Kaua’i elected officials oppose a bill moving through the Legislature which would allow state airport projects to bypass county approval processes. Sen. Jonathan Chun, one of Kauai’s legislators, thinks the bill would violate terms of a federal Special Management Area
Kaua’i elected officials oppose a bill moving through the Legislature which would allow state airport projects to bypass county approval processes.
Sen. Jonathan Chun, one of Kauai’s legislators, thinks the bill would violate terms of a federal Special Management Area (SMA) grant, if not federal law itself.
Kaua’i County Councilman Ron Kouchi has asked Rep. Ezra Kanoho, another Kaua’i legislator who was one of three House co-chairs on the conference committee that forwarded the bill yesterday, to kill the bill because, among other reasons, the timing of the bill did not allow much discussion on details. Kouchi also echoes Chun’s concerns about SMA and federal Coastal Zone Management Act procedures.
Floor votes on the bill are scheduled for Tuesday. Similar legislation proposed by previous legislatures failed to gain majority support.
The most distasteful portion of the bill, according to opponents, are these words:
“All structures and improvements to land to be used for airport purposes may be planned, designed and constructed by the department (state Department of Transportation) without the approval of county agencies; and shall be exempt from county agencies’ special management area permitting requirements.”
While Kouchi likes the idea that such important planning decisions rest in part with county elected officials (County Council) versus appointed bodies (Planning Commission), he took exception to a provision in the bill as written which would give automatic council approval to a project if the council doesn’t disapprove of the project 45 days after being given information about a proposed airport improvement plan.
It is important to ensure public participation, Kouchi said, adding that it is better to kill the bill now than let no-good legislation get through.
“When you look at home rule, it should be the county to do some of the decision (making) that affects the county, per se, and this might be one of those, rather than the state imposing,” said state Rep. Bertha Kawakami. “But they would work together, anyway. They can’t just go off on their own. It still has to be a joint kind of thing.”
Proponents of the legislation, including former House Speaker and state Rep. Joseph Souki of Maui, said the bill grew from state Department of Transportation frustration over all the counties’ cumbersome approval processes.
Reaction from the private sector, and House Republicans, has been swift opposition.
“This is hideous,” said Margy Parker, executive director of the Po’ipu Beach Resort Association.
“This bill literally paves right over the public’s right to meaningful input on airport projects,” said Donna Wong, executive director of Hawai’i’s Thousand Friends.
“Our coastal zone protections would be completely subverted with this exemption,” said Jeff Mikulina, director of the Sierra Club Hawai’i chapter.
Staff Writer Paul C. Curtis can be reached at pcurtis@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 224).
