Hao Street Resolution

Whereas, a plan to build a massive cemetery in the late 1970s and again in 1996 on a 94.7 acre Wailupe Valley site, failed to proceed due to widespread community opposition including opposition from the Kuli'ou'ou/Kalani Iki Neighborhood Board No.2 and the ‘Âina Haina Community Association;

Whereas, in 1999, the City & County of Honolulu with the support of Kuli'ou'ou/Kalani Iki Neighborhood Board No.2 and the ‘Âina Haina Community Association authorized the money to acquire all 94.7 acres which includeda 9.5 acres residential zoned area at the end of Hao Street bordering Wailupe stream, as a nature preserve;

Whereas, the zoned 9.5 acres, which is located in an unstable soils area bordering Wailupe stream, was not purchased by the City & County of Honolulu, but sold to a developer for less than what the City had budgeted--without the community or public knowing of it for years;

Whereas, the Kuli'ou'ou/Kalani Iki Neighborhood Board No.2 and the ‘Âina Haina Community Association and many residents have been concerned for decades that developing the property would create additional problems in the valley because of steep slopes, unstable soil, falling boulders and flooding during heavy rains;

Whereas, the 9.5 acres site adjoins a debris basin, which is undergoing review by the Army Corps of Engineers for the Wailupe stream flood control project and which will need substantial enlargement, and may be required as part of the Wailupe flood control project necessary for the safety of the community due to a history of flooding along the unimproved stream;

Whereas, both the City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) & the State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD) of Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) have recently formally requested an Archaeological Inventory Survey (AIS) by SHPD because of claims of ancient sites and access to a hiking trail, a trail that has been used for many decades by hikers, hunters and families further impacting cultural, archeological, and ecological and natural valley access;

Whereas, there is a known history of inquiries regarding the archeological and cultural status of this subject 9.5 acre Wailupe site, and therefore the site should not be disturbed in any way until further study is done because there is a population of rare and endangered Elepaio (Chasiempisibidis) living in the 85 acre nature preserve surrounding the proposed development in the back of ‘Âina Haina, and as a diverse community of many cultures and nationalities, including native Hawaiians, further study should be conducted of this parcel before irreplaceable Hawaiian antiquities archaeological sites are lost forever and that in the meantime access to the historic trail or easement not be blocked;

Whereas, nonetheless, on January 28, 2013, the DPP approved two building permits to Residences at ‘Âina Haina/Hao Street Partners on said 9.5 acre parcel, after previously deferring an actually filed subdivision in 2007 for a small community of 11 homes on the same parcel pending required submissions to DNLR Na Ala Hele Trails Department of Parks and Recreation, all of which were not submitted and therefore the 11 homes project in 2007 did not proceed due to noncompliance;

Whereas, the developer of this 9.5 acre parcel appears to be clearing the area and restricting access to the public from the easement/trail and is proceeding despite the concerns raised in this resolution and the request of Kamana'opono M. Crabbe, CEO of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) February 28, 2013 letter to the DPP, request for DPP Building Permit conditions clarification and for an Archeological Inventory Survey (AIS) on this parcel, and for immediate cessation of all ground disturbance activities until such AIS and SHPD approved mitigation has been completed;

Now Therefore, Be it Resolved:

The Kuli'ou'ou/Kalani Iki Neighborhood Board No.2 strongly urges keeping this presently undeveloped 9.5 acre parcel from development and request the developer voluntarily or otherwise to cease further construction or blocking of the easement/trail entrance into Wailupe Valley until the issues raised by the ‘Âina Haina community and other interested persons are fully and satisfactorily resolved.

The Kuli'ou'ou/Kalani Iki Neighborhood Board No.2 specifically supports the ‘Âina Haina Community Association’s efforts to protect against substantial and imminent threats to the health (both, safety relating to significant flooding risks and Wailupe Stream Flood Control Project and cultural, relating to protecting irreplaceable cultural sites such as the recently destroyed ahu), arising from the current grading and development activities on the 9.5 acre parcel, including 1055 Hao and 1057 Hao Street.

The Kuli'ou'ou/Kalani Iki Neighborhood Board No.2 also strongly recommends the developer suspend current grading and construction activities on the 9.5 acre parcel pending completion of extended consultation and agreement, among the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, DPP and the ‘Âina Haina Community Association regarding the Wailupe Stream Flood Control Project’s pending debris basin expansion.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to Mayor Kirk Caldwell, State Representative Mark Hashem, State Senator Sam Slom, the Director of the DLNR William Aila, the Director of SHPD Pua Aiu, the Director-Designate of the DPP George Atta and the CEO of OHA Kamana'opono M. Crabbe.

This Resolution was adopted by unanimous consent (16-0-0) by the Kuli'ou'ou/Kalani Iki Neighborhood Board No.2 of the City & County of Honolulu at its March 7, 2013 regular meeting.

State Senator Sam Slom spoke about the illegal yet inexplicably permitted development at the top of Hao Street.

Email Richard dot J dot Wagner at gmail dot com