May 7 Rally to Preserve Waikiki Beach

Sorry for such short notice, but just got this info from our allies at Surfrider and KAHEA. They will help lead a rally to protest the proposed plan by Kyo-Ya Resort and Hotels to build a new massive tower next to the historic Moana Hotel on Waikiki Beach.

A LINE IN THE SAND: RALLY TO PROTEST
KYO-YA’S NEW TOWER IN WAIKIKI

Concerned citizens are invited to meet at the zoo at 9:30 AM to walk down Kalakaua Ave. to the proposed site at 10:00 a.m. Participants are asked to wear blue. Bring your families and friends. Members from environmental groups like KAHEA, Surfrider Foundation, Hawaii’s Thousand Friends and the Ka Iwi Coalition will also be in attendance.

As part of the Waikiki Special District, zoning laws were passed decades ago to protect the beaches of Waikiki and to limit shoreline development -- and the coastal erosion that comes with it. Existing hotels were allowed to remain as they were. The understanding was that subsequent developments had to follow the new zoning codes. But Kyo-ya and its corporate partners in New York want special exemptions to tear down an existing 8-story building and create a new 26-story tower. The Dept. of Planning and Permitting granted them variances to violate the existing height and shoreline setback requirements, but a coalition of petitioners is seeking to appeal this decision.

“We’re asking people to draw a line in the sand against Kyo-Ya’s plans,” says Tim Tybuszewski, Surfrider’s Oahu Chapter Co-Chair, “because their new development will create a dangerous precedent for other developers to ask for similar exemptions from the zoning code so they too can start building taller towers closer to the water. While other high-end hotels such as the Hale Kulani have successfully abided by the rules, Kyo-Ya asserts they shouldn’t have to adhere to the zoning code.”

According to the zoning laws, beachfront buildings in Waikiki must be built 100-feet inland of the vegetation line. Shoreline setbacks were designed to protect our beaches and public safety, but Kyo-Ya wants to build new structures closer to the water and to harden the shoreline with a higher seawall. This is likely to cause more beach erosion. No amount of sand replenishment will be able to restore Waikiki’s shrinking beaches in the face of more construction, storms, hurricanes, tsunamis and sea level rise. Kyo-ya asserts that beach sand replenishment, paid for mostly by the taxpayers, will restore the beach in front of their new tower and wall... but for how long? As other walls on the Waikiki shoreline demonstrate, where the shoreline has been hardened, the beach washes away -- and with it goes beach access.

The new tower will also contribute to the canyon effect, dwarfing the historic Moana Hotel and further destroying Waikiki’s unique sense of place. If approved, Kyo-ya’s plans could motivate a new wave of developers to seek the same exemptions and build more towers and walls on the Waikiki shoreline. Rally organizers invite other groups and citizens to join their protest to see where the proposed new tower will be built, and learn more about how this development will affect Waikiki.

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Please attend the rally if you can on Saturday. I'll be updating the BAH site and sending another group email soon about other beach access matters that have come up in the past couple of months... not much happening though on the State level due to the budget crunch. More to follow!

Aloha,
Rich Figel

Tsunami Lessons

It's been awhile since I posted anything, but today's Honolulu Star-Advertiser column by Cynthia Oi got under my skin. Normally, I like her pieces. But I think she missed the mark in this one. Here's the passage that bothered me most:

While arguments about beach restoration, blocked view planes, high-water marks, vegetation lines and shoreline access take up much time here, these trivial disputes won't amount to a sand berm in the face of a fierce tsunami.

Trivial? If anything, what happened in Japan underscores the need in Hawaii for a joint State-counties coastal commission to address those matters, as well as the reality of climate change and rising sea levels. Our mission isn't just about protecting beach access -- it's about preserving what's left of our beaches as well.

She goes on to make the case that no amount of planning or spending can avert a catastrophe if we were hit by something akin to what happened in Japan. True enough. But does that mean we shouldn't do what we can to prevent smaller scale disasters from happening?

Moreover, there are things we can do that wouldn't cost anything. The first is so obvious, it seems like a no brainer: push back the legal shoreline setbacks for building! We have ample proof that allowing property owners to build closer to the sea leads to faster erosion rates in those areas. But these people don't seem to give a damn about anything other than their ocean view. They don't think Mother Nature can touch them. That is just human arrogance, plain and simple. If it was only the fool-hardy who suffered, I'd say they had it coming.

But we're the ones who pay for their hubris when nature strikes back. Who foots the bill for the clean up when those McMansions wind up destroyed and washed away into the eco-system? We do, since government workers have to deal with the mess. Much of their personal property loss would be covered by insurance... and guess who pays for most of that? You got it. The pay-outs come from premiums other homeowners pay, even if you choose not to live anywhere near a flood zone. We share their pain when calamities occur -- but not in their gains when they reap windfall profits from tax shelters and business write-offs.

What bugs me most though is many of these wealthy homeowners are also the ones who complain the loudest about government taxation and interference. But mark my words, if a hurricane or tsunami were to hit their exclusive enclaves, they would be first in line with their hand out, asking Big Government for help in restoring all the public services they receive on their "private" beach side lanes. And so it goes...

Here's the link to Cynthia Oi's column. What do you think?

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.