Got Beach?

Below is an email I received from a friend. It was written by Wendy E. in Kailua. If you share her sentiments, check out the got beach? flyer here and come to the next Kailua Board meeting on Oct. 4th at the rec center.

Spread the word!

"My parents moved to Kailua in the 1940s. We were the first family to live on Dune Circle. But when I was 15, against my dad's strong protests, the other homeowners on that private road put up a locked gate. We moved to Lanikai because we felt the aloha was gone. Dune Circle was no longer home for us.

Kailua no longer seems like home to me now. I've been living on Kainui Place for 23 years, and had been using the beach path at the end of nearby L'Orange Place without incident all this time. Then last month, the current homeowners put up a locked gate to block beach access for their own neighbors.

Our family was friends with the Staple family on L'Orange. Everyone knew the Staples. Mrs. Staple ran a swim school where many Kailua families children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren learned to swim. They were eventually forced off of L'Orange by someone who objected to her clients parking on that road. Usually, there were no more than one or two kids at a time being given lessons. It was a sad day when Mrs. Staple had to move.

As I drive up and down Kalaheo Avenue, I see "NO BEACH ACCESS" signs on almost every road. What started as a single gate on Dune Circle has spread like a cancer up and down Kailua Beach.

It isn't fair either for homeowners who live near the public accesses to have to shoulder the burden for all the extra car and foot traffic when these gates go up. Their streets will be subjected to more parking problems, noise and litter since the few public accesses that still exist will be the only way for people to get to the beach. As it is, some homeowners on streets near public accesses have already been using rocks and plants to keep people from parking next to their property.

We also need more public access for the elderly, the disabled, and perhaps most importantly, for emergency vehicles. What if someone needs an ambulance or fire engine to help save a loved one? Emergency responders would have to search for a homeowner to open a gate on these private roads. I could only find three public access ways along Kalaheo Avenue. They are way too far apart, and some aren't even marked.

A fair compromise would be for all of these gates to be left open during the day, and locked at night, which is when most of the problems they complain about occur.

This gated community mentality has gotten out of hand in Kailua. The beach belongs to all of us. Please do not let this issue die because a few wealthy homeowners believe they are entitled to have their own private beachfront areas. Contact your elected representatives in the City Council, State legislature and the Kailua Neighborhood Board. Tell them you want them to do what is 'pono' for all of us who call Hawaii, home."

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This announcement also came in:

NO MORE PUBLIC ACCESS
TO KAILUA BEACH????

Times are changing, and your access to the beach is being taken away!!!!

If you are concerned about the recent (and planned) locking of accesses to Kailua Beach, PLEASE attend (and bring lots of people with you) to this

VERY IMPORTANT MEETING...

Wednesday, September 26, 2007 at 7:00 PM SHARP

St. John's Lutheran Church

1004 Kailua Rd
Kailua, HI 96734

Rumors have it that Kaiholu & Kaapuni are next to be gated!!!!