HANALEI — In August, the county Planning Department issued violations to Hanalei Bay Resort for illegal dwellings and insufficient parking.
Further investigation is taking place for non-compliance to zoning rules and the unapproved use of lock-out bedrooms, according to the department.
The resort’s general manager, Greg Veal, said the resort “does not exceed the unit density approved by the county in the early 1970s, which was before the adoption of the county Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance.”
“The structures at Hanalei Bay Resort are built to the designs approved by the Kauai Planning Department,” Veal said in a prepared statement. “We are actively working with the county about its latest concerns.”
The county investigation claimed that the resort exceeds the maximum unit density by 146 apartments, according to the August permit compliance violation and zoning compliance notice.
“Hanalei Bay Resort is proactively involved in discussions with county officials. More clarity is needed on several issues to determine if compliance measures are necessary,” Veal said. “If so, they will be properly addressed in a specific plan of action.”
In its homeowners’ association Notice Letter to Unit Owners, Michael Rembis, president of the Hanalei Bay Resort Association Of Apartment Owners, stated, “It is possible that the prohibition against separate lock-out usage will be enforced, so you should be mindful of that in planning the future use of your unit. In fact, especially in light of the potential fines from the county, the board strongly encourages you to not accept new bookings for lock-outs.”
Veal wrote: “While we believe our units are fully permitted and grandfathered, we take the Planning Department’s concerns seriously. Thus, while we continue discussion with planners, we encourage our owners to take the most cautious approach.”
On June 27, the county counted 160 available parking stalls, leaving a deficiency of 52 spaces, along with no provisions for 37 so-called theatre-type parking places.
“HBR has engaged two consultants to identify and engineer additional on-site parking at Hanalei Bay Resort. That work is underway,” Veal said. “The gated portion of the guest parking, which is just a portion of Hanalei Bay Resort’s parking, has been approved by the court. The county was not aware of that court ruling, and we have recently brought the ruling to the county’s attention.”
Veal said Hanalei Bay Resort has operated with its current design for 40 years, and current parking has always been adequate.
“Recently, the restaurants on property significantly increased their seating capacity, creating new parking pressures,” he said. “We are working hard to help them resolve those issues.”
