The Kaua’i Planning Commission, at its last meeting of this year, approved permits for a Wailua River kayak company to continue operating from the north side of the river. The commission also authorized permits needed to build a 40-foot antenna
The Kaua’i Planning Commission, at its last meeting of this year, approved permits for a Wailua River kayak company to continue operating from the north side of the river.
The commission also authorized permits needed to build a 40-foot antenna for wireless telephone communications at Moloa’a.
The Wailua applicant, Walter J. “Freckles” Smith Jr., got a unanimous nod from the commission to allow his tenant, Wailua Kayak & Canoe Inc., to continue operating until the state Department of Land and Natural Resources finalizes rules for manpowered vessels on the Wailua River.
During reviews of the kayak application, concerns were raised about traffic along Wailua Road, especially at its intersection with Kuamo’o Road near the old Coco Palms resort and the intersection of Kuamo’o Road and Kuhio Highway.
The wishing to erect the 40-foot antenna at Moloa’a, Verizon Wireless, had concurrently applied for a similar-sized antenna at Kilauea Japanese Cemetery. While the Moloa’a project was approved, the public hearing on the Kilauea proposal was closed while the Planning Department awaits review and comments from the Kaua’i Historic Preservation Review Commission.
Planning Commission member Gary Heu, island manager for Verizon, excused himself from voting on the company’s applications because of his conflict of interest.
The vote by the other commission members was unanimous, 6-0, in favor of the Moloa’a proposal.
What was expected to be a long afternoon session for the Planning Commission was canceled because the county Planning Department had not met public notification requirements, even though it sent to another newspaper the necessary information to be published to make the afternoon session legal, explained Dee Crowell, county planning director.
The items on the afternoon agenda will be placed on the agenda of the Jan. 11 meeting of the commission.
Staff Writer Paul C. Curtis can be reached at pcurtis@pulitzer.net
