Brief Updates

The lunch wagon development at Shark’s Cove has received another notice of violation from the Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP). Over the last couple years, the property owners rapidly expanded the number of businesses and activity on the property, allowed or built various fences, platforms and other structures, illegally graded the land, and installed a wastewater system without valid permits. The fines are now about $68,000 and continue to grow daily.

Na Pua Makani plans to build new wind turbines as tall as 66 story buildings less than a half mile from Kahuku Town and the Public Utilities Commission is holding a special hearing in Kahuku. The public is invited to comment on the 23 additional poles and transmission lines needed to connect the project to the grid. This may be the last opportunity for our community to comment directly to the PUC on Na Pua Makani’s plans. The hearing will be at Kahuku High & Intermediate School on February 2, beginning at 6:30 pm.

The Honolulu Planning Commission is considering an application to rezone a parcel on the central Haleiwa wetland from agricultural to urban. The land is part of a project called Haleiwa Plantation Village in which Scott Wallace proposes to develop and sell 29 residential lots at the end of Kilioi Place.

I testified against the land reclassification and zoning changes because I oppose development in wetlands and flood prone areas. The hearing will continue on March 15, 2017. Testimony on Zone Change Request 2016/Z-7 can still be submitted by fax to 768-6743 or mailed to Planning Commission, 650 South King Street, 7th Floor, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96813. Project details are online at http://www.honoluludpp.org/Planning/ZoneChanges.aspx

The Legislature is back in session and Mayor Caldwell is pushing for a permanent extension of the rail tax to pay for the horrendously overbudget rail project. My position two years ago, when the project was “only” $910 million in the hole, was that we should not extend the tax until HART demonstrated some fiscal restraint or a viable alternative. Of course, that was not done, the tax was extended and the cost is now more than $4 billion over budget.

Our rail project is now the highest cost overrun, by percentage, and by mile, in the history of national transportation systems. Throwing endless money at the project, without any accountability, is unacceptable.

A controversial bill that would allow Death with Dignity, or Assisted Suicide, depending on your point of view, may pass this year. Please let me know your thoughts or experiences in dealing with this tough question.