Windward Planning Commission gives short-term rental bill ‘thumbs-down’

The Windward Planning Commission gave Hawaiʻi County Council Chair Heather Kimball’s short-term rental bill a thumbs-down on May 2 by sending an unfavorable recommendation to the County Council.

Windward Planning Commission Chairman Dennis Lin cited several serious reservations about the bill, but his chief reservation was the lack of a comprehensive, independent economic impact study.

Multiple members of the commission viewed the bill as “government overreach.” Other concerns included reservations about regulating what homeowners can do in their own home, conditions related to events and gatherings, the addition of new noise requirements, a lack of
accommodation for homeowners on agricultural land and provisions in the bill that prevent future home buyers from renting their ‘ohana or auxiliary dwelling units to visitors.

The Planning Commission’s reservations about the bill mirror the concerns of the hundreds of
testifiers who showed up to oppose the bill.

“We’re pleased that Chairman Lin and the planning commission saw the distress and pain that
this bill has caused local families,” said ‘Ohana ‘Āina Association president and County Council
candidate Joshua Montgomery. “Hopefully Kimball and her out of touch colleagues listen to the Planning Commission’s recommendation and to the universal opposition of the community. It’s election season after all.”

The next step is the Leeward Planning Commission, where the broader community has been
extremely vocal in its opposition.

“The community has been nearly unanimous in fighting to keep Hawai‘i County out of our homes,” said Montgomery. “We agree with the Planning Commission. Hawai‘i County needs to fix the planning process, maintain the sewers and expand water and trash service. They have more important things to do than telling people where to sleep, who to host or when to go to bed.”