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.
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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.
16 responses to “City Council passes measure to ease Ewa Villages parking”
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On the parking in Ewa- this tempering with the traffic codes should never happen. I know and feel for the residents of these areas. But the conditions were there when they bought their homes so they should live by those rules. These conditions existed to make these home affordable. I say if people cannot park their cars on their properties over night then the cars should go. On street parking is not anyone’s right and spots in front of ones home is not hat property owners spot either and what I just said will be a problem later where if someone parks in front of someone’s home will cause confrontations. Also cars park with half the car is blocking the side walk should never happen. But with the kind of council members we have I guess this will be permitted. These on street parking laws and ordinances should be enforced in all residential areas and the government can surely increase their income cause although the situation in Ewa is severe just drive through subdivisions and so called on street parking is abused- half the cars on the sidewalk, cars sticking out across the side walk, cars parked too close to the street corner,oversize trailers, dumpsters parked for weeks and months etc
I understand what you are saying, but things have changed since these homes and streets were built. We have a critical housing problem here in Paradise. KIds aren’t leaving home anymore, they can’t afford the cost of housing and they work which means they need a car for transportation. Families and relatives are doubling and tripling up–parking needs are similarly doubling and tripling. (Ever see one of those satellite pictures of all of the airlines flying at one time?? Awesome–and as happened on 9/11 if they all land there aren’t enough parking spots for them–they park on the infield, taxiways, runways, etc. We have the same problem—too many cars and not enough parking spots.)
I live in Aliamanu and we have enough space to park our 3 cars. However, my neighbor’s all use their driveways and garages as extensions of their homes so they have no place to park their cars. They strictly use street parking. Couple that with other people living 3-4 families per home and each family has a car or two. They park in their garage then double park the 2nd car which totally blocks the sidewalk. Kids and elderly walking to the bus stops need to walk on the street to get to the bus stop. Kids are unable to ride scooters and tricycles and bikes on the sidewalks because they are blocked by cars. Many people actually believe they own the sidewalk AND the street parking in front of their homes!!! Talk about safety issues and congestion!!!! Some have resorted to placing cones in front of their home to reserve their spots. Imagine moving a cone…what you think you find when you get back to your car? This is a serious problem but what is the solution?
This is moving in the opposite direction. Honolulu should eliminate on-street parking, and limit people to vehicles that will fit on their own property. Otherwise, catch the bus. Yes, people with smaller properties would end up being able to own fewer cars — but why waste so much money on cars in the first place? It’s just additional noise, traffic, pollution, and eye sores, because people don’t want to catch a bus or car pool. Boo-hoo.
Yes! Allowing all this street parking allows single family homes to be converted into illegal junk multi family tenements. But the root of all evil and lack of parking is “densely packed (Ewa Villages) neighborhood due to overpopulation due to immigration.
ryan, a lot of people would call this racism–or catering to the 1%.
Not really. Just means put your stuff on your property. If no fit no get.
You and your shibai ideas need to go where they belong, North Korea. What? You haven’t left yet?
Agree
The same people complaining about parking are the same people complaining about the cost of living. So, they live at grandma’s house with 20 people. Then they finance a car they can only afford because they live at grandma’s. Multiply this by 10 drivers per household, and you arrive at Ewa Villages. Good luck with ever purchasing a home when you have a $500/month car payment.
All around the island you see cars parked on the street closer than 4 feet from the driveway. Residential AND business areas. Worse is in industrial areas. You ticket one area, you ticket ALL.
So, where do the ambulances and fire trucks park when there is an emergency? Oh well….
Uhhhh, same place the always do and always have. In the streets. Not a safety or access issue.
Long as fire hydrant access is not blocked there are no problems.
Really need to explore the idea of having residential parking permits, limit to 1 on street parking permit per licensed individual. The problem with these crowded residential streets is always due to one or two people on the block owning 10 cars (usually junkers so eyesores too) parked out front.
They should convert all sidewalks to parking spaces. That way all the low life losers have a place to park their cars.
No worries, it’ll all go back to the way it was after all goes haywire!