Retreat project pulls back temporarily

Developer will change plansBY PAUL C. CURTIS

TGI Staff Writer

LIHU’E — Kaua’i Planning Commission chairman Gary Baldwin

yesterday was able to convince Amy Awtrey to withdraw her application for a

controversial retreat center in a rural neighborhood off Kawaihau Road in

Kapahi.

But it wasn’t because of widespread neighborhood opposition to the

plan.

Awtrey wrote a letter to the commission last week in which she made

changes that the commission and county attorneys felt mandated more public

hearings on the project.

Rather than just amend the application and go

through the entire public hearing process again, Awtrey agreed, at Baldwin’s

recommendation, to resubmit her application with the proposed changes.

This

discussion took place several hours after people for and against the project

had a chance to comment on county Planning Department requests and a

recommendation that the commission approve permits for the Kahuna Springs

project on land owned by Awtrey and her daughters at the intersection of Kahuna

and Ahiahi roads.

Awtrey said she’s trying to allay neighbors’ fears that

the commercial use of her property will forever alter the tranquility of their

neighborhood.

But even with concessions Awtrey is willing to make —

including moving kitchen and office facilities down to property along Kuhio

Highway in Wailua called Wailua Village — her neighbors aren’t likely to

soften their stance against the project, many of them said.

A rare

“drop-dead clause,” which gave the project just two years to prove itself a

good neighbor before having to again come in for permits, didn’t satisfy the

opposition, either.

A Kahuna Road property owner, Joe Prigge, said none of

the roads in the neighborhood have sidewalks, and that walking and riding

bicycles is dangerous now with the traffic. Awtrey’s project, he said, would

bring more.

Plans for an applicant-neighborhood coalition to monitor noise,

traffic and other issues associated with the project were questioned, as

well.

“Who will monitor the traffic?” asked Prigge, a candidate for County

Council. He also asked if the public will be served, or just the applicant, by

having a commercial use approved in a rural area.

As several homes are

located on Awtrey’s property, the Kahuna Springs project will take away rental

housing from locals and others who chose to live here, Prigge said.

John

Schlegel, who plans to grow taro on the property, said the project will mean

job creation, diversified agriculture opportunities, and possibly work for some

of the Amfac Sugar Kaua’i employees who have lost or are about to lose their

jobs due to a plant shutdown.

The wetland taro will be a habitat for

endangered water birds, the farming portion of the project could create

opportunities for young farmers, and parking won’t be a problem on the 27-acre

parcel, he said.

“I don’t see a big impact,” said Schlegel, who likened

Ahiahi Road to Rice Street in Lihu’e in terms of traffic volumes.

“As far

as these conditions go, I think they’re a bunch of baloney,” said Bert Lemke,

who lives within 200 feet of the proposed retreat. “I like my peace and quiet.

“How would you like to have it next to your home? Nobody up there wants it. The

only people who want it are those who work there.”

Susan Karstenson, a

Kahuna Road resident, questioned why the commission could even consider

approving the project with conditions that are unenforceable.

“It’s already

an incredible problem up there,” she said of traffic. “If I had my way, we’d

have speed bumps up there.”

Dogs, cats and ducks get run over all the time

along Kahuna, said Karstenson, who also expressed concern about water and sewer

issues.

Laurel Baldridge, another Kahuna Road resident, claimed if Awtry’s

project is approved, bed-and-breakfast operations, wedding services and banquet

businesses will also want to operate in the area, which Baldridge said is not

the right place for such uses.

Walt Barnes, speaking for the project, said

the transportation, farming and cooking conditions attached to the initial

Planning Department recommendation of approval of the project are too rigorous,

as are the two-year drop-dead clause and neighborhood monitoring

program.

Barnes said traffic is a non-issue, as traffic speed (an

enforcement issue) versus traffic density is really the problem.

The bigger

issue is that a way of life is threatened, but it’s changes going on in the

world, not the project, that is threatening this rural way of life, Barnes

said.

Bill Peay, executive director of the West Kaua’i Community

Development Corporation and a proponent of alternative visitor accommodations

and the healing arts, said change is coming. The Kaua’i General Plan update is

the perfect discussion of retreats and other alternative visitor

accommodations, “under carefully managed control,” he added.

Resident

Jackie Rodrigues said nobody can monitor the conditions, and allowing a

commercial use in an agricultural, rural neighborhood will lead to other

commercial uses.

“I agree (with the concept), but this is not the place.

We don’t want no commercial. We all fought to keep that land open,” Rodrigues

said.

Trisha Lei Sears questioned how the commission could approve the

project when “99.5 percent” of the neighbors are against it.

Baldwin

reminded her that, according to state Land Use Commission agricultural land

ratings, the property is not considered prime agricultural land.

“We are

the neighbors that are going to be affected by that project,” said Baird, who

is willing to welcome Awtrey as a residential neighbor, but not as a commercial

retreat operator.

Colete Bryce, who is training for the New York City

Marathon and runs along Kahuna Road, said some change is good, but this change

would be bad.

She implored the commissioners to look at who will benefit,

and who will be inconvenienced, by approval of this project.

Joe Munechika,

former member of the County Council and brother of Awtrey, said he has no

financial interest in the project, but wanted to support his sister.

He

said the conditions attached to the approval and other concessions show Awtrey

is willing to work with her neighbors. Munechika also said the use of shuttle

vans for guests and other uses will help alleviate traffic concerns.

“Not

everyone is opposed to the project,” Awtrey said, adding some who signed

petitions against the project changed their minds after she explained the

project to them.

Still, she admitted she was having her doubts about her

own ability to work with people whose minds are already made up against the

project. But she is willing to try, she added.

“Whatever you decide is

going to be perfectly OK,” she told the commission.

She’ll continue working

with her neighbors, Awtrey said.

“I’m trying to get the neighbors to

reason through the issues” and come up with solutions, she said.

Staff

Writer Paul C. Curtis can be reached at pcurtis@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext.

224).