Honolulu City Council Meeting - November 5, 2025
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Honolulu City Council Meeting - November 5, 2025
The Honolulu City Council convened on November 5, 2025, at 10:00 AM for a full meeting that included a message of aloha, appointment confirmations, first reading of bills, committee reports, and a major debate on a resolution regarding a conditional use permit for a proposed gondola project on Mount Ka'ala. The meeting, conducted as a remote interactive conference, lasted into the afternoon with extensive public testimony on several items.
Opening & Message of Aloha
- Councilmember Cordero introduced Ashley Loa, who delivered a message of aloha centered on commitment, compassion, and community.
- A moment of silence was observed for Maui County Council Member Tasha Kama.
- Roll call: 9 members present (Cordero, Dos Santos Tam, Kia Aina, Nishimoto, Okimoto, Talba, Tupola, Wire, and Chair Waters).
Appointments & Confirmations
- Resolution 25-283 (Jody Libed to Board of Review for Real Property Tax Appeals) – Referred to Budget Committee.
- Resolution 25-289 (Bradley Romain to Climate Change Commission) – Referred to Energy, Environment, and Sustainability Committee.
- Resolution 25-290 (Blake Lee Parsons to Police Commission) – Referred to Public Safety Committee. Public testimony in support from Shelby Pikachu Billionaire.
- Resolution 25-292 (Anna Nubar to Citizens Advisory Commission on Emergency Management) – Referred to Public Safety and Economy Committee.
- Resolution 25-293 (Shelton Jim On to Ethics Commission) – Referred to International and Legal Affairs Committee.
- Resolution 25-294 (Mark Anthony Clemente to Planning Commission) – Referred to Zoning and Planning Committee. Public testimony in support.
- Resolution 25-295 (Catherine Chang to Board of Parks and Recreation) – Referred to Housing, Homelessness, and Parks Committee.
- Resolution 25-296 (Jeffrey Laopola to Board of Water Supply) – Referred to Energy, Environment, and Sustainability Committee. Manager and Chief Engineer Ernie Lau testified in support.
- Resolution 25-297 (Edmund K.B. Hyun to Liquor Commission) – Referred to Budget Committee.
- Resolution 25-298 (Carla Hauser to Board of Parks and Recreation) – Referred to Housing, Homelessness, and Parks Committee. Public testimony in opposition from Kalei and Austin Salcido, citing concerns about conflict of interest and a youth facility project. Councilmember Tupola spoke in support of Hauser, noting her volunteer work and the separation of the issue from her board role.
First Reading Bills (Pages 9-11)
- Bill 67 (Real Property Taxation) – Public testimony in support and opposition; some testifiers requested tax relief for kupuna and locals.
- Bill 68 (Real Property Taxation) – No testimony.
- Bill 69 (Parks and Playgrounds – Dog Parks) – No testimony.
- Bill 70 (Parks and Playgrounds) – Councilmember Tupola explained it allows park dedications for dog parks. Councilmember Cordero noted it had gone through the planning commission.
- Bill 71 (Shared Streets) – No testimony.
- Bill 72 (Affordable Rental Housing) – Councilmember Kia Aina expressed concerns about removing restrictions; Councilmember Dos Santos Tam noted it came from the Bill 7 working group.
- Bill 73 (Transportation) – Councilmember Kia Aina opposed allowing bicycles on sidewalks outside business districts; Councilmember Dos Santos Tam clarified it is a cleanup bill to define prohibited areas. Councilmember Tupola suggested revisiting code for rural areas.
- All first reading bills passed with reservations noted from multiple members.
Committee Reports – Second and Third Reading
- CR 338 / Bill 64 (Appropriations) – Passed second reading on a roll call vote of 8 ayes, 1 no (Councilmember Wire opposed, citing concerns about creating additional work for BFS; Director Andy Kawano testified in opposition).
- CR 339 / Bill 65 CD1 (Budget Execution) – Passed second reading on a roll call vote of 8 ayes, 1 no (Councilmember Wire opposed; Director Kawano opposed the bill as duplicative).
- CR 347 / Bill 48 (Pedestrian Malls in Downtown Honolulu) – Passed second reading 9-0.
- CR 336 / Bill 59 CD1 (Sewer Service Charges) – Passed third reading 8-0 (one absent). Director Roger Babcock explained it cleans up language related to high-strength waste charges, not affecting residential rates.
- CR 337 / Bill 61 CD1 (Real Property Taxation) – Passed third reading 8-0.
- CR 348 / Bill 62 CD1 (Bed and Breakfast Homes and TVU Standards) – Passed third reading 8-0. Public testimony requested a carve-out for resident hosts and objected to the 90-day minimum.
- CR 357 / Bill 5 CD2 (Animal Recovery) – Passed third reading 8-0. Councilmember Tupola praised the transition to a procurement-based RFP process.
- CR 340 / Resolution 25-262 (Fair Box Recovery Ratio for Bus System) – Adopted.
- CR 341 / Resolution 25-284 (Collective Bargaining for Police Officers) – Adopted. Public testimony in support.
- CR 342 / Resolution 25-285 (Transfer of Funds) – Adopted.
- CR 343 / Resolution 25-287 CD1 (Transfer of Funds for DPR MSS) – Adopted. Councilmember Cordero asked about the use of funds; Deputy Director responded it is for court resurfacing and other projects.
- CR 344 / Resolution 25-291 (Additional Funds for Special Counsel) – Adopted.
- CR 349 / Resolution 25-253 CD1 (SMA Major Permit – Haleiwa) – Adopted 9-0. Councilmember Wire had reservations.
- CR 350 / Resolution 25-254 CD1 (SMA Major Permit – Haleiwa) – Adopted 9-0.
- CR 351 / Resolution 25-260 CD1 (SMA Major Permit – Waialae Kahala) – Adopted 9-0.
- CR 352 / Resolution 25-261 CD1 (Extension for Pupukea Commercial Center) – Adopted. Public testimony in support from Denise Antellini of Safe Sharks Cove Coalition.
- CR 353 / Resolution 25-269 CD1 (SMA Major Permit – Hawaii Kai Bank) – Adopted 9-0.
- CR 354 / Resolution 25-288 (Affordable Housing Requirements for Sky Ala Moana) – Adopted. Councilmember Tupola explained it allows renting unsold units at 80% AMI to prevent displacement.
- CR 355 / Resolution 25-257 CD1 (Video Monitoring for Honolulu Marathon) – Adopted.
- CR 356 / Resolution 25-286 (Gift of Thanksgiving Meals for Firefighters) – Adopted. Public testimony in support.
- Balance of Committee Reports (CR 345 and 346 – lawsuit settlements) – Adopted on a roll call vote of 8 ayes, 1 no (Councilmember Cordero voted no). Councilmember Kia Aina had reservations on CR 345, stating that individuals who do not respect Hawaii's culture should reconsider living here.
New Business
- Resolution 25-282 (Amendment to FTA/FHWA Candidate Projects List) – Adopted.
- Resolution 25-300 (Gift for Councilmember Dos Santos Tam to attend NACo Opioid Solutions Event) – Adopted.
- Resolution 25-304 (Gift for Councilmember Dos Santos Tam to attend Abundant Leadership Fellowship) – Adopted.
Major Discussion: Resolution 25-305 (Kamana Nui Conditional Use Permit)
- Motion to amend (FD1 correcting a typo) passed.
- Public testimony was extensive, with over 30 speakers (in-person and remote) overwhelmingly supporting the resolution and opposing the gondola project. Testifiers included community members, farmers, Native Hawaiian leaders, and representatives from neighborhood boards. Key points: the project is not agricultural but a commercial tourism venture; safety concerns near Schofield Barracks (unexploded ordnance, shrapnel); failure to meet original CUP conditions (tree planting, cattle grazing, crop cultivation); lack of community engagement; cultural and historical significance of Mount Ka'ala; and opposition from the U.S. Army Garrison, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and Kokua Hawaii Foundation. The developer's representative did not testify. The public submitted 2,258 testimonies in support, 30 opposed, and 7 comments.
- Council discussion: Councilmembers Wire, Kia Aina, Tupola, and Chair Waters spoke in support, emphasizing the resolution's request that the Director of Planning and Permitting (DPP) revoke the CUP or deny modifications. Director Donna Puna confirmed that DPP is aware of the opposition and will review all information, including the original permit conditions, and expects to make a decision within November 2025. Chair Waters questioned DPP about the applicant's failure to meet conditions (e.g., planting 20 acres of trees per year since 2019) and the director's authority to void the permit. Councilmember Tupola noted that the resolution cites the Pa'akai v. Land Use Commission framework requiring protection of cultural resources.
- Outcome: Resolution 25-305 FD1 was adopted unanimously (no objections). The council urged DPP to revoke the CUP or deny modifications, and Chair Waters indicated he would file a petition for revocation if DPP does not act.
Other Items
- Resolution 25-306 FD1 (Gift of Giant Lantern for Honolulu City Lights) – Adopted after amendment.
- Resolution 25-308 (2026 Hawaii State Association of Counties Legislative Package) – Adopted. One public testimony in opposition.
Key Outcomes
- 9 appointments were referred to committees for further consideration.
- 7 bills passed first reading (Bills 67-73).
- 13 bills/resolutions passed second or third reading (Bills 48, 59, 61, 62, 5, 64, 65; Resolutions 25-262, 25-284, 25-285, 25-287, 25-291, 25-288, 25-257, 25-286).
- 6 special management area permits were approved (Resolutions 25-253, 25-254, 25-260, 25-261, 25-269, 25-288).
- Resolution 25-305 was adopted, calling on DPP to revoke or modify the conditional use permit for the Kamana Nui agribusiness/gondola project.
- Two lawsuit settlements were authorized (CR 345 and 346), with Councilmember Cordero voting no on both.
- Meeting adjourned at approximately 4:30 PM, to reconvene December 3, 2025, at 10:00 AM.
Meeting Transcript
Aloha and good morning, everyone. Councilmember Cordero, can you please lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance? Our nation, under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. Thank you so much. Councilmember Cordero, would you like to introduce our guest for the message of Aloha? Absolutely. Members, community, and everyone watching online, I would like to welcome to the council chambers, our message of Aloha deliverer. Today we have Ashley Loa. Ashley Loa's professional career includes nearly ten years of nonprofit experience, which more than half of which was held in executive leadership positions. Prior to her current role as the director of operations at Hawaiian Community Assets, Ashley served as executive director of an interfaith grassroots organizing nonprofit. And then for another nonprofit focused on peace building. Ashley has the honor of serving on the board of directors for the legal clinic, the advisory board of Shade Institute, and her daughter's school community councils, plural. Informally though, Ashley continues to show up whenever she is needed, and I definitely am witness and bear fruit to that. So Mahalo Ashley. Number one, aloha is commitment. You all have a hard job. Let me start with that. You did the sign waving, the door knocking, the long walks through your districts, listening to everyone's stories, their hopes, their dreams, their pain points, their vision, and you shared yours with them. Your community shared your hopes, your dreams, and your vision. And it's because of that vision, they committed to your representation of them, and you committed to being their voice in this room. When a bill comes before you, maybe controversial, maybe emotional, and testifiers line up one by one to tell you why they stand in support or opposition, you don't just hear testimony. You hear people's lives and you hold two truths at the same time. Day after day, you make big decisions under pressure, staying steady when faced with opposition, having courage to do what's right even when it's hard, knowing that each decision shapes the future of Honolulu. And when your commitment is on display for all to see, my hope is that aloha shows up both in the way you offer it and in the way it finds its way back to you. Which brings me to number two. Aloha is compassion. I don't know about you, but compassion, I think, is it might be one of the hardest parts of leadership. Because commitment can get us in this room, but compassion is what keeps us human when we're here. It's easy to care when everyone agrees with you. It's harder when voices are angry, your inbox is overflowing, the meetings are running long, and you're just exhausted. But that's when compassion matters the most. When you're tired, when the room is loud and you still choose to listen. I wasn't sure how I'd weave in some of the items coming up for hearings today, but I think the bottom line is this. Behind every resolution and bill is someone's story, and budgets reflect our values. Leading with aloha isn't about whose voice is the loudest, it's about whose voices are lifted. And that's when compassion evolves into something bigger. Which brings me to number three. Aloha is community. Community reminds us that we are not separate, that our stories and our decisions are intertwined. Centering other people's stories, their truths, allows us to expand our understanding of what's possible. After going back and forth for a bit, the board chair leaned back and asked me, what are you hoping to get out of this out of being on this board? I froze. My ears got hot because I was so nervous. My fingers started fidgeting under the table, my toes clenched in my little Rothy Flats. I had to think quick. Fake it till you make it wasn't gonna get me out of this one. After what felt like several minutes, I replied, to be honest, I didn't think about what I get from being on this board. All I could think about was what I could give. I shared the vision, I committed to being a part of the movement, and compassion connects me to and grounds me in community. And like you, I am working toward a future for my daughters.
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