Infrastructure, Transportation, and Technology Committee Meeting - September 23, 2026
City Council — Wednesday, September 23, 2026
BodyHonolulu, Hawaii
SessionCity Council
DateWednesday, September 23, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:14:31
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
1:25
Aloha and good morning, everyone.
1:26
It is 9 31 a.m.
1:28
on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
1:31
And I would like to call the Committee on Infrastructure, Transportation, and Technology to order.
1:38
I would like to welcome a committee vice chair Okimoto as well as members Tupola and Osantos TAM.
1:45
And member Fire is on the way, I believe.
1:52
Pursuant to Section 92-3.7, the Hawaii revised statutes, this meeting will be conducted as a remote meeting by interactive conference technology with the following procedures in effect for the meeting.
2:02
Members of the public will be allowed to provide oral testimony on all items on the agenda in person on the council chamber and remotely when each agenda item is taken up.
2:10
As both English and Hawaiian are official languages of the state F of AI pursuant to the Article 15 section 4 of the state constitution and section 113 of this HRS, members of the public may testify in either language.
2:22
For all testimonies offered in Ola Lohva'i, additional time as may be necessary will be allowed for the testify to provide an English translation of their testimony.
2:46
Persons who have not registered will be given opportunity to testify following the registered testifiers.
3:05
For persons who are testifying by telephone only, I'll identify you by your last three digits of your phone number.
3:11
When your number is called, please test listen for your the prompt to unmute and press star six.
3:30
Please video conference for a quiet location if possible.
3:32
If you're also watching the proceedings on Olelo, please mute your television when you're called to testify.
3:52
Brand testimonies, including the testifier's address, email address, and phone number will be available to the public as described on the posted agenda.
3:58
As a courtly please signs to turn off cell phones for the duration of this meeting.
5:06
We are preparing this rental agreement in accordance with Section 38.3-1 of the RISE ordinances of Honolulu, which allows us to enter into an agreement with no bid to our uh when uh we've purchased the land via amendment domain and we have no further uh use for the land.
5:29
Uh so this we've asked uh because of the extraordinary circumstances uh that having Ms.
5:35
Kalahiva uh on the property has been a great resource to keep the property safe, uh free from uh vagrancy and things of that nature, uh, that we've asked for a three-year term for this uh rental agreement.
5:50
So I'm here along with my staff if you have any questions.
5:54
Mahalo, Miss Young Lee, um administrator Young Lee, I should say.
5:57
Members, are there any questions?
5:58
We have a member to Pola.
6:00
Aloha, thank you for being here.
6:02
Quick question.
6:02
So prior to the three-year agreement we're um discussing today, how many years prior had she been on the property, or was there a previous agreement and for how many years?
6:10
Um there's there's been many agreements.
6:12
She's uh been under agreement since we uh declared in a domain, and I think that was in let me see.
6:19
It is in my notes.
6:23
I think that was in 2018, I believe.
6:28
So she has been under a lease agreement uh all of those years, over 10 years.
6:34
Um my other question is I don't know if it was supposed to be included in a packet, but there's like an exhibit A, and then there's also uh information on protecting your your family's home from lead.
6:45
So is there's a a home, a house on the property that she's living in, and is there some type of relevance to the structure or a bestos or lead in the house?
6:55
Um so there is a structure on the property that is she uses as her residence.
7:00
So, yes, so but there has been the term included in the rental agreement that the um uh after if there uh if she passes that that would not uh pass to or the rental agreement would not pass to any of her survivors.
7:15
So but the house itself is sound, I guess that's the question I have.
7:19
Um so yes, so it has not been declared uh condemned or anything like that.
7:24
Um I believe uh several years ago um we did have DDC go out and look at that area.
7:31
Um, and so it it it has been been deemed safe to live in.
7:35
Okay, thank you.
7:36
Those are my questions.
7:37
Thank you, Chair.
7:37
You're welcome.
7:38
Thank you, member to Paula members.
7:39
Are there any other questions?
7:40
Magistrator Young Lee, I have a question.
7:42
Um so I understand that the appraisal was done by DDC.
7:45
Um is it normally done by DDC or is it also done by BFS?
7:49
Uh no, we uh always ask DDC to do our appraisals for us.
7:53
Okay, thank you.
7:54
And then for the agreement, um I understand that it's with uh concurrence with the Department of Parks and Recreation.
8:01
So is it BFS or DPR that's going to be um I guess managing the actual rental agreement?
8:08
That would be DPR.
8:10
Uh this is parks land.
8:11
So uh just because of the nature of um our work, uh we uh purchasing also has the property management division, and we are uh charged with doing all the leases and agreements for DPR.
8:25
So that's why we're engaged with this one too, as well as DPR.
8:29
But they are the contract administrators for this rental agreement.
8:32
And as a contract administrators, they are the ones who recommend the month-to-month basis rental, correct?
Infrastructure, Transportation, and Technology Committee Meeting - September 23, 2026\n\nThe Committee on Infrastructure, Transportation, and Technology met on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at 9:31 a.m. to consider two agenda items: Resolution 226-209 authorizing a three-year rental agreement with Ms. Kalahiva for property acquired via eminent domain, and an informational briefing on issues with private streets and roads within the City and County of Honolulu. The committee received presentations from the Department of Transportation Services (DTS), Department of Facility Maintenance (DFM), Honolulu Police Department (HPD), and Corporation Counsel. After discussion, Resolution 226-209 was recommended for adoption. No public testimony was received.\n\n### Discussion Items\n\n1. Resolution 226-209 – Rental Agreement with Ms. Kalahiva\nAdministrator Young Lee of the Department of Budget and Fiscal Services (BFS) presented the resolution, which authorizes a three-year rental agreement for property acquired via eminent domain. The property has been under lease since approximately 2018. The agreement is structured as annual terms with a month-to-month renewal after the first year, subject to reappraisal. The Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) will serve as contract administrator. Members questioned the history of the lease, the condition of the residence (deemed safe by DDC inspection), and the rationale for a three-year term. No public testimony was offered. The chair recommended reporting the resolution out for adoption.\n\n2. Informational Briefing – Private Streets and Roads\nDeputy Director Hongli of DTS presented on the complexity of private roads, noting that over 1,000 lane miles (approximately 26% of Oahu’s roadway network) are privately owned. Key issues include ownership determination, maintenance responsibility, traffic code applicability, and enforcement. DTS installs and maintains certain signs (stop, no parking) on private roads for safety. DFM Director Albano clarified that city maintenance on private roads is limited to surface repair (pothole patching) per ROH 14-17.1 and does not extend to subsurface defects. HPD Major Soria presented on enforcement criteria: under HRS 46-16, HPD can enforce traffic laws on private roads that have been continuously used by the public for at least six months. On such roads, HPD can tow vehicles blocking emergency access, investigate collisions, and issue citations. However, routine parking enforcement, HOA covenant violations, and civil disputes are not handled. Abandoned vehicle ordinances apply only if the road qualifies as public access.\n\nMembers raised numerous concerns: the lack of a clear process for city acquisition of private roads (Councilmember Tupola), obstruction of city-installed signs by private trees (Vice Chair Okimoto), the definition of “public roadway” in existing ordinances (Councilmember DeSantis Tam), and the ability of private owners to install unauthorized traffic signs (Chair Cordero). Councilmember Tupola advocated for establishing triggers (e.g., public safety, high usage) for city takeover. Councilmember DeSantis Tam noted that derelict vehicles may be treated as litter under ROH 13-4.4, potentially allowing removal regardless of ownership. Corporation Counsel advised that enforcement depends on specific ordinance language. DTS stated that unauthorized private signs would be removed, but tree obstruction remains difficult without property access.\n\n### Key Outcomes\n- Resolution 226-209: Reported out of committee for adoption by the full council with no objections.\n- Private Streets Briefing: No formal action was taken. Members expressed interest in clarifying ordinances related to private road enforcement, maintenance, and acquisition. The chair suggested reviewing outdated ordinances and encouraged continued coordination among DTS, DFM, DDC, and HPD. No specific timeline for follow-up legislation was set.
Meeting Transcript
Aloha and good morning, everyone. It is 9 31 a.m. on Wednesday, September 23, 2026. And I would like to call the Committee on Infrastructure, Transportation, and Technology to order. I would like to welcome a committee vice chair Okimoto as well as members Tupola and Osantos TAM. And member Fire is on the way, I believe. Pursuant to Section 92-3.7, the Hawaii revised statutes, this meeting will be conducted as a remote meeting by interactive conference technology with the following procedures in effect for the meeting. Members of the public will be allowed to provide oral testimony on all items on the agenda in person on the council chamber and remotely when each agenda item is taken up. As both English and Hawaiian are official languages of the state F of AI pursuant to the Article 15 section 4 of the state constitution and section 113 of this HRS, members of the public may testify in either language. For all testimonies offered in Ola Lohva'i, additional time as may be necessary will be allowed for the testify to provide an English translation of their testimony. Persons who have not registered will be given opportunity to testify following the registered testifiers. For persons who are testifying by telephone only, I'll identify you by your last three digits of your phone number. When your number is called, please test listen for your the prompt to unmute and press star six. Please video conference for a quiet location if possible. If you're also watching the proceedings on Olelo, please mute your television when you're called to testify. Brand 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 courtly please signs to turn off cell phones for the duration of this meeting. We are preparing this rental agreement in accordance with Section 38.3-1 of the RISE ordinances of Honolulu, which allows us to enter into an agreement with no bid to our uh when uh we've purchased the land via amendment domain and we have no further uh use for the land. Uh so this we've asked uh because of the extraordinary circumstances uh that having Ms. Kalahiva uh on the property has been a great resource to keep the property safe, uh free from uh vagrancy and things of that nature, uh, that we've asked for a three-year term for this uh rental agreement. So I'm here along with my staff if you have any questions. Mahalo, Miss Young Lee, um administrator Young Lee, I should say. Members, are there any questions? We have a member to Pola. Aloha, thank you for being here. Quick question. So prior to the three-year agreement we're um discussing today, how many years prior had she been on the property, or was there a previous agreement and for how many years? Um there's there's been many agreements. She's uh been under agreement since we uh declared in a domain, and I think that was in let me see. It is in my notes. I think that was in 2018, I believe. So she has been under a lease agreement uh all of those years, over 10 years. Um my other question is I don't know if it was supposed to be included in a packet, but there's like an exhibit A, and then there's also uh information on protecting your your family's home from lead. So is there's a a home, a house on the property that she's living in, and is there some type of relevance to the structure or a bestos or lead in the house? Um so there is a structure on the property that is she uses as her residence. So, yes, so but there has been the term included in the rental agreement that the um uh after if there uh if she passes that that would not uh pass to or the rental agreement would not pass to any of her survivors. So but the house itself is sound, I guess that's the question I have. Um so yes, so it has not been declared uh condemned or anything like that. Um I believe uh several years ago um we did have DDC go out and look at that area. Um, and so it it it has been been deemed safe to live in. Okay, thank you. Those are my questions. Thank you, Chair. You're welcome. Thank you, member to Paula members. Are there any other questions? Magistrator Young Lee, I have a question. Um so I understand that the appraisal was done by DDC. Um is it normally done by DDC or is it also done by BFS? Uh no, we uh always ask DDC to do our appraisals for us.