LIHU‘E — When Mayor Bryan Baptiste grew up on Kaua‘i in the 1960s, Kaua‘i residents used hedges to define their property lines. Still, residents and children at that time would cross over to neighboring properties to interact and “talk story,”
LIHU‘E — When Mayor Bryan Baptiste grew up on Kaua‘i in the 1960s, Kaua‘i residents used hedges to define their property lines.
Still, residents and children at that time would cross over to neighboring properties to interact and “talk story,” Baptiste said. The exchange led to strong community bonds. Fence barriers were unheard of, he said.
Baptiste wants Kaua‘i to return to those days as much as possible.
On Thursday, Baptiste announced he would send a bill soon to the Kaua‘i County Council that would ban gated communities in future developments on the island.
The absence of gated communities will encourage residents to interact and come together as a community to work out common problems, Baptiste told members of the media in his office at the Lihu‘e Civic Center on Thursday.
Only two gated communities are found on Kaua‘i, one on Crater Hill in Kilauea (Seacliff Plantation), and the other on a hillside located above Nawiliwili Harbor off Hulemalu Road.
“I envision our island with integrated communities where people of various socio-economic levels and cultures can live together without gates or barriers that hinder access,” Baptiste said. “In this island paradise, communities should be welcoming and accessible to everyone.”
Government leaders and residents need to work together in the planning and development of communities on Kaua‘i, he said.
Those folks should take steps to “provide a framework for development with a broad range of housing requirements, affordable, gap and market, as well as providing for the economic and social needs of our neighborhoods, such as retail, and commercial endeavors, all in a pedestrian-friendly environment.”
Baptiste said his preference is to have communities “inclusive, not exclusive.”
Gated communities “foster isolationism, where people don’t want to be part of the community they live in,” Baptiste said. “Is this the legacy we want to leave for our children?” he asked.
“We need to put things in place that will miti-gate the weakening of our communities and enhance the strength of our communities,” Baptiste told The Garden Island.
If the bill proposed by the mayor passes, it would amend a 1987 Kaua‘i County code that relates to subdivisions.
No construction of gates that prevent access to private roads serving five or more dwelling units would be allowed, Baptiste said. The bill would not allow the installation of guard stations or other means of restricting public access across private roads, he said.
“This bill is not a test of gated communities,” Baptiste said. “This is a policy which we want our communities to relate to, the message they send to each other. Without strong communities, we would be like anyone else.” Baptiste said building communities is a cornerstone of his administration, and a number of programs have been implemented to support that priority.
They include:
- Ka Leo O Kaua‘i, a program that offers residents a chance to discuss what’s happening in their communities and to work on solutions together. Government officials and residents will be celebrating the program’s second anniversary on Wednesday, March 30, at the Lihu‘e Civic Center Pi‘ikoi Building (former Gem store);
- Drug-prevention programs like the Speed and Quickness Clinics held at different schools around the island that bring coaches and successful athletes together to teach young people how to improve their speed and agility and become better athletes (and in doing so avoid drugs);
- For at-risk youth, the About Face program, run by the Hawai‘i Army National Guard in collaboration with county, state and federal agencies, provides youths with work-readiness skills so they can get their G.E.D. (high-school-diploma equivalency) and become participating members in the community.
Another program geared toward building community involves a partnership among students, schools, local high-technology businesses and the county.
Proponents of the Team Tech Kaua‘i program encourage students to sharpen math and science kills while exploring jobs in the high-tech industry, with the end goal of students pursuing higher education and returning home to work in burgeoning fields, Baptiste said.
In other matters, Baptiste announced the purchase of a new, lightweight fire truck that can cross the Kuhio Highway bridges over the Wainiha River, and which will be well within the weight limit of the bridge.
A contractor for the state Department of Transportation Highways Division installed the temporary bridge late last year after DOT-Highways officials determined the original Wainiha bridge, was too old, and could collapse under heavy loads.
Keeping safety at the fore-front, Baptiste said yesterday Kaua‘i Fire Department officials ordered the new truck, which weighs 24,000 pounds, to be assigned to the Hanalei fire station.
With the new truck, fire personnel will have new tools to help them protect lives, the mayor said.
Firefighters are being trained to use the vehicle now, and the vehicle should be operational in April, Baptiste said.
“We are pleased to have a state-of-the-art fire truck added to the county fire department’s
“Should the need arise, our North Shore firefighters will have the latest equipment to use, ensuring the health and safety of our community.”
The new truck has been approved for use by the DOT. The truck has a gross vehicle weight of 24,000 pounds, while the fire truck that was previously used weighed 38,000 pounds.
The old truck will continue to be used by the fire department.
Like the old truck, the new truck can carry up to 1,500 feet of hose. The new truck can pump only 1,250 pounds of water, slightly less than the 1,500 pounds of water of the older, larger fire truck, according to Kaua‘i Fire Department Capt. Jim Read, a training officer.
But the capabilities of the new truck are still within the regulations, Read noted.
The new truck contains an integrated foam that allows for foam to be pumped directly from the truck, Read said.
In addition, firefighters will be able to suit up en route to an emergency, thanks to a self-contained breathing apparatus stored in the seats of the truck. All seats within the truck, except for the driver’s seat, will have this capability, Read said.
“This is a huge benefit to both the responders and the community, because it is a timesaving feature,” Read said. “The personnel can get ready as they head to the scene, saving time that would have been spent (suiting up) upon arrival.”
The new truck also features a deck gun. When removed from the engine, the deck gun becomes a portable monitor, Read said.
Used in that way, the deck gun/portable monitor can be put closer to fires, without having to bring the engine closer to a fire and possibly putting the engine in harm’s way, Read said.
The deck gun/monitor puts out about 500 gallons per minute, double the capacity of the largest hoses used by firefighters, Read said.
“Since the deck gun pumps 500 gallons per minute, you can see what an asset it will be in fighting fires,” Read said in the release.
Along with the purchase of the new fire truck, fire department officials also recently bought a HAZMAT (hazardous materials), mass-decontamination trailer, that will be used in cases of bioterrorism, said KFD Chief Robert “Bob” Westerman.
The equipment was purchased with government grant funds, and required no matching funds from the county.
Accessory equipment also was purchased with grants funds. Westerman said he hopes the day will never come when the equipment has to be used for bioterrorism incidents on Kaua‘i.
- Lester Chang, staff writer, 245-3681 (ext. 225) or lchang@pulitzer.net.
