Honolulu City Council appoints building lobbyist to planning commission

The Honolulu City Council confirmed a construction industry lobbyist to the Honolulu Planning Commission on Wednesday, despite concerns over his reappointment.

The confirmation comes as voters soon will decide a city charter amendment that would diversify the planning commission’s development-dominated ranks.

Pane Meatoga III, a registered lobbyist with the Hawaii Operating Engineers Industry Stabilization Fund representing the building industry, had previously served on the commission and was reappointed by Honolulu Mayor Rick Blan­giardi on Aug. 18.

Council members Heidi Tsuneyoshi, Andria Tupola and Carol Fukunaga spoke against Meatoga’s appointment, but he was confirmed in a 7-2 vote with Fukunaga and Tsuneyoshi casting “no” votes. Tupola and Council member Augie Tulba voted “yes” with reservations.

Meatoga’s term will expire June 30, 2027.

Tsuneyoshi, who represents the North Shore and Kahuku, condemned Meatoga’s reappointment to the planning commission, citing his actions earlier this year in a contentious debate on approval of wind turbines in her area. When Kahuku residents opposed the nearby construction of the turbines in their community, pushing to set the sites 1.25 miles back, the issue came before the planning commission where Meatoga intervened, Tsuneyoshi said.

“For Mr. Meatoga to have been the one to submit the amendment that brought us all the way back to square one, saying that we’ll just pass it back to the full Council to be able to decide what they want to do … basically negating everything he heard from the community and from various industry professionals, I have serious concerns of his ability to represent the communities that are supposed to be represented in the planning commission,” Tsuneyoshi said.

Tupola, who represents the west side, expressed reservations given potential conflicts of interest. “My concern was being a registered lobbyist in the field of which this particular field is associated with,” she said. “There are areas that we really need neutrality.”

Fukunaga, who represents Aiea, Punchbowl and downtown, had previously supported Meatoga but changed her mind Wednesday. “I am concerned about some of the issues that have been raised by people in the community and cannot support his appointment at this time,” she said.

Meatoga could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Written testimony residents submitted for the confirmation hearing also questioned Meatoga’s appointment.

“His confirmation will only confirm the existence of the ‘old boys’ network that puts their personal agenda before what is the true needs and wants of the community,” Ken Takeya wrote. “Since the decisions made by Mr. Meatoga affect the lives of the community I feel the community needs to be represented by someone who will do the community justice.”

The Koolau Waialua Alliance, a grassroots community group from the north and windward shores, wrote that “Mr. Meatoga has not only supported private corporate rather than public interests … his work has contributed to tension and conflict in our communities.”

Meatoga drew support from members of the construction industry.

Brandon Ili, executive director of the Hawaii Operating Engineers Industry Stabilization Fund where Meatoga works, said he has known him for six years. “He has carried himself with honesty and integrity,” Ili wrote. “I am confident he will serve the Planning Commission well.”

Analeseanoa Tuiaso­sopo, a district representative for the Operating Engineers Local 3 union, submitted the same testimony verbatim.

Meatoga himself submitted written testimony regarding his own confirmation. Position: “I wish to comment,” he wrote. Testimony: “Support.”

In the general election, voters will be called upon to help diversify the skill sets of the nine-member planning commission, whose members have ties to real estate and development.

Charter Question No. 2 asks whether the city charter should be amended to require that four of the nine planning commission members have expertise in each of the following four areas: Native Hawaiian traditional and customary practices, Native Hawaiian law or traditional Hawaiian land usage; land use planning policies and principles; land development and construction; and climate change and sea level rise causes, effects and solutions (or environmental protection and preservation).

Meatoga worked on the campaign committees for Blangiardi, Council chair Tommy Waters, and Council member Calvin Say, according to the Hawaii Operating Engineers website.

Council member Brandon Elefante acknowledged in a disclosure form Sep. 2 that Meatoga’s employer, the Hawaii Operating Engineers union, contributed to Elefante’s campaign fund. “Although I have been advised that this does not constitute a conflict of interest, I file this disclosure out of an abundance of caution,” Elefante wrote.

Elefante, Waters and Say voted to confirm Meatoga’s reappointment to the planning commission.