Committee backs parking restrictions on Opeloa Road after safety concerns from businesses and residents

The Hawaii County Policy Committee on Infrastructure and Assets voted to forward Bill 205 to the full council with a favorable recommendation after extended discussion about parking, traffic safety and jurisdictional limits on Opeloa Road in Kohala.

Council Member Evans described increased traffic from Kauaihai Harbor and a growth in food vendors at a shopping center, saying those changes have led to angled parking that extends into travel lanes and even damaged a chain-link fence on adjacent water-supply property. "There was no stripes on the road... people were doing angle parking… their trucks were actually out in the travel lanes," Evans said, framing the safety concern that prompted the code amendment.

Steve Houssey, Director of Public Works, said traffic staff recommended striping and signage to keep two lanes open and move parked vehicles off the pavement onto shoulders where feasible. He told the committee traffic officers held a community meeting and that, from a safety standpoint, parallel parking with clear shoulder markings was preferred over angled parking at this location. "The road itself is safer," Houssey said, "but this doesn't address what might be a greater issue, which is just the overall lack of parking for the businesses that are there."

Council members asked whether the county could limit parking to compact cars or otherwise regulate parking configurations. Houssey said traffic staff did not analyze vehicle-type restrictions and that many of the vehicles observed included compact cars, mid-size cars and pickups. Planning staff reported the private parking lot met the department’s required number of stalls based on square-footage rules (remarks characterized the standard as roughly per 300 square feet), but committee members and staff agreed overflow onto public roads remains a community problem requiring coordination among property owners, tenants and state Department of Transportation officials where the road is state-controlled.

Kagurada thanked traffic staff and suggested the matter may require an on-site visit; Evans said she will work with staff and invited local businesses to host a community meeting to discuss longer-term solutions. The clerk recorded nine ayes on the motion to forward Bill 205. The bill will next be scheduled for full council consideration; staff noted some remedies—such as striping, signage and targeted crosswalks—are within county control while other actions will need DOT approval or private-landowner cooperation.