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Home My WebLink AboutFY 2020 Budget Presentation (Planning Department)DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING THE COUNTY OF KAUA'I DEREK S. K. KAWAKAMI, MAYOR MICHAEL A. DAHILIG, MANAGING DIRECTOR KA"AINA S. HULL DIRECTOR JODI A. HIGUCHI SA YE GUSA DEPUTY DIRECTOR FY 2020 PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET AND OPERATIONS SYNOPSIS 1. FY 2019 to FY 2020 BUDGET COMPARISON Fund: GENERAL FUND 0801 Degartment: PLANNING, Division: PLANNING FY 2019 FY 2020 $+I -0/o + / - Salary and Wages 1,706,433 1,704,051 -2,382 -0.1% Benefits 915,988 1,049,808 133,820 14.6% Utilities 0 0 0 0.0% Vehicle/Equip, Lease 1 1 0 0.0% Operations 318,393 318,993 600 0.2% 2,940,815 3,072,853 132,038 4.5% ---------------------- FY 2019 Operating Budget FY 2020 Operating Budget •Salary and Wages •Benefits Utilities •Vehicle/Equip , Lease •Operations www.kauai.gov •Salary and Wages •Benefits Utilities •Vehicle/Equip, Lease •Operations 4444 Rice Street Suite A473 • Llhu'e, Hawai'i 96766 • (8 08 ) 241-4050 (b) • (808) 241-6699 (f) An Equal Opportunity Employer FY 2019 and FY 2020 Comparison - I - --- 1,800,000 1,600,000 1,400,000 1,200,000 1,000,000 -l;I FY 2019 800,000 600,000 400,000 200,000 0 - -. - - Salary and Wages Benefits t 1 1-r ' ' Utilities Vehicle/Equip, Operations Lease Fund: GENERAL FUND 0802 De12artment: PLANNING, Division: PLANNING COMMISSION Salary and Wages Benefits Utilities Vehicle/Equip, Lease Operations Planning Department' FY 2020 Budget Page 2 FY 2019 0 3,200 0 0 20.779 23,979 FY 2020 $ + / -0/o +I - 0 0 0.0% 3,200 . 0 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 0 . 0 0.0% 20.779 Q 0.0% 23,979 0 0.0% FY 2020 ,• FY 2019 Operating Budget •Salary and Wage s •Benefits •Utilities •Vehicle/Equ i p, Lease FY 2020 Operating Budget •Salary and Wages •Benefits •Utilities •Vehicle/Equ ip , Lease FY 2019 and FY 2020 Comparison 25 ,000 20,000 15 ,000 10,000 5,000 0 Sa lary and Wages l 1 1 Benefits Planning Department' FY 2020 Budget Page 3 [...:.=;:. - - FY 2019 ~ FY 2020 - - Utilities Vehic le/Equip, Operations Lease 2. MAJOR CHANGES AND/OR VARIANCES IN OPERATIONS BUDGET The Department's FY 2020 budget request reflects a $132,038 or 4% increase from the FY 2019 Budget. The FY 2019 Operating budget was at $2,964,794 and the proposed FY 2020 Budget is $3,096,832. The source of the increases in the proposed budget comes primarily from fringe benefits increases and a proposed new Planning Inspector position. Highlights of the FY 2020 operational budget are as follows: a. Status quo on equipment, office supplies, and travel expense b. $5,000 increase in Overtime Budget from $15,000 to $20,000 in anticipation of the staffing needs for the West Kaua'i Community Plan and increase in OIP request from the public. In addition to the normal duties and functions, the Planning Department also complies with the State Office of Information Practices (OIP) access to Department records and information (Uniform Information Practices Act-UIPA). In accordance with UIPA the Department also maintains a system which track request for public information and provides reports to the OIP for such request. During the Fiscal Year 2018 (July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018) the Planning Department received and processed 268 OIP request for information. c. Request for a new Planning Inspector Position. The Department currently has only one Planning Inspector to enforce the zoning codes of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance (CZO). These zoning code requirements are separate for Transient Vacation Rental enforcement which is currently being managed by two TVR Inspectors. We have approximately 130 CZO code violations which will take on an average 12 to 18 months to clear these backlog of cases with the current staffing level. The additional position requested will greatly assist in clearing this backlog of cases . This new position will greatly assist in ensuring compliance of zoning codes and collection of civil fines that may be due. d. Status quo Split Funding (50%) for Position No. 9754 (Open Space Planner IV). Based on planned purchase of property on the North Shore with the Public Access/Open Space Fund, funding for FY 2020 Open Space Administrative Budget will be reduce. e. Status quo on Funding for Coastal Research to meet the required Coastal Zone Management Program Grant Fund Match. f. Status quo on Micro-funding for the Rice Street Community Development Activities in anticipation of increased activity along Rice Street stemming from the TIGER improvements; Planning Department' FY 2020 Budget Page 4 g. Status quo Planning Commission Budget. 3. OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES a. Office Space: The staffing level has increased in size to a point where we have outgrown the capacity of the exiting office space. In addressing the work space shortage we currently have broken up the Department into three separate office spaces in order to accommodate existing and new personnel. b. Efficiency of Process with TVR Enforcement: Much emphasis and resources have been placed to address weaknesses in the enforcement and transient vacation rental program. As we have begun to reach higher levels of efficiency and performance, what has started to become apparent is the large amount of time and monies dedicated to providing due process under the law. We continue to require chronic maintenance of funds to hire a hearings officer, and we require a large amount of resources from the County Attorney 's office. We have become proficient at identifying illegal uses, and creating "tickets " and citations. However, as we are dealing with land use rights , constitutional processes cannot be abridged or truncated. Beyond our office, resources at both the County Attorney's office and Taxation should be looked at as part of a multi -faceted approach tackling these issues. c. E-Plan Review: The start of the ePlan review program by the Building Division without an accompanying integrated land use management system has placed additional human resources strain on the Department's plan checkers and plan technicians. Further the program does not fit the regulatory processes set forth by county codes. Coupled with the increase in permit checks due to the improving economy, more attention will need to be given to adjusting workload and processes, and also seeking further investment to build out the ePlan program. The Department will continue to engage with the Land Information Management System (LIMS) working group to achieve integrated solutions for the County toward the goal of paperless, mineable information. Further, the Department is making efforts to better cross-train staff to utilize the E-plan review system versus our previous model of having a couple specialists handling the work. Planning Department' FY 2020 Budget Page 5 4. TOP 3 OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS FROM FY 2019 a. The Kauai General Plan: In November 2014, the Planning Department issued SSFM International the Notice to Proceed for the General Plan Update to update the 2000 General Plan. Since then, the project team has completed Phases I -VI of the project, which included pre-planning, research, data collection, a public education campaign, and the development of a vision, goals and policy. The project team completed the public draft during the Fall 2016, and submitted the draft plan to the Planning Commission for review. The priority project for the Long Range Division has been the completion of the General Plan Update. In September 2017, the public hearing for the General Plan was held. From September 2017 to January 2018, the General Plan was reviewed at the Planning Committee though several special workshops. The General Plan update was adopted by the County Council on February 7, 2018 and signed into law by the Mayor on March 15, 2018. b. Adoption of Ordinance No. 1013 Relating to the Establishment of University Zoning District on Kauai: In March 2017, the Planning Department initiated a bill for an Ordinance to amend Chapter 8 of the Kaua'i County Code, 1987, to establish a "University Zoning District" on Kaua'i. The Planning Department recognized that the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance (CZO) did not provide an applicable designation appropriate for the zoning of parcels containing university and college campuses. The propose bill indicated that University and college campuses should be treated distinctly from other zoning districts. Universities and colleges are valuable educational and research resources of the County of Kaua'i, and the present zoning districts limit their ability to grow and provide a complete and conducive campus environment and unique sense of community on campus. The current Kaua'i Community College (KCC) located in Puhi, is the only university campus on Kaua'i, and is presently "split-zoned" as Open District (0) and Agriculture District (A) with the State Land Use Designation as "Agricultural". The purpose of the bill is to allow for the establishment of a new "University Zoning District" that will provide greater flexibility in establishing a mixture of uses that are intended to enhance the campus environment of a university or college and accommodate its academic and spatial needs. The bill for an Ordinance for University Zoning was reviewed and approved by the Planning Commission on April 11, 2017. The Bill was referred to the County Council on May 10, 2017 for its review and Ordinance No. 1013 was signed into law on July 24, 2017. Planning Department' FY 2020 Budget Page 6 c. Adoption of Ordinance No. 1026: On March 19, 2018 the County of Kaua'i adopted Ordinance No. 1026 which amended Chapter 8 of the Kaua 'i County Code relating to Additional Rental Units to allow the construction of Additional Rental Units on Kaua'i to increase the number of rental units within the Residential District without substantially altering existing neighborhood character. d. Adoption of Ordinance No. 1037: On August 28, 2019, the County of Kaua'i adopted Ordinance No. 1037 which allows additional density of housing units within the Special Planning Area "D" ("SPA-D"), also known as the "Rice Street Neighborhood Design District", included in the Llhu'e Town Core Urban Design District. By increasing the upper limit of the Residential density for the Rice Street Neighborhood Design District from R-20 to R-40, the infill development capacity for creating a significantly greater number of residential density factors within the Lihu'e urban town core will essentially be doubled . Furthermore, this Ordinance amends the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance to reflect the increase in the Residential Zoning District to R-40. 5. REQUIRED UPDATE ON PLANNING ENFORCEMENT ACCOUNT EXPENDITURES: On February 20, 2013, the County adopted Ordinance No. 938 which created a Planning Enforcement Account to assist the Planning Department with enforcement of codes, statutes, and regulations for which it has the authority to enforce. As stated in the Purpose of Ordinance No. 938, the County Council finds that direct appropriation of funds to the Planning Enforcement Account will enable the Planning Department to have funds readily available to perform enforcement responsibilities. All Civil Fines levied and received by the Department shall be deposited into the Planning Enforcement Account. Ordinance No. 938 also requires the Planning Department to provide annual report to the Council as part of the Mayor's budget submittal on March 15th of each year. The report provides the expenditures and outcomes of the Planning Enforcement Account within Fund 251. For the period from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018, we have collected $85,000 in fines . Ordinance No. 938 allows for the expenditure funds to retain independent contractors to assist with the enforcement of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance (CZO) and other codes. The Planning Department has expended approximately $26,474.42 since the adoption of the ordinance. Of this total approximately $12,955 was spent funding 89 day contract positions to assist the Planning Department with the enforcement of the CZO, specifically focusing on Planning Department' FY 2020 Budget Page 7 .. codes relating to TVR. In addition, $13,519.42 was used to purchase equipment and supplies and other services for the Enforcement Division. During this Fiscal Year, the Department did not have any single expenditure that exceeded $10,000. In order to better facilitate enforcement efforts the Department of Planning Enforcement Division is seeking detailed proposals from interested and qualified consultants to supply services and/or software related to the identification and tracking of illegal transient accommodation rentals in the County of Kaua'i in order to address illegal and unpermitted transient accommodations of less than 90 days advertising on the internet for zoning enforcement purposes. "Transient accommodation" uses may also include reference to transient vacation rentals, TVR, bed and breakfast, B&B, vacation cottage, etc. The proposed single expenditure will exceed $10,000 and pursuant to Ordinance No . 938 the Planning Departmen t is provide notice to the County Council of this expenditure. Procurement for the service is to be completed during the fourth quarter of FY 2019. Pursuant to Ordinance No. 938, any uncommitted funds in excess $100,000 shall be transferred and deposited into the General Fund at the close of the fiscal year. In August 2018, the balance of the funding was $102,243.27 and $2,243.27 was transferred from the 251 Planning Enforcement Account into the General Fund. 6. THE COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT GRANT FUND: The Planning Department receives a reoccurring Federal/State matching Grant from the Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program. The FY 2020 CZM budget projection is based on flat funding from last year's grant outlay. The State Office of Planning is still working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to determine CZM funding for the upcoming fiscal year. Funding for the program is used to staff four grant funded employees for the implementation of the CZM and Special Management Area Rules for the County of Kaua'i. Planning Department' FY 2020 Budget Page 8