August 3, 2010 – Hilo, Hawaii
Video by David Corrigan
Bill 194, a controversial ordinance amending the Puna Community Development Plan, stirred an emotional debate between the lawmakers during the Hawaii County Council Planning Committee meeting held on Monday evening in Hilo.
The idea to amend the Puna CDP was first brought forward by Puna representative Emily Naeloe-Beason in July 2008, before the final plan was even adopted. The action rallied the group that participated in crafting the plan, and the amendments were postponed.
Now, two years later, both Naeole-Beason and District 3 councilmember J Yoshimoto are looking to make changes to the plan once again. Although many of the amendments were minor changes to wording and format, some were substantive.
The amendment package also failed to get the support of the Windward Planning Commission at a recent meeting.
Monday’s debate cut to the core of whether or not the council should amend any regional CDP.
As tensions threatened to boil over, Brenda Ford called for a public hearing, which got the required three votes needed to postpone the vote on Bill 194. The hearing will be held in Puna, sometime in August.
