LIHU‘E — The plans to bring back to life the iconic Coco Palms Resort in Wailua received a fatal blow Tuesday, when the Kaua‘i Planning Commission affirmed an order to revoke permits to rebuild the hotel that has been shut
LIHU‘E — The plans to bring back to life the iconic Coco Palms Resort in Wailua received a fatal blow Tuesday, when the Kaua‘i Planning Commission affirmed an order to revoke permits to rebuild the hotel that has been shut down for more than 20 years.
“I am very pleased to hear of the Planning Commission’s action,” Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. said in statement. “The property has languished for much too long, and with no alternate plan being proposed by the owners, it’s time to move on to new opportunities.”
Coco Palms first opened on Jan. 25, 1953, with only 24 rooms. By the mid-1970s, the hotel had grown to more than 400 rooms, according to www.coco-palms.com.
In 1961, the property that was once home to Queen Deborah Kapule, Kaua‘i’s last reigning queen, shot to international fame after the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, shot the last 20 minutes of the movie “Blue Hawai‘i” at the hotel.
After Hurricane ‘Iniki on Sept. 11, 1992, Coco Palms never reopened, despite records from insurance inspectors showing the hotel was rebuildable. A fire years ago added further damage to the hotel.
The permits to tear down the decaying structures and rebuild a new hotel were originally granted in 2005, and were set to expire in 2010. With the date approaching, the commission granted the developers a three-year extension to Jan. 25.
But when the latest deadline hit earlier this year, no action had been taken by landowner Coco Palms Ventures LLC, and no request for an extension had been made to the commission.
Planning Director Michael Dahilig filed a petition Jan. 29, asking the commission to revoke the permits. On Feb. 6, Coco Palms Ventures representative Phillip Ross sent a letter to Dahilig requesting a one-year extension for the permits.
The permits revocation process was set in motion by the commission. On March 28, court-appointed hearings officer Richard Nakamura ordered the revocation of the permits held by Coco Palms Ventures, but also stayed the enforcement for 30 days to allow the developer to explore issues involved.
According to Nakamura’s order, only the Planning Department was allowed to ask for an extension of the stay.
Without an extension request from the department, the order would take effect after 30 days, but it was still up to the commission to affirm it, modify or reject it. The commission on Tuesday unanimously adopted the order to revoke the permits.
“The revocation of the permits is beneficial for all Kaua‘i residents who have long grown frustrated over the continued deterioration and lack of action to improve the Coco Palms property over the last 20 years,” Council Chair Jay Furfaro said in a statement Tuesday.
On March 13, the council unanimously passed a resolution supporting the Hawaiian Islands Land Trust’s effort to secure a $276,650 state grant to set in motion a planning process to acquire the property at $15 million to $20 million for the public benefit.
Furfaro said the commission’s actions Tuesday affirms the council’s position on the resolution.
“The council will continue to support the organization of a community based planning process that will honor the history and culture of this property,” said Furfaro, adding he hopes HILT will be able to secure funding quickly to acquire the Coco Palms property.
Carvalho said he plans to arrange for a community discussion soon to envision what the future could hold for the property.
“Let’s put our hopes and dreams on the table, and work toward a collective vision of Coco Palms that will do justice to this special place and will result in a community resource of which we can all be proud,” he said.
• Léo Azambuja, staff writer, can be reached at 245-0452 or lazambuja@ thegardenisland.com.
