We're on a roll... HB 593, Rep. Thielen's setbacks moratorium bill for Kailua Beach cleared the State Senate WTL committee on Fri., March 20. Then today (March 23), Sen. Hooser's bill, SB 1088, which re-defines obstructions to public access and gives citizens more ammunition to file lawsuits if access is blocked, also was approved on the House side by the WLO committee.
What's more, a bill many groups opposed that would have put Coastal Zone Management under the DBEDT as a cost-cutting measure, was gutted and replaced with language from HB 593 to give the DLNR authority to implement shoreline setback moratoriums throughout the entire state! So instead of a potential step backwards with SB 1318, the House WLO committee actually took the initiative in doing something to protect our beaches.
In other political news, Honolulu City Council candidate Steve Holmes emailed our group and wants you to know he would do all he can to support public beach access if elected. Candidate John Felix has said public access is one of his top concerns as well. The fact that they are discussing this issue shows how far we've come in the past year. Keep up the pressure, and we WILL see more positive changes in the near future!
2 comments:
I just read the text of HB 593 and I defy anyone to explain what it truly says. It's gobbledy gook.
The current setback from the vegetation line on Kailua Beach is 40'; the makai building setback is 8' from the property line. That's what the moratorium is protecting???
At the end of HB 593, check this paragraph regarding the effective date of the bill:
QUOTE
SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2020, and
shall be repealed on June 1, 2011; provided that any interim
construction moratorium established by the department of land and natural resources prior to the repeal of this Act shall remain in effect until its expiration.
END QUOTE
This bill not only needs a writer, it also needs an editor.
Of course, beach building permits already processed are grandfathered as OK.
For example, the beach construction on Laiki which has generated so many complaints.
1. the contractor was Greg Thielen!
2. the property owner contributed $2000.00 to Cynthia's 2006 campaign!
3. There was a deed setback restriction on the property which was ignored.
4. Laura Thielen is head of DLNR. (although I think she is one of the good guys).
I love Hawaii's policy of public access to the beaches, but let's look very closely at the real motivation behind this bill. It may be just opposite of what we are led to believe.
Makani -
I didn't have any say in the wording of the bill, but the moratorium would stop owners from building any closer than the EXISTING home on that lot.
The City Council -- not the State -- determines setbacks, and that's the problem. Other islands like Kauai have enacted much stronger setback rules that take into account sea level rise and erosion.
The purpose of this bill is triage to stop more houses from being rebuilt closer to the ocean, and give the DLNR time to force the county to take action.
Please send your comments to the City Council. I've been complaining to Barbara Marshall for the past year and got nowhere, because of a lack of support from the general public.
The dates on the bill don't really mean anything, btw.
Also, did you know the owners of the Laiki house (Dr. Brad Hook) currently live on L'Orange Place and where among the people on that block who pushed for putting up the gate that started this whole movement?
Thanks for commenting!
Aloha,
Rich
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