The Hawaii County Council is proposing a County Charter amendment that would create a Department of Building aimed at speeding up the permitting and inspection process and easing the workload of the Department of Public Works — but Mayor Kimo Alameda is not convinced it’s the right approach.
“While I welcome ideas to improve county government, I don’t believe that adding another department is the right solution,” Alameda said in statement to the Tribune-Herald. “The progress we have made within Public Works demonstrates that strong leadership focused on collaboration and teamwork can address many of the problems that we face.”
Currently, the Building Division operates within the Department of Public Works, which oversees a broad range of duties including maintenance of all county facilities and roads. The proposed department would focus solely on issuing permits and enforcing building-related codes.
“Thanks to our Permitting Task Force, we have significantly cut down waiting times for building and solar permits,” the mayor added. “Creating a new layer of county government would be a waste of our tax dollars. We already have the tools that we need to strengthen county operations and improve services for our residents.”
The proposed charter amendment, known as Bill 68 and introduced by council members Ashley Kierkiewicz and James Hustace, is in committee and expected to be discussed at the County Council’s Aug. 19 meeting in Kona. If approved, the amendment will be placed on the 2026 General Election ballot for voter approval.
Under the bill, the Department of Building would be led by a director appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council. The director must have at least five years of experience in the building and development industries, with at least three years in supervisory or administrative roles. The department also would include a deputy director, a building codes commission and supporting staff.
The amendment also would place the seven-member Board of Appeals under the jurisdiction of the new department.
A new nine-member building codes commission would advise the Building Department and county officials. Members would have expertise in construction-related fields such as architecture, engineering, plumbing, electrical work, fire protection, general contracting, building materials or trade union representation.
Several county officials — including the planning director, director of Public Works, fire chief and water supply manager — would serve as nonvoting ex-officio members.
Councilwoman Heather Kimball noted at the Aug. 5 committee meeting that five members for the commission might be a better number.
Councilwoman Jennifer Kagiwada agreed, saying, “I would suggest if you go with the number that council member Kimball suggested, five … then you will pretty much be assured you can get a quorum for your meetings because you’ll have enough even in just the county members.”
The building codes commission’s duties would include reviewing proposed amendments to building, electrical, plumbing and fire codes as required by state law; recommending ordinance changes; and advising county leaders on construction matters.
Kierkiewicz noted the importance of consulting with industry experts before amending codes to ensure they fit Hawaii’s unique island context.
Email Daniel Farr at dfarr@hawaiitribune-herald.com.