U.S. Rep. Ed Case, D-Rural O‘ahu, Neighbor Islands, has urged Gov. Linda Lingle to preserve the wilderness experience of the Koke‘e/Waimea State Park complex. The Hawai‘i congressman’s request came as the state Department of Land and Natural Resources processes a
U.S. Rep. Ed Case, D-Rural O‘ahu, Neighbor Islands, has urged Gov. Linda Lingle to preserve the wilderness experience of the Koke‘e/Waimea State Park complex.
The Hawai‘i congressman’s request came as the state Department of Land and Natural Resources processes a plan that is likely to change the look and feel of the park for the next 20 years.
In an Aug. 24 letter to Lingle, Case said he has received more than 160 communications from constituents who have expressed concerns about potential impacts from the modernization of the park — including traffic, noise and degradation of the wilderness experience.
Land Board chairman Peter Young and Daniel Quinn, the administrator for the DLNR State Parks Division, were not immediately available for comment on Case’s concerns.
A consultant plan recommends the proposed auction of 114 recreational cabins, the installation of helicopter pads, the building of what looks to be a small inn, the installation of an entry post and a park entry fee.
In his letter to Lingle, Case said people fear they are going to lose forever the wilderness qualities that make the park so special.
The park complex, consisting of 6,183 acres, offers some 45 miles of hiking trails and panoramic views of the ocean from mountainous cliffs.
Case said the Kaua‘i County Council approved a resolution last month asking the Land Board to postpone the auction of the cabins.
That action came a few days after the Land Board decided to allow the leaseholders to continue using the cabins beyond a Dec. 31 deadline.
The Land Board took the action to await the outcome of a lawsuit some leaseholders had filed in 5th Circuit Court seeking compensation should the state take the cabins when the 20-year-old leases expire.
The state says the lease agreement signed by the cabin owners allows it to take the cabins when the leases expire.
At the same time, the Land Board approved month-to-month revocable permits for the leaseholders.
Case said many of his constituents told him they feel the park is being enhanced for the visitors who will come to the park by the busloads.
“I think we need to very careful before we do anything to change the character of Koke‘e and Waimea state parks forever,” Case states.
Rather than redesign the roads to allow large buses access to the Kalalau Lookout, for instance, Case wants to consider limiting the types of vehicles allowed on park roads.
While Case said full-size buses are fine at the Waimea Canyon lookout by mile marker 10, “Kalalau should be a different experience.”
Case said the people who spoke to him said they want renovation and maintenance of existing public facilities in the park. What they don’t want to see, however, is increased commercialization.
At this time, there are 12 cabins for rent and an eatery near the summit of the park.
Case said the parks should not be developed as visitor destinations but should be managed to protect the area’s natural resources and to allow residents and visitors to gain access to them.
• Lester Chang, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) or lchang@kauaipubco.com.
