Maunalua Bay Hall of Shame

One would think that with all the publicity environmentalism has generated in recent years, that people would get it. However, I keep coming across examples of how not to preserve our environment by people who ought to know better.

Rainwater Runoff

This newly-constructed house on Hind Iuka in Aina Haina has just had its entire front yard concreted in. July, 2011.

This newly-constructed house on Waihau Street in Aina Haina has just had its entire yard, front, sides, and back, concreted in. June, 2020.

Attempt at Commercial Development on Residential Zoned Property

Hongwangji, a local Buddhist organization, attempted to get the Neighborhood Board to approve a conditional use permit for 5415 Kalanianaole, a large property on the shoreline, for wedding services without fully disclosing to the Board Hongwanji's involvement with the proposed project. The board reversed an initial unanimous approval of the permit when the Aina Haina Community Association made the Board aware of serious omissions in Hongwanji's original presentation to the board, including that the primary lessee of the property in question was a Japan-based firm specializing in wedding parties.

On July 7^th, 2011, I attended a meeting of the Neighborhood Board, an official organization of the City
and County of Honolulu. City Councilmembers Barbara Matsumoto and Stanley Chang were also in attendance. Here
Wayson Chow, President of the AHCA, presents his case to the Board. On behalf of AHCA, Mr. Chow requested the
Board to rescind its previous unanimous approval of Hongwanji's application for a conditional use permit (CUP)
for the development of a residentially-zoned beachfront property for use for wedding ceremonies.

Illegal Yet Permitted Development

Hao St. Property

This is a disaster in the making at the top of Hao Street (tax map key 36024001, 1031 Hao Street) Permits have been issued for development of land that was to have been purchased by the City, yet was surreptitiously sold to developers in violation of a 1999 ordinance. The permit allows blocking access to a popular hiking trail with a fence and gate, making, in effect, the entire upper Wailupe Valley into a private wilderness park for the gated community residents. February, 2013.

Update June 2020: the property at the end of Hao Street has been purchased by a preservation trust for public land. Andrea and I contributed a thousand dollars to the 50k purchase.

Illegal Commercial Use

Kathy Ireland Estate on Kalanianaole Highway

This photo appeared in the Star Advertiser on the 10^th of February, 2013. Kathy Ireland's estate in Aina Haina is being illegally
used for commercial purposes, having not even applied for a conditional use permit (which, naturally, would be denied).
Shame on her. Scanned February 16^th, 2013.

Richard dot J dot Wagner at gmail dot com