Neighborhood Board Watch

by PAULA BENDER
Sun Correspondent

For the Tuesday, April 29, 2008, meeting at Hahaione Elementary School, the Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board had on its agenda an opening presentation by the school's Gifted and Talented Program students about the Three Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle, and the new recycling bin on campus. Also that evening, Suzanne Jones, coordinator for the City's Department of Environmental Services' recycling program, will provide a status report to the board on the pilot project.

Discussions will continue on TheBus changes and adjustments in East Honolulu, the Ka Iwi Coast and hillside development, and access to Koko Crater Trail.

New business items include discussions about the Planning & Zoning Committee's recommendation for Board action on issues relating to bed & breakfast homes in residential areas, as currently before the City Council, and the committee's recommendation for Board action on issues relating to transit vacation rentals, as currently before the City Council.

At the March neighborhood board, Kuapa Isle resident Sandy Nagunaga testified regarding the noise of the feral chickens and roosters that have taken over the Park and Ride on Keahole Street. Mayor Hannemann's representative Sid Quintal introduced James Burke from the Department of Transportation Services, which contracted a firm to catch the chickens on a quarterly basis.

Kuliouou-Kalani Iki
Thursday, May 1, 7:00 pm, Aina Haina Public Library. Call K. Russell Ho of the Neighborhood Commission Office at 768-3715 for more information.

Discussed at the Kuliouou-Kalani Iki Neighborhood Board #2 meeting, held April 3, 2008, at Aina Haina Public Library were issues concerning the future plans by the owners of the Aina Haina Shopping Center; a proposed adult-care home at 5304 Limu Place; an update on the Ka Iwi Coast and hillside proposal and new equipment for Niu Valley Playground.

At the March board meeting, State Rep. Barbara Marumoto reported that board member Linda Starr was in a car accident and that Charles Ma, who died at the intersection of Waa Street and Kalanianaole Highway, was Starr's uncle. Marumoto said she put in requests valuing $400,000, in the Capital Improvements Projects for her district, for the installation of a traffic signal at Waa Street. It was noted that the state Department of Transportation was not in favor of installing a pedestrian-triggered traffic signal there. The board is also very concerned that the city might want to either move or close TheBus stop near the Waa Street intersection.

Other issues of concern to the Kuliouou-Kalani Iki board include Calvary by the Sea's plans to expand to third grade with eight to 15 students and a homeless man taking up shelter on Iki Place.

Waialae-Kahala
Thursday, May 15, 7:00 pm, Wesley United Methodist Church. Call Orrin Kupau of the Neighborhood Commission Office at 768-3779 for more information.

Continuing to concern the Waialae-Kahala Neighborhood Board #3 is neglect of Kahala homes by absentee owners, traffic, road repairs and street parking in certain congested areas.

It was noted at the March meeting that some residents have complained that Genshiro Kawamoto ordered cutting down coconut trees on the beachside front of his properties that lean or fall over neighboring properties. Residents were encouraged to call the State Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), which is responsive regarding this issue. One particular resident testified that Kawamoto had ordered the cutting down of trees on the Hunakai Street side of his property. Board member Richard Turbin said that Kawamoto could not unilaterally cut down those trees without permission from DLNR's Coastal Management Division. Turbin added that his neighbor asked Kawamoto to cut down a specific tree, resulting in Kawamoto ordering all the trees cut down except for the one specific tree his neighbor wanted cut down. The next Waialae-Kahala Neighborhood Board meeting is scheduled for May 15, 2008, at Wesley United Methodist Church, at 7 P.M.

Do you know what the East Honolulu Sustainable Plan is and what the urban growth boundary means to you? Download a free copy at: http://honoluludpp.org/Planning/DevSust_EastHonolulu.asp

Help keep East Honolulu's streams and Maunalua Bay clean. Organizations can sign up to adopt their local stream by going to the City and County website www.cleanwaterhonolulu.com/storm/calendar/calendar.html to schedule a cleaning day. They can also call 692-5208.

East Oahu Sun welcomes input from residents regarding the Neighborhood Board Watch column. Please send comments to: info@eastoahusun.com.

Information about neighborhood boards can be found online at www.honolulu.gov/nco or at the Neighborhood Commission Office, Honolulu Hale, Room 400, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 768-3710 or fax 768-3711 to be added to the mailing list.

Residents in respective jurisdictions are encouraged to attend the meetings to hear reports from the police and fire departments, from elected state and county elected officials, the Board of Water Supply, and from area community associations. When hot-button issues are anticipated, meetings will sometimes see residents from other communities who wish to present their thoughts. All residents are invited to contribute, and are encouraged to take advantage of the 2- to 3-minute podium time limit to speak.

Anyone wishing to attend a Neighborhood Board meeting who has questions about accommodations for a physical disability or a special physical need should call the Neighborhood Commission Office at 527-5749 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. at least 24 hours before the scheduled meeting.

Video and audio podcasts of selected Board meetings can be accessed and downloaded from http://www.honolulu.gov/nco under "Board Meetings Video on Demand."