• Fickle world of the fax • Vacation rentals / pre-emptive strike • Preserve original ADU intent Fickle world of the fax Ed Coll’s pathetic attempt (“Just the Fax?” June 20) to put an innocent spin on a criminal act
• Fickle world of the fax
• Vacation rentals / pre-emptive strike
• Preserve original ADU intent
Fickle world of the fax
Ed Coll’s pathetic attempt (“Just the Fax?” June 20) to put an innocent spin on a criminal act demonstrates how completely Kaua‘i’s “shadow council” has lost touch with reality.
The malicious campaign to discredit the council and the administration sunk to new lows last week when a document was posted on a Web site that was purported to be the actual letter sent by an attorney representing the county to K.C. Lum’s lawyer concerning the termination of the chief’s contract. It was a three-page letter, but the third page mysteriously went missing, which coincidentally was the portion of the letter that refuted arguments by conspiracy advocates that Lum was not offered his old job back. The county council upon reading the tampered document understandably went ballistic and called for an investigation and a public apology.
Enter the “Wizard of Ed” and the fickle world of fax transmissions. As Ed discovered by replicating the dirty deed on his own fax machine, it was nothing more than a simple little glitch, which only made it seem as if someone doctored the letter. Using the Tricky Dick method to blame electronic malfunction when caught in a lie, Ed spews out the kind of political doublespeak that Mr. Nixon, himself, would have been proud of “a miss-feed of pages 2 and 3 during a fax transmission masked all the content of page 3 except the signature. This caused the signature to appear on the bottom of page 2” that Mister Ed proclaims. He even instructs us on how we too can create fraudulent fax documents, “putting page 2 over page 3 and sliding page 3 down until the signature is visible at the bottom of page 2,” explains Ed. Simple enough — nothing convoluted about that explanation.
Is Ed covering up an illegal act or is he merely doing a public service by providing important information on the sending and receiving of faxes? If so, Ed’s tips are invaluable to the community because they demonstrate just how evil a fax machine can be when not properly supervised. I know that I will never again trust my fax machine alone with an important document.
As a clean-shaven man once stated, “The machine does not isolate man from the problems of nature, but plunges him more deeply into them.” — Antoine de Saint-Exupéry “Wind, Sand and Stars.”
Vacation rentals / pre-emptive strike
I’ve read with utter amazement the responses to this controversy started by the letter I wrote to the Forum several weeks ago.
It always amazes me when criminals feel the need to justify their illegal activities. I’m sure all of these people feel that their position is quite reasonable, rational and logical.
My position remains the same: Any VRs outside of the areas zoned “visitor or resort destinations” are illegal. Again, that would be Po‘ipu, Princeville and the makai side of the highway between Wailua and Kapa‘a.
I would like to address some of the comments made by those defending this illegal activity. To the gentleman from Colorado (whose same actions are exploiting the people of St. Croix), the county has not issued a single variance to any of these VR owners. When I said that the locals are leaving in droves (because they can’t afford to live here), I meant people born and raised here as well as those who have lived here for many years and have been contributing members of our island community — not the recent Mainland transplants who see a way to make big bucks and do not concern themselves with the effect on the overall community.
To Ms. Kenney, since you seem to believe this illegal activity is so great for Kaua‘i, maybe you would volunteer to have the IRS audit your tax records. While you’re at it, maybe you’ll turn over the names of all of the VR owners whose property you handle as well as the names of the housekeepers, gardeners and maintenance men that work for you -— I’m sure that’s all aboveboard too! As for the jobs provided, you should know that the major resorts on island are having a difficult time keeping their available jobs filled (due to the workforce leaving) and are beginning to panic with several new resorts scheduled to open soon.
To the gentleman from Makaweli, you gave me the heartiest laugh of all! Your assertion that the county records show that only 2 percent of the single family homes on Kaua‘i are VR is an interesting one. Are you that naïve? That percentage only reflects those that have registered with the county and are paying the transient or hotel taxes. It doesn’t reflect the hundreds of illegal VRs. Do you also believe that the county records show the number of unpermitted structures built on Kaua‘i or the number of single-family homes that have been converted in multi-family homes? Most people don’t report their illegal activities. By the way, my sources for info happen to be local real estate agents — there are a few with professional integrity.
Does everyone know that the number of real estate agents on Kaua‘i has doubled in just over two years? There are more than 650 agents. To be successful you either have to be very, very good or very, very cut-throat! Let me say to those agents with the ethics and integrity to stay away from the illegal VR, thank you very much — to the rest, shame on you!
So, neighbors, the county will not take any action unless official complaints are made. Here’s what you need to do. Send a certified, return receipt letter (Yes, you’ll have to go to the Post Office!) to: Planning Department, 4444 Rice St., Suite 473, Lihu‘e, HI 96766. Make sure to ask them to enforce the existing zoning ordinance (as stated above) and provide them with all of the addresses of any known illegal VRs in your neighborhood — let them know how you feel about this plague. Also, make sure to let them know that you would be more than willing to add your name to a class-action lawsuit if they start handing out “non-conforming use certificates,” as the county council has declared they might do as a means of resolving this issue. Stand up and let your voices be heard
Preserve original ADU intent
Just two things … I thought the original intent was for additional dwelling units to be built to keep families together, which is the foundation of our nation. Even an ADU rented to local residents supports the original intent, keeping keiki and grandkeiki at home on Kaua‘i near their families.
Considering the intent of the original ADU legislation, the ADU law or rule should be kept forever, as should families with larger tracts of land at some point be allowed to build more and more homes (where there’s adequate land available) for their family and/or the born and raised and the long term local families. I support anything and anyone with that clear motive.
And the other thing: While I have never gone to Lihu‘e from Kapa‘a during the “slush hours,” thus ignorant of the traffic woe, a friend of mine told me that the reason the traffic backs up only in one direction (south) in Kapa’a all the way to the Wailua River is because of the paperwork one needs to fill out to get a VISA to cross the Wailua River and enter into Lihu‘e Territory.
