Resolution 20-223 Testimony - MISC. COM. 298 - Honolulu Legislative Documents

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Resolution 20-223
          Testimony

                           MISC. COM. 298

P.8a                                   PH
Testimony of
                                           Pacific Resource Partnership

                                          City & County of Honolulu
                                            City Council Chamber
                                    Councilmember Tommy Waters, Chair
                                   Councilmember Esther Kia’ãina, Vice Chair

               Resolution 20-223—Ala Moana Neighborhood Transit-Oriented Development Plan
                                        Wednesday, May 5,2021

    Aoha Chair Waters, Vice Chair Kia’aina, ard Members of the Council:

    Pacifc Resource Partnership (PRP) appreciates the Council’s efforts to advarce the Ala Moana
    Neighborhood Transit-Oriented Development Plan towares adoption. As this measure continues to move
    through the legislative process, we respectfully request the Council consider amending Resolution 20-223
    to increase the height and density across all of the Ala Moana Center (AMC).

    The Ala Moana Neighborhood TOD Plan provides a long-term vision for the AMC rail transit station area—
    supporting the development of an equitable transitoriented commurity where housing, including
    affordaole/workforce housing, commercial/retail, and community services will be facilitated by a robust
    multimodal transportation network comprised of public and private modes. This is a unique and valuable
    opportunity for the city to maximize the development potential of AMC to create more
    affordable/workforce housing opportunities for Oahu’s residents, generate more real property tax
    revenue for the city, and provide more job opportunities for our local workforce.

    Alowng for increased height and density across all of AMC makes sense. AMC is located within a major
    urban center in the heart of Honolulu, envisioned as a livable high-density cornmuni:y, and existing
    condos in the area along Phkoi Street and Ala Moana Boulevard are approxima:ely 400’ or more, such as
    Hokua, Hawaiki Tower, and Nauru Tower.

    Giver the above, we respectfufly request your favorable cecisior on this measure. Thank you for this
    opportunity to testify.

    Pacific Resource Partnership

    (808) 380-8838
    cdeIaunayprp-hawaU.com

                                                                                                                PRP
THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIP

                                   PHONE   —   808528.5557   IIODALAKEASTREET!4TH FLOOR   L’iITIFP..
                                                                                                        9   vMw.rAcEBc-oKccM!
                                                             HONOLULU? HI S6S1J           IRPRPHAWAII       PACIFICRFSCJROFPARTNERSH[P
From:                   CLK Council Info
Sent:                   Sunday, May 2, 2021 6:09 AM
Subject:                Zoning and Planning Testimony

Written Testimony

Name             john razonable
Phone            8083685733
Email            raz’@a-l -acorn
Meeting Date     04-22-2022
Council/PH
                 Zoning and Planning
Committee
Agenda Item      Ala Moana TOD plan Reo ZO-22
Your position on
                 Support
the matter
Representing     Self
Organization
                 i oppose the draft plan (CC 159) as currently proposed, which will limit future development
                 opportunities and further stall our states economic recovery. Through the past year of
                 shutdown, continued development and construction played a crucial role in keeping
                 construction businesses operating and construction tax revenues stable. With upcoming
Written          reductions to Federal and State new construction funding, private development will be vital
Testimony        to our construction projects and hurt many local business and hardworking employees in our
                 construction industry. Thank you for re-considering proposed development limitations and
                 help keep our construction industry working
                 mahalo.
                 John Razonable
Testimony
Attachment
Accept Terms
                  1
and Agreement

IP: 192.168.200.67
hAWAiI OPERATING ENGINEERS
                              INDUSTRY STAHl JIZAflON FuI’a)

                                                                                 Th9ttd4FTCR

                                    Uniting nzer fl,engths and wor*fng treth,r
                                               fur a better flnceraw.

May 3,2021

Honorable, Tommy Waters, Honolulu City Council, Chair & Presiding Officer
Honorable, Esther Kiaaina, Honolulu City Council, Vice Chair
Honorable, members of the Honolulu City Council

RE: RESOLUTION 20-223   —   ALA MOANA NEIGHBORHOOD TOD PLAN. Approving the Ala Moana
Neighborhood Transit-Oriented Development Plan. ADOPT COMMITTEE REPORT AND REFER THE
RESOLUTIONS TO THE COMMITTEE ON ZONING AND PLANNING

Chair Tommy Waters:

My name is Pane Meatoga Ill and lam the Community Liaison representing the Hawaii Operating
Engineers Industry Stabilization Fund (HOEISF). We are a labor management fund representing 3000
unionized members in heavy engineering site work and 500 general contractors specializing in heavy site
and vertical construction. Our organization would like to offer our written testimony in support of
intent RESOLUTION 20-223, Proposed CD1 ALA MOANA NEIGHBORHOOD TOD PLAN and would like to
                                            —

offer comments.

We appreciate all the input that has gone into drafting the Ala Moana Neighborhood Transit Oriented
Development Plan. We also understand and thank the Honolulu City Council for the many years of hard
work that has gone into developing the draft of this plan. We feel that the proposed CD1 draft of the
plan does do enough to mitigate the housing crisis we are in and increased height and density
requirements are needed. The increased height and density requirement will help provide community
benefits like affordable housing, offset the cost of rail, enable thinner structures thereby preserving
mauka-makai view planes, and could provide land, easements, and other vital infrastructure required for
the Honolulu rail project and The Bus.

Referring the plan back to the committee on Zoning and Planning is the correct decision. We believe
that future communication and collaboration between the Honolulu City Council and all stakeholders
will lead to a truly exceptional Ala Moana Neighborhood TOD Plan. We believe that the plan will be the
centerpiece of urban Honolulu and showcase to the world, Honolulu’s unique style of urban planning
and design that epitomizes a nexus of Hawaii’s culture and a modern urban lifestyle.

HOEISF stands ready to assist in the collaborative process and we look forward to working with all
participants to ensure that the Ala Moana Neighborhood Transit Oriented Plan meets the needs of all
stakeholders.

Sincerely,

Pane Meatoga Ill
Hawaii Operating Engineers Industry Stabilization Fund

                                                                                                          -
From:                CLK Council Info
Sent:                Tuesday, May 4, 2021 2:51 PM
Subject:             Council Testimony

Written Testimony

Name                        Ryan Kobayashi
Phone                       8088415877242
Email                       rkobayashiIocaI368org
Meeting Date                05-05-2021
Council/PH Committee        Council
Agenda Item                 20-223
Your position on the matter Comment
Representing                Organization
Organization                Laborers Union; Local 368
Written Testimony
Testimony Attachment
Accept Terms and Agreement 1

IP: 192168.200.67

                                           1
LiUNA!
                                                    Testimony of the Hawaii Laborers’ Union Local 368
                                                                   1617 Palama Street
         PETER A. GANABAN                                        Honolulu, Hawaii 96817
         Bus,ness .ilanoger
           Secretori -Treasurer

                                                              Meeting: Council Hearing
         ALFONS() OIiER
         President                                            Date: May 5, 2021
                                                              Time: 10:00 am.
         JOBY NORTh ii
         lice President
                                  RE: Resolution 20-223 Ala Moana Neighborhood TOD Plan.
         TONI FIGLEROA
         kecord,ng Secretaty
                                  Chair Waters, Vice-chair Kiaaina, and Committee members,
         JAMES DRLMGOLD JR.
         Executive Board          The Hawaii Laborers’ Union Local 368 and its 5,000 working and retired men and women
*                                 across the state of Hawaii we would like to take this opportunity to thank the Council for
         OHL\NDO PAESTE           advancing the conversation regarding the issue as captioned above and support the
L        Ezecuttve Board          intent of the Council’s efforts and work regarding this issue.

         JOSEPH AW                While we support the intent of the Council advancing the issue, we feel that the current
         Executive Board          draft can be improved by increasing the height and density limitations that are currently
                                  being proposed. An increase in the height and density will result in an increase revenue
                                  for the City through new RPT and help offset the some of the cost of building rail and
         ESTHER AILA
         Auditor                  future operations.

                                  Also, projects in the ‘plan area” will provide community benefits like affordable housing
         RUSSELl. NAP1I!AA
                                  and also provide land, easements, and other vital infrastructure required for rail and bus,
                                                -                                 .

         Auditor
    *                             and help to spur the economy during one of the worst recessions in history
-MARKTRAVALIN0
                                  Therefore, we ask that the City Council consider and adopt changes to increase the
                                  height and density limits to 400 feet as originally proposed, Thank you for the opportunity
                                  to offer this testimony.
         MARTIN ARANAVDO
•        Sergeant-At-A rins
                                  Respectfully,
                                  Ryan Kobayashi
                                  Government Affairs

          LiIJNA Local 368
         1617 Palama Street
         Honolulu, HI 96817
        Phone: (808) 841-5877
         Fax: (808) 847-7829
          www.local368.org
                                                                      Feel the Power
NAICBI Hawaii

May 5,2021

To the Honorable Tommy Waters, Chair
And Members of the Honolulu City Council

Re: Comments on RESOLUTION 20-223 CDI -Proposed Amendments to the Draft Ala
Moana Neighborhood Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Plan

Dear Council Chair Waters & Council Members:

My name is Sheldon Kaiakapu Glassco. I am a native Hawaiian property owner in the
Ala Moana Transit-Oriented Development area and the Managing Director of the
investment advisory team at NAI CBI Hawaii. I am an expert in commercial real estate,
representing many Sellers, Buyers, and Landlords in the Ala Moana Transit Oriented
Development neighborhood. I want to testify that I favor expanding the Convention
Center Sub-district to include properties fronting Atkinson Drive to allow needed
hotel development.

One of my clients, a Kama’aina family, has owned their property located on Atkinson
Drive for nearly seventy (70) years. Their property is the perfect site to be the catalyst of
hotel development to support the goals and ideals of the Hawaii Convention Center Sub
district. We envision a traditional mid-tier hotel chain development on the site, not a
condo-hotel or luxury high-risc hotel. A new hotel there will attract business travelers
that attend conventions which, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s 2019
Research Report are amongst the highest spenders (alongside Honeymooners). These
visitors are high-spending quality visitors that put less strain on our natural resources than
mass leisure tourism. They have excess disposable income and will give a needed boost
to nearby struggling retailers and restaurants, rather than staying in the urban core at
illegal vacation rentals or short-term rentals, which take affordable housing off the
market for local families. A new hotel on the site will also bring needed tax revenue
(TAT & GET), support our construction industry, create permanent jobs, and lessen
traffic on Atkinson Drive compared to another residential condominium project.

The property is located at 435 Atkinson Drive and consists of three parcels totaling
approximately 23,627 square feet, and is roughly 100’ wide by 230’ deep. The current
improvements are old functionally obsolete buildings that have become an “eyesore” in
the neighborhood. This site is less than a two-minute walk from the Hawaii Convention
Center. In addition, it is on the same side of the street, eliminating future convention
attendees from hazardously crossing busy Kapiolani Boulevard, Kalakaua Avenue, and
CBI, Inc.
1712 South King Sired. Suite 201, Honolulu, HI 96826 T 808.942.7100 F 808.942.0009
www.cbi-hawaii.coni Independently Owned and Operaled
2

Atkinson Drive during heavily trafficked hours, reducing the chance of pedestrian-related
accidents.

I would like to highlight an issuc of concern to the City Council that can potentially affect
smaller property owners that meet the minimum lot size of 20,000 square feet but are
only 100’ feet wide from redeveloping their parcels. The issue I refer to is the change of
5.9 TALL BUILDING GUIDELINES, specifically 5.9.1. and 5.9,3. rcvise the “tall
building” definition from 150’ to 100’ and implement a 50’ tower setback from the
common boundary of the neighboring property. This lower building height combined
with the tower setback may not make it feasible for smaller property owners that
otherwise meet the minimum lot size requirement from developing under TOD, thus
essentially wiping away the incentive to redevelop their property. The unintended
consequence could result in pockets of underutilized buildings adjacent to brand new
modem towers.

Thank you for the opportunity to offer these comments.

Kind Regards and Aloha,

Sheldon Kaiakapu Glassco (B)
Managing Director, Investments Advisory
NM CBI Hawaii
www.creinvestmentsadvisor.com

CBI, Inc.
1712 South King Street. Suite 201, Honolulu, HI 96826 T 808.942.7100 F 808.942.0009
www.cbi-hawaii.coni Independently Owned and Operated
Brookfield
Properties
Honolulu City CouncW
530 South King Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813

May 4, 2021

Resolution 20-223, CD1 —Ala Moana Neighborhood POD Plan

Aloha Zoning and Planning Chair Elefante and esteemed Committee Councilmembers,

Srookfield Properties (“Brookfield”) has been a proud participant in the economic and cultural life
of Hawaii for over 30 years on various islands. We own and manage the retail, medical, and
office components of the Ala Moana Center in Honolulu.

Celebrating its 60th anniversary, Ala Moana Center is an iconic part of the community, embracing
Hawaii’s local culture, offering a friendly experience for both its loyal local customers, and
visiting tourists alike. Ala Moana Center is a major employment center, an anchor amenity to
Honolulu’s urban core, and serves as a longstanding driver of the local economy and tax
reven Lie.

Brookfield is greatly appreciative and supportive of the intent to reintroduce Resolution 20-223,
CD] related to the Ala Moana Neighborhood TOD Plan, given the 9 years of community study to
ensure proper planning and smart growth initiatives in the Ala Moana urban core to benefit
Hawaii’s residents and to keep country, country.

Ala Moana Center has been committed to staying ‘local’ in its roots, never fearful to evolve, and
always embracing reinvestment to better Honolulu, believing firmly that any reinvestment into the
Center was rooted in reinvestment into the community. To this end, we appreciate the
opportunity to share our comments to the recently reintroduced Resolution 20-223, CD1 related
to the Ala Moana Neighborhood TOD Plan.

Future of the Ala Moana Neighborhood is Tied to the Long-term Viability of Ala Moana Center
The City of Honolulu’s Ala Moana Neighborhood draft TOD plan has a vision specific and unique
to the Ala Moana neighborhood. This IOD vision is to promote higher density mixed-use
communities near consolidated transit options where people can improve their quality of life by

Brookfield Properties Honolulu
1003 Bishop street, Suite 2288, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
T -*1 808 380 1890   brookfieldproperties.com
living, working and playing in the neighborhoods that foster housing options for mixed-incomes,
employment opportunities, community services, recreational activities, public spaces to gather
and options for mobility. Ala Moana Center plays a significant role in this neighborhood, and with
incentivized height and density, Brookfield hopes to work with the City and community to help
deliver all of the components of the City’s IOD vision to this neighborhood.

Incentivized Height & Density Supports the Delivery of Affordable Housing
TOD planning principles encourage maximum height and density opportunities within ¼ and ½
mile of the rail stations, such as at Ala Moana Center. Prior projects at Ala Moana Center built
under ‘by-right zoning’ without incentivized height and density were only feasible as luxury
housing, without any affordable housing component. However, if given the opportunity to
propose new TOD projects with an incentivized height and density, Brookfield will be able to
deliver affordable housing to the neighborhood. Examples of Brookfield development projects
that received increased height and density to enable affordable housing include Pacifica,
Symphony Honolulu, Lilia Waikiki and Ala Moana Plaza.

Resolution 20-223, CD] proposes no increase to the existing 2.5 FAR density across the majority
of Ala Moana Center, and only a 50-foot increase (to a 150 ft. maximum) of buildable height.
Unfortunately, this designated area does not provide much opportunity for new projects, thus
limiting community benefits.

On a broader perspective, in addition to community benefits generated through the opportunity
to grant bonus height and density, new TOD projects create significant annual City and County
real property tax revenue, the primary source of funds that support City and County services.
The real property tax generated by TOD projects also serve as possible funding to offset transit
operations; benefiting all island residents.

Current TOD Project Approval Process Provides the City Flexibility to Support or Oppose
The approval of the Ala Moana Neighborhood TOD Plan does not automatically grant landowners
any approval for future projects at designated heights or densities. Instead, the City has a very
sound process that addresses future redevelopment uncertainty; which is that the community
and DPP evaluate any proposed future development projects with a requirement to obtain
approval by the City Council on a project-by-project basis.

Given this case-by-case City approval process framework, Brookfield is supportive of a flexible
TOD plan that proposes buildable heights of up to 400-foot height limits and increased density at
Ala Moana Center, as it allows for a spectrum of possibilities for the City and community to
decide.
The TOO Plan is a Planning Document for the Future
With the need for housing, smart urban growth, climate change management and island
economic sustainability at the forefront of public concern, Ala Moana Center can serve as a
model for what is possible with a new approach to redevelopment. A flexible and forward-
thinking plan will make vvay for a wide diversity of uses and housing, iconic urban public spaces,
mobility options, social infrastructure, sustainable buildings, gateway connections, and
innovation solutions. Investment and improvements to the neighborhood should build community
and address urban and resiliency challenges from climate change and energy use, to affordable
                                            —

housing and inclusivity.

Brookfield is deeply committed to being a contributing partner with the City and the surrounding
community at Ala Moana. As an indication of our commitment, we recently agreed to provide
rightof -way easements across our privately owned roads for much-needed bus and transit
operations as part of the approval process for the Plaza rental project, a significant community
benefit that exceeded the commensurate level of bonuses sought for the project.

It remains our hope that the Zoning and Planning Committee and City Council will consider further
discussion and possible amendment to the Resolution 20-223 CD1 draft TOD plan to simply keep
the possibility open for bonus height and density at Ala Moana Center consistent with the rest of
the surrounding neighborhood. To that end, we greatly look forward to further collaboration on
reaching durable zoning and planning solutions to continue to enhance the Ala Moana
c 0 ni mu nit y

Thank you for your consideration

With aloha,

Kris Hui
Vice President
Brookfield Properties
HAWAII BUILDING &
                              CONSTRUCTION
May 5, 2021

Honolulu City Council
530 South King Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813

Re:     Resolution 20-223. Ala Moana Neighborhood TOD Plan

Aloha Chair Waters. Vice Chair Kia’aina, and Honolulu City Council Members,

The Hawaii Building & Construction Trades Council (HBCTC) is comprised of 16 construction trade
unions here in the State of Hawaii. HBCTC’s mission is to promote the interests of the Hawaii Building
and Construction Trades Council, its members and affiliates, with the underlying goal ot creating job
opportunities and a healthy and vibrant construction industry throughout Hawaii. We are committed to
providing Hawaii’s working men and women with hope for a better tomorrow through support of smart
growth techniques while maintaining our valuable natural resources.

The Building Trades greatly appreciates the steps being taken by Council to finally advance the Ala
Moana TOD plan after years of delays. We believe that the underlying purpose of transit-oriented
development is to promote development to create denser live-work-play communities around rail stations,
help pay for rail, and encourage ridership.

 It is our hQpe that the Council will amend the draft plan to increase height and density at Ala Moana
Center to reflect the heights and densities already present along Ala Moana Blvd and PHkoi. A draft
proposal introduced last year from the Department of Planning and Permitting for the TOO map would do
just that. We urge the Council to review and consider that draft plan as it moves forward with the
important task of adopting updates to Resolution 20-223.

Mahalo Nui Loa    /

Gino Soquena
Executive Director
Hawaii Building & Construction Trades Council
8083931807
ginohbctcor

                            735 Bishop Street, Suite 412, Honolulu, HI 96813
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