KOLOA — A group of South Kauai landowners and residents agreed that more must be done to address development, roadway safety and parking concerns in long-term community plans, according a straw poll taken Saturday. The poll, taken as an
KOLOA — A group of South Kauai landowners and residents agreed that more must be done to address development, roadway safety and parking concerns in long-term community plans, according a straw poll taken Saturday.
The poll, taken as an initial county-led step to update the South Kauai Community Plan, found that 37 percent of community members felt unsafe when walking in their community while another 27 percent said housing is too expensive.
But the 40 or so community members surveyed during a public meeting at the Koloa Neighborhood Center provided varying responses when asked about what should be improved.
“My own theory is that we need to work together as a community at-large as we move forward with what is best for everyone,” said Stella Burgess, who has lived in Koloa for 45 years.
About 27 percent of poll-takers said more pedestrian and bike paths should be added along community roadways and another 19 percent identified “shoreline and water quality improvements” as areas needing improvement.
County Planning Director Michael Dahilig said his department — along with Honolulu-based planning consultant PBR Hawaii — are beginning the $625,000 task of revising the nearly 35-year-old plan and kicking off outreach efforts by listening to and gathering a list of concerns and suggestions.
“We do not have a plan yet,” Dahilig said at the public meeting. “I want you to understand that we’re coming from the perspective of not having any pre-conceived ideas. We want to listen to what you in the community have as perspectives on where we are and where we want to be in the 20 to 30 years.”
Dahilig said the need to balance the relationship between the area’s rural character and culturally-historic sites and nearby resort developments makes the update even more important.
In all, the South Kauai Community Plan covers about 31,300 acres of land in the towns of Poipu-Kukuiula, Koloa, Omao, Lawai and Kalaheo.
The proposed community plan boundary generally follows the Koloa judicial district boundary except along the western periphery, which is marked by the Wahiawa Gulch. The plan’s eastern boundary follows the Haupu mountain range, Knudsen Gap and Mount Kahili.
Burgess said the meeting “was a positive step forward,” but pointed out that the county must do more to address parking issues, especially in Koloa and Poipu, and improve the planning process for hotel and condominium developments.
“It is too bad that in some of the plans for where we are not everything was taken into consideration — maybe growth wasn’t one of them — but we need to get together to develop a better schematic for the future of what was once a small, quaint town,” she said.
Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Jr. acknowledged the county “is not perfect,” but said all county departments are working together with the community to build a balanced plan.
This step, Dahilig said, includes the creation a 15-member advisory group that will represent a variety of community interests.
These previously-selected members include the Knudsen Trust, Koloa Elementary School Principal Russ Hasegawa, Grove Farm Vice President David Hinazumi, Alexander & Baldwin Properties, Inc. Vice President Tom Shigemoto and Hui Malama O Kaneiolouma President Rupert Rowe.
“We cannot stop growth — remember that — I know that for a fact but we can surely manage growth to determine how we’re going to grow, where we’re going to grow, and where we would like to see development or not,” Carvalho, Jr. said.
For more information, visit www.southkauaicp.com.
