City Council Chairman Nestor Garcia is stepping down to clear a path for freshman Councilman Ernie Martin to replace him.

A Council veteran who will not be able to run again when his term runs out next year, Garcia even took the unusual step of introducing a resolution Wednesday proposing that Martin replace him as chairman and that Councilman Ikaika Anderson take over as vice chairman from Vice Chairman Breene Harimoto.

Garcia said he expects a majority of members to support the resolution during a vote expected at the end of the month.

Garcia insisted that his decision was entirely voluntarily and that he was not resigning in anticipation of being ousted by a new majority.

At least one Council member, however, suggested that at least some colleagues were ready for a leadership change.

The changes come less than half a year into a new term that saw five new people become part of the nine-member Council.

Garcia said he never wanted to become chairman in the first place, stepping in only after Todd Apo resigned from the Council to go into private business full time.

"I made a commitment when I decided to take this role as the chairman only because I felt it was an obligation I had to do my part," Garcia said.

With the transition to a new mayor and five new members now complete, the budget season over, and a more transparent and accountable Council in place, "it’s time" to step down, he said. "The five new members have shown an ability to lead on their own and I feel real good about that."

Garcia also said the criticism he received for taking a job as executive director of the Kapolei Chamber of Commerce was not a factor in his decision. A complaint filed by the Hawaii Republican Party is pending before the city Ethics Commission.

Martin declined to speak to reporters but issued a statement thanking Garcia for his vote of confidence.

"I am grateful to Chairman Garcia for his leadership and his continued friendship," Martin said. "I will continue to seek his wisdom as a key member of the new leadership team at the Council."

Garcia said he had not personally heard of any complaints about his leadership. "Of course, you can’t please everybody."

Councilman Anderson, reached in Washington, D.C., where he is on a business trip, said Garcia is accurate in that he had offered to step aside on his own. "It would not be accurate to call (the resignation) an ouster."

However, he said, "There were members who had numerous concerns." Anderson said he was unhappy because Garcia and Vice Chairman Harimoto could have better handled the selection of Council appointees to the controversial Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit.

Anderson said he and others had hoped the process would have allowed all interested parties to be vetted publicly.

Harimoto, in response to Anderson’s complaint, said the process was done fairly and noted that his own nominee was not among the three ultimately selected.