Commission set to vote on Kilauea project today

The county Planning Commission is poised to decide today whether the second phase of a controversial project in Kilauea should be built.

Anaina Hou is seeking permits to construct and operate a pavilion consisting of an indoor auditorium, conference center, certified kitchen and outdoor amphitheater to be located behind its recently completed miniature golf course located along Kuhio Highway.

Residents have sent dozens of letters to the commission, testifying for and against the proposed development.

Supporters have said the North Shore lacks the type of facilities available near most other communities on island and the Anaina Hou project would provide several crucial needs for community members in the area.

Critics have said the project would set a perilous precedent that amounts to paving over a rural paradise. They question the commercial use on agricultural land, and some neighboring residents don’t want it in their back yard.

 The first phase of the Anaina Hou project — which included a miniature golf course, park-and-ride facility, botanical garden and nursery — sailed through the commission in roughly a month in 2008.

The second phase — which was discussed during the commission meetings two years ago — has been a fight ever since its application roughly a year ago. A contested case was settled last month after community opposition mounted over the summer.

Final action on Anaina Hou’s permit request is expected today likely after the commission hears another round of testimony from concerned residents on both sides.

Visit www.kauai.gov for more information or to watch the hearing broadcast live online.