am calling this meeting to order at 1.33 p.m. The committee is meeting in the West Tawaii Civic Center, Kona Chambers. Present for our committee today are Councilmember is Heather Kimball, Michelle Galimba, Rebecca Viegus, Matt Kennelly E. Kleinfelder, Holeka Inaba, Fresh O Nishi will be joining us shortly. James Eustace and Jennifer Kagiwada. My name is Ashley Kirkowitz, Chair and Presiding Officer. At this time, we will take statements from the public. Any testifiers. Thank you, Committee Chair Kirkowitz. We do not have any testifiers for this committee. So we may proceed with Bill 166 if you so desire. Please proceed. Thank you. Bill 176 amends chapter 16, Article 1 of the Hawaii County Code 1983, 2016 as amended relating to the general plan. Establishes amendment procedures for the general plan, including a comprehensive review every 10 years and inter amendments describes powers and duties of the planning director and planning commissions. This is introduced by Council Brazinaba and Kirkowitz. This matter is postponed July 22, 2026. And you do have a motion on the floor by Councilmember Inaba, seconded by Councilmember Oneishi to recommend passage of Bill 176 on first reading. Thank you, Chair and Alba. Thank you. Move to amend Bill 176 with the contents of communication 968.5. Thank you. There's a motion by Councilmember Inaba and a second by Councilmember Fiegas. I thank you. Based on the feedback provided by this body at our first committee meeting to hear Bill 176, the amendment 968.5 clarifies that the council can adopt the director's recommendations as is, adopt with amendments or reject the recommendations. So that's section 16-C. And then we move on to section 16-d of the bill, again clarifying that we can adopt with or without amendments. So those language that language is mirrored. And then finally in section 16E, we speak to sorry, not finally. Section 16E clarifies regarding the planning director's concerns about minutes not existing for public workshops, but that the director and the planning department submit to council a complete legislative history report, providing a summary of each of the public workshops, any of the topics presented, public comments and recommendations received, and any associated records or materials maintained the maintained by the department, and then clarifying that the pertinent minutes and associated records of any of our committee or official council meetings be included. So again, that's to allow one comprehensive document that tracks the whole process once it is complete and adopted or rejected by the council. And the last part, the director had uh requested that the planning director be granted 60 days to review prior to sending things on to the planning commissions, and we have included that. So changing it from 30 in the bill to 60 days, which is the current or was the current process based on the last comprehensive review. So what is not included in this amendment that the director had discussed last time was not having or not requiring the department to come with either the recommendations or a draft report prior to the initiation. And again, that's something that this body discussed, and it's a policy uh the council member Kirkowitz and I felt should remain as it currently is drafted in the bill, and that allows us some type of direction when the director um puts out the public notice for initiation of the general plan. We know what that process is going to look like. It's either the recommendations for slight amendments to the current plan are provided or the draft of the new plan. Uh and again, all of the process for receiving public commentary on those plan on those recommendations or that new draft plan, or things that may not be included in there can be uh received through the public workshop period, as well as um allowing for the creation of that final draft prior to transmittal to the planning commissions. So we did have a conversation, uh councilmember Kirkowitz and I, but felt that it's best for us to have a good starting point. And again, this is a planning department initiated process, so we felt it was important to have a good starting point and really give the idea to the public of where we're heading uh when we initiate a comprehensive review. So happy to take any questions on this amendment, but to ask for your support, Mahalo. Thank you for taking care of those amendments for us. Any questions or comments on the amendment? Okay. Seeing none, all those in favor, please say aye. Any opposed? Motion carries with eight I votes.
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