Hawaii County committee amends draft General Plan 2045 after hours of public testimony; game management, agriculture and notice gaps raised

A Hawaii County Council policy committee on Tuesday, July 9, amended Bill 66 — the draft County of Hawaii General Plan 2045 — to incorporate planning‑commission recommendations and set a timetable for further review after more than an hour of public testimony opposing the proposal.

The Policy Committee on Planning, Land Use and Economic Development met in Hilo and Kona on July 9. Chair Ashley Kerkowitz said the draft plan, if adopted, would become “the law of the land” and noted it contains four chapters with 11 goals, 49 objectives and 398 actions.

The committee first took public testimony on Bill 66, then moved and seconded a motion to forward the bill to the full council with a favorable recommendation (motion moved by Councilmember Holaka Inaba; seconded by Councilmember Matt Keneili). The committee later voted to amend Bill 66 to include the contents of Communication 372.1 — a package the planning director transmitted that incorporates recommended edits from both Windward and Leeward planning commissions. The amendment, moved by Councilmember Heather Kimball and seconded by Inaba, carried on a 6‑0 voice vote; Councilmembers Michelle Galimba, Jennifer Kagiwara and Dennis Onishi were excused.

Why it matters: the general plan would set the…