• Paving our rural paradise? • Disrespect wrong Paving our rural paradise? There has been a big push lately by various landowners here on Kaua‘i to develop Agricultural and Open Zoned lands into Commercial sites for such things as amusement
• Paving our rural paradise? • Disrespect wrong
Paving our rural paradise?
There has been a big push lately by various landowners here on Kaua‘i to develop Agricultural and Open Zoned lands into Commercial sites for such things as amusement parks, shopping centers and even residential subdivisions, just to name a few.
Many of these proposed developments are in your own neighborhoods and if they are able to receive approvals from the Planning Commission of Kaua‘i County, it would set a precedent for more of the same to come to a neighborhood near you. Take Kilauea for example, many of these types of projects are in the works and some are even up for approval as early as April 2011 before Planning. The following are just a few of them, soon to be considered:
1. Anaina Hou’s Kilauea Pavilion, which is a commercial amusement park with an outdoor amphitheater, indoor theater, conference center, and a concession stand doubling as a “commercial kitchen” to serve these venues. This parcel is zoned County Open District and State Agriculture (both of which prohibit this type of development in the County Zoning Ordinance).
2. A 43-lot CPR subdivision of large “Gentlemen’s Estates” known as Wai Koa Plantation that is located on the site of the old 473-acre Guava Plantation. The entrance to this subdivision will be on Kuhio Highway where the mini-golf course is located.
3. A shopping center in Kilauea that would surround the Kilauea Post Office and historic stone buildings located on Lighthouse Road.
4. The 175-acre property on agricultural land across the highway from Banana Joe’s that is currently being engineered to be subdivided into Commercial Highway frontage to be for sale.
These are just a few of the projects proposed for Kilauea Town which may soon start to look like Po‘ipu construction of recent years if these projects are approved by County Planning.
Every one of these proposed sites are now owned by newcomer investors who have discovered Kaua‘i over the past few years and are looking to pounce on an undeveloped market with projects that have traditionally been unacceptable to residents who love Kilauea and Kaua‘i for its unique rural island character which has thus far been preserved. Once the “legal” exception is made and the precedent set, there likely will be dramatic expansion of what speculators can develop across this wonderful island on Open and Agricultural land.
The project now leading the way is Anaina Hou’s Kilauea Pavilion which is behind their recently opened miniature golf course. The pavilion site does not conform to nor comply with many of the statutes and ordinances that govern our island including the following:
1. Hawai‘i Revised Statutes HRS 205-2, 205-4.5, 205-5, and 205-6 of the State Land Use Act, all of which do not allow this type of development on agricultural lands.
2. Chapter 13, Section 13-6 of the Planning Commission Rules of Practice and Procedures.
3. All of their proposed uses are defined as “Commercial uses” in the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance for Kaua‘i County Code.
4. These proposed uses are not compatible with the surrounding properties, most of which are residential, see K.C.C section 8-1.5 (20).
5. The Kilauea Town Plan of 2005-2006 recommended that this specific parcel, if ever developed, to be used for “affordable housing.”
6. The current Kaua‘i General Plan also designated this site, if ever developed, to be used for “affordable housing.”
7. Their proposed uses would adversely affect all of the surrounding property owners with noise above legal levels from the Outdoor Amphitheater as well as traffic from its various events.
If you love Kaua‘i and its rural character like so many of us do, then you must get involved and be heard at the Planning Commission’s public hearing scheduled for April 12, 9 a.m., to let these officials know that this exception to the land use laws for a “Special Use Permit” should not be approved.
Letters of testimony should be sent well before the hearing date to: Planning Commissioners, County of Kaua‘i Planning Dept., 4444 Rice Street, Lihu‘e, HI 96766; referencing project name: Kilauea Pavilion (part of Anaina Hou project).
David Baker, Susie Lee, Dorsey Darwin, Mark Goodman, Thomas McInerny, Jim Gair, Jim Bray, William Gillette, Gary Pierce, Charlie Dickens, Bob Butler, Lisa Mass, Kilauea
Disrespect wrong
Regarding the March 30 letter from Mr. Jeff Demma regarding the barking dogs on Kaua‘i. There have been so many complaints and letters to the editor on this problem, for the council not to have taken any action is unconscionable.
The council seems to be totally ineffective in this matter.
The root of the problem is that there are so many hunting dogs kept in small inhumane conditions for hours on end and they bark because they are either hungry, thirsty or in need of companionship. We live in an upscale neighborhood and there are at least 20 or more at any given time, barking at all hours of the day or night. We confirmed this when we adopted a cat at the humane society. Former director Becky Rhoades said that she was fully aware of the problem and could do nothing about it.
Animals need to be treated humanely, regardless of where you live.
The hunting of pigs here on Kaua‘i is mostly done with dogs and our friends tell us that said dogs are left in kennels without food and water for three weeks at a time so that they are more aggressive and will hunt better. This is barbaric and should not be tolerated.
Would you keep a pet dog in the garage all day without food and water? There is also an issue of kennels or puppy mills here where dogs are kept in similar conditions.
We absolutely love Kaua‘i and the people here but some people’s treatment of dogs and disrespect for the neighbor is wrong.
Cliff and Cecelia Waeschle, Kilauea
