More Ko Olina Complaints

Recently, my wife played tourist guide to Mainland visitors who were staying with a relative near the Ko Olina resorts. So they decided to go to the beach at the lagoon... I mean, they tried to, anyway. As is often the case these days, they were told at the security check-point that there was "no parking" available. Yet there were plenty of open spaces. What he meant was there were no PUBLIC parking spaces left, because there aren't many allocated for Hawaii residents or visitors to begin with.

Coincidentally, I received another email (posted below) around the same time in which a resident details her experience with the lovely people at the Ko Olina resorts. She asked what could be done, since this seems to be a public beach access issue. The answer is, not much. Whoever agreed to the original resort plans is the one at fault -- zoning is in the county's domain, so we can't blame the State for not requiring more public parking spaces.

However, I do believe residents in that area can make it a public relations issue. With Disney opening their Aulani Resort at the end of August, this would be a great time to stage a beach access rally right in front of the security check points. We all know how Disney wants to be perceived as family-friendly and good neighbors, right? I don't think they'd like to be portrayed as part of the Ko Olina resorts "gated community" mentality that presently exists.

In fact, Disney execs at Aulani have been saying they want their guests to enjoy a truly authentic "Hawaiian" cultural experience... I guess they mean Disney-hired Hawaiians only, since Ko Olina is turning away real Hawaiians and kama'aina who live here. Anyway, here's the email I was talking about:

From: Carolyn Golojuch
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Sent: Mon, Jul 25, 2011 9:08 pm
Subject: Ko`Olina violates public access to the shoreline

Life is a beach

One day in the summer of 2011, I drove to Ko`Olina to spend some time walking and reading on the beach. But the powers of the beach had other ideas. We live in Hawaii but unless you’re able to pay $1M+ for a home, rental or hotel, the right of way to the shoreline means nothing.

At Ko`Olina, all the lagoons are part of the problem for the average Josephine Public. On July 25, 2011, all the lagoons were roped off even though plenty parking places were vacant. I finally drove to the last one lagoon that has a huge empty lot along with the largest paved parking lot at the lagoons. There were about three parking lot attendants guarding both the paved and dirt parking areas at the entrance. The parking lot attendants said that there were no parking spaces available. I could see all the parking open in the dirt area, to no avail.

When I spoke to the lead guard (he had been pointed out by the first parking lot attendant as the supervisor, he said the over flow was ‘at the limit for the day’ of allowed parking. ) What did this mean? I’ve been at $150+ functions and there were hundreds more ‘allowed’ parking. To me, this is just a way to violate the public’s right to the shoreline.

After being told to drive away, I told the parking attendant that this was all about keeping the locals away from the beach. The parking lot attendant asked if I knew he was local. I replied that is sad that the big guys hire locals to keep locals out. Where is the fairness, not to mention the 'aloha?'

After driving back to the entrance of the paved parking, I was told I couldn’t stop and wait for an open parking lot even though I would see a car driving out occasionally. At one point when I was told that I had to move on, I saw a couple get in a black car and drive off while I was told that I couldn’t park. I drove around and asked if I couldn’t have access to take the place of a car that I just saw drive out of the dirt parking. The ‘supervisor’ asked which car? I said it was a black car and he said, ‘oh, that car, we already told another car to go in.’ At this point, I knew they were playing games with me. It’s called Russian Roulette or keep the public out? Auwe!

Finally I drove away and turned right to find a place to park while I phoned Honolulu City and County Complaints Department. The young man said he would call back. The Department of Natural Lands and Resources called back. I had found a place under a tree, put my blinkers on while talking to them. They told of a ‘pack’/agreement that allowed the owners to control the parking situation. Bottom line, the shoreline was there before the high rises, big money hotels and time shares. That’s when the public had access to the shoreline.

As I was parked, I saw three police cars drive up: two white squad cars and an unmarked dark van type with lights on the roof. I pulled out and turned around at the next open area. That’s when the sirens went on and I was pulled over. The two squad cars parked behind me and the other drove on. Then the ‘supervisor’ from the parking lot drove on the median and parked. The two ‘parking lot’ attendants started to walk over while I was getting out my license and other vehicle identification material. Wow!

This is when the police said that the parking lot attendants wanted to file a one-year restraining order against me that would keep me off the Ko`Olina property. The police officer said that I could drive away and come back another day. Again, all because I wanted to walk on the shoreline!

The law needs to be changed to open up the access to the shoreline for the public. There were four parking lot attendants: one in the paved parking lot, at least three at the entrance and three HPD squad cars. All this to keep out the public! Where’s the aloha? Where’s the public access to the shoreline.