Council advances four first‑reading bills including pedestrian‑mall rules and improvement district expansion

The Honolulu City Council unanimously passed first reading on a package of four bills addressing downtown pedestrian mall rules, homeowner exemptions for property taxes and expansion of improvement districts.

Vice Chair Tupelo moved the measures on first reading; no objections were recorded and the items advanced to later committee hearings.

Bill 48 would address pedestrian malls in downtown Honolulu and codify related regulations. Fort Street Mall Business Improvement District Association representative Ed Kuriski testified in support, saying the change helps the downtown transition from office to residential use and that the association seeks more services for cleanliness and safety.

Bill 49 and Bill 50 would increase homeowner exemptions by $20,000. Several testifiers opposed those exemptions, saying they cost millions and shift the property‑tax burden to other taxpayers. Natalie Wasser and one other testifier cited examples from their written testimony showing large exemptions provided to institutional or recreational properties and argued the city should review exemptions that benefit non‑residential property owners.

Bill 51 would expand improvement district authority to allow landowners and businesses downtown to fund supplemental services. Christine Camp, CEO of Avalon Group, and other business representatives told the council that downtown needs services to support safety and cleanliness during a residential transition and said residential owners would not be charged under the draft proposal; the measure includes a sunset review at five years if the program fails to meet goals.

Council members did not debate the bills in depth at first reading and referred them to committee for subject‑matter hearings where testimony and potential amendments can be taken up.