Anderson’s amendments would remove current language in Bill 47—the Koolau Loa Sustainable Communities Plan (KLSCP)—that allows for the urban growth boundary to be moved to include the Malaekahana area, which is currently zoned for Ag-use. This would prevent developer Hawaii Reserves Inc. (HRI) from building a proposed new town between Laie and Kahuku.
“Behind me are representatives from each of the communities in Koolau Loa and across Oahu; they have all taken a position against development in Malaekahana,” said Joshua Noga of Aloha Aina No Koolau Loa. “We are committed to the preservation of Koolau Loa’s unique country character from the dangerous effects of massive urbanization, the threat of gentrification and the displacement of our people. Our rural community wants to remain a rural community; our community wants our Ag-zoned land to remain Ag-zoned land, dedicated to increasing the food production of our island.”
Also supporting Anderson’s amendments are the community associations of Waiahole-Waikane, Kaaawa, Kahana, Punaluu, Hauula, Kawela and Sunset. Additionally, the neighborhood boards of Kahaluu, Kailua, Manoa, Mililani-Melemanu-Waipio, North Shore, Kapolei-Makakilo-Honokai Hale also support the amendments.
“This is a fight for our future; the question for our council is, ‘who will decide that future?’” said Tim Vanderveer, co-chair of the Defend Oahu Coalition. “Will it be special interests and corporations? Or will it be our friends and our neighbors, and those we elect to public office? We want to leave more for our keiki than concrete. We want to keep the country, country.”
The biggest contention made by HRI (a for-profit wing of the Church of Latter Day Saints) is that Koolau Loa, like the rest of Oahu, is in a housing crises and new families and young professionals are in desperate need of truly affordable rentals. HRI claims that its Envision Laie project is necessary to alleviate that crisis and to provide additional jobs for residents in Koolau Loa.
“We agree that multiple generations living under roof is a crisis. But this is a manufactured crisis,” said Vanderveer. “The development interests in Laie promised, over 25 years ago, to provide homes for their community, within the existing urban boundary, and they have failed to do so.”
“HRI has all of the permits necessary to go ahead and start building the affordable low- to mid-rise housing that they can within the existing boundary of Laie,” said Noga. “They don’t need to push the boundary into rural Ag land to provide housing. That’s a myth that they created. But President and CEO Eric Beaver has come out and said, boldly, that they don’t want to build in that space because it would hem them in from any further development.”
“They want you and I to support the re-zoning of the agricultural lands they already have so that they can build a massive urbanization—essentially turning Malaekahana into a Mililani,” continued Noga.
Of course, HRI is proposing to build a lot more than just 875 new homes (only about half of which would actually be considered “affordable”) in the state Ag-zoned Malaekahana. They also want to build a strip-mall, a light-industrial park, a new school and all the associated infrastructure that goes with it, including a second highway branch mauka of Laie that would cut straight through kuleana land holdings, displacing families that have lived in Laie for generations upon generations.
In perspective, the existing towns of Laie and Kahuku would each be smaller than what is being proposed at Malaekahana. The project could potentially triple the population living between Kawela Bay and Kaaawa.
“The added traffic and stress on the infrastructure of a two-laned, 100-year-old highway will be immense,” added Kaye Walsh, a Kaaawa resident. “In Kaaawa, the road is literally collapsing into the sea in three places—less than two hundred yards from my house!”
When previous Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) director David Tanouye was asked how the city planned to handle the massive increase in traffic this project would create, he nonchalantly replied that the city would simply widen the highway. Of course, that would mean evicting many of the people that currently live along the highway, not to mention the fact that the highway is a state road and the state has expressed no interest in such a project.
“I have concerns because the infrastructure is already over-taxed to the point that, for those of us that already live in rural areas, the police can’t find us, the fire department can’t find us, emergency medical services can’t find us—we have no trauma center; Kahuku Hospital is basically a clinic,” said Laura Gray, a registered nurse and Koolau Loa resident. “There’s no sewage treatment facility up there either; everyone uses septic. Can you imagine what will happen when it rains and all the waste from that new town hits the ocean?”
“Especially in a place like Kaaawa where the road is so close to the ocean, there are real concerns about inundation zones and evacuation in the event of a tsunami,” said Vanderveer.
Turtle Bay was built to the proper height for a Tsunami zone, but there’s really no other place for people to shelter in Koolau Loa, and with such a huge increase in the number of people who might have to evacuate the area in the event of a large-scale Tsunami, an already big disaster might become a catastrophic one.
Vanderveer said they also want the council to change the language concerning Turtle Bay which, under the current KLSCP, would be allowed to build up to five hotels and 1,000 condominiums, despite the conservation easement agreement reached with the state last year that prevents further development in that area.
“What we really want the council to do is to not only adopt the amendments proposed by chair Anderson, but to also take a look at the 2009 Plan Advisory Committee recommendations,” added Noga.
The 26-member advisory committee was comprised of a wide range of community members, from Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners to the developer HRI and, therefore, is an accurate representation of the community’s wishes.
“Beaver was a part of the PAC, but what came out of that committee was a compromise,” said Noga. “We would allow the affordable housing to be built, but keep it within the existing boundaries of Laie.”
“DPP met with development interests after that PAC report and changed the plan to reflect what those developers wanted to see in Koolau Loa,” said Vanderveer when asked how the KLSCP had changed so dramatically between 2009–10. “With the PAC, the community spoke and their decision was that we should not extend the urban boundary or to allow five hotels at Turtle Bay.
“We’re hopeful that council chair Ernie Martin will do what he did for the North Shore Sustainable Communities Plan, which was to undo changes made by DPP and restore the version that came out of the community,” continued Vanderveer.
Of course, even if Anderson’s amendments do pass and development in Malaekahana is prevented, HRI might appeal to the Land Use Commission to get the land re-zoned at the state level.
“I do not expect this to stop them at all,” said Vanderveer about HRI. “This is a battle that’s been going on now for almost a decade, and I don’t believe that this will be the last we’ve heard from HRI.”
]]>Dozens of supporters drove down from Laie on Thursday to advocate for the development before City Council members. They told stories of overcrowding and family members who were forced to move away because they couldn’t afford to rent or buy a home in their community in windward Oahu.
They urged the city lawmakers to approve the Koolauloa Sustainable Communities Plan as drafted by the city Department of Planning and Permitting, which included references to a new residential community on Malaekahana.
But Zoning and Planning Committee Chairman Ikaika Anderson said he wants to stick with the island’s General Plan, which calls for keeping the North Shore rural. The committee voted unanimously to pass his amendments to Bill 47 that remove all references to new housing in Malaekahana.
“I don’t believe that the people proposing this are bad people or they want to do anything ill in their community,” Anderson said. “I’m just of the view that this particular development does not fit in the Malaekahana area.”
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Anderson said he’s often thought about whether he would support a similar development in Waimanalo, where he lives, to help his children find homes in their hometown.
“I’ve come to the very difficult realization that should my children decide to continue living in Hawaii it’s quite possible they might not be Windward residents,” he said. He noted that they might be residents of Hoopili, another highly controversial development that Anderson’s committee approved earlier Thursday.
The committee’s vote isn’t the final decision. The Koolauloa Sustainable Communities Plan, which provides a conceptual outline of how growth should be managed on the North Shore, must be heard by the panel again and twice by the full Council before it is finalized.
But it is a significant decision in favor of environmentalists and others who have sought to keep the North Shore rural. In part because of the heated controversy, it has taken six years for the planning document to make it to the Zoning and Planning Committee even though it’s supposed to be updated every five years.
George Atta from the Department of Planning and Permitting testified that the project has given him “more heartburn and headaches” than any others, including other highly debated projects Koa Ridge and Hoopili.
Atta said if the city doesn’t allow more homes in Malaekahana, it could densify existing areas by increasing building heights.
“We haven’t really had that conversation about which is preferred,” he said.
But he warned that something should be done to address the natural population growth in the area. “If nothing happens, then the people in the community will have to move out to other parts of the island to find housing.”
The lack of affordable housing is a statewide problem in Hawaii, where the median home price has topped $700,000. But while many Hawaii residents live in multi-generational households due to the high cost of renting and buying, Laie has the highest concentration of people per household of any town.
A small community on the windward coast, the area is known for its concentration of Mormon residents and the presence of Brigham Young University, the Polynesian Cultural Center and the temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Hawaii Reserves, a company that is in charge of managing land owned by the LDS Church, is the developer behind the planned homes.
The company’s president Eric Beaver said of the 875 homes envisioned for Laie, half of them would be affordable, including rental housing and for-sale homes.
That sounds good to Bobby Akoi, who has lived in Laie for 33 years and works at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Akoi has four children, and two of his sons live with him because they can’t afford to rent or buy a home.
“Removing affordable housing from this plan will be devastating to our children and grandchildren,” he told council members. “All they want to do is live and work in our community.”
His testimony was typical for the dozens wearing light blue shirts expressing support for the project.
But opposition to the planned homes was strong from North Shore residents and others who worried about the project’s impact on traffic and the rural character of the area.
Many emphasized that the Oahu General Plan calls for concentrating development on the south shore. State Sen. Gil Riviere from the North Shore testified in favor of Anderson’s amendments.
“It is essential that we keep rural areas for the benefit of all residents and visitors,” Riviere said.
Tim Vandeveer, who leads Defend Oahu Coalition, also vigorously opposed the proposed housing. He said that he supports affordable housing but wants Hawaii Reserves to build housing on land that’s already been slated for development.
Beaver said that land is downwind from a sewer plant and the cost of improving the infrastructure would make the homes unaffordable. He also said the land by Brigham Young University is slated for the university’s expansion and student housing.
Vandeveer said Thursday’s hearing illustrated that there are other options, such as increasing density within existing urban-zoned land in Laie. He was delighted with the committee’s decision.
“This is maybe the first time that this Council voted our way,” he said. “It’s a positive step. It’s not over yet, but it feels good.”
But while many were happy with Tuesday’s result, 44-year-old Uiti Siaosi Jr. wasn’t one of them.
Siaosi works at the Polynesian Cultural Center and lives with his parents and son in Laie. When he rides the Handi-Van on the North Shore, he sees numerous homes sitting vacant that are too expensive for him to buy or rent. He wonders what’s going to happen to his 14-year-old son and if he’ll be able to continue raising his family in Laie.
“Our community is growing,” he said. “Where are we supposed to live?”
]]>The proposal appeared to be dead in March when Anderson, who chairs the City Council Zoning and Planning Committee, amended Bill 47, the Koolauloa Sustainable Communities Plan, to remove all references to more housing at Malaekahana.
But Martin introduced Bill 53 on Thursday bearing the title, “To Adopt the Revised Koolau Loa Sustainable Communities Plan.” The bill includes a new 875-home residential community at Malaekahana “to meet existing pent-up demand and provide land for affordable work force housing.”
Update: Martin, who was unavailable for comment Tuesday, said in an email Wednesday afternoon that the re-introduction of the plan was largely procedural:
“Bill 53 (2015) was introduced to revive Bill 47 (2013) which will shortly expire,” he said. “By law with respect to bills submitted by the planning commission, the council must act on the bill within 2 years and if we seek additional time, the bill can only be introduced in its original form… It is my intent to amend Bill 53 (2015) after it passes first reading to mirror what was amended through Bill 47 (2013) by the Council’s Zoning and Planning Committee. As you may recall, this would remove Malaekahana from the extended urban growth boundary.”
Residents hold up signs supporting and opposing the proposed new community at Malaekahana at Honolulu Hale on March 5.
Anderson said in an email Wednesday afternoon that he plans to amend the bill to remove references to the Malaekahana residential community.
But advocates for the Malaekahana community still see the new measure as a hopeful sign that some housing could be built. Eric Beaver, president of Hawaii Reserves, the Mormon Church’s land management company, said in a phone interview Tuesday that his understanding is that the councilman from the North Shore introduced Bill 53 to keep the discussion of the project open because Bill 47 expired this month.
“We’re happy that it didn’t expire and die altogether,” Beaver said, noting the need for affordable housing on the North Shore. “(Bill 53) keeps it alive and it gives us time and Councilman Martin to try to find a way to still have a project that will move forward.”
Beaver said Hawaii Reserves will continue to work with the Council as needed to find the best solution for the community.
“Right now with Ikaika’s solution — to leave the existing designations as they are… obviously that’s not a solution,” Beaver said.
“Some growth in housing and related support services is envisioned primarily in Malaekahana to support the planned expansion of the Brigham Young University,” Bill 53 says. “Nevertheless, the future of the Koolau Loa region is to remain country, characterized by small towns and villages with distinctive identities that exist in harmony with the natural settings, defined by mountain ridges and scenic open space.”
The bill says, “Development in Malaekahana is supported because its affordable housing units are expected to be absorbed by local area residents, some of whom are believed to be currently living in extended family housing arrangements.”
The measure would require at least half of the new housing units to be “affordable” and to remain so in perpetuity. The bill says the development must include a new road from Malaekahana to Laie and Kahuku with room for walking and biking, and abide by several other guidelines related to parks, views and infrastructure.
Honolulu City Council Chair Ernie Martin listens to testimony on a proposed development at Malaekahana on March 5.
The plan also includes a reference to a new primary school to serve the Malaekahana community, and contends significant traffic impacts aren’t expected because many of the residents of the new community are expected to work at Brigham Young University-Hawaii or other employers located from Laie to Kahuku.
Tim Vandeveer, who leads the community group Defend Oahu Coalition, called Bill 53 disappointing.
“It means that Councilman Martin is out of touch with the vast majority of residents in Koolauloa,” Vandeveer said.
Here is an excerpt from the measure that describes the proposed development:
“Adjacent to La’ie, about 300 acres is proposed for the new Malaekahana community as an extension of the established La’ie community. It will provide supportive housing for the jobs offered by the Polynesian Cultural Center and Brigham Young University-Hawaii. It is also expected to provide about 875 units, including a significant number of units for workforce housing in perpetuity for existing Ko’olau Loa families, with commercial activities only needed to support this resident population. The supply of affordable units should first meet the needs of the residents of La’ie and Kahuku, and secondly, of those who work in the region. About 25 acres of land can be used for industrial uses that reflect the City’s existing corporation yard and provide opportunities to neighborhood support activities, as well as research partnerships with the University. It is intended to conform to the rural character of Ko’olau Loa. A new mauka road from La’ie to Malaekahana will connect the neighborhoods, while improving circulation in the region.”
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