No 35 Mililani Mauka Launani Valley Neighborhood Board Regular Meeting July 2026
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35 Mililani Mauka-Launani Valley Neighborhood Board Meeting – July 23, 2026
Military Training and Public Access
The military representative’s report was largely missing or corrupted in the transcript, which repeatedly stated that the “HMWR” would be open to the public. The audible conclusion referred residents to information at cpf.navy.mil/rimpac and acknowledged that military training can sometimes be loud. The representative said the training is necessary to maintain unit readiness and help personnel return safely if deployed. Residents with questions or concerns were directed to the military community concern line at 808-787-1528. No questions were raised.
Election of Board Officers
Because this was the first meeting of the new board year, the board was required to elect a chair, vice chair, secretary, and treasurer for terms running from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. A motion was made and seconded to retain the existing slate of officers. None of the current officers objected to continuing, and the board approved the motion without objection or abstention.
Meeting Schedule and Operating Rules
The board reviewed its regular meeting date, location, starting time, presentation and discussion time limits, and scheduled recess dates. No member proposed a change, and the board agreed without objection or abstention to retain all existing arrangements.
Appointment of Anna Hudson to Board Vacancy
Anna Hudson expressed interest in filling a vacancy created the previous month. Hudson said she had served on the board in 2025 but missed the deadline to return and wished to continue her community service. She had also worked under Education Committee leadership to provide reports about Leilehua High School, Wheeler Middle School, Mililani Mauka Elementary School, and Mililani ʻIke Elementary School. A motion to appoint her was made and seconded, and the board approved her appointment without objection or abstention. The meeting briefly recessed following the appointment.
Commercial and Rental Vehicles Near Hampton Court
Mililani residents Jamie Detweiler and Rita Kamakimura raised concerns about numerous vehicles stored along streets near Hampton Court. Detweiler, a Mililani homeowner for 39 years, estimated that approximately 12 to 15 similar vehicles were regularly parked in the area, including several Honda Elements displaying “My High Life” clothing-company stickers and cargo bins. She said the vehicles had spread into adjoining streets following the neighborhood’s recent repaving, which she otherwise praised as a long-overdue improvement. Some vehicles appeared to have citations, but their status was unclear. She questioned whether the use was appropriate in a residentially zoned neighborhood and asked the board to refer the matter to the proper enforcement agency rather than treating it as an emergency police issue.
A board member explained that a vehicle is generally treated as commercial for street-parking purposes when it is taxed or registered as commercial, weighs 10,000 pounds or more, exceeds 20 feet in length, or has features such as an attached trailer. A normal passenger vehicle used by a business may not violate commercial-vehicle parking restrictions merely because it carries company branding. The member advised residents to call the Honolulu Police Department’s non-emergency line, request an officer’s review, and document license plates and vehicle descriptions because HPD holds the principal enforcement authority. Residents were also encouraged to notify the Mililani Town Association so it could patrol and maintain records. The member suggested that other nearby vehicles might be associated with a Turo rental operation, although this was not confirmed.
Kamakimura emphasized that the volume and placement of the vehicles create a traffic-safety problem at Hampton Court. Vehicles parked close to the driveway block drivers’ views of traffic coming downhill, forcing residents to edge slowly into the roadway while other motorists may be traveling at high speeds. She said she had contacted the offices of Councilmember Val Okimoto and Representative Lauren Matsumoto La Chica approximately four months earlier. Representative La Chica’s office reported that the City and County planned to add approximately 20 feet of painted thatch markings on both sides of the Hampton Court entrance and exit. The city was also open to considering additional no-parking zones on the opposite side of the exit, but residents would need to ask their association to submit a written request to Department of Transportation Services Director Roger Morton; submission would not guarantee approval. The mayoral representative also agreed to follow up with DTS regarding visibility and possible extensions of the no-parking area.
Opposition to the Wahiawā–Whitmore Pedestrian Bridge
Nani Brown, a Wahiawā community member, said residents had opposed the proposed Wahiawā–Whitmore pedestrian bridge and were preparing to state their opposition again. A community meeting, rescheduled for the second time, was announced for August 28 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Whitmore Recreation Center. Brown asked Mililani residents and board members to attend in solidarity.
The issue returned during the report from Senator Donovan Dela Cruz’s office. Brown said she had reviewed the project’s building records and found that the grading permit appeared to have been approved only on July 8, 2026, although she and others had toured a graded site in May through their work with the Hawaiʻi Civic Club. She asked that grading and other work stop until after the August 28 community meeting, citing the civic club’s mission to protect Kūkaniloko. Senator Dela Cruz’s representative said the Department of Transportation had previously advised that construction had not begun and agreed to seek clarification.
Surf Park Data Center Expansion
Community member Paul Casey asked whether the Surf Park data center would be placed on the next meeting agenda. The chair said both the company and Hawaiian Electric had declined invitations to attend, although Surf Park invited the chair to tour its facility and provided project information. According to the company, it is building Phase 2 under its original permit, which authorized Phases 1 and 2 together. The chair reported that the combined facility would total approximately 30,000 square feet, the maximum buildout possible on the lot. Phase 1 was reportedly nearing full customer occupancy, prompting the expansion.
The company has photovoltaic panels on site and was working toward a power-purchase agreement involving solar panels on nearby property. It represented that, once the agreement is active, the facility would draw virtually no net electricity from Hawaiian Electric’s grid. The HVAC equipment is air-cooled rather than water-cooled, so the company said water use would be limited mainly to restrooms and break rooms. Residents were given the company’s customer-relations number, 808-237-5000.
Casey said publicly available company information appeared to describe 150,000 square feet, construction beginning around 2020 or 2021, tenfold growth in 2023, and another expansion beginning in 2026. He also questioned whether approximately 500 solar panels could support the anticipated operation. He did not allege a violation but asked the board to continue tracking the project before its utility demands or operating scale became much larger. The chair reiterated that the site itself could accommodate only 30,000 square feet. A board member suggested also contacting the Wahiawā Neighborhood Board because the project sits near jurisdictional boundaries, while the chair clarified that Mililani Tech Park and Launani Valley fall within this board’s jurisdiction and that an information-technology facility is consistent with the tech park’s intended use.
Governor’s Office and 2026 Legislative Session
Governor Josh Green’s representative, Melanie Martin, reported that the governor signed 266 of the 267 bills presented from the 2026 legislative session. He vetoed Senate Bill 3262 because of unclear governance responsibilities between the Board of Education and the Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board. Measures enacted during the session expanded colorectal-cancer screening for uninsured and underinsured residents and created a statewide initiative to purchase and forgive medical debt for as many as 50,000 residents. Other legislation prohibited disposable electronic smoking devices to reduce wildfire and hazardous-waste risks, established annual salary-step and longevity increases for educators, strengthened teachers’ workplace-safety and legal protections, modernized the film tax credit with a higher cap and incentives for hiring local workers, and imposed safeguards against unauthorized realistic AI-generated impersonations and potentially harmful AI companion services, particularly those involving minors. The low-income housing tax credit was extended through 2032 to encourage private investment in affordable housing.
The state budget included $129 million for green-fee projects related to environmental stewardship, tourism management, and hazard mitigation. The state also selected Guidehouse and Workday for a new electronic financial-management system, and the first group of executive-branch employees completed trauma-informed-care certification. Martin highlighted a Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Division of Financial Institutions food drive that collected 383 pounds of food; two employees transported the donation on foot for more than three miles from Merchant Street to the Hawaiʻi Foodbank in Mapunapuna. She also announced a Honolulu Star-Advertiser Career Expo on July 29 featuring multiple state departments.
Mayor’s Office, Transit Recognition, and Emergency Preparedness
The mayor’s representative reported that City and County employees donated the equivalent of 110,000 meals to the Hawaiʻi Foodbank, exceeding the previous year’s goal of 100,000 meals. Honolulu was also ranked sixth nationally in a Travel + Leisure assessment of the country’s best public-transit systems, reflecting the combined services of TheBus, rail, and TheHandi-Van.
With hurricane and wildfire season underway, residents were encouraged to remove dry brush around their homes and use the Department of Emergency Management’s “My Hazards” website. The online tool allows users to enter an address and identify exposure to wildfire, tsunami, and other hazards, while the department’s broader website provides disaster-preparation guidance. The representative attempted to demonstrate the tool but instead placed the link in the online meeting chat.
DOE–Parks and Recreation Agreement
The mayor’s representative confirmed that the long-discussed memorandum of understanding between the Hawaiʻi Department of Education and the City Department of Parks and Recreation had been fully executed. The agreement clears the way for coordinated use of relevant school and recreational facilities, resolving an issue the board had followed over time.
Council District 8 Legislation
Councilmember Val Okimoto’s office summarized several pending City Council bills. Bill 41 would align Honolulu’s rules for electric bicycles, electric micromobility devices, and related transportation equipment with state law enacted through House Bill 2021, with an emphasis on consistent traffic and pedestrian-safety standards. Bill 46 would increase the homeowner property-tax exemption for residents age 65 and older from $180,000 to $200,000 beginning in fiscal year 2029. Bill 47 would reduce the city motor-vehicle weight tax by 1.5 cents per pound from the current annual rate of 7 cents per pound for commercial and passenger vehicles registered on Oʻahu. Bill 50 would repeal the Land Conservation Fund and transfer its balance to a similar fund. Bill 67 would cap annual increases in assessed property value for homeowners age 65 and older at 2 percent or the inflation rate, whichever is lower. The chair asked for a future explanation of Bill 50’s purpose, particularly why money would be moved between similar funds, and the office agreed to follow up.
The office also cautioned residents about the unusually hot summer and encouraged them to monitor the hydration and health of family members, kūpuna, and pets. It agreed to keep the Hampton Court parking and visibility concern on its radar.
Council District 2, Economic Revitalization, and North Shore Gondola
Councilmember Matt Weyer’s representative said the councilmember was pleased with community investments secured in the latest budget but disappointed that the council overrode the mayor’s line-item action concerning the Office of Economic Revitalization. The discussion referenced 15 OER positions and the effect on six staff members and operations, though portions of the audio were unclear. The representative praised OER’s staff for assisting flood victims while also supporting small businesses and announced an OER community fair at Leilehua High School from 9:00 a.m. on July 23.
The office also reported that the Department of Planning and Permitting had reconsidered a 2019 conditional-use permit for a proposed North Shore gondola and determined that the project was not an accessory to agricultural activity and therefore was no longer permitted. The councilmember thanked Mililani Mauka–Launani Valley residents who supported the North Shore community. In response to a question raised the previous month about how construction companies might access development-related funds, the office said interested firms should monitor public-project requests for proposals and related notices. An earlier question about leaves or trees remained unresolved and would require further follow-up.
Local Food Procurement Initiative
Senator Donovan Dela Cruz’s representative reported on food and product-innovation agreements signed at a June 23 conference at the Sheraton. Kyo-ya Management Company, which manages the Sheraton Waikīkī, Moana Surfrider, and Royal Hawaiian, entered an agreement with the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism and the Agribusiness Development Corporation to obtain 50 percent of its produce and beverage procurement from local sources by 2030. The initiative was compared to the Department of Education’s efforts to source more food locally for school meals.
House District 38 and School-Supply Support
Representative Lauren Matsumoto’s office reported that she had been spending time in the district and attending legislative and governmental-affairs conferences to exchange ideas with policymakers and community leaders. She also supported the Kipapa school-supply distribution drive, which provided supplies and resources to students and families preparing for the new school year. Her office remained available to assist residents with state matters and connect them to appropriate agencies.
Wahiawā Hospital, Queen’s Nurses, and Central Oʻahu Health Care
Representative Amy Perruso’s office reported that Perruso joined Wahiawā nurses at The Queen’s Medical Center’s Punchbowl campus in support of their campaign for a fair contract following Queen’s 2024 acquisition of Wahiawā General Hospital. Perruso asked the Mililani Mauka–Launani Valley and Wahiawā neighborhood boards to consider requesting regular reports from Queen’s about labor conditions and commitments for health-care delivery in Central Oʻahu. Her office said Queen’s had originally promised to restore the hospital, but current activity appeared focused on using existing capital to expand emergency-room services. Perruso’s position was that Central Oʻahu needs a full hospital rather than only an emergency department.
The office was seeking the project’s certificate-of-need application and related documents from the Department of Health. The chair said a certificate-of-need process might require a community meeting and noted that the project would affect Wahiawā, Mililani, Waipahu, and other communities. He asked Perruso’s office to confirm whether the Department of Health must enforce such a requirement. If no mandatory meeting is required, he offered to coordinate with the representative on inviting Queen’s to a broader community forum.
Launani Valley Emergency Evacuation Planning
Representative Perruso’s office thanked board member Teresa Kuehu for identifying a possible evacuation route for Launani Valley residents. The office had contacted two apartment-owner association property managers and planned to provide an update at the next meeting. The work forms part of continuing community-resilience and emergency-preparedness planning for an area where access routes may be limited during disasters.
House District 37 Legislation and Community Projects
Representative Trish La Chica’s office highlighted two measures enacted from the 2026 legislative session. Senate Bill 3001 became Act 248 on July 14 and established safeguards involving artificial intelligence, including protections for children and people younger than 18. House Bill 1888, known as Natalie’s Law, became Act 234 on July 13 and strengthened protections for educators, school employees, and school communities.
The office continued coordinating repairs to Mililani Cemetery Road and graveling of the Mililani Town Association bridge path before the school year began. Private owners responsible for separate portions of Cemetery Road had been brought together to arrange paving after approximately two years of coordination. About 90 percent of the potholes were reported filled, but the office intended to seek correction of the remaining 10 percent and any substandard work. It had not yet discussed related repairs with Waiawa Correctional Facility but was open to helping.
La Chica also participated in education, innovation, climate, and economic-development programs. These included observing a teacher-to-teacher learning model in California, attending a blue-economy tour in Washington, serving on a climate-policy panel for students at Punahou School, speaking with master navigator Nainoa Thompson at the third annual Charter School Summit, and attending an alternative-learning showcase highlighting student achievement in business and media.
Her office announced a District 37 graffiti-removal event with HPD and the Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts for July 31 at 9:00 a.m., beginning at Waipio Neighborhood Park. Volunteers would walk Waipio Uka and surrounding areas to cover graffiti at locations identified by HPD. Supplies would be provided, and residents could RSVP through Representative La Chica’s legislative email address.
State Highway Maintenance and Graffiti
The State Department of Transportation reported that maintenance crews had painted over graffiti previously identified on a traffic-signal post near the H-2 northbound on-ramp from Meheula Parkway and on a light pole near the H-2 southbound on-ramp from Leilehua Golf Course Road. A subsequent field inspection found new graffiti and damaged bridge railing along the Leilehua Golf Course Road overpass, along with additional graffiti and a sign needing cleaning or replacement on southbound H-2. DOT planned to refer those items to its maintenance crews.
DOT also confirmed that a maintenance contractor had begun cutting back vegetation overgrowth along H-2. The chair asked about unfinished pedestrian crossings at the H-2 entrance and exit ramps, noting that the project also included a speed hump and had reportedly been delayed while awaiting parts. The DOT representative agreed to check the project’s status.
Approval of June Meeting Minutes
The board reviewed the minutes of its June 16, 2026 meeting. No corrections, objections, or abstentions were offered, and the minutes were adopted.
Education Committee and New School Year
The Education Committee announced that public school would officially begin on August 3. The board also congratulated Jeff Horstman, formerly an assistant principal at Mililani Middle School, on becoming the new principal of Kipapa Elementary School.
Military, Civil Defense, Parks, Transportation, and Recognition Committees
The Military and Civil Defense Committee and the Parks and Recreation Committee had no reports. No separate Transportation Committee or Recognition and Service Awards Committee matters were presented beyond the transportation issues already discussed elsewhere in the meeting.
Gondola and Private Ropeway Restrictions
The Planning, Permitting, and Zoning Committee added that legislation restricting private passenger or cargo ropeways—including gondolas, cable cars, ski lifts, and aerial tramways—had been signed into law at the end of June. Government projects may be exempt when specifically approved by the Legislature. The legislation, together with DPP’s reconsideration of the North Shore project’s conditional-use permit, effectively prevents the proposed private gondola from proceeding under its prior approvals.
August Recess and Next Meeting
The board will be in recess during August. Its next regular meeting was scheduled for September 15, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. at Mililani Mauka Elementary School, with remote participation available through Webex. The July meeting adjourned after no further announcements were offered.