Council to vote on proposals to fund zoo, parking structure

Proposals aimed at creating a dedicated fund for the Honolulu Zoo and kick-starting development of a multistory parking structure are scheduled for votes at the City Council’s monthly meeting Wednesday.

Bill 30 would allow the city to carve out a special fund for the zoo and require all revenues from attendance, food concessions and parking to go directly into it.

The measure comes in response to a decision by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to deny reaccreditation of Honolulu Zoo. Lack of a consistently adequate source of funding was one concern the AZA cited.

The bill was introduced by Council Chairman Ernie Martin, who also is asking the Honolulu Charter Commission to consider asking voters to approve 0.75 percent of annual city revenues to be diverted to a zoo special fund. This proposal is separate from Bill 30.

City Enterprise Services Director Guy Kaulukukui told the Budget Committee on Wednesday that he supports a dedicated source but wants it to be 0.5 percent.

Meanwhile, Councilman Trevor Ozawa, who represents Waikiki, and Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi have put $500,000 in next year’s budget for study, planning and design of a two- or three-story parking structure to replace the existing asphalt lot.

Kobayashi said a larger, landscaped facility would allow more of the public to park their vehicles and enjoy both the zoo and the rest of Kapiolani Park, as well as give the zoo a better source of revenue.

Resolution 16-92 calls on the city administration to update Council members on the status of the zoo parking lot.

Kaulukukui said current parking lot vendor Republic Parking Northwest has paid the city about $700,000 since taking over in May 2015, more than the $592,000 paid to the city by the previous vendor, which filed for bankruptcy.

Ozawa said that since the switch there have continued to be complaints about nonoperating ticket machines and lack of response to motorists with questions or complaints.

Denny Williams, Republic Parking Northwest regional manager, said the machines are vandalized continually. But the company tries to have two spare machines on hand so switches can be made quickly, he said.

As for lack of response, Williams said the signs attached to the machines were recently changed to tell motorists to call his personal cellphone, 24 hours a day.

Ozawa said switching to a multilevel parking structure with an attendant would make the zoo “more secure, safer and more convenient.”

He’s heard from people discouraged to go to the zoo because they either couldn’t find parking or didn’t want to park there.