Hawaiians should be priority at Coco Palms
I think Coco Palms should be bought by the state for a park and cabins built, rented like Kokee, with people who have Hawaiian blood from Kauai having a priority to rent them at affordable rates.
It should have a Hawaiian fishing-village theme. With area for fishing-net repair. The little zoo that used to be there could maybe be brought back as a petting zoo. A communal barbecue area besides the ones at the cabin.
At least one of the tropical-like pools should be repaired for use. Our hard-earned taxes should be giving us a nicer, affordable beach access in a more secure place with a pool besides a tent.
If it’s ever the right time for the state to do what’s right for the people, especially after it became a state and they took a lot of lands and sold them out from under Hawaiians without their knowledge to basically lawyer carpetbaggers, this is the time. If imminent domain for the better good of the community should be used, this use it.
Sandy DeCamp, Hanalei
County on right track with park
The Hanalei Watershed Hui supports the County of Kauai taking the time to repair and restore Black Pot Park correctly.
This treasured community space is valued for its history and loved for its role in everyday life and special occasions. The flood of 2018 has caused many changes in the landscape of this park, and although a master plan was produced, that plan did not include many aspects of the park that exist or need to exist for tomorrow.
We understand it is difficult for folks to not have access now, but if the work that needs to be done is to be done safely and efficiently, people and cars cannot be sharing the space. We think it is smart to complete the projects that will provide the most access and varied uses of our park before reopening it to public use.
The Hanalei River boat ramp will provide much-improved access for our local fisherfolk, and organizing boat-trailer parking and improved camping and lua facilities will benefit both the community and the environment.
We call for patience and support of our county Parks Department as they navigate the complex issues of planning and implementing the many uses of this Kauai treasure.
Maka‘ala Ka‘aumoana, Executive Director, Hanalei Watershed Hui
Four lanes needed fronting Coco Palms
As I was driving slowly past the defunct and derelict Coco Palms in Wailua recently, I had a realization: now is the time for the state to acquire the land and enlarge the highway.
It’s been nearly 30 years since the hurricane damaged the buildings, and many reconstruction plans have fallen through. There have been several tourism booms, visitor numbers are at an all-time high, and it still isn’t viable. The location is not desirable anymore, given the proximity of the highway and being located in the tsunami zone.
The building nearest the highway is gutted and falling down, and now the property is in foreclosure yet again. Clearly the property is not worth what the developers want to make off of it.
At the same time, Kuhio Highway needs to be enlarged to four lanes in this high-traffic area between Kuamoo Road and the Wailua bypass. The highway has been limited by the proximity of the Coco Palms, but it’s clear that now the needs of the state highway should take priority. Imagine a four-lane road with shoulders and turn lanes at the busy intersections, all set back from the potential erosion of the beach.
I urge the state highways department to begin the process of eminent domain to claim the land necessary for a modern road fronting the old Coco Palms. Once that is secured, we as a community can work on turning the rest of the property into a historical and cultural park.
Mahalo for your consideration.
Andy Kass, Kapaa
LMAO! “people with Hawaiian blood’…good luck with that! Where do we begin?
Now if we can get the state to get a light bulb about improving the infrastructure in front of Coco Palms. I still contend we have had the Coco Palms backwards. If we provide a potential owner with existing infrastructure ie ADD A LANE, it would make a much better property to develop. This has only been an issue for how long? I’ve been here 12 years, visiting since 1993, and I wondered then how locals sit through this Kapaa crawl day in day out. How much has the contra set up cost over the years? How much does that cost us EACH year. All this work on improving Lihue but you have to get Lihue first!
Sandy: How do you determine who qualifies for your criteria of “Hawaiian blood from Kauai” to get priority? Do folks have to submit a DNA test and birth certificate with their application? What percentage of Hawaiian blood, and what is Hawaiian blood? Does that include any Polynesian blood? What if they were born on a military base overseas but only one of the parents was from Kauai? What about multi-generational people born here but with a Portuguese or Japanese heritage? If you think it through, which you obviously didn’t, it’s a really bad idea, almost certainly illegal, and impossible to implement even if you could get around the legal issues.
Being it “Father’s Day ” I celebrate the Mother’s who gave the men the greatest gift ever, to raise a child!!!!
So also, celebrate the fishes in the sea, the seahorse and uhu…..
The Male fish take on the role of co-creator to raise the baby or change his sex to become a female and balances nature effectively.
Perhaps it would be better to return to Nature than impose all these flawed manmade beliefs about Superior race or gender?
I support Universal life, peace and Global Harmony…. as a mere mortal, we can only choose to be Pono or not….
Mahalo Ke Akua
What the heck, Sandy…it’s only taxpayers that will foot the bill so shoot for the moon. How about YOU put your money where your mouth is. Buy the land, make all the improvements, capital expenditures, etc. and endure the nightmare of the county permitting maze. Then YOU can rent it to whomever you please at whatever rates you want…oh wait, those rates would have to cover all of your sunk costs plus depreciation and other on-going expenses. Of course, you wouldn’t want to make a small profit would you? Sounds like a good deal for soothing your bleeding heart.
And…at least the rest of us won’t be stuck subsidizing others.
That’s the problem with all you feel-good progressives, you never consider the COST of your pipe-dreams.
RG DeSoto
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Good idea Sandy. We can call it a “reservation”. After all, it’s not a good location for anything else. It’s in the tsunami zone.
Just tear everything down and make a big natural park out of it. A place where County and State workers can go take their breaks.
Anything more than that will surely be a traffic nightmare… even worse than it is now.
sounds like the 1930s …. have segregated areas with cabins and drinking fountains determined by the users race, the fee will be a sliding scale depending on race as well.