New walls for Lihu’e Wal-Mart approved

In two unanimous votes Tuesday, the Kaua’i County Planning Commission approved permits for expansion of the Wal-Mart store in Lihu’e and for construction of an 80-foot tower at Kaumakani for VoiceStream Wireless.

Wal-Mart proposes to add 4,605 square feet of new retail space, plus 955 square feet of shade-cloth enclosure, to the front of the store near the existing garden department.

The improvements will require changes in the parking lot, as the new construction will be from the front of the store toward Kuhio Highway.

Meanwhile, a compromise was reached on the height of a VoiceStream’s tower near Gay & Robinson’s Olokele mill to increase wireless telephone reception on the west side. While VoiceStream still seeks a 100-foot tower, concerns were raised about the height of the tower and its impact on views from public areas.

An 80-foot tower was approved, which will bring to five the number of telecommunications poles and antennas in the area. There is also a tall utility pole in the vicinity, explained Rebecca Sialana, VoiceStream spokeswoman.

The 100-foot height would allow for better line of sight and more room for the two other telecommunications companies which have expressed interest in mounting equipment on that pole, Sialana explained.

G&R could generate more revenue from the higher tower and more carriers on that single tower, and would have to remove from agriculture prime sugar-growing acreage in order to accommodate new towers at other sites, she noted.

On the VoiceStream and Wal-Mart matters, commission members Bob Kaden, Abby Santos, Ramon de la Pena and Gary Baldwin voted in favor of the permit applications.

Two commission members – Jay Furfaro, who was sworn in replacing Dane Oda, and Gary Heu, who was absent – did not vote.

Staff Writer Paul C. Curtis can be reached at mailto:pcurtis@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 224).