Wednesday, October 17, 2018
Bill 108 moves ahead
Measure that would regulate vacation rentals passes Planning Committee
By TOM CALLIS
Hawaii Tribune-Herald
I bark therefore I am?
Puna Councilwoman Eileen
O’Hara introduced a resolution
Tuesday recognizing animals as
“sentient beings” but quickly withdrew
it because of lack of support
from other council members.
She said she wanted to “set
the tone” for how the county
deals with animal welfare.
Other council members said
they support humane treatment
of animals but were uncomfortable
with language in the
measure giving them rights.
“First and foremost, I think
humans have a stewardship, have
a responsibility, have an obligation
for health and well-being for
an animal and animals in general,”
said Kohala
Councilman Tim
Richards, who is a
veterinarian, adding
that animals
are owed “respect
and dignity.”
But he said
the county would be getting
itself into a “quagmire”
if it gives them rights.
The measure says that animals
have natural rights as sentient
beings and that future legislation
regarding animal control efforts
should be consistent with the resolution.
It says euthanasia of animals
should only be used as a last
resort and encourages live trapping
of animals at county facilities.
O’Hara told the Tribune-
Herald last week that the
measure is in part intended
to influence the county’s next
animal control contract.
Critics of the Hawaii Island
Humane Society, which currently
holds the contract, say its
euthanasia rates are too high.
“I do want to set the tone
for action on any future
contract,” she said.
O’Hara said during the
Public Safety and Mass Transit
Committee meeting that the
resolution needs to be refashioned
based on the feedback.
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@
hawaiitribune-herald.com.
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By NANCY COOK LAUER
West Hawaii Today
A bill regulating vacation
rentals took a big step
forward Tuesday, clearing
a council panel on its
way to two final votes.
Bill 108, more than a
year in the making and now
on its fifth draft, passed the
council Planning Committee
on a 6-1 vote, with Puna
Councilwoman Eileen
O’Hara voting no and Hilo
Councilman Aaron Chung
and Puna Councilwoman
Jen Ruggles absent.
“This bill was in no way
meant to ban vacation rentals
but to protect neighborhoods,”
North Kona Councilwoman
Karen Eoff said. “We do have
to start somewhere; we’re the
only county in the state that
doesn’t have regulations.”
Planning Director Michael
Yee asked the council to
keep the bill on track.
“Hawaii was special way
before vacation rentals
came into play.
Every major tourist
town is looking
at how to find the
right balance,” Yee
said. “The idea of
not striking a balance
today or finding a
path would be a mistake.”
Mayor Harry Kim
defended council members
who were taking heat from
some disgruntled vacation
rental operators.
“The administration
asked the council to
do this,” Kim said.
“This is no different
from regulating any
other business. …
This is about zoning for
the island, which is needed.
We cannot allow our businesses
to go on without regulation.
… This was something
that should have been regulated
a long time ago.”
Among those praising
the county for its work was
an Airbnb spokesman.
“We think you’ve struck a
pretty fair middle path,” said
Matt Middlebrook, public
policy manager for Airbnb in
Hawaii, testifying from Kona.
Middlebrook recommended
the county allow new
See BILL 108 Page A7
Canada now world’s largest
legal cannabis marketplace
By ROB GILLIES
and GENE JOHNSON
Associated Press
TORONTO — Ian
Power was among
the first to buy legal
recreational marijuana
in Canada, but he has
no plans to smoke it.
He plans to frame it.
Canada became
the largest country
with a legal national
marijuana marketplace
as sales began early
today in Newfoundland
and Labrador. Power
was first in line at a
store in St. John’s,
Newfoundland
and Labrador.
“I am going to
frame it and hang it on
my wall. I’m not even
going to smoke it. I’m
just going to save it
forever,” Power said.
And there was
more good news for
pot aficionados: Hours
before a handful of
retail outlets opened
in the country’s easternmost
province, a
federal official told the
Associated Press that
Canada will pardon all
those with convictions
for possessing up to 30
grams of marijuana, the
now-legal threshold.
A formal announcement
was planned
for later today. The
Associated Press
Ian Power is first in
line Tuesday at the
Tweed store, which
sells marijuana and
cannabis products,
on Water Street in St.
John's, Newfoundland
and Labrador.
official, who was not
authorized to speak
publicly ahead of the
announcement, said
those who want to take
advantage of the pardons
will have to apply.
Canada has had
legal medical marijuana
since 2001 and
Prime Minister Justin
Trudeau’s government
spent two years working
toward expanding
Tribune-Herald photo
A dog sticks its nose through its cage Tuesday at the Hawaii Island Humane Society in Keaau.
Measure gets rough reception
O’Hara withdraws resolution that would
recognize animals as ‘sentient beings’
O’HARA
‘This is
awesome’
See CANNABIS Page A8
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