A Kaua’i County Council committee yesterday held off action on Mandalay Properties Hawaii LLC’s proposal to buy parts of a government road leading to its property by Papa’a Bay north of Anahola. Citing the need to protect public access, the
A Kaua’i County Council committee yesterday held off action on Mandalay Properties Hawaii LLC’s proposal to buy parts of a government road leading to its property by Papa’a Bay north of Anahola.
Citing the need to protect public access, the Committee of the Whole announced it will instead visit the Mandalay property to look at an alternate route the company has proposed for the public to reach the bay.
The offer momentarily appeased critics who argued the proposal, if approved, would further result in yet another case of loss public access to Kaua’i’s beaches and mountains.
But Mandalay would provide an easement over the southern part of its property as long as it could buy either one acre or three acres of the government road, said Kaua’i attorney Max Graham, who is representing Mandalay, which wants the acreage for “privacy.”
But couuncilmembers said they weren’t ready to sell and suggested a year-to-year lease for the roadway Mandalay wants.
Graham said Mandalay could agree to such a proposal, but would only allow public access to the bay through its property as long as it could use the road.
People currently use an access on the northern edge of Aliomanu Estates to get to the bay, county official said.
As part of his bid to buy parts of the road, Mandalay tried for a year to buy an easement across a lot in neighboring Aliomanu Estates and give it the county. But a landowner refused, Graham aid.
A critic of the plan, John Barretto Jr., a potential Kaua’i County Council candidate this election year, said approving Mandalay’s request would shut down a beach access that has been used by residents for as long as the past 50 years.
“The one safe access to the beach must not be sold or otherwise disposed of,” Barretto said.
Councilman Gary Hooser echoed Barretto’s sentiments, adding that the roadway into a valley near the bay is “the one the public deserves.”
Hooser is currently pushing for the passage of a bill to protect public access islandwide.
Ray Chuan, who is considering running in the mayoral or county council race this year, said a locked gate on the road is illegal and sets a bad precedent. He also is concerned about parking for beachgoers and the possibility of a longer walk to the beach.
The part of roadway that Mandalay wants to buy is under dispute between the state and Kaua’i County, and neither is claiming ownership.
Such problems can be resolved by having the state quitclaim to the county any interest it may have in a disputed property, Graham has said.
This action would result in transferring the title by quitclaim deed to the purchaser, in this case, Mandalay, Graham said.
He said would be willing to contact the state Department of Land and Natural Resources to arrange for the transfer.
In other action, the Council’s Planning Committee approved Grove Farm Co.’s zoning amendments for lands in Puhi and Lihu’e.
Councilman and mayoral-hopeful Bryan Baptiste said the approval of the plans – the full Council votes on them next week – will mark the return of the island’s premier kama’aina company and developer.
“This signifies to me the return of Grove Farm, after going through many challenges over the past decade,” Baptiste said.
Grove Farm was once one of the largest sugar cane growers on Kaua’i, and was the largest developer in East Kaua’i in the 1980s when it constructed Kukui Grove Center.
As owner of Grove Farm and Lihue Land Company, Steve Case of AOL-Time Warner owns 40,000 acres in Lihu’e, Puhi and parts of Koloa. Case’s investment has provided the impetus for the company to move ahead with plans developed in the past, Grove Farm has said.
Some of the major zoning changes included:
– Reconfiguring and expanding the Puakea Golf Course by converting three parcels from residential to open designation for a full 18-hole golf course.
– The reconfigured golf course will result in the loss of as many as 104 planned residential units, mostly multifamily. The reconfiguration also will mean no golf holes will be built beyond the Pu’ali Stream, avoiding environmental issues.
– Changing from open to commercial use for a 12-acre parcel by Nawiliwili Road. The property is the site of an old plantation manager’s home that was severely damaged by Hurricane ‘Iniki in 1992.
Before any plans for the structure can be carried out, Mike Furukawa, vice president of Grove Farm, said the company must supply a master plan that must be ultimately approved by the county Planning Commission.
No one spoke out directly against the project, but they raised concerns.
Kauaian Bruce Pleas called for preservation of the manager’s home and Cheryl Lovell Obatake asked that Grove Farm’s plans properly address drainage.
Barretto, while acknowledging Grove Farm has provided many jobs, housing and a “beautiful shopping center” in the past, said the reduction of homes in the revised plan is not good because Kaua’i residents are “screaming for more housing.”
– Construct a roadway on Kaneka Road from Puhi Road to Nohou Street, which would connect with Nawiliwili Road near the Kukui Grove Shopping Center. The work would help alleviate traffic congestion on Kaumuali’i Highway and Nawiliwili Road.
Grove Farm also will install a signal light at the intersection of Nohou Street and Nawiliwili Road.
Councilman James Tokioka said he might not have given his approval to the changes had Grove Farm not agreed to build Kaneka Road, which runs behind Chiefess Kamakahelei.
The new road will allow people living on or near Puhi Road at Hokulei Estates and Halenani Village easier access to the shopping center and other parts of Lihu’e, said Tokioka.
Council Chairman Ron Kouchi and Councilman Kaipo Asing also praised Grove Farm for its past developments in East Kaua’i, for meeting state affordable housing requirements first and then selling market lots.
Staff Writer Lester Chang can be reached at mailto:lchang@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 225).
