Honolulu Zoning and Planning Committee Meeting - June 26, 2026
Honolulu Zoning and Planning Committee Meeting - June 26, 2026
The Honolulu Zoning and Planning Committee met on June 26, 2026, to consider several resolutions and a bill. Key actions included accepting a gift, postponing a resolution on large detached dwellings, approving two conservation easements with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and advancing a controversial state land use boundary amendment for a proposed housing development in Haleiwa. The meeting featured extensive public testimony, with strong support for the conservation easements and overwhelming opposition to the Haleiwa boundary amendment.
Consent Calendar
- Resolution 26-140: Unanimously accepted a gift of travel expenses valued at $659.60 from the Hawaii County Planning Department for three Department of Planning and Permitting branch chiefs to attend a regional planning focus group in Hilo. The resolution was amended to a CD1 and reported out for adoption.
Public Comments & Testimony
-
Resolution 26-134 (Kipuka Okalaiwila Conservation Easement): Multiple testifiers expressed strong support, including:
- Summer Silva (CEO, Office of Hawaiian Affairs) highlighted OHA's commitment to stewardship and partnership.
- Raina Ramaletti (Trust for Public Land) and Adam Borrello (North Shore Community Land Trust) detailed the ecological and cultural significance of the 171-acre property.
- Kaliko Picaro (Chair, Clean Water and Natural Lands Commission) endorsed the project.
- Denise Antolini (former commission chair) called the vote historic.
- Academics and community members emphasized educational opportunities and the importance of protecting the coastal dune ecosystem.
- No opposition was voiced.
-
Resolution 26-151 (Wailupe Conservation Easement): Testifiers overwhelmingly supported the acquisition, including:
- Healani Sonora-Pale (Pu'ohonua O Wailupe) and board members described the cultural significance of the 2.9-acre site with burial caves and ceremonial pits.
- Community members, teachers, and neighbors praised the collaborative effort to protect iwi kupuna.
- No opposition was voiced.
-
Bill 37 (Haleiwa Boundary Amendment): Testimony was heavily divided:
- Supporters: Mostly members of the Hawaii Regional Council of Carpenters (e.g., Sam Kim, Jason Robichau, Mark Anthony Clemente) argued that the bill is a necessary first step for housing, that the site is not viable for agriculture, and that details will be refined in later stages. They emphasized the need for workforce housing.
- Opponents: Over 2,000 written testimonies and numerous in-person and remote speakers (e.g., Kathleen Pahinui, Denise Antolini, Barbara Lupo, Cheryl Matsumoto, Raquel Achiu) cited:
- Traffic congestion and single evacuation route (one road in/out) compounded by tsunami evacuation concerns.
- Flood risks and inadequate infrastructure.
- Inconsistency with the North Shore Sustainable Communities Plan's rural character.
- Loss of agricultural land and potential for gentrification.
- Lack of community support despite requests for the applicant to engage more.
Discussion Items
-
Resolution 26-150 (Large Detached Dwellings): Vice Chair Waters introduced the resolution to close a loophole in floor area ratio calculations for monster homes. The committee postponed action to July 16, 2026, to allow the Department of Planning and Permitting more time to review.
-
Resolution 26-134 (Kipuka Okalaiwila): Chair Kia Aina provided a detailed overview of the 170-acre conservation easement, involving OHA, Trust for Public Land, and North Shore Community Land Trust. The CD1 version capped city funding at $14 million, required due diligence, and included reporting requirements. Councilmember Tupola asked about maintenance costs, and North Shore Land Trust noted ongoing discussions with OHA. The committee heard from OHA's CEO and the project partners.
-
Resolution 26-151 (Wailupe): Healani Sonora-Pale presented the 2.9-acre site with burial sites and cultural resources. The CD1 version clarified the acquisition structure and added reporting requirements. Councilmember Waters praised the community effort and thanked the developer for cooperating. The committee approved the CD1 and reported the resolution out.
-
Bill 37 (Haleiwa Boundary Amendment): Chair Kia Aina reviewed the bill's history, noting that the city's Department of Housing and Land Management declined to acquire the property but supported residential development. The applicant, Jim Hayes (Planning Solutions), presented the site's suitability for infill housing within the community growth boundary. Councilmember Tupola criticized the applicant for not making requested changes (removing the conceptual drawing or shifting to rural residential density) and for failing to rally community support. Councilmember Waters expressed support, citing the potential for a mobility hub and the need for housing. Chair Kia Aina asked the landowner's representative if they would consider sale to the city via the Clean Water and Natural Lands Fund; the representative declined. Councilmembers debated the plan's consistency with the North Shore Sustainable Communities Plan and the impacts of recent natural disasters.
Key Outcomes
- Resolution 26-140 CD1: Reported out for adoption (unanimous).
- Resolution 26-150: Action postponed to July 16, 2026.
- Resolution 26-134 CD1: Reported out for adoption (unanimous).
- Resolution 26-151 CD1: Reported out for adoption (unanimous).
- Bill 37 CD1: Reported out for third reading with a vote of 3-2 (Chair Kia Aina, Vice Chair Waters, and Councilmember Okimoto in favor; Councilmembers Tupola and Cordero opposed). The bill will proceed to the full council for final passage.
Meeting Transcript
Aloha and good morning, everyone. It is Thursday, June 25th, 2026. And the time is now 9.02 a.m. Will the committee on zoning and planning please come to order. I would like to welcome the following committee members. Councilmember Cordero, Councilmember Okimoto, and Councilmember Tupola. And entering the chamber now is uh Vice Chair Waters. Although remote verbal testimony is being permitted, this is a regular in-person meeting and not a remote meeting by interactive conference technology under HRS 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 video conference or phone. Before testifying, each person shall state their name for the record. Each speaker may not have anyone else read their statement and would be limited to a one minute presentation per item. Or 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. Once in-person testimony is concluded, I would proceed to the remote testifiers. When I call your name or the last three digits of your phone number, please follow the prompts to unmute. As both English and Hawaiian are official languages of the state of Hawaii, pursuant to Article 15, Section 4 of the Hawaii State Constitution and Section 1313 of the Hawaii revised statutes. Members of the public may testify in either language for verbal testimonies offered in Olelo, 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 in the posted agenda. As a courtesy, please turn off or silence all cell phones for the duration of this meeting. Thank you. For moving to agenda item number one for action, resolution 26-140. This resolution accepts a gift to the city of travel and related expenses valued at $659.60 from the Hawaii County Planning Department for three Department of Planning and Permitting Branch Chiefs to attend the regional planning focus group in Hilo, Hawaii, which was held on June 10th, 2026. The purpose of the focus group was to share practical experiences regarding long range and regional planning. We have posted on the agenda a technical CD1 version of the resolution, which I submitted for your information. A summary of the amendments is listed on the agenda. Before I call up the administration, I would like to take public testimony. Proceeding first with in-person testimony. Clerks, do we have any in-person testifiers? Chair, there are none. Is there anyone else in the council chamber who would like to testify? Seeing none, please uh proceeding with remote testimony. Clerks, do we have any remote testifiers for this item? Chair, there are none. And if anyone is standing by online, please raise your hand. Seeing none uh for the administration, we have Don Takiu Chapuna, Director of the Department of Planning and Permitting. Good morning, Chair, members of the committee. We are supportive of this resolution. Thank you. Members, do we have any questions? If not, the chair recommends that resolution 26-140 be amended to the post it CD1. Any discussion, any objections or reservations, hearing none, the resolution has been amended to a CD1. The chair then recommends that resolution 26-140 CD1 be reported out for adoption. Any discussion, any objections or reservations, hearing none so ordered. Moving to agenda item number two for action, resolution 26-150. This resolution directed the director of the Department of Planning and Permitting to process a council initiated amendment to the land use ordinance, ROH chapter 21 relating to large attached dwellings. Amendments to the land use ordinance proposed by the council are processed by the Department of Planning and Permitting and reviewed by the Planning Commission. The department's report and commission's recommendations are then transmitted to the council for action on the proposal.
openpublica.com