LIHU‘E — The county Planning Commission last week granted a permit to a North Shore landowner seeking to relocate three illegally built structures within his property
The seven-member appointed body followed the lead of Planning Director Ian Costa, who says his goal is to bring zoning violations into compliance whenever possible.
Hendrikus Schraven faced the commission before in late August, seeking a permit to go forward with an innovative project by Kilauea Stream that would restore ancient archaeological sites.
But the Holland-born landscape developer had an added request to the commission this time around.
When Schraven bought the roughly 18-acre property from Arthur Saunders, he was aware that it had three unpermitted structures on it. One of the structures was also located on an easement and another was encroaching a property line.
Schraven in August had asked commissioners for a permit to relocate the structures, placing them within legal boundaries and bringing them up to building codes if necessary. He also asked for a permit to build a single-family residence, a storage shed and office, develop an irrigation well, install photovoltaic panels and restore historical auwai, rock walls and terraces.
The commissioners were hesitant to grant Hendrikus Group Inc. a permit, despite the county Planning Department’s favorable recommendation. The item was deferred, and subsequently approved during the Sept. 28 meeting at the Mo‘ikeha Building.
The approval, however, came with an added condition that Schraven measures the turgidity in the two streams that feed into Kilauea Stream to make sure he is not polluting the stream that leads to Kahili Beach, also known as Rock Quarry Beach.
Project dynamics
Hendrikus Group is a landscape construction and design company based in Issaquah, Wash., according to its website.
Schraven — who said he has been living in the United States for 40 years, five of those on Kaua‘i — said his company specializes in developing landscapes with an organic and environmentally sustainable approach, without harming the ecosystem.
The project’s permit application says the area is “significant for its archaeological, agricultural, historic and natural features.”
Schraven proposed to clear the terraces and associated pond fields of invasive vegetation, restore the rock wall features, and then reestablish agricultural practices in the area.
The project is scheduled to take approximately five to 10 years until completion, according to the application, and will be divided into three phases.
Phase I will include clearing the area with the aid of powertools and a backhoe or similar machinery. Once expose, archaeological features will be flagged for mapping in accordance with the State Historic Preservation Division. Goats may be used, in confined and controlled areas, to remove vegetation and improve soil quality.
Phase II will encompass a sequential archaeological inventory survey of the area’s resources, to be done within guidelines established by SHPD.
In Phase III the applicant will begin restoring the rock walls and terraces, using machinery such as backhoe or a small excavator. Large tree stumps will also be removed, unless they are close to the walls and may present structural danger if removed. In that case, Schraven plans to use copper spikes or other non-toxic agents to kill the roots and let them decompose slowly.
At the end of Phase III Schraven plans to rebuild the rock walls in the perimeters of the terraced fields. The AIS from Phase II will serve as a blue print for restoration of the features.
Go to www.kauai.gov or www.hendrikus.com for more information.
