Sunset Beach Community Association

SBCA Minutes 5/16/01

Jul 18, 2001

SUNSET BEACH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
MINUTES OF GENERAL MEETING 5/16/01

Andrea Woods presiding. Called to order 7:41 p.m.
Treasurer?’s Report approved. Balance: $851.88. Minutes approved, as amended, of 3/21/2001 meeting.
Reminders
1. ANNUAL $4 individual and $5 family membership dues are due NOW.
2. SBCA Elections are scheduled for the January 2002 meeting. SBCA needs at least 3 candidates for officer positions: President, 1st Vice President, and Recording Secretary.
SBCA By-laws prevent reelection of current officers in their current positions. Volunteers are encouraged to step forth and help lead our community.

I. Correspondence - Letters from:
A. Sean Ginella, regarding Opportunities for the Handicapped proposed facility at Deadman's Curve, near Kawela Bay.
B. Jeremy Harris, Mayor, Honolulu City and County (C&C) regarding progress on pavilion design and construction at Sunset Beach Neighborhood Park.
C. William Balfour, Director, C&C Parks and Recreation Department (DPR) regarding same project.
D. Randall Fujiki, Director, C&C Planning and Permits (DPP) Department distributing an attached Shoreline Management Area (SMA) permit application from Kaunala Beach Estates. Woods stated that Mr. Anderson had requested (and the agenda will provide) time for him to present his proposed property changes at SBCA's next meeting on July 18, 2001.
E. Brian Minaai, DOT,regarding bike path from 3 Tables to Waimea Bay Beach Park.
F. Reports from Northshore Country Market
G. Copy of Waimea Falls Park Master Plan available

II. Agenda
A. Lieutenant Colonel Parker, Executive Officer, US Army, Schofield Barracks report on military maneuvers in the area was deferred due to the speaker's absence.
B. Irene Carpenter, Aloha ke Akua High School, Waialua, reported:
1. land had been secured from Dole at Thompson's Corner (mauka of intersection of Kaukonahua Rd & Farrington Hwy),
2. this private school is forming via a grass roots efforts involving several community groups,
3. will be non-denominational, based on Christian values
4. tuition will be around $8,000 and $7 million is needed now,
5. the target opening date will be August of 2002, and
6. the next planning meeting will be held on 5/23/01 at the Waialua Association Gym in Haleiwa at 7:30 p.m.
Everyone is encouraged to participate.
C. Opportunities for the Retarded, Incorporated (ORI) proposed Kewela Project
1. Andrea Woods reviewed SBCA minutes of March 17, 1999 when ORI 1st presented its concepts to the community. Now ORI has identified a different parcel of land (by Dead Man's Curve Park) consisting of 43 acres owned by Campbell Estate and zoned for agricultural uses. Sean Ginella's correspondence to SBCA raised issues of resident concerns with this proposed location for ORI activities.
2. Anne Higa, ORI, gave an overview of the current proposed project including:
a. the concepts for the project remain the same as reported in the 1999 SBCA minutes,
b. a technology training center has been added as a project outcome,
c. currently ORI serves 100 clients at its Helemano facility; there is a waiting list for clients wishing entry when space becomes available
d. the program also will offer elder care (clients will be bussed in) as a daycare provision as well as care for disabled
e. there is a drastic need for family residences as many adults caring for retarded family members have aged and now need services themselves, which the retarded family member can't provide.
f. Non-residential services for disabled and seniors (out patient care) have not yet been determined.
Ms. Higa answered SBCA member questions regarding site selection, e.g. why is the location away from client population, medical facilities, and at a dangerous curve on Kamehameha Hwy?
Anne's response: That this was the only available site, and they have been looking for 5 years. The land parcel is big (43 acres) and located where most clients are - from the North Shore - Koolauloa area. Most of the area would remain zoned agriculture. If rezoning is needed to accommodate ORI's facilities, only up to 15 acres would be needed. The project would grow, prepare, and serve food as a means of generating subsistence income, a requirement of many grants and ORI's non-profit IRS 501(b)(3) status. Income is generated by operation of a food service facility such as operates currently at Helemano that is open to all the public. Vocational training for the public would also be offered.
3. Sean Ginella, Koolauloa resident near proposed ORI site visited the Helemano site and presented the following resident concerns regarding the proposed site:
Is a change from agricultural to commercial zoning needed? What ramifications might result from a zoning change? The Helemano facility has a restaurant, gift shop cafeteria, etc, which are commercial uses. How would these uses tie into the agricultural activities in the area, specifically helping market local farm products? Would environmental damage result from commercial uses needing urban waste (sewage treatment) so near coastal waters? Isn't the site too remote from ORI's target populations living primarily in area's urban centers of Kahuku-Laie and Haleiwa-Waialua. The area is a known traffic hazard currently. Additional activities would distract drivers more and thus create a traffic safety hazard. Several accidents are resultant from ORI's roadway entrance at Helemano.
Sean provided petitions that he is circulating for signature to halt the project.
4. SBCA members discussed:
a. Crawford's retirement home, a private, non-revenue generating facility that requires no bussing of clients. It will take $2 million of tax funds to buy the property.
b. If the project is not successful, the commercial zoning changes stay with the land. The landowner may want more commercial activities to cluster around the site. Is it possible for the landuse zoning be made via a conditional use permit, which would allow ORI some latitude to do some non-agricultural like activities but not change the zoning to commercial use. The issue of spot zoning in agricultural lands is a problem all over the state caused by perceived lack of land. Long range planning would identify other lands available for these purposes.
c. The North Shore and Koolauloa Sustainable Development Plans need to be reviewed to ascertain a long-range plan for this "interregional" area. SBCA advised Sean to review these plans to see how the ORI project fits into interregional planning efforts.
d. plan would provide front floodway improvements, attractive landscaping and access via a frontage road would reduce traffic congestion and accidents. The Koolauloa Neighborhood Board heard federal, state, and C&C officials pledge their support for the project because of ORI's filling a niche in responding to care for the area's disabled. It was also noted that similar concerns as those presented by Sean were also shared with the Koolauloa Neighborhood Board.
D. Vision Projects 2002, Bob Leinau, NS Neighborhood Board Member reported the following:
1. The C&C appropriated $250 million for Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) in 2002
2. Each of the C&C 19 Vision Areas receives $2 million annually to appropriate via projects to worthwhile community focussed projects. In the North Shore, each of the 5 subdistricts receives $400,000 annually. Vision projects are to initiate long range planning ideas by fostering small-scale projects. They are to begin to tackle community visions to becoming realities.
3. Each Neighborhood Board receives $1 million annually to appropriate toward community maintenance type projects.
4. The process for fiscal year 2002 funding cycle is starting. Bob reported several ideas are moving forward including bikepath extensions, skateboard parks, showers, etc. Since the process encourages smaller community conceived projects that get amenities built or large-scale effort started which will yield concrete results after expenditure.
Everyone is encouraged to join in the process and can call Bob for additional information. Meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month at the John Kalili Surf Center in Haleiwa at 6:30 p.m.

III. Old Business
A. Woods reported attending a web page creation training and SBCA will soon have a website as part of the Neighborhood Link program.
B. Response to question of whether venders are permitted to sell produce daily at the Northshore Country Market. Woods spoke with Bill Howes and he said the activity complies with their mission statement, but they do want to be good neighbors. If anyone has a different opinion, please write the NS Country Market a letter, and then arrange with them to attend their board meetings, held on the last Tuesday of each month at 4:30 p.m. Lola Perry is now the North Shore County Market President.
C. Pupukea Marine Life Conservation District (MLCD), report by Laura Figueira, Senate President Bunda's aide - The recommendation by the Task Force to ban all fishing within the MLCD and to extend MLCD boundaries 100 yards more seaward and from Koaluluna Point to Waimea Bay were passed by the Department of Land and Natural Resources Board. The proposed rule changes will be sent to the Attorney General for legal review and then to the Governor for signature and enactment. There will be opposition from fisher people and this will require those supporting the total ban to give public testimony favoring the rule changes. Hearing will most likely be held in September.
D. SBCA Recreation Committee, attached report by Phyllis Shipman was handed out. SBCA discussion raised the following issues:
a. Why was part of the public pavilion turned into a lifeguard storage facility at Waimea Bay?
b. Why are bike path extensions difficult? Reply: requires condemnation of private property or moving Kamehameha Hwy.
c. Why isn?’t there playground equipment at Sunset Beach Elementary School? Resident requested a letter from the Department of Education stating when the equipment will go in. The inquiry was directed to Laura Figueira of Senator Bunda?’s office. She will follow up.
Meeting adjourned at 9:25 p.m. Submitted by Pam Mills Packo 7/09/01