Honolulu Zoning and Planning Committee Meeting - September 23, 2025
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Honolulu City Council Committee on Zoning and Planning Meeting - September 23, 2025
The Committee on Zoning and Planning met on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at 1:02 PM to consider several resolutions, bills, and discussion items related to historic preservation appointments, special management area permits, a special improvement district, and potential changes to permit notification requirements. The meeting was chaired by Chair Kia Aina, with Vice Chair Waters and members Councilmembers Tupola, Okimoto, Cordero, and Wara (also referred to as Councilmember Wire) in attendance.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Edward Jones (on behalf of Costro) testified in opposition to Bill 62 unless short-term rental allowance on same residential lot is clarified, citing the mayor's direction and urging a separate bill. Chair did not commit to introducing such a bill at that hearing.
- Margaret Oronde testified that the $1,000 re-registration fee for changes in operator is excessive and that current restrictions are unconstitutional, warning of potential regulatory takings claims.
- Cole McLullan (American Town Lodging Association/Hawaii Hotel Alliance) offered comments in support of Bill 62, noting it cleans up enforcement needs.
- Angela Melody Young (CARES) testified neutral on Bill 62, commenting on insurance and HOA requirements.
- Kelly Lee (Oahu Short-Term Rental Alliance) strongly supported Bill 62 but requested amendment to remove the $1,000 re-registration trigger for operator changes.
- Bradley Ramos (Captain Cook Resorts/Oahu Short-Term Rental Alliance) echoed Kelly Lee's concerns on re-registration fees.
- Kikoa McClellan (Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu) testified in support of Bill 51 (SID expansion) and thanked the chair for the exemption amendment.
- Raquel Achu (North Shore resident) testified in support of Bill 56 and Resolution 25-228, stating that developers are abusing SMA minors and CUPs (e.g., gondola project) and that communities need notification at application stage.
- Kathleen Pahinui (Chair, North Shore Neighborhood Board) asked for a heads-up on SMA minors/notifications at application stage, not after decision.
- Jim Hayes (as citizen and developer representative) opposed Bill 56 but supported adding agribusiness to CUP notification requirements, noting that agribusiness developers often bend rules.
Discussion Items
- Appointments to Oahu Historic Preservation Commission: Resolutions 25-238 (Mahilani Seifer) and 25-237 (Catherine Stevens) were both amended to CD1 with technical corrections and reported out for adoption. Both appointees spoke about their experience and desire to complete rulemaking and educate the public. DPP (Michael Catt) supported both nominees.
- Bill 62 (2025) – Bed and Breakfast/Transient Vacation Unit Amendments: The bill corrects inadvertent omissions from Ordinance 25-2, primarily registration requirements. The chair proposed a verbal amendment (CD1) to replace four black-and-white figures with high-resolution color versions from Ordinance 25-2. DPP’s Elizabeth Krieger supported the CD1 and agreed to discuss with the director a separate remedy for the $1,000 re-registration fee trigger for operator changes. The bill was amended to CD1 and reported out for second reading with a public hearing.
- Resolution 25-229 – SMA Major Permit (Sea Turtles Estates): For demolition/construction on a 1.36-acre shoreline lot in Malai Kahana. The chair proposed a verbal amendment to remove condition C1 (requiring a revised cultural impact assessment) because SHPD does not accept such assessments. The agent, Mark Howland, confirmed project plans were revised by a new architect without removing the initial stamp; DPP recommended transparency. Resolution amended to CD1 as further amended and reported out for adoption.
- Resolution 25-230 – SMA Major Permit (Sippen): For a new dwelling on a 29,976 sq ft lot in Kahalu. Conditions included floodway permit, flood insurance, and acknowledgment of sea level rise risk. Agent Mark Holland presented. Resolution amended to CD1 and reported out for adoption.
- Resolution 25-245 – SMA Major Permit (Remington): For additions and a new dwelling on a 31,480 sq ft lot in Malai Kahana. Agent Mark Holland noted an archaeological inventory survey (AIS) has already started. Resolution amended to CD1 and reported out for adoption.
- Resolution 25-246 – SMA Major Permit (AJ Beach LLC): For a new dwelling on a 13,724 sq ft lot in Wailupe. Issues included seawall encroachment into state submerged lands and 3.2 ft sea level rise exposure. Agent Jim Hayes explained BLNR granted a right-of-entry; certified shoreline survey pending. Resolution amended to CD1 and reported out for adoption.
- Bill 51 (2025) – Fort Street Mall Special Improvement District Expansion: The bill expands the district to cover more of downtown and renames it Downtown Honolulu SID No. 2. A hand-carried CD2 (OCS 2025-0776) was distributed, adding an exemption for parcels exempt from real property taxes under ROH 810.9B3. Agent Chris Fong (Trade Wind Capital) presented the need for safety and cleanliness. Managing Director Mike For me testified administration supports the bill and will not reduce city services. Bill amended to CD2 and reported out for third reading.
- Bill 56 (2025) – SMA Minor Permit Notification (Discussion Only): The bill would require neighborhood board presentations for SMA minor permits. DPP’s Elizabeth Krieger opposed, citing that minors are by definition of no substantial adverse effect, and adding a 60-day board notice would extend the 55-day timeline. She noted DPP can already deny minors and elevate to major permits. Councilmember Wara (introducer) suggested electronic posting of applications as an alternative. Public testimony raised concerns about abuse of minors (e.g., gondola project). No vote; discussion only.
- Resolution 25-228 – CUP Minor Permit Notification (Discussion Only): The resolution would direct DPP to amend the LUO to require neighborhood board presentations for all minor CUPs. DPP recommended focusing only on specific uses like agribusiness and agritourism (currently not on the list requiring board notice) rather than across the board. Councilmember Wara indicated openness to narrower amendments. Public testimony highlighted the gondola project as an example of CUP minor abuse. No vote; discussion only.
Key Outcomes
- Resolutions 25-238 and 25-237: Both amended to CD1 and reported out for adoption (unanimous).
- Bill 62 (2025): Amended to CD1 (figure replacements) and reported out for second reading and public hearing (unanimous). Chair noted commitment to pursue a separate remedy for the re-registration fee trigger with DPP.
- Resolutions 25-229, 25-230, 25-245, 25-246: All amended to CD1 (with verbal amendment to 25-230 removing condition C1) and reported out for adoption (unanimous).
- Bill 51 (2025): Amended to hand-carried CD2 and reported out for third reading (unanimous).
- Bill 56 and Resolution 25-228: Discussion only; no action taken. Committee members and administration agreed to explore more targeted notification approaches (e.g., online posting or adding specific uses like agribusiness to CUP notification list). North Shore Neighborhood Board will provide feedback at their October meeting.
Meeting Transcript
It is Tuesday, September 23rd, 2025. And the time is now 102 p.m. Will the committee on zoning and planning meeting please come to order. I would like to welcome committee members. I understand Vice Chair Waters should be coming coming here shortly. Although remote verbal testimony is being permitted, this is a regular in-person meeting and not a remote meeting by interactive conference technology under HRF section 92-3.7. Therefore, the meeting will continue notwithstanding loss of audio visual communication with remote testifiers or loss of the public broadcast of the meeting. Members of the public will be allowed to provide verbal testimony on all items on the agenda when each item is taken up in two ways in person in the council chamber and remotely via televideo conference or phone. Before testifying, each person shall state their name for the record. Each speaker will be limited to a one-minute presentation per item. All persons who register to testify in person will be called upon first. Persons who did not register will be given an opportunity to offer testimony after the registered testifiers. As both English and Hawaiian are official languages of the state of Hawaii, pursuant to Article 515, Section 4 of the Hawaii State Constitution and Section 113 of the Hawaii revised statutes. Members of the public may testify in either language. For verbal testimonies, offer it in Olalo, Hawaii. Additional time as may be necessary will be allowed for the testifier to provide an English translation of their testimony. Written testimonies, including the testifier's address, email address, and phone number will be available to the public as described on the posted agenda. As a courtesy, please turn off or silence all cell phones for the duration of this meeting. As you know, we have the bill and the attached plan. Moving to agenda item number one for action. Ms. Seifer was first appointed to the commission in 2023 for a two-year term, and it's an extremely knowledgeable in Native Hawaiian history and culture. Members, we have posted on the agenda a proposed CD1 version of the resolution, which I submitted for your information. A summary of the amendments is listed on the agenda. The CD1 makes technical amendments, including formatting changes, correcting typographical errors, and referencing the mayor's um message number. I would like to call up the appointee to say a few words. Aloha Mahilani, could you please uh introduce yourself and share a little about your current and envisioned uh future role on the commission? Aloha Mikeako Mahala for inviting me here today to offer whatever I may have to share with you. Um I'm really excited about this commission continuing to work to establish itself to show how it can help with historic preservation matters before the city. Um I'm hoping we can complete our rulemaking in the next uh few months. And there's other things that are on our plans and agenda that uh we hope will help the city in all of the things that are needed to carry out what was desired when the commission was first established. So if you have any questions, I'm here to answer the best I can. Members, any questions and welcome uh Chair Waters as well as Councilmember Dosanzo's town. I have one more thing to add. When we first proposed the commission in 1992, I think it was. Um study the history of your area because the community loves it. When you tell them what happened in their neighborhoods, they you know really light and light up. They love to hear the stories of old Hawaii before Western contact. So every community has exciting historic places. Thank you. You know, that's a great idea. I'm wondering at the appropriate time. Uh perhaps we can have an informational briefing. And uh maybe we'll have a huakai here in the city council, whereby you take a tour around the island and maybe uh talk about the unique history of each of our districts. That would be really fun. Okay, thank you for the recommendation. Thank you. Before I call up the administration, I would like to take public testimony. Proceeding first with in-person testimony in the council chamber. Clerks, do we have any in-person testifiers for this item?
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