Inside Honolulu: Dec. 14
Welcome to Inside Honolulu! The Honolulu City Council has recessed until 2011, but there’s still work to be done. There’s also a council vacancy to be filled, with two weeks until the special election. Civil Beat is reporting from the inside.
12:19 p.m. Council Considers Campsite Fees
Honolulu City Council members won’t meet for full Council meeting until January, but the issues taking shape for the new year are already emerging.
is one to watch. It’s a measure that would establish the following fees for use of city campsites.
- $12.50 per day with a 5-day minimum starting Friday through Tuesday for campsites holding up to 10 people.
- $75.00 per day with a 3-day minimum for campsites holding up to 60 people.
- $125.00 per day with a 3-day minimum for campsites holding up to 100 people.
- $312.50 per day with a 3-day minimum for campsites holding up to 250 people.
Council member Ikaika Anderson said he introduced the bill at the request of the Department of Parks and Recreation. He said the “5-day minimum” requirement does not mean that someone who camps for a 2-day period, would have to pay for all five, for example.
“What they did stress to us is that that bill is at this point, the first draft, is preliminary,” Anderson told Civil Beat. “It is expected to change.”
The bill passed first reading in a Dec. 8 council meeting, and City Council Chairman Nestor Garcia mentioned it to visiting members from neighbor island counties as one of the more interesting measures the council is considering.
7:52 a.m. Not Running, Still on the Ballot
Patty Teruya‘s name will still appear on the District 1 ballot, though she says she is no longer running in the special City Council election.
“At this time, I have decided to drop off the race due to family crisis that require my attention,” Teruya wrote in an e-mail. “I wish all the candidates the best through this race and I know who ever is elected will work well for the community.”
A couple from District 1 asked Civil Beat about Teruya’s candidacy last week, saying they gave money to her campaign but noticed one of her large campaign signs had been taken down. As of the morning of Dec. 14, Teruya has not filed with the Campaign Spending Commission.
There are 13 others vying for the District 1 seat.
Key Steps Remain Before Rail Construction Can Begin
Honolulu City Council Chairman Nestor Garcia is a strong supporter of rail, but he hesitates to characterize the remaining steps before construction as “the homestretch.”
“It’s really still the beginning, in spite of everything that has happened,” Garcia said. “Pardon the pun, but this is where the rubber meets the road 鈥斅爋r, where the steel wheel meets the rail.”
Before the city can break ground, the following must happen:
- The State Office of Environmental Quality Control must complete its review of the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
- Governor must accept the EIS
- Federal Transit Administration must review the final EIS, and issue a record of decision to allow the project to move forward
- The City Council must approve permits for construction to begin
“The City Council will take into consideration the first permit,” Garcia said. “Once that permit is approved by the City Council, then we can begin construction of the rail project.”
Railroad Passengers Group Joins Local Rail Conversation
The is chiming in on Honolulu’s elevated rail plan. The advocacy group released a statement responding to an outside financial review former Gov. Linda Lingle released before she left office earlier this month.
“The analysis commissioned by outgoing Gov. Linda Lingle (R) misrepresents rail transit’s costs and benefits,” the group wrote in a statement. “The inflated cost projections … should not dissuade the people of Hawai鈥榠 from taking advantage of this extraordinary opportunity to make a great city even greater.”
The pro-rail response to the new report has been strong and swift since its release. The city is working on a side-by-side analysis of the Infrastructure Management Group report, as it compares to the Rail Transit Division’s own research.
Catch Up on Previous Editions of Inside Honolulu
Monday, December 13: City Info-Tech Director Gordon Bruce tweets about hacking, Superbowl; County leaders impatient for House organization; Miniscule voter turnout at Honolulu Hale so far; Mufi Hannemann plans return to City Hall.
Friday, December 10: Mayor Peter Carlisle, City Council member Ann Kobayashi, Planning and Permitting Director David Tanoue and Environmental Services Director Tim Steinberger attend economic forum about the benefits of building new homes.
Thursday, December 9: Neighborhood Commission reprimands Koolau Loa Board for ignoring public; More concerns surface about Rod Tam‘s money management; City working on formal response to outside rail review.
Wednesday, December 8: Three more director nominees cruise through early stages of appointment; City Council approves “overt” video surveillance across Oahu; Outgoing City Council members Lee Donohue, Reed Matsuura, Gary Okino and Rod Tam say goodbye.
Tuesday, December 7: City Council member Ann Kobayashi finds hope in new state leadership; Managing Director Doug Chin describes “quiet” week; Mayor Peter Carlisle remembers Pearl Harbor attack.
