Remarks by Esther Kiaʻāina
23 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 1 of 1
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
“Thank you, Chair. I see a couple of the cabinet members of the mayor in the audience. Director Laura Thielen from the Department of Parks and Recreation, Kurt Lager, the Director of the Department of Ocean Safety. We have several mayoral nominees for our city's various boards and commissioners. And of course, we have community members and stakeholders interested in the various items on today's agenda.”
“I move that Committee Report 261-2026 be adopted in Bill 48-2025-CD1 as amended past third reading. Second.”
“This bill relates to pedestrian malls. That addresses pedestrian malls in the downtown Honolulu area.”
“I move that Committee Report 262-2026 be adopted and Bill 37-2026 pass third reading. Second.”
“This amends portion of the state land use district boundary maps from the agricultural district to the urban district for certain lands situated at Kapolei and Honuuliuli in Ewa, Oahu, Hawaii.”
“I move that Committee Report 263, 2026 be adopted and Bill 38, 2026 pass third reading. Second.”
“This bill relates to the Transit Oriented Development Special District. by expanding the transient-oriented development special district to include three additional skyline rail transit station areas and to incorporate land use standards and guidelines for those areas based on the recommendations in the East Kapolei neighborhood TOD plan.”
“I move that Committee Report 264-2026 be adopted in Bill 39-2026, CD1, pass third reading. Second.”
“This relates to the rezoning of land situated at Kapolei and Hono'uliuli in Ewa'oahu. It's about 1,374 acres.”
“I move that Committee Report 265, 2026 be adopted and Bill 42, 2026, CD1 pass third reading. Second.”
“This bill amends a portion of the state land use district boundary map from the agricultural district to the urban district for a certain land situated in the Koʻolau Loa Development Plan area in Laiʻie Oʻahu.”
“I move that Committee Report 266, 2026 be adopted and Bill 43, 2026 City 1 pass third reading. Second.”
“This bill rezones land situated at Pa'ala'ala Waialua from country district to the R5 residential district.”
“I move that Committee Report 267-2026 and Resolution 26-171-CD1 as amended be adopted. Second.”
“This measure approves a conceptual plan for an interim plan development transit project for the 1588 Ala Moana mixed-use development.”
“I move that Committee Report 268-2026 and Resolution 26-183, City 1, is amended, be adopted. Second.”
“This resolution grants a special management area major permit to allow for the demolition of an existing single-unit dwelling and decommission of an existing cesspool and the construction of a new two-story single-unit dwelling with a nice two-car port, open one part, Parking area rock garden in ground swimming pool an individual waste water system in Kahuku, Oahu Thank You Shelby billionaire Not here mr.”
“I move that Committee Report 269-2026 and Resolution 26-207-CD1 is meant to be adopted. Second.”
“This resolution updates resolution or amends resolution 23-83CD1 to update the project description, incorporate by reference an updated list of exemptions from the Hawaii Community Development Authority's MOCA area rules and extends the deadline for the commencement of construction for the Pohu Kaina Commons affordable rental and mixed use project in Kaka'ako.”
“Thank you, Director. I'm looking at the page with regard to the HUD grant, and I'm pleased that you guys sought that. I'm assuming this was a discretionary grant, correct? meaning it wasn't formula, you had to compete for it. Do you know?”
“And this is something that I guess I've been saying, not just for your department, but all departments, that despite the rhetoric that you hear in the news, The fact remains that there are hundreds of millions of dollars available for jurisdictions across the country, and I feel that we're competitive. Can I ask, moving forward, that I just encourage that you guys continue to hold the line and try to be in the game with regard to securing any additional funding? as you guys continue what you need to do and of course work with the delegation because they have the appropriations process and…”
“And I'm confident that if we work in tandem with those external parties who care, that we could be competitive. And for my colleagues, just to let you know, the Castle Foundation is a $2 million revolving loan fund for engineers, but most of their emphasis has been in the private industry. And that's because we never asked. And so they are aware of the program because they have the dollars to be able to lend out and we wanna be able to compete for those engineers. And I just feel that even if we're at a disadvantage on pay, I just think that we have a lot to offer and we need to go after…”