Kohala Councilman recuses self from rental bill amid review
HILO, Hawaii (AP) — Kohala Councilman Tim Richards said he will recuse himself from voting on a bill regulating vacation rentals until the Board of Ethics clears him of a potential conflict of interest.
West Hawaii Today reports that Richards said he's filed an amended financial disclosure report to reflect the income from the vacation rental. The rental is on the family's Kahua Ranch property, zoned agriculture, in Waimea.
He said the property brought in between $50,000 and $100,000 last year. His original disclosure filed Jan. 31 did not list the rental income.
The bill is an attempt to prevent unhosted short-term rentals in residential and agricultural zones, while allowing them in hotel and resort zones.