A bill is being debated that would attempt to fix the problem of substandard roads in private subdivisions by requiring Hawaii County to assess and spend road maintenance fees.
House Bill 2570 would start a three-year pilot program that would involve the county and state Department of Transportation identifying roads that are in such disrepair that emergency vehicles experience unreasonable delays.
The county would then collect fees from lot owners in the subdivisions to pay for road improvements and maintenance.
Rep. Joy San Buenaventura, who introduced the bill, said it’s intended to stop infighting within the large private subdivisions regarding who to pay fees to and provide additional oversight. She said the county should take the responsibility since it approved the subdivisions.
“The Hawaii Supreme Court already said in these infrastructure-less subdivisions, there is a duty to contribute toward infrastructure,” she said. “But it never said who to do it.”
The House committees on Housing and Water and Land amended the bill Wednesday to try this approach as a pilot first.
County Planning Director Michael Yee submitted written testimony against the bill, though he praised San Buenaventura, D-Puna, for trying to address the issue.
He said it would place an unfair burden on the county.
“To move this issue forward in the County of Hawaii, a feasibility study is needed that would include financing and implementation options,” Yee wrote. He suggested funding of $300,000 to pay for a road feasibility study.
Written testimony submitted to the committees was mostly in support.
“I believe the county should be responsible on organizing the collection of fees and maintaining our roads,” wrote Francisco Arellano of Hawaiian Paradise Park. “We pay the same share of taxes as any other community in Hilo.”
Diana Miller wrote that maintenance of private roads should be left up to the neighborhoods.
“Adding another requirement like this will likely require additional personnel and increased budget and eventually higher taxes to cover the requirements,” she said.
The bill was referred to the House Finance Committee.
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
This almost makes sense…..you would think the HOA’s would take care of this?
It happened to me back in the 70’s when on a private dirt road subdivision 13 homes, the county would not grade it and all the home owners got together voted to bring up to code, (pave & ditches) at that time, then deeded road over to the county. Split the cost evenly and the county helped get a special loan for this. It did bring my property value up at that time. Helped pay off the money owed when I sold the house.
Not sure any one in Hawaii county would be able to pull anything off like this without spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a hoke study, then nothing happen or gets done, other than waste tax money. Sad!
I think the Co. has the right idea. I have lived in such places and there is always several people who do not want to pay there fair share. If the Co. had a law in place it would be a BIG help
They raised all taxes to fix the roads. Now they say we have to pay for our roads. Classic. Keep voting for Bozo, he’ll take care of you ( wink wink )