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Planning department presents fair-share report; council questions lapsed appropriations
Summary
The planning department presented the annual Fair Share (community benefits) report as of June 30, 2024, summarizing change-of-zone contributions, appropriations and in-lieu payments by district. Council members asked about specific lapsed appropriations and whether funds could support parks, flood-control or other district needs.
Jeff Darrow, acting planning director, presented the Hawaii County Planning Department's Fair Share (community benefits) report for the year ending June 30, 2024, summarizing contributions, appropriations and in-lieu payments by district.
Darrow said the department added a summary page this year to make year-over-year changes easier to find and highlighted areas where appropriations had lapsed and returned to county funds. Council members asked about specific lapsed items, including a roughly $40,000 lapse for the Kua'anaki lifeguard tower and a $149,000 lapsed appropriation for Waimea Park that appeared in the report.
Questions from council members also addressed whether fair-share funds could be used for flood-control maintenance or to add departments such as water and wastewater. Planning staff explained that water and wastewater typically operate on dedicated fee streams and that fair-share contributions are applied at change of zone to a limited set of public services specified by county code. Staff offered to follow up on particular lapsed appropriations and to correct any line-item labeling errors the council identified.
The committee voted to close the file on communication 78 after the presentation. The motion to close file on communication 78 was moved by Council member Inaba and seconded by Council member Eustace; the motion passed with six ayes and three council members excused.
Why it matters: The fair-share report identifies funds that may be available for district-level projects such as parks and public safety; council members asked staff to follow up on lapsed appropriations and confirm whether particular projects still have remaining balances.
