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Home My WebLink AboutFY 2021 Budget Presentation (Planning Department)DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING THE COUNTY O F KAUA'I DEREK S. K. KAWAKAMI, MAYOR M ICHAE L A. D AHILIG, MANAGI NG DIRECTOR KA'AINA S. HULL DIRECTOR JODI A. HIGUCHI SAYEGUSA DEPUTY DIRECTOR FY 2021 PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET AND OPERATIONS SYNOPSIS 1. FY 2020 to FY 2021 BUDGET COMPARISION 0801 Fund: GENERAL FUND Degartment: PLANNING, Division: PLANNING FY 2020 FY 2021 $+I -0/o + / - Salary and Wages 1,721,507 1,863,044 141,537 8.2% Benefits 1,054,982 1,122,270 67,288 6.4% Utilities 0 0 0 0 .0% Vehicle/Equip, Lease 1 1 0 0.0% Operations 312,993 291,503 -21,490 -6.9% 3,089,483 3,276,818 187,335 6.1% FY 2020 Operating Budget FY 2021 Operating Budget •Salary and Wage s •Benefits •Uti lities Vehic le/Equip, Lease www.ka u a i .gov •Salary and Wages •Benefit s •Utilities Vehicle/Equ i p, Lease 4444 Rice Street Suite A473 • Lihu'e, H awai'i 96766 • (808) 241-4050 (b) • (808 ) 241-6699 (f) A n Eq u a l Opportunity Employe r 2,000,000 1,800,000 1,600,000 1,400,000 1,200,000 1,000,000 800,000 600,000 400,000 200,000 0 - I-- ~ I-- ~ I-- I-- I-- I-- FY 2020 and FY 2021 Comparison - I ---- ' -- I -- -- --I ' I 1-' ' Salary and Wages Benefits Utilities Vehicle/Equip, Operations Lease Fund: GENERAL FUND 0802 Degartment: PLANNING, Division: PLANNING COMMISSION Salary and Wages Benefits Utilities Vehicle/Equip, Lease Operations Planning Department' FY 2021 Budget Page 2 FY 2020 0 3,200 0 0 20.779 23,979 FY 2021 $ + / -0/o + / - 0 0 0.0% 3,200 0 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 20.776 -3 0.0% 23,976 -3 0.0% FY 2020 DFY 2021 FY 2020 Operating Budget FY 2021 Operating Budget •Salary and Wages •Benefits •Utilities Vehicle/Equip, Lease FY 2020 and FY 2021 Comparison •Salary and Wages •Benefits •Utilities Vehicle/Equip , Lease 25 ,000 -~----------------------~ 20,000 +--------------------- 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 Salary and Wages Benefits Planning Department' FY 2021 Budget Page 3 Utilities Vehicle/Equip, Operations Lease FY 2019 D FY 2020 2. MAJOR CHANGES AND/OR VARIANCES IN OPERATIONS BUDGET The Department 's FY 2021 budget request reflects an $187,332 or 6% increase from the FY 2020 Budget. The FY 2020 Operating budget was at $3, 113,462 and the proposed FY 2021 Budget is $3,300,794 . The source of the increases in the proposed budget comes primarily from collective bargaining and fringe benefits increases. Highlights of the FY 2021 operational budget are as follows: a . Status quo on equipment, office supplies , and travel expense; b. Increase in funding from 50% to 80% for Position No. 9754 (Open Space Planner IV) which amounts to an increase of $20 ,058 . The reason for the increase is due to planned purchase of property(s) on the West Side of Kauai with the Public Access/Open Space Fund . Should the property(s) be purchased funding for the FY 2021 Open Space Administrative Budget will be reduce and will not be sufficient to fund the Position at the 50% level; c. Increase of $3,218 (from $163,904 to $167122) for the University of Hawaii Sea Grant program. This is due to Collective Bargaining increases ; d . Reduction from $75,000 to $60,300 in the Funding for Coastal Research to meet the required Coastal Zone Management Program Grant Fund Match; e . Reduction from $10,000 to $5,000 for Micro-funding for the Rice Street Community Development Activities along Rice Street stemming from the TIGER improvements; 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. Planning Department' FY 2021 Budget Page 4 b. Retention of Front Counter Department Staff: In recent years the Department has experience turnover in our front counter technician positions. Training of new staff is required to achieve and/or maintain a level of service for permits and dissemination of information. The basic function of these positions are to provide zoning information to the public and assist with access to Department records and information (Uniform Information Practices Act-UIPA). The technicians also review and issue ministerial zoning permits for residential dwellings or small-scale commercial developments. These positions are vital to the function and operations of the department; however, due to the lower wages and classification , many technicians have moved to higher paying jobs within the Department or throughout the County or State. This creates the need for constant training of new personnel and backlog of permit applications . The Department is currently in discussions with the other County Planning Departments thought the State to explore reclassification of certain positions in the Planning Departments . . 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 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 . 4. TOP 3 OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS FROM FY 2019 a. West Kaua'i Community Plan: The Planning Department has experienced a great deal of momentum with the completion of two community plans and the update of the General Plan and recognize that four of Kaua'i 's Development Plans are over 35 years old. The next priority update is the West Kaua'i Community Plan. In an effort to build upon efficiencies gained through recent planning efforts , the project will update the development plans for the Waimea-Kekaha Planning District and Hanapepe-Eleele-Port Allen Planning District. Planning Department' FY 2021 Budget Page 5 The purpose of the project is to update Kaua'i County Code Section 10-3, "Hanapepe-Eleele Development Plan," and 10-4, "Waimea-Kekaha Regional Development Plan ," to implement the General Plan and ensure development is compatible with the environmental, social, economic, and cultural needs of the West Kaua'i region. The Project Team includes Planning Department administration (Director and Deputy Director), the Long Range Planning Program, and various sub-consultants. The Planning Department started the project in early Summer of 2018 and have gone through numerous public meetings, surveys, and open house events in FY 2019 and FY2020. In February 2020, the plan and its recommendations have been submitted to the Planning Commission for its review, and it will be subsequently submitted to the County Council for its review and action. b. Story Mapping Capacity: An innovative approach that the Planning Department deployed in the West Kaua'i Community Plan was the use of an interactive Story Map to provide a simple and informative overview of the West Kaua'i Community Plan process, the draft plan policies and goals, and the avenue to provide public comments on the documents. We found this approach to be a very effective tool for public to understand the information and structure of the West Kaua 'i Community Plan documents for review. Having learned from this process, the Planning Department will find ways to continue to use and improve upon this innovative approach in providing the public with information on the future planning initiatives. c. Enforcement Procedures Solidified and Implemented: Much emphasis and resources has been directed to the enforcement and transient vacation rental program. As we have begun to reach higher levels of efficiency and performance, it has started become increasingly apparent that large amounts of time and monies are necessary to provide due process under the law. Accordingly, many of the outcomes in these cases to date have been successful and serve as deterrents against possible future zoning violators. To date in this fiscal year, there are currently 111 cases; 87 zoning compliance notices were issued, and 39 notices of violations have been issued . To date in this fiscal year , $77,500 in fines have been collected. Planning Department' FY 2021 Budget Page 6 5. REQUIRED UPDATE ON PLANNING ENFORCEMENT ACCOUNT EXPENDITURES: Section 8-3.5 (b) of the Kaua'i County Code, 1987 as amended, establishes a Planning Enforcement Account to assist the Plann ing Department with enforcement of codes , statutes , and regulations for which it has the authority to enforce. The purpose of the 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. Section 8-3 .5 (b) 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 expend itures and outcomes of the Planning Enforcement Account within Fund 251 . For the period from July 1, 2018 to June 30 , 2019 , we have collected $73,200 in fines . Section 8-3.5(b) allows the Department to utilize the 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 $70,907 during the FY 2019. Of t his total approximately $14 , 702 was spent funding 89 day contract positions to assist the Planning Department with the enforcement of the CZO , specifically focusing on codes relating to TVR. In addition, $14 , 149 was used to purchase equipment, supplies, and other services for the Enforcement Division . During this Fiscal Year (May 2019), the Department also entered into a Contract for Services with Host Compliance LLC . The amount of the contract was $42,056. The Host Compliance software has facilitated enforcement efforts of the Enforcement Division in identifying and tracking of illegal transient accommodation rentals in the County of Kaua 'i by providing hosted , web based and time sensitive Internet-based Investigation and Tracking Services for Illegal Transient Accommodations. "Transient accommodation" uses may also include reference to transient vacation rentals, TVR , bed and breakfast , B&B , vacation cottage, etc. Pursuant to Section 8-3.5(b), any uncommitted funds in excess $500 ,000 shall be transferred and deposited into the General Fund at the close of the fiscal year. In August 2019, the balance of the funding was $92 , 181.24 and there was no funding transferred from the 251 Plann i ng Enforcement Account into the General Fund for FY 2019 . Planning Department' FY 2021 Budget Page 7 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 2021 Budget Page 8