KOLOA — Only 20 days to live. The countdown has begun for what concerned residents say could be the Jan. 2 removal of the monkeypod trees at what will soon be the site of The Shops at Koloa Town. Though
KOLOA — Only 20 days to live.
The countdown has begun for what concerned residents say could be the Jan. 2 removal of the monkeypod trees at what will soon be the site of The Shops at Koloa Town.
Though it is within the developers’ rights to remove the trees, for residents the plan means time is ticking as they try to figure out how to keep the trees.
“Koloa is about as historic as a town can be, as are our monkey-pod trees,” Carol Ann Davis-Briant, board member of the Koloa Community Association, said. “Our monkeypod trees are what makes our town. Without them, we would just be another town.”
In Briant’s opinion, representatives of the Knudsen Family Trust have failed by not discussing the issue with community members. The trees are located on Knudsen Family Trust land, and the Knudsen Family Trust is a member of the Koloa Marketplace LLC. Phone calls to trustee Stacey Wong were not immediately returned.
Briant and a handful of other community association members and Koloa business owners met informally yesterday morning at Tomkats Grille to formulate a plan of action to protect the trees.
“The trees on that property are the heart of Koloa,” resident Deron Winters said. “To devastate the heart of Koloa is to devastate this town.”
Another of the frustrations among residents of Koloa is the lack of communication from the developer, Michigan-based Nelson Companies, Incorporated. “Their real obligation is to the community,” Gabrielle Young, Kaua‘i Outdoor Circle member, said. “They can destroy relations with the community or step back and think and have relations with the community.”
Peter Dease says he feels the community’s concerns are being ignored, devaluing the historic town.
Resident Anne English agreed. “It’s time for them to come and talk to us,” she said. “…Decide on a compromise.”
In addition to feeling left out of decisions regarding their town, community members are still reeling from the settlement between Koloa Marketplace LLC and the County of Kaua‘i.
According to court documents dated Sept. 24, the settlement allows Koloa Marketplace LLC to move ahead with its plans to build a 76,200 square foot office and shopping complex in Koloa.
In addition, the settlement states on page 5, Koloa Marketplace LLC, “shall be allowed to relocate, replace and/or remove existing monkeypod or other trees consistent with its landscaping plan.”
The plan stipulates that if a tree is to be replaced, the new tree must be of a similar species and size.
Koloa resident David Chang pointed out that Koloa is supposed to be a historical town and it seems some people have forgotten that.
“Do we destroy nature for community and profit?” Chang said. “Gaia (God of the trees) is gonna be mad.”
In the meantime, resident Michial Freigang says the community needs to rally and participate in “responsible activism.”
Members of the Koloa Community Association have informally begun plans to protest the matter; however, at press time, a date was yet to be determined, Freigang said.
• Rachel Gehrlein, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) or rgehrlein@kauaipubco.com.
