Naming streets, parks, and facilities

A. Naming of private streets. Owners of private streets, which include private highways, roads, alleys, lanes, and ways, shall not name such private streets with names similar to or closely resembling names of existing public streets within the County. The commission shall review and provide its recommendation on all proposed new private street names to the director. The director shall have the authority to approve or deny all proposed new private street names. B. Standards for naming streets. 1. Names of existing streets. Existing streets shall retain the name which has been historically accepted through common usage, unless the renaming of an existing street is processed pursuant to subsection F. 2. Names of new public and private streets shall: a. Be named in the Hawaiian language; or b. Have an appropriate meaning, and, whenever possible, relate to the area's historic significance or follow a uniform theme (i.e., flowers, fish, people, etc.). 3. The commission shall avoid, as much as practicable, using a street name more than once on any island. C. Standards for naming parks and facilities. 1. Names of existing parks or facilities. Unless otherwise renamed in accordance with the provisions, existing parks or facilities must retain the name which has been historically accepted through common usage. When renaming an existing park or facility, the council may also include the name of a person or organization, if the person or organization meets at least one of the criteria in subsection C.3. 2. New parks or facilities may be named: a. For the neighborhood, community, district, region, or other identifying geographical location where the park or facility is located. b. In the Hawaiian language, in a manner which describes significant features of the area, or which describes the site or its use, function, or purpose. c. In exceptional cases, a new park or facility may be named for a person or organization where at least one of the criteria in subsection C.3. is met. 3. A person's name or an organization's name may be used in connection with a park or facility where at least one of the following criteria is satisfied: a. The person or organization has a significant association with the park or facility. b. The person or organization has contributed significantly to programs in the region where the park or facility is located. c. The person or organization has achieved significant recognition on the county, state, national, or international level for contributions to the region or to the park or facility itself. 4. When a person's name is proposed as the name for a new or existing park or facility, the following information must be included in the proposal: a. The person's full name, date of birth, and, if appropriate, the date of death. b. The address of the person's last residence. c. The association of the person with the park or facility to be named. d. A brief biography of the person, including all data relevant to the commemorative naming. e. Five letters of recommendation from various community members, at least one of which must be from the director of the County department which has the control and maintenance of the park or facility, confirming the contributions of the individual to the region in which the park or facility is located. 5. When an organization's name is proposed as the name for a new or existing park or facility, the following information must be included in the proposal: a. The organization's name, names of current officers and directors, date of formation, and address, if applicable. b. A brief description outlining the organization's association with the park or facility to be named. c. Five letters of recommendation from various community members, at least one of which must be from the director of the county department which has the control and maintenance of the park or facility, confirming the contributions of the organization to the region in which the park or facility is located. d. When the organization is a family, the following information must also be included in the proposal: i. Notable family members' full names, dates of birth, and if appropriate, dates of death. ii. The addresses of the notable family members' last residences. iii. A brief biography of the notable family members, including all data relevant to the commemorative naming. D. Establishing commemorative plaques at parks or facilities in lieu of, or in addition to, naming or renaming parks or facilities. 1. Provided the director of the County department having control and maintenance of the park or facility has sufficient funds to establish, erect, and maintain such commemorative plaques, the commission may recommend to the council that a person's or organization's name be inscribed on such commemorative plaques in lieu of, or in addition to, the naming or renaming of such parks or facilities for the person or organization. 2. Requests for inscription on such plaques shall be processed in accordance with the provisions set forth in subsection F. 3. The commission shall consider the criteria set forth in subsection C.3., and further require the information listed in subsections C.4. or C.5., be provided. E. Use of the Hawaiian language. 1. Hawaiian spelling and diacritical marks shall be used whenever Hawaiian names or words are used to name new streets, parks, or facilities. 2. Appropriate diacritical marks shall be included on all signs for existing streets, parks, or facilities, whenever those signs are first repaired, replaced, or repainted. F. Procedure to adopt names for streets, parks, and facilities. 1. The mayor or the council may submit requests to the commission. Requests for renaming a street, park, or facility shall be submitted to the commission and the cultural resources commission. 2. Members of the public, including other governmental entities, may submit a request to name a street, park or facility, on a form approved by the commission, which may be obtained from the department. Requests for renaming a street, park or facility shall be submitted on a form approved by the commission and the cultural resources commission, which may be obtained from the department. 3. Within sixty days after a request first appears on the commission's and/or the cultural resources commission's agenda for review, the commission and/or the cultural resources commission shall make its recommendation to the council regarding the proposal. 4. The director shall transmit the commission's and/or the cultural resources commission's recommendations to the council within thirty days after the commission and/or the cultural resources commission has made its recommendations. 5. The council may adopt, modify, or reject the commission's and/or the cultural resources commission's recommendations. Approval of a park and facility name or renaming shall be by ordinance. Approval of a street name shall be by a resolution adopting the street as County property, or by the director in the case of private streets. 6. Public safety exception. Notwithstanding the requirements of this section, existing streets may be renamed, in whole or in part, by the council upon the request of the chief of police, the fire chief, or the director, provided the renaming is necessary to improve the response of authorized emergency personnel. ( Ord. No. 5400 , § 4, 2022; Ord. No. 4078, § 2, 2013)