Letters for Thursday, May 10, 2018

On Haena peacefulness

A poignant letter appeared in Sunday’s paper from Allison Chuang, wishing to keep the current peacefulness in Wainiha/Haena now that the road is closed to all but residents. I too wish it could stay that way for those communities. As Ms. Chuang said, times have changed but can’t we do something about this? Her suggestion that visitors access Wainiha/Haena by shuttle only, freeing up the area from heavy visitor traffic, should be considered.

The Haena State Park Master Plan also encouraged shuttles and a 900-vehicle limit. When this is to be implemented I don’t know but for those of us living in Kapaa or further away, it would be a long drive up only to arrive and find the 900 limit has been reached and we have to turn around. I don’t think the master plan had any provisions for guaranteeing residents some kind of exemption so we can get parking.

I too remember when there was not a single traffic light on the island. I remember in more recent times going to Tunnels five or six times each summer. Now I rarely attempt it. Most residents are not going to park in the no parking zones like off-island visitors do, because we cannot afford one very expensive ticket. We are squeezed out of our favorite places on our own island.

How about …..

• Shuttle access only for off-island visitors, unless they have ……

• Parking placards or permits to be issued for those applying for and receiving camping permits.

• Placards/permits to be issued for those applying for and receiving hiking permits.

• Placards/permits for prepaid Limahuli visitors which cannot be used elsewhere without a ticket. Or use the shuttle.

• Placards/permits for verified vacation rental occupants.

• Placards/permits for residents allowing parking on either the even or odd days of the month, determined by safety check sticker date or something similar.

First consideration should always be for the actual residents of Wainiha/Haena.

Second consideration should always be for all other Kauai residents.

If I remember the master plan did not have parking fees. But the shuttle should charge enough to be sustainable while allowing kamaaina free shuttle access. Allowing residents placards for no charge is preferable considering we are already paying the price of visitor overload on our gridlocked roads and at our other packed beaches, parks and trails. However if any parking fees are charged, I would rather have that than being turned away after the 900 parking limit is reached, or being ticketed for parking in the no parking zone. Hopefully with full shuttle use, no parking fees will need go to residents and far less than 900 vehicles will be in the State Park at any time.

Valerie Weiss, Kapaa

Nature is unstoppable

Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano is yet another reminder – nature is unstoppable and it will win in the long run. It also shows the beauty of nature even when it is rolling over our roads on it’s own path.

What is sad overall is that the damage we are doing to nature is more severe than anything it can ever do to us. Time to plant a tree and get a reusable coffee cup.

Regards,

Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia