NAWILIWILI — The Kaua‘i County Council Planning Committee on Wednesday approved the rezoning of the Ahko property in Waimea, granting the landowners a residential land designation and with it the right to subdivide the one acre property into four lots.
NAWILIWILI — The Kaua‘i County Council Planning Committee on Wednesday approved the rezoning of the Ahko property in Waimea, granting the landowners a residential land designation and with it the right to subdivide the one acre property into four lots.
Immediate neighbors opposed the decision, fearing the development of the property will substantially increase flooding, which is already an issue in the area.
“We’re the ones who have to carry boots in the back of our trucks,” resident Julia McGovern said. “We don’t know if we’ll need them when we get to our houses.”
McGovern was one of the many concerned residents who deal with rising waters every time it rains heavily in Waimea.
The Ahko family has owned the property for over 100 years, but they currently live on O‘ahu. McGovern said she is concerned the family will rent or own the property and not deal with the flooding.
County Parks and Recreation Deputy Director Kylan Dela Cruz said the property was previously zoned Open Space because the county had plans to expand Ching Park, which is 1.87 acres and sits right next to the property.
He said he is unaware of any current plans to expand the park, adding it’s not in the county’s list of next year’s Capital Improvement Projects.
Waimea has several other parks and the county is in discussion with a master plan consultant about a possible expansion of the Waimea athletic field, he said.
The attorney for the Ahko family, Walton Hong, after hearing testimony from Dela Cruz, said it was “very clear” that being in a flood zone was not the reason the property was zoned Open Space.
“All we are asking is to be treated fairly,” said Hong, adding that the land is surrounded by properties zoned residential.
Residents said because right now the property is undeveloped, it helps ameliorate flooding, by absorbing rising water. Once development takes place, the problem will get worse, they said.
Hong said the Ahko family was willing to compromise. The owners were asking for an R4 zoning, which would allow them to subdivide the property into four pieces. Each piece would allow construction of one house, plus an Additional Dwelling Unit. So the property would have a maximum of eight units permitted.
In the compromise, the Ahko family would agree to only allow an ADU in half the property, limiting the number of units to six, and thus reducing a possible increase in flooding.
Another major player in the flooding is the Keali‘i Ditch, which runs behind the Ahko family property and several other lots.
Neither McGovern, Hong, or any of the council members seemed to know who owns the Keali‘i Ditch. Apparently, overgrown vegetation in the ditch causes further flooding in the area.
McGovern said she has called the county for over 20 years, but the county would not claim ownership. She said she has seen, however, county workers clearing the ditch with a backhoe and spraying herbicides.
Because of backhoe activity in the ditch, McGovern said the land in the ditch facing her backyard has eroded away, and the only thing holding her property is a chainlink fence and some boards.
Councilwoman Lani Kawahara was not satisfied with the Ahko family’s compromise, which was added in a floor amendment, and wanted to have the property checked by a geologist to evaluate how much a development would potentially increase flooding in the area.
Other committee members, however, felt that the amendment would limit development, therefore diminishing the possibility of a major flood.
The committee approved the Ahko family request for rezoning their property for residential lands, with only Kawahara voting against it. Committee Chair Jay Furfaro, Vice Chair Daryl Kaneshiro, and members Tim Bynum and Derek Kawakami voted for the rezoning.
The bill will appear before full council next week. Visit www.kauai.gov for more information.
• Léo Azambuja, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or lazambuja@kauaipubco.com.
