City Council passes measure to ease Ewa Villages parking

Residents in a densely packed Ewa Villages neighborhood would be able to park less than 4 feet from their driveways under a pilot project approved by the Honolulu City Council on Wednesday.

Bill 4 would allow the exception to the Traffic Code, which states that vehicles must stay at least 4 feet from any driveway, only in specific sections of an Ewa Villages neighborhood: all of Halolani and Maliko streets, and Auwaha Street between Kamahoi and Maliko streets. The exception would run through Dec. 31, 2018.

Davina Elgarico testified that whenever she needs to work late, there’s no parking on the street, and she parks her car in neighboring Fernandez Village, which has “way wider streets than us.”

The bill, introduced by Councilman Ron Menor, would call for the Honolulu Police Department to submit to the Council a report on the implementation of the new law and whether it should be permanent.

Honolulu police have testified against the measure. Maj. Darren Izumo, who heads HPD’s Traffic Division, said that while he empathizes with the community, the law exists to ensure safe sightlines for both motorists and pedestrians.

Izumo warned that the the pilot project could spur those in other cramped neighborhoods to seek a similar exemption. In fact, several Council members said the exemption works well in neighborhoods they represent.

Councilman Brandon Elefante, citing HPD’s concerns, was the lone “no” vote.

Also Wednesday, the Council voted to reject Resolution 16-48, which would have cleared the way for the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation to use its eminent domain powers to seize a section of a Dillingham Boulevard property belonging to the Blood Bank of Honolulu.

Kim-Anh Nguyen, Blood Bank president and CEO, said her nonprofit agency “vigorously opposes” HART’s move to take its property through eminent domain procedures.

Additionally, the Council voted to approve a $4.7 million payment to one current and two former Honolulu Police Department officers who said they were discriminated against by HPD brass and that the matter later was subjected to a cover-up by HPD and city attorneys.