Honolulu Zoning & Planning Committee Meeting - July 16, 2026
Honolulu Zoning & Planning Committee Meeting - July 16, 2026
The Committee on Zoning and Planning met on July 16, 2026, at 9:04 AM HST to consider four agenda items: an extension of time for a rezoning bill, two resolutions urging a ban on commercial aquarium collection, and a resolution granting a special management area permit for a subsea fiber optic cable project. The meeting included public testimony in person and remotely, discussions among council members, and votes on all action items.
Consent Calendar
- [No consent calendar items were on the agenda.]
Public Comments & Testimony
- Item 1 (Extension of Time for Bill 43): No public testimony was offered.
- Items 2 & 3 (Resolutions 26-159 & 26-160 on Aquarium Collection): Numerous testifiers spoke both in support and opposition. Supporters included Drew Hara (Earth Justice), Gail Grabowsky (dean, Shamanad University), Lena Alalei (Office of Hawaiian Affairs), Mike Nakachi (Mōʻo Hana), Lisa Bishop (Friends of Hanauma Bay), Jill Zamzow (PhD in zoology, NOAA researcher), Renee Umberger (For the Fishes), Elena Bryant (cultural practitioner), Kimiāʻona Kāne (Waimānalo Neighborhood Board chair), and Topher Dean (Clean the Pacific). They argued that the practice is ecologically harmful, that aquaculture can replace wild collection, that the public trust doctrine mandates protection, and that the science shows herbivore populations are declining. Opponents included Ron Tubbs, Eric Koch (Big Island resident), Nick Ramirez, and others who argued the fishery is sustainable, supported by DLNR, and that a ban is unconstitutional and would harm local families. Councilmember Wire noted the closure has been in effect since 2021, so no businesses are currently operating legally.
- Item 4 (Resolution 26-165 - SMA Permit): One remote testifier, Kimiāʻona Kāne, spoke in support, emphasizing the importance of including cultural monitors (not just archaeologists) in archaeological monitoring and commending the resolution's protective conditions.
Discussion Items
- Item 1: Extension of Time for Bill 43 (Rezoning 69-099 Waiālua Beach Road): Committee Chair Kia‘āina recommended a 120-day extension to allow more time to consider the measure. The Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP), represented by Dina Wong, expressed support. The motion passed without objection.
- Items 2 & 3: Resolutions 26-159 and 26-160 (Banning Commercial Aquarium Collection): These resolutions, introduced by Councilmembers Wire and Dos Santos Tam, were taken up separately but discussed similarly. Resolution 26-159 urges the Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) to adopt rules prohibiting commercial aquarium collection statewide. Resolution 26-160 urges the state legislature to pass a law to the same effect. Councilmember Wire emphasized solidarity with other counties, the need to protect reefs from bleaching and invasive species, and that the closure has been in effect for five years with no current legal collection. Councilmember Dos Santos Tam noted his long-standing support for a ban. The chair recommended both resolutions be reported out for adoption; both passed without objection.
- Item 4: Resolution 26-165 - SMA Major Permit for Subsea Fiber Optic Cables: The applicant, represented by Jojo Asuncion (Google LLC), presented plans to land three new transpacific subsea fiber optic cables at Barbers Point Beach Park using horizontal directional drilling (HDD) to minimize surface disruption. The project is part of the Pacific Connect initiative and aims to improve connectivity in Hawaii and the Pacific Islands. The proposed CD1 amendments require SHPD acceptance of the archaeological monitoring plan and a condition to stop work if monk seals or sea turtles are within 150 feet. Discussion focused on the absence of a data center at the UH West Oahu landing station, the community benefit package (still under negotiation with the city), and the importance of including cultural monitors. DPP director Donna Wong confirmed department support.
Key Outcomes
- Bill 43 (Rezoning): Granted a 120-day extension of time for council action; motion passed without objection.
- Resolution 26-159 (Urging BLNR to Ban Commercial Aquarium Collection): Recommended for adoption; passed without objection.
- Resolution 26-160 (Urging State Legislature to Ban Commercial Aquarium Collection): Recommended for adoption; passed without objection.
- Resolution 26-165 (SMA Permit for Subsea Cables): Amended via hand-carried CD1 and recommended for adoption; passed without objection.
Meeting Transcript
Aloha and good morning, everyone. It is Thursday, July sixteenth, twenty twenty-six, and the time is nine oh four AM. Will the committee on zoning and planning meeting please come to order. I would like to welcome the following committee members. Committee Vice Chair Waters, Councilmember Cordero, and Councilmember Okimoto. Councilmember Topola is excused from today's meeting. 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. Therefore, the meeting will continue, notwithstanding loss of audiovisual communication with remote testifiers or loss of the public broadcast of the meeting. Persons who did not register will be given an opportunity to offer testimony after the registered testifiers. For verbal testimonies, offer it in Olala 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. Moving to agenda item number one for extension of time only. Members, the first item on our agenda is to prove an extension of time only for Bill 43 2026. Verbal testimony will be limited to comments on the extension of time only, and we will not be discussing the substantive provisions of the bill at today's meeting. Bill 43 2026, this bill rezones 1.431 acres of land located on 69-099 Wayalua Beach Road in Pa'ala Paalaa, Kai Wayalua identified as tax map key 66018-024 from the country district to the R5 residential district. I will be recommending a 120-day extension of the deadline for council action on this bill to give the committee more time to consider the measure. Members, for your information, the written request for 100-day, 20-day extension of time is available online as miscellaneous communication 299 2026. I also wanted to acknowledge the presence of Councilmembers Wire as well as Dos Santos TAM. 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 you have any in-person testifiers for this item? Chair, there are none. Is there anyone standing by remotely? Chair there are none. Chair. Before we uh go any further, can I just wish you a happy birthday? Your beautiful liaison just hope we have a wonderful day today. Awesome. Thank you. Let's see. So no in-person or remote testifiers. Uh for the administration, we have the Department of Planning and Permitting. Good morning, Chair Kia Aina, Vice Chair Waters, and happy birthday to you. Um, the department is in support of the 120-day experience. Can you identify yourself? Oh, apologies, Dina Wong, um, chief planner for DPP's planning division. Thank you. Members, any questions for uh department? If not, I'm gonna move forward with my recommendation. Uh, the chair notes that the time needed to consider Bill 43 2026 may exceed the current deadline for council action. The chair therefore recommends that the bill be granted a 120-day extension of time, pursuant to a request from the applicant's agent and miscellaneous communication 299 2026. Any discussion, any objections or reservations, hearing none so ordered. Moving to agenda item number two for action. Resolution 26-159. This resolution urges the state board of land and natural resources to direct the Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources to adopt rules prohibiting the harvest of aquatic life from State of Hawaii Marine waters for commercial aquarium purposes. In 2017, the Hawaii Supreme Court determined that permits for commercial aquarium fishing using fine meshed nets are invalid until the state completes an environmental review under HRS Chapter 343. The Department of Land and Natural Resources subsequently discontinued renewing or issuing new aquarium fishing permits pending environmental review.
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