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Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board Meeting FEBRUARY 2023 Minutes
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With Permission / Courtesy of: City and County of Honolulu Neighborhood Commission Office

DOWNTOWN - CHINATOWN NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD NO. 13

February 2024 Minutes

DRAFT REGULAR MEETING WRITTEN SUMMARY FOR VIDEO RECORD

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2024 at 6:00 P.M.

PRINCESS RUTH KE�ELIK LANI MIDDLE SCHOOL LIBRARY - 1302 QUEEN EMMA STREET, HONOLULU, HI 96813

AND VIA WEBEX TELECONFERENCING

Video recording of this meeting can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8pqJlByFJI

Reports & other meeting materials can be found at:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1F4DdI9R8Er12TNf6Bl-yb4p4EW0-68vu

I. CALL TO ORDER - [0:00:01]: 6:00 p.m.

Chair Ernest Caravalho called the Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board No. 13 meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Quorum was established with six (6) members present. Note: This nine-member Board requires five (5) members to establish quorum and to take official Board action.

Members Present: Robert Armstrong, Ernest Caravalho, Ross Isokane, Kevin Lye, Lori McCarney, Chu Lan Shubert-Kwock, Sean Fitzsimmons (6:02 p.m.) and Kevin McDonald (6:11 p.m.).

Members Absent: Travis Thompson.

Guests: Captain Sean Arakaki (Honolulu Fire Department); Lieutenant Arnold Sagucio, Sergeant Darryl Jones (Honolulu Police Department); Kelsie-Ann Suan-Kon, James Tennant, Eugene Saddley (I Love Chinatown); Sandra Pohl (Downtown Art Center); Shawn Hamamoto (Governor Josh Green); Deputy Director Ian Santee (Honolulu Emergency Services Department); Richmond Luzar (Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam); Paul Mendez (Senator Karl Rhoads); Iris Oda (Honolulu Board of Water Supply); Harry Cho, Johnny Reid (Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation); Patrick Watson (Honua Consulting); Laura Sturges, Ronald Higa, Willis Moore, Rick Keene, Crystal Light, Alicia Salta, Charles Jonsson, Chang Chang (Residents); Dylan Buck (Neighborhood Commission Office). Note: Name was not included if not legible. There were 46 total attendees.

[0:00:56] - McCarney MOVED and Shubert-Kwock SECONDED to add the item �Public Concerns' to the agenda after item III. Presentations. Hearing no objections or abstentions, the motion WAS ADOPTED; 6-0-0 (Aye: Armstrong, Isokane, Lye, McCarney, Shubert-Kwock, Caravalho; Nay: None; Abstain: None) - [0:01:03]

II. PUBLIC SAFETY REPORTS - [0:01:18]

Honolulu Fire Department - [0:01:20]: Captain Mark Bates provided the monthly statistics for January 2024, safety tips for residents calling 911, and provide responses to questions raised at the last meeting.

• Report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/136gLBkDKOfbOCO-wV3wlsKygVt08qETw/view?usp=drive_link

Fitzsimmons joined at 6:02 p.m.; seven (7) members present.

Questions, comments and concerns followed - [0:03:43]

Honolulu Police Department - [0:06:56]: Lieutenant Arnold Sagucio provided the monthly statistics for January 2024, announced that residents should expect additional traffic this weekend with the Chinese Lunar New Year festivities, provided safety tips on auto-thefts with a focus on Kia's, and announced District 1's new HPD Major Paul Okamoto and Captain Henry Roberts.

• Crime Mapping Statistics: https://www.honolulupd.org/information/crime-mapping/

McDonald joined the meeting at 6:11 p.m.; eight (8) members present.

Questions, comments and concerns followed - [0:11:20]

III. PRESENTATIONS - [0:36:00]

Police Week �Walk for the Fallen' - [0:36:04]: Sergeant Darryl Jones announced that HPD will hold their annual �Walk for the Fallen' march and candlelight vigil from HPD Main Station to the State Capitol Building on Monday, May 13, 2024. The left two (2) lanes of Beretania Street will be closed from 5:30 p.m. to about 7:00 p.m.

[0:37:34] - Shubert-Kwock MOVED and Armstrong SECONDED to support the �Walk for the Fallen' event. Discussion followed. Hearing no objections or abstentions, the motion WAS ADOPTED; 8-0-0 (Aye: Armstrong, Fitzsimmons, Isokane, Lye, McCarney, McDonald, Shubert-Kwock, Caravalho; Nay: None; Abstain: None) - [0:38:54]

Murphy's St. Patrick's Day Block Party - [0:40:29]: Chair Caravalho announced that he was informed that the event has been cancelled.

Cinco De Mayo Events - [0:40:41]: Kelsie-Ann Suan-Kon announced that the Cinco De Mayo Block Party is scheduled for Friday, May 3, 2024 from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., and the Cinco De Mayo Cantina Crawl is scheduled for Sunday, May 5, 2024 from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The location of the Block Party is along Nu'uanu Avenue between King and Pauahi Street. The purpose of this event is to stimulate economic activity by attracting residents and tourists to the Downtown-Chinatown region.

• Handout: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-rbzIMX_r32qLDd1duCOhWV0ZKW_ZUDk/view?usp=drive_link

Questions, comments and concerns followed - [0:42:19]

[0:45:41] - Armstrong MOVED and Fitzsimmons SECONDED to support the Cinco De Mayo 2024 celebrations. Hearing an objection, a roll call vote was conducted. The motion WAS ADOPTED; 7-1-0 (Aye: Armstrong, Fitzsimmons, Isokane, Lye, McCarney, McDonald, Caravalho; Nay: Shubert-Kwock; Abstain: None) - [0:46:31]

HEART of Honolulu Street Festival - [0:47:21]: Sandra Pohl announced that the 3rd Annual HEART of Honolulu Festival is scheduled for Saturday, April 13, 2024 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. along Nu'uanu Avenue between King Street and Chaplain Lane. There will be arts, crafts, food, music, make & take workshops and more! The purpose of this event is to showcase the HEART (Heritage, Entertainment, Arts & Culture, Restaurants and Theaters) of Honolulu, with a focus on our Downtown-Chinatown neighborhoods to engage the local business community to participate.

• Handout: https://drive.google.com/file/d/13OtHnvehhZ7yL-c73Ugh-d3pkmwutdsk/view?usp=drive_link

• Website: https://www.downtownarthi.org/heartofhonolulufestival

Questions, comments and concerns followed - [0:49:08]

[0:49:57] - Armstrong MOVED and Fitzsimmons SECONDED to support the HEART of Honolulu Street Festival 2024. Hearing no objections or abstentions, the motion WAS ADOPTED; 8-0-0 (Aye: Armstrong, Fitzsimmons, Isokane, Lye, McCarney, McDonald, Shubert-Kwock, Caravalho; Nay: None; Abstain: None) - [0:50:09]

IV. PUBLIC CONCERNS - [0:50:23]

Community Walk - [0:50:44]: Ernest Caravalho thanked everyone involved and those that participated in the recent Community Walk around Downtown-Chinatown with residents and elected officials.

Candidacy for House District 28 - [0:51:09]: Ernest Caravalho announced that he is running for House District 28 as a Democrat.

Prioritizing Security Cameras - [0:51:44]: Sean Fitzsimmons raised concerns that the installation and monitoring operations of the new security cameras in Downtown-Chinatown do not seem to be a priority for the City and County of Honolulu, particularly HPD, as it has taken several years and the project is not complete. Robert Armstrong and Chu Lan Shubert-Kwock commented in agreement and are opposed to HPD's consideration of having un-paid volunteers monitor the cameras. Kevin Lye commented that everything old is new again and urged forward thinking. Lori McCarney introduced the idea of potentially establishing a Permitted Interaction Group on this subject.

V. ELECTED OFFICIALS - [0:57:52]

Congressman Ed Case's Representative - [0:57:55]: No representative present.

Governor Josh Green's Representative - [0:58:05]: Shawn Hamamoto provided the report, as well as responses to questions raised at the previous meeting.

• Report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vMmqs9qfgBzwMSZV3PorXb7m-g6u4Eky/view?usp=drive_link

Questions, comments and concerns followed - [1:02:33]

Mayor Rick Blangiardi's Representative - [1:10:22]: No representative present.

• Report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qU9pFuyJv923ITjeW_JrkWZw8yImbhQg/view?usp=drive_link

City Council (District 6) - Tyler Dos Santos-Tam - [1:10:37]: No representative present at this time, this item was addressed later in the meeting.

State Senate (District 13) - Karl Rhoads - [1:11:03]: Paul Mendez provided his report and highlighted the following: $7 million in Capital Improvement Project funds were released to McKinley High School for improvements to their athletic complex; funding for eradication of feral chickens; Covid-19 updates; and responses to questions raised at the last meeting.

• Report: https://docs.google.com/document/d/18YEu6vG7dhdmb7uNS7lz2dAtL_RpP9BF/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=112972764551395013814&rtpof=true&sd=true

Questions, comments and concerns followed - [1:13:50]

State House (District 26) - Scott Saiki - [1:20:21]: No representative present.

• Report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GXq7VetHZw0RP-zvwmm3AZYkJAB-Hquz/view?usp=drive_link

State House (District 28) - Daniel Holt - [1:20:31]: No representative present.

City Council (District 6) - Tyler Dos Santos-Tam - [1:20:41]: Richmond Luzar provided the report and highlighted the following: updates regarding requests for DOT to add an additional location for the noise detection traffic camera pilot around Queen Emma Gardens; updates on Bill 44 (2023) relating to monster homes; updates on Bill 40 (2023) relating to transit construction mitigation fund; and updates on Bill 3 (2024) relating to incentives for the construction of affordable rental housing.

• Report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AJ4N5NqU2ZyWjDb0Opo85f9p7w3eZGVe/view?usp=drive_link

Questions, comments and concerns followed - [1:22:50]

VI. MONTHLY REPORTS - [1:31:19]

Honolulu Board of Water Supply (BWS) - [1:31:19]: Iris Oda provided the report and highlighted the following: one (1) 6-inch water main break in January 2024; BWS is continuing to promote various water conservation tips; and the BWS is offering a $100 (originally $45) toilet rebate from Friday, January 19, 2024 through Friday, April 19, 2024.

Questions, comments and concerns followed - [1:32:34]

Safe Haven - Mental Health Kokua - [1:34:54]: No representative present.

• Report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/16636cGUovMhW9SmGdeYp369mDfX8dgMX/view?usp=drive_link

Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) - [1:35:07]: Harry Cho (HART) reported construction updates regarding the second segment of the Skyline system, which runs from Aloha Stadium to Middle Street, and HART estimates that the completed segment will be turned over to DTS in mid-2025. The utility work for the next segment, Middle Street to Kaka'ako, will be completed in 2026 and HART is in the process of awarding the construction contract. Patrick Watson (Honua Consulting) shared images of the Downtown utilities' relocation work and construction notices that involve lane closures.

• Updates on HART's Downtown Utilities Relocation (CCUR III) project: https://eepurl.com/h1g2W5

• Contact for Questions/Assistance: ccur3@honuaconsulting.com

Questions, comments and concerns followed - [1:40:08]

Chinatown Improvement District - [1:45:40]: No representative present.

Chinatown Business Community Association (CBCA) - [1:45:54]: Chu Lan Shubert-Kwock provided her report and highlighted the following: the last meeting on Tuesday, January 9, 2024 focused on HPD District 1's intention of deploying bicycle patrol officers; the CBCA and Weed & Seed organizations are co-sponsoring the Hawaii Buddha Peace Festival on Saturday, August 3, 2024 at the Chinese Cultural Plaza from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; the next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 13, 2024.

• Report: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sGVpyNitpA8KeZ34VuZzKSh-1pZ_D-IU/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=112972764551395013814&rtpof=true&sd=true

Questions, comments and concerns followed - [1:48:13]

Neighborhood Citizen Patrol - [1:52:56]: Kevin Lye provided his report of observations made by the patrol from December 2023 and January 2024. Lye invited the public to join the patrol, on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Diamond Head Tower lobby of Kukui Plaza, and help identify areas of concern within the Downtown-Chinatown community.

• Report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aSlqHmv4rJDfpvRDop4FjjPn4KaRa_iu/view?usp=drive_link

Questions, comments and concerns followed - [1:59:08]

VII. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - [2:01:50]

Thursday, November 2, 2023, Regular Meeting Written Summary for Video Record - [2:01:50]: Two (2) corrections were proposed. [2:05:17] - Hearing no objections or abstentions, the Written Summary for Video Record WAS ADOPTED as amended; 8-0-0 (Aye: Armstrong, Fitzsimmons, Isokane, Lye, McCarney, McDonald, Shubert-Kwock, Caravalho; Nay: None; Abstain: None)

VIII. NEW BUSINESS - [2:05:39]

Motion to establish a Permitted Interaction Group (PIG) to gather information on bringing events to Downtown-Chinatown - [2:05:43]: Lori McCarney introduced the topic and spoke to the written proposal she drafted, which identifies that purpose of this PIG is to investigate the potential of encouraging various public parades and events that would normally be scheduled in Waikiki to consider the Downtown-Chinatown area as a good option to Waikiki.

• Proposal: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rjiQmCC0LZ0ONkXfGmcBInsiSK_Kx0l0/view?usp=drive_link

Questions, comments and concerns followed - [2:09:04]

[2:17:14] - Armstrong MOVED and Fitzsimmons SECONDED to establish a Permitted Interaction Group (PIG) to take a look at bringing more events to the Downtown-Chinatown area. Discussion followed. Hearing no further discussion, the board conducted a roll call vote. The motion WAS ADOPTED; 8-0-0 (Aye: Armstrong, Fitzsimmons, Isokane, Lye, McCarney, McDonald, Shubert-Kwock, Caravalho; Nay: None; Abstain: None) - [2:24:20]

[2:27:10] - Hearing no objections, the PIG will consist of the following board members: Lori McCarney (Lead), Robert Armstrong, Shubert-Kwock and Sean Fitzsimmons.

Chair's Report - Joint Neighborhood Board Special Meeting on Game Rooms, Crime Meeting about how Neighborhood Community Walk affect the community, at Downtown Arts, and Community Walk update - [2:27:17]: Chair Caravalho reported the following: he's been in communication with the Kalihi-Palama NB15 Chair regarding drafting new border lines, with a focus on A'ala Park and Iwilei, and will prepare a draft for the Board to consider at a future meeting; the Community Walk with Mayor Blangiardi, Managing Director Formby, Senator Rhoads, Councilmember Dos Santos-Tam and members of the Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board No.13 was successful; and reminded the Board to participate in the Chinese Lunar New Year Parade on Saturday, February 3, 2024.

Questions, comments and concerns followed - [2:28:56]

IX. ANNOUNCEMENTS - [2:44:42]

The Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board No.13 is scheduled for Thursday, March 7, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. at Ke'elikolani Middle School and virtually via Webex.

YouTube - An archive of video recordings of Neighborhood Board meetings can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/@cityandcountyneighborhoodc2559

Rebroadcasts of Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board No.13 meetings are scheduled on lelo channel 49 for every third Thursday at 9:00 p.m., as well as 9:00 a.m. on the fourth Saturday of each month. An archive of past meetings may be found on http://olelo.org/olelonet/ by searching on .

X. ADJOURNMENT - [2:45:28]: The meeting was adjourned at 8:46 p.m.

Submitted by: Dylan Buck, Neighborhood Assistant, NCO

Reviewed by: Dylan Whitsell, Deputy, NCO

Finalized by:

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First Friday Hawaii News Item

Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board Meeting FEBRUARY 2023 Minutes

DOWNTOWN - CHINATOWN NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD NO. 13

First Friday Hawaii
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