New Turtle Bay Master Plan in Works

Just got a letter from Turtle Bay Resorts, saying that Replay Resorts has been brought in to oversee the entire resort -- including hotel management and the "real estate development program." I wrote about it in my Honolulu Star-Advertiser Career Changers blog, which you can read by clicking here.

To sum up for those who aren't familiar with the Turtle Bay controversy, there were plans drawn up two decades ago that would allow for expansion of up to 3,500 new rooms. Considering there is a single two-lane highway that serves the resort and surrounding communities, some thought that might present a bit of a problem. Not only that, the plan could impact shoreline access and alter the "country" feel of that area on the North Shore. The public outcry succeeded in halting expansion until a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement could be done.

The new owners and Replay Resorts are now saying they want community input, and intend to create a new master plan that will address the concerns of residents. They seem to by backing away from the plans to add 3,500 units and say they do not want to develop gated luxury communities like you see around the Waikoloa resorts on the Big Island. That's good. Better yet, they are working with two land trusts to place a conservation easement on 469 acres of land mauka of Kamehameha Highway, which will be preserved for farming use. That's great news.

Let's hope they live up to their promise that they will be more transparent and responsive to community concerns.

Why Hawaii Needs a Coastal Commission

Another contentious issue involving shoreline setbacks and county zoning laws has been in the news of late. Kyo-ya's plan to build a new oceanfront hotel in Waikiki next to the Moana Surfrider Hotel is drawing opposition from a number of environmental groups -- and for good reason: it sets a bad precedent that opens the door for other hotels and resorts to build closer to the ocean.

With indisputable proof of rising sea levels and cyclical beach erosion being a part of Hawaii's fragile ecology, you'd think someone at the county and/or state government level would object to any development that puts buildings closer to the shoreline. Yet our system divides jurisdiction over the coastline at the high water mark (or high wash mark... it's confusing to me). The state controls the beach up to that imaginary line, which shifts over time. Above that line in the sand, each island county makes up its own setback and zoning rules -- even though everyone in Hawaii has a stake in what ultimately happens with our coastline, since our beaches are probably the state's most valuable commercial resource.

What irks me is that nowhere in the discussion of setbacks does the issue of residential development come up. In Kailua, where I live, I've seen more and more rebuilding in which older homes that were set back a good distance are now being replaced by Kahala style mansions that jut out in front of neighboring houses to be closer to the ocean. This pattern of building bigger and closer to the sea has resulted in the loss of beaches at Kahala and Lanikai. Yet there doesn't seem to be much concern about the same happening in Kailua -- at least not in the local media or at the government level.

This is why we need a Hawaii Coastal Commission that could oversea... er, oversee legal and environmental issues related to the ocean, beaches and shoreline. The current split jurisdiction system is not working and leaves too many loopholes for commercial developers and property owners to exploit for their own gain. And that means the people of Hawaii lose out in the end.

Here's the link to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser article about the Kyo-ya plans and opposition to it.

Season's Gatings... er, Greetings

Ah, yes. Christmas in Kailua is a magical time when people open their hearts... but not their gates. There are at least 17 beach-side lanes along Kalaheo Avenue that are gated or have "Keep Out" signs posted with threats of arrest if you try to use "their" private beach access paths. The Grinch would be proud of those folks!

There is irony in the air too surrounding the annual Obama family Christmas vacation in Kailua. The gate pictured above is on a public street at the end of the beach where the Obamas stayed in an oceanfront compound. It's ironic because the President ran as a champion of the people who was going to protect the middle class -- and yet he chose to stay in an area where only the rich can afford to live that is effectively blocked off from less wealthy Kailuans in that area.

In fact, there is only a single public beach right of way at that end and the next closest one is over a half-mile away. That makes it ideal for security purposes. The Secret Service and Honolulu police force are protecting an area that has already become a semi-private beach for the rich. Those who can't afford to live on streets with private access must either walk a long way to the public access, or drive to the main beach parking lots and hope they can find a space (on weekends the lots are full).

So to all the Grinches along Kalaheo Avenue and on Kailuana Place, who continue to lock out their neighbors, all I can say is have a Merry Gate-mas! Yes, you truly represent the aloha spirit.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Although Bob Moncrief has passed away, we can still be thankful for what he and his wife, Trudy, have stood for in the fight to preserve public beach access. The photo above of them was taken a couple of years ago in front of the L'Orange Place gate that led to the creation of Beach Access Hawaii.

The Moncriefs were the only homeowners on that street who opposed locking out neighbors and visitors from using the beach path at the end of their "private" lane. It should be noted that the residents don't mind having public services such as trash pick up, utility trucks and mail delivery using this "private" road... services their tax-paying neighbors subsidize.

One block over, Namala Place also has a gate -- and that one IS a public street, which our taxes go towards the upkeep. Yet they get away with locking out neighbors because the beach access is situated on a strip of "private" land between two houses. They also have street lights and public services paid for by the people they want to keep out. You can drive and park on the street that our tax dollars pay for, but you can't use the gate.

Meanwhile, Kalaheo Avenue continues to be dangerous for pedestrians and bike riders who must literally go out into the street to get around the dirt and debris, along the section from L'Orange to the only public access for over half a mile at that end of the beach. The City has been notified repeatedly, yet hasn't done a damn thing to rectify the situation.

I suppose we should be thankful that no one has been hit by a car... yet. Mark my words, it will happen.

Ghastly Neighbors

Halloween should be a fun time when parents and kids can go trick or treating in their neighborhoods. Around Kailua though, the "PRIVATE ROAD" and "NO TRESPASSING" signs that stand on the intersection of nearly all the beach-side lanes has dampened the spirit of aloha that used to exist in Hawaii.

And then these same people wonder why they become the targets of graffiti or acts of vandalism? Ironically, many of those overbuilt oceanfront McMansions that have sprung up have huge picture windows allowing anyone on the beach to look inside at the owners who don't want neighbors using their private roads because they want "privacy." So why are they rebuilding so close to the beach then?

Negativity breeds negative responses. Treat your neighbors with kindness and respect, and you will get the same in return. Treat them like criminals just because they want to walk to the beach rather than have to drive to a public beach parking lot, and you're going to get stink-eye. That's just common sense.

BTW, this isn't just a local issue. On a recent Law & Order: Los Angeles episode, the ripped-from-the-headlines case revolved around a fictional surfer from Hawaii who is killed by young rich thugs over... public beach access. Yep, and it's based on true battles in California, where wealthy oceanfront property owners have tried to keep people off "their" beaches. For more on that L&O show, here's a link.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1720510/

Aloha, Bob...

About a hundred people attended Bob Moncrief's memorial service at Lanikai Beach on Sat., Oct. 2, and many more who could not be present were there in spirit, because his life impacted and inspired people all over the islands.

In addition to his contributions to the public beach access movement, he was active in protecting Hawaii's environment for decades. But more than that, he was a good man... and also something of a rascal when he was younger! Friends and family shared a number of funny stories about Bob as a kid, who grew up to be a scrappy young man, then matured into a loving father.

I wanted to share some of my impressions about Bob at the service and tell everyone how he and his wife Trudy inspired me to co-found Beach Access Hawaii. To be honest though, I kept choking up just thinking about it and didn't think I could convey what I wanted to say in words. So I'll just keep it simple: Aloha and mahalo, Bob. We'll miss you, but you won't be forgotten.

And thanks to those who have made generous donations in Bob's memory to Beach Access Hawaii. We'll continue to promote this cause because of people like Bob and yourself.

Bob Moncrief Memorial Oct. 2

For those of you who have asked, there will be a public memorial service on Sat., Oct. 2 at the Lanikai Park Pavilion beginning around noon. Please RSVP at www.BobMoncrief.com so the caterers know how many people will be coming.

Details on the service are posted at the website created by his family to honor Bob's memory.

Please show your aloha for Bob, his wife Trudy, and their family!

A Man Who Stood Tall

Bob Moncrief passed away on Aug. 25 at the age of 71. Many supporters of Beach Access Hawaii will remember him as the lone resident of L'Orange Place, who stood up at a Kailua Neighborhood Board meeting on Sept. 6, 2007 to say he and his wife were opposed to the locked gate that was put up on their "private" beach side road. He felt it was wrong to deny access to neighbors and was against the Hawaiian concept of "aloha."

It was remarkable because nearly everyone at that meeting had come to denounce the actions of those people on L'Orange Place. Many had been using that beach path for 20 years or more, and they were angry that their children now had to walk along a dangerous section of Kalaheo Avenue to reach the only public access for over a half mile area of beach. Bob looked frail, but there was a quiet strength and dignity in his words that moved me and others to take up the fight to protect the public's rights of way. Bob and Trudy Moncrief were the true inspiration behind Beach Access Hawaii, a movement that has spread throughout the islands and spurred state legislation that will benefit future generations.

I called Trudy today after getting the sad news last night, and asked if it would be all right for me to send a group email to BAH members about Bob's death. She said Bob would have been pleased because even though he had been having health problems, he still had not given up his fight to stop more gates from going up in Hawaii. He was looking forward to continuing the battle because he believed our beaches and ocean belong to us all.

After she told me that, I promised her I would find a way to carry on Bob's cause somehow. I hope you'll renew your efforts as well.

Here's a link to the Honolulu Star-Bulletin column I wrote three years ago that was inspired by Bob and Trudy Moncrief. Towards the end, Bob shares a touching story about how as a toddler, he got separated from his family on Kailua Beach. The woman who found him was none other than Mrs. L'Orange. Bob said she would never have approved of putting a gate on the road that bears her family name.

Below is a photo of Bob and Trudy on the Beach Access float at the Kailua 4th of July Parade two years ago. He also posed for satirical L'Orange Gate photos we took for other holidays such as St. Patty's Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, which I'll continue to post in his memory.



ADDENDUM: Speaking of L'Orange Place, I was told that this past Fourth of July, they hired a security guard to make sure no one came down their road to see the fireworks. What's especially galling about that is the son of two homeowners on L'Orange, who are in the real estate biz, actually had the nerve to go on TV to say he was helping raise funds to keep the annual fireworks display going! Nice that his parents wouldn't open the gate for even one night in the spirit of Independence Day.

Ko Olina Complaints Continue...

Here are excerpts from two recent emails we received:

"I am kama'aina in Hawaii and live in Ewa Beach. I took a friend of mine to Ko Olina lagoons. While we found a handicap parking spot, we were still harassed by the guard because I use an umbrella to protect me from UVB rays since I have melanoma. Even though I have doctor's orders they still told us to leave because of my umbrella. I have never been treated this way on any beach in Hawaii, and I'd like to see the law that allows them to push us off a public access beach. I suggest visitors should vote with their feet and pick another destination resort rather than this fascist organization."

That's a new one -- I've never heard of anyone being ejected because of an umbrella! But that's not fascism. That's capitalism. The resort negotiated with the State or county on how many public parking stalls they had to provide to meet beach access requirements, and the public has tacitly accepted that agreement because there have been no major protests at Ko Olina or the Neighborhood Board for that area.

I then got this email from a member of the military who notes he has served his country, and yet can't use the beach at Ko Olina because of their restrictive policies:

"... I'm a local boy who was raised on the Island of Oahu, a Kapolei Knolls home owner, tax payer, and Army service member for the past 18 years. I'm emailing you because I'm really interested in how I can support public beach access to Ko Olina. I was turned around today because the parking lots were full. I then made a u-turn and said I'd like to go to the ice cream parlor there, and was allowed to enter the Ko Olina grounds. After parking in the commercial business parking lot near the ice cream shop, where there were many unused parking stalls available I noticed the shop was closed. I decided to go to the lagoons and see if parking may be available and was sent away by security personnel, who apparently were given my license plate number from guards at the gate entrance. I was also told that if I were to park at the commercial business parking lot and walked to the lagoons for a swim that they would have towed my vehicle away. I was escorted off the Ko Olina grounds shortly thereafter. Please let me know what my rights are to public beach access, or point me in the right direction and tell me how I can give my support to public beach access. I was very disappointed that I couldn't use the beach and felt like my rights were not important at all. This was very hard for me to accept being that I've served three combat tours fighting for my country and my beloved Hawaii ..."

My advice to him and anyone else who has encountered problems with Ko Olina is to write Letters to the Editor of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and MidWeek. Even if they don't publish your letters, it might prod them to do a story on that situation. It's going to come up again I think when Disney opens their resort out there.

I also suggest residents go to their next Neighborhood Board meeting and bring up this issue. Ask who came up with the agreement that Ko Olina only has to provide eight public parking stalls per lagoon. Ask what needs to be done to add more public parking.

Call the local TV news stations and tell them your stories of being denied entry. If you have a compact video recorder like a Flip camera or phone camera, try to get shots of Ko Olina security guards turning you away. Put those video clips on YouTube -- I'll post links here as well.

The bottom line is it's up to you to take action and do something. You should also contact the Surfrider Foundation and Sierra Club, since they both have paid staff that might be able to help publicize your complaints.

Belated 4th of July Greetings!

The photos to the left are from the past two Fourth of July Kailua parades that Beach Access Hawaii took part in. My wife and I decided to take a long weekend trip to Vegas to avoid hearing the daily barrage of illegal fireworks in Kailua this year, so we didn't participate in this go-round. Things are pretty much status quo. No new gates have gone up along Kailua Beach as far as I know. But none of the other gated roads have opened up access to neighbors either.

BTW, last month while walking along a dangerous part of Kalaheo Avenue to get to our public beach access, I saw a young mother pushing a double stroller on that side of the road. When she reached the section where the shoulder of the road is nearly covered by dirt and debris from the adjoining property, she had to stop: half her stroller -- and one of her kids -- was jutting out into the road as traffic was speeding toward her!

She quickly pushed the stroller across the street while cars on the other side of the road were bearing down on her. I have repeatedly warned the Kailua Neighborhood Board and our City Council representative (both Barbara Marshall and Ikaika Anderson) that this is an accident waiting to happen. Remember this post when it does. Then I hope someone sues the crap out of the City for its inaction.