• For the sake of the General Plan • Knudsen supporter, anti-uprooting • New demographic replacing the old ways • Take a stand • About those clock comments • More about the clocks For the sake of the General Plan
• For the sake of the General Plan
• Knudsen supporter, anti-uprooting
• New demographic replacing the old ways
• Take a stand
• About those clock comments
• More about the clocks
For the sake of the General Plan
Over 50 years ago, some people who were born and raised on Kaua‘i made a General Plan for development. Recently, some people born and raised on Kaua‘i gave carté blanche to the destruction of the South Side in accordance with this plan.
Maluhia Road, aka the Tree Tunnel Road, hasn’t been resurfaced in over 2 years. The potholes are deep and dangerous. There is no allowance for a shoulder on the road nor are there adequate reflector markings of the road’s edge.
On a daily basis, Po‘ipu is literally being blasted out of its existing state by explosives and jackhammering of lava rock in preparation for million-dollar homes.
Historic monkey pod trees in Koloa are threatened by big money.
Because they are considered a financial threat to retail stores, Spouting Horn vendors are being shut down by the County.
And in Sunday’s The Garden Island, there was an insert about the Koloa Landing at Po‘ipu Beach that “will usher in a new era of resort living on Kaua‘i.” Prices starting “from $900,000.”
For what reason or purpose is all this happening? How does any of this greatly benefit Kaua‘i? The majority of profits go to mainland companies. There is no way that the tax revenues from these developments will cover what is being ripped out from Kaua‘i. All this devastation for the sake of following a General Plan that was designed over 50 years ago by some people born and raised on Kaua‘i.Teresa Barich, Koloa
Knudsen supporter, anti-uprooting
Dear Mayor Bryan Baptiste, developer David Nelson, et al:
We understand the motivation of our friends, the Knudsen family, to develop their Koloa land but we are devastated to learn that the developer, Nelson Development Company of Missouri, intends to cut down many of the wonderful old landmark trees that make Koloa a very special place. The loss of those trees would change Koloa forever.
Here is our suggestion: The Knudsen estate could donate a strip of the property containing many of the most visible trees, along the street from the corner to the post office, to the town of Koloa and take a tax write-off for the donation. Then the developer could build small plantation -style stores accommodating the other trees with access from the main street so the strip with trees would become a public park. This would enhance the proposed property as well as preserve the historic traditional appearance of Koloa.Mark and Dulce Shafer, San Rafael, Calif.
New demographic replacing the old ways
Ray Smith nicely recalled the nature of changes that have come to Kaua‘i. I think his Dad was my fifth grade teacher at Koloa, and I still have my original Hawai‘i Driver’s license signed by Mr. Waialeale. Yes, it was a more innocent time back then, when traffic delays were not from too many cars but from cane-hauling trains crossing the highways.
Plantation interests held sway then, and (Environmental Impact Statements) had not yet been invented. To their credit though, those interests did erect our forest reserves to protect watersheds, and their agricultural restrictions really did make it hard for exotic pests and weeds to get through. But then too, the common thinking was “that’s the way it is because that’s the way the plantation and the Big Five do it.”
Nowadays, the public is much more demanding, calling for fairness, for EISs, for legal remedies. Yes, the old ways are gone or going. Auwe! But a more enlightened and activist citizenry, a new demography, is replacing it. That’s the progress.Dave Au, San Diego
Take a stand
Once again out-of-state developers are able to muscle their way around the wishes of our community. The lists of these offenses is endless.
Must we continue to suffer the loss of our history, culture, our small island charm, our voice, our way of life, the environment and so on?
When will the Mayor’s Office, County Council, Planning Commission, the Governor’s Office, the developers, the Realtors and any others not mentioned, including the corrupt lawyers that defend these corrupt institutes, organizations and individuals be put in check.
People, if it’s not broken, you can’t fix it. Take a stand, preserve this place we call home, save what is left, that future generations may have a pristine Hawai‘i to live in. So much has been lost already; I believe too much. It must stop or at least be controlled and not allowed to run rampant.
It may seem like a small thing, monkeypod trees, but what else will go next?
Upset and mad over it all.Donovan Kanani Cabebe: Native Hawaiian, Hanalei
About those clock comments
“Where are all the clocks?” Letters, Nov. 23, writer James “Kimo” Rosen: For goodness’s sake. If you don’t like wearing a wristwatch, buy a pocket watch.
On another note, is that why we have so many juveniles out way past their bed time? Because there are no clocks for them to know it is time for them to go home and for the police officer to enforce the curfew law to send these juveniles home.
Maybe since there are not enough clocks around we should sound the civil defense warning sirens for 20 seconds at curfew time or on a high post (in towns, and all teen’s night activity area, etc.) and put a bright red light to let juveniles and police officers know it is curfew time.
When I was growing up in the days of yore, there were curfew warnings, why not now?Howard Tolbe, ‘Ele‘ele
More about the clocks
Re: Mr. Rosen’s letter, Where are the clocks?
Your comment, “My time was being spent on an internet kiosk. I do not wear a watch and refuse to become part of the cell-phone-digital-time mania that has taken over the world.”
Interesting comment, yet, you use the internet, which will show you the time. At what point does one become responsible for their choices and actions?Paulette Edmonston, Fountain Valley, Calif.
