News – 2 Columns

Why Windward Oahu and all of Hawaii is Short Changed on Representation.

District 3- Waimanalo, Kailua and Kaneohe, together the total about 115,000 people.

To compare representation let’s look at Douglas County Oregon which has approximately 107,000 people.  Douglas County has a regular county structure (not City & County) which administrates roads, parks, law enforcement, planning and public works, etc.   The county is overseen by a 3 person Board of Commissioners, and elected County Assessor, Auditor, County Clerk , Judge, Sheriff, Surveyor, Treasurer and Justice of the Peace.

Douglas County also has 12 incorporated municipalities.

A working definition of an incorporated municipality can look like the following:

Municipal corporations are an important feature of the political structure of the United States. Incorporating a municipality gives it the freedom to form a society that is distinct from other localities in the state and country.  This idea of local control is the same concept that animates the constitutional division of the country into a collection of smaller states.  By giving municipalities some autonomy, individuals are more capable of participating in politics and gaining a measure of control over their lives than if political activity occurred only on the federal and state level. 

Parks and Winward Prosperity

Setting aside land for parks is usually considered visionary by subsuquant generations.    Imagine Waikiki without Kapiolani or the Ka Iwi coast by the Makapuu Lighthouse having a hotel.

The windward side is still largely underdeveloped in this aspect and we are fortunate to still have large tracts of open land that could and should become parks.

Maunawilli Valley-Kawainui Park.

Maunawilli Valley between the golf course and the residential area and the entire back of the valley is still largly intact as a potential regional park.  It already supports a trail system, Olomana trails Maunawilli to Waimanalo and Maunawilli Falls.   As well Kawainui Marsh as part of the contiguous watershed and should first be crossed with a boardwalk trail and circumvention trails system before and any plans for large structures and tourist like “education” faciliites are considered.

Together these two assets would form a basis of an impressive natural heritage.

Haiku Valley Regional Park

The former Omega site in the back of Haiku and the historic Haiku stairway form an opportunity for Kaneohe to have another regional park along with Ho’omaluhia Botanical Gardens.  The Haiku stairs in some repects is like the rock climbing routes of Yosemite or the slot canyons of Zion, both of which are greatly sought after and operate on a reservation system.   Preserving upper Haiku Valley  and restoring it to a more pritine condtion can be accomplished along with a poetial revenue source like a fee for stair access would secure another special place for future generations.

Parks are open space, recreational opportuniites and preservation that have a value exceeding residential or commercial use, particularly as the land elsewhere is being developed.  Parks enhance the life of a community and create greater value for residence and visitor alike and planning for a better future is the best way to achieve it..

RR Zoning (Residential-Recreational Zoning)

Everyone, whether visitor or resident wants to enjoy Hawaii’s natural beauty.

The problem arises what access to such place are in the middle of residential neighborhoods.

Maunawili Falls, Lanikai Beach along with numerous beach and mountain access across the island comes in conflict with neighborhood peace and quality of life.

The idea behind Residential Recreational Zoning is the ability to put the residents interest in first position being so many modern access problems came about long after residential areas were built.

An RR Zoning would be designed to control parking to residents and guest.

This could be done in combination with open parking days and in conjunction with protecting places like Maunawili Falls and the Lanikai Pill Boxes from continuous daily and year round use.

Solving the long term problems associated with beach and trail access suggest better central parking and shuttle access for beach’s.  For trail access there need to be designated parking lots and restroom facilities all outside of residential neighborhoods.

Hawaii is notorious for its haphazard maintenance and care of its natural wonders.

RR Zoning is not the end-all solution but can prove to be an important tool to push for better care and preservation of our manmade and natural environment for everyone.

The Constraints of the City & County Model

Waimanalo, Kailua, Kaneohe and all of the windwardside is more than just the suburbs of urban Honolulu.

As a candidate I want to represent Council District 3 as an advocate for Windward Oahu issues.

This means looking at Windward Oahu in the manner needed to support community innovation that builds and helps sustain prosperity.

In mainland states, towns the size of Kaneohe and Kailua would most likely be either separate or a combined city (incorporated municipality).

This means they would have the contractual benefit of a city to support their own unique differences and serve their citizens directly

The only reason this hasn’t already happened is because Hawaii is the only state in the US with a universally combined City & County system established on all islands in 1905.

Bringing greater political innovation to enhance the life of a community should be a goal for all public servants.

Good Luck to the Rail

At 9 billion dollars to go 22 miles and a operating cost over 100 million a year the chances of the rail project ever breaking even seems unlikely.