City Council to Vote on Permit Deadline Resolution

Courtesy of Defend Oahu Coalition

Resolution 06-366, Requesting the Department of Planning and Permitting to establish appropriate deadlines for project commencement and completion as conditions in unilateral agreements relating to significant zone changes, will be voted on by the City Council this Wednesday, 1/24/06.

Now is the time to remind our City Council that open-ended development agreements must never again be approved. Please make your voice heard!

Written testimony can be faxed to 527-6910 and email testimony can be submitted at http://www.honolulu.gov/council/emailccl.htm
Persons wishing to testify in person are requested to register by 10 a.m. in the interest of time management as follows:
a. use the On‑Line City Council Speaker Registration form available at http://www.honolulu.gov/council/attnspkccl.htm;
b. send a fax to 527-6910 indicating your desire to register to speak, along with your name, phone number and subject matter;
c. fill out the registration form in person; or
d. call 523-4236.

Also, urge our city council to allow the public to have input on the impact of Turtle Bay ’s proposed 5 new hotels on the North Shore by holding hearings for Resolutions 06-173 and 06-075.

Resolution 06-173: Assigning to the Director of Planning and Permitting a Proposal to Amend Ordinance 86-99 (Re: Rezoning for Turtle Bay Resort Expansion Project) by Amending the Unilateral Agreement Incorporated Therein by Reference. Click here to check the status of this bill on the City Council Docushare.

Resolution 06-075: Urging the Department of Planning and Permitting to Enforce Strict Compliance with All Applicable Laws and Unilateral Agreement and Special Management Area Use Permit/Shoreline Setback Variance Conditions Prior to the Issuance of Any Permits and Approvals for the Turtle Bay Resort Expansion Project. Click here to check the status of this bill on the City Council Docushare.

Kuilima's Response on Burials is Arrogant

Kuilima Corp. once again has shown its arrogance by defying a state official's suggestion to revise its massive development plans at Turtle Bay Resort and Kawela Bay.

Issues such as burials are precisely the reason a new environmental impact statement should be required of Kuilima.There have been too many changes on the North Shore since the 1980s when the original agreements were made.

Most tourists coming to the area do not want to spend vacation time in densely populated areas; that is why they seek the tranquility of the country. Development on the scale of Kuilima's plans would destroy that sense of place.

Kudos to State Historic Preservaton Division administrator Melanie Chinen for warning Kuilima about future obstacles.

If the warnings go unheeded, and Kuilima is forced to revise later when delays will cost millions of dollars or kill the project entirely, you will not see any tears from me.
Robert Thurston
Hale'iwa

State urges Turtle Bay resort to revise layout

A key state official is warning the Turtle Bay Resort to drastically revise its plan to build up to five new hotels or it could face delays and other issues because of the strong chance that human remains will be found at the site.

A lawyer for the resort's owners, Kuilima Corp., responded that the project's financing could be jeopardized if the state doesn't back off.

More at Honolulu Advertiser