Denying HoKua Place is a great victory
After testifying for seven years before the County Council and the Land Use Commission, we have stopped this 769-house development behind the Kapa‘a Middle School. Thanks to all the written and oral testimony and not giving up, we residents, along with our lawyers, booted out the mainland HoKua Place developers.
This is an example of how we can stand up with persistence and save this island from overdevelopment. Nature is a precious gift on Kaua‘i, and it is our responsibility to maintain and protect it. I just learned that there is a movement on Maui that would ban building of new resorts and vacation rentals. I hope we can do the same. I also want to thank the LUC and our Kaua‘i Commissioner, Dan Giovanni, both of whom pushed the pedal to the medal and took us over the finish line.
For the love of Kaua‘i.
Gabriela Taylor, Kapa‘a
Another vote for curbside recycling
Bravo for the informative and timely article written by Gemma Shepherd, “Bring back curbside recycing,” (TGI Forum, May 23).
I have always wondered why, with all the great achievements Kaua‘i has accomplished in moving towards self-sustainability, that we lack the simple and logical process of curbside recycling.
Kaua‘i residents still drive down to behind the old Kmart/new Target to dutifully drop off flattened cardboard, glass (one by one) and plastic, separated (well, sort of). Third-world countries have curbside recycling. My parents on O‘ahu have curbside recycling; had it for years.
It’s a fact that, in most major cities, recycling bins are actually much larger than the regular trash bins. Imagine, more waste being recycled than being thrown away. And not just recycled. With a proper material-recovery facility, we can recover and sell what we recycle.
Kaua‘i, we’ve been playing with the idea of curbside recycling for over 10 years. Let’s stop kicking the can down the curb. Pick it up and recycle it. The time is now to stop spending precious tax dollars on another feasibility study to burn our trash. Some say we can’t afford to have curbside recycling. I say we can’t afford not to have it. It’s a win-win in my book.
Mike Dandurand, Kapa‘a
We can. And local issues are an important part to this forum. I find it a good thing to see many people voicing their opinions on what happens to waste. And to pay for this recycling is important enough for the county to pay for it. Of course you know that if they do implement this program, money won’t be made off of it.
Perfectly said Gabriela…as you sit in your trust-funded property, uncaring about the many Kauai families that are struggling to find a place to live.
Remember this, you came here from the mainland at some point and were able to purchase property in Keapana. So now that you’re on Kauai, no one else is supposed to enjoy the same comfort as you…especially local people desperate for housing?
Colin McCleod
Who exactly are “local people”? How do you define that term. Please explain so we can understand your beef with not building this development.
In light of the impossible development circumstances the Governments of Kauai and all of Hawaii has made, it has resulted in a cycle of much too difficult and costly realities to build anything on Kauai. Water meter costs, which has nothing to do with the actual cost of the meter and installation, is nothing more than a hidden and insidious development tax imposed by naïve politicians. The overall process of approval for anything is ridiculous. No wonder prices are through the roof and locals can’t possibly afford to live here. Whether one is for or against this development, everyone must now accept the fate that awaits the children of all local average income families. Your children will be homeless, or, will have to move elsewhere to live. Your new “Ohana” will only exist via Social Media and Facetime! For those of you with even half a brain, what exactly is there to celebrate?
What is your solution to this problem?