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Committee sends paid-parking ordinance to planning commissions for review
Summary
Councilmembers voted to refer Bill 154 — a proposed change restricting privately operated paid parking in most zoning districts — to the planning director and planning commissions for review and recommendation; existing commercial paid lots would be grandfathered.
The committee referred Bill 154, an ordinance that would remove commercial paid parking lots and garages as a permitted use in several zoning districts (retaining existing privately operated paid lots as grandfathered nonconforming uses), to the planning director and the county’s planning commissions for review.
Councilmember Inaba explained the draft primarily aims to prevent future privately operated paid-parking lots from being permitted in village commercial, industrial, and certain downtown or limited-industrial districts; resort zoning would remain unaffected. Supporters said the measure protects residents from predatory paid-parking practices and clarifies parking expectations attached to commercial developments. Opponents and several council members raised concerns about practical effects in downtown Hilo and at event times where private lots provide overflow parking; they asked staff and the commissions to examine local variations and potential unintended consequences.
The committee voted to forward the bill to the planning director and planning commissions for review and recommendation; the roll call recorded six votes in favor, three opposed. The referral will allow the commissions to examine the bill’s details, parking definitions (paid vs. required parking), grandfathering provisions, and district-by-district impacts as part of their review.
