Issues We Have Won
Since June of 2006 when the FREE ACCESS COALITION was formed, we have moved forward saving O’ahu’s beach going public from further taxation through installation of parking meters at City and County Parks since the Mufi Hannemann Administration.
When Mufi Hannemann left his job as Honolulu Mayor to pursue a Hawaii Governor campaign, Peter Carlisle won a run-off election. He decided to follow Hannemann’s lead and continue a “Master Plan” to meter all of the City and County parks. His first area was the A’ala Park lot in downtown Honolulu where the poorest people live.
FAC was able to stop Carlisle’s bid to install “smart meters” at A’ala Park with the help of Councilmember Ann Kobayashi whose Budget and Finance Committee let Carlisle’s meter bill die in committee.
The Honolulu Ocean Safety Department (Lifeguards) wanted to build an administration and storage building right on the beach at Kapiolani Park. Althea Rebman’s group Kapiolani Park Preservation Society in coalition with many non-profit organizations and concerned individuals was able to stop this from happening. Water Safety was moved to an area at Kewalo Basin.
MALAMA MAKAHA, has an on-going issue with the City and County regarding the re-routing of Farrington Highway mauka (mountain side) of the Makaha Beach Park. The Hawaii Department of Transportation received grant money to replace the two bridges that would keep the highway on the coast, separating the beach from the bathhouse and parking lot area far into the future. The safety hazard is obvious when beach-goers cross the highway. There is an inherent danger of keeping the highway so close to the shoreline, especially with rising tides and large winter swells that could cut off the highway.
So far, Malama Makaha has been able to stop the HDOT from building bridges that would lock the direction of Farrington Highway to the coastline. The master plan for the area calls for the highway to be re-routed inland of the beach park. This issue is on-going--Latest is that bridges are being built next to the ocean--sad outcome.
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) became the trust owner of a large tract of open water front property in an area called Kaka’ako Makai in 2010 and immediately petitioned the State Legislature to make an exception to the State Law passed in 2006 prohibiting high-rise residential condominiums on their newly acquired property. Ron Iwami’s powerful group along with FAC rallied the Legislature to stop the variance law from passing. That bill died in committee with the help of David Ige, who was the Senate Ways & Means Committee chairman.
Since then OHA has tried to get the Legislature to allow a zoning variance to build their high-rise condos. It was stopped again by House Speaker, Scott Saiki in 2021. Public rallies at the Capitol helped drive the opposition to the OHA development.
As of 2023, four attempts by OHA to get a variance from the State Legislature have failed. The latest attempt cost OHA over $7 million in their failed campaign.
As of the 2024 Hawaii Legislature session, OHA has backed away from their effort to build residential hi-rise condos on their land at Kaka'ako Makai(beach front.)
Later, developers on the North Shore wanted to build hotel resort buildings on the pristine coastline on the North Shore of O’ahu near Turtle Bay. Then State Senator, David Ige was able to arrange financing so the State could purchase the land to keep it from unscrupulous development. Surfrider Foundation, Stuart Coleman, and N. Shore activist, Bill Quinlan drove this issue to successful conclusion with the coastal area saved in its natural state.
Laniakea Beach parking access was blocked by the Hawaii Dept. of Transportation to stop tourists, beach-goers and surfers from accessing the surfing beach that features sea turtles resting in the cove. As of this update, the parking area has been REOPENED!
Friends of Kewalos was able to muster public support along with FAC to get the Hawaii Community Development Authority, HCDA, to accept the Howard Hughes Corporation's bid to improve the shoreline on three tracts of land that are critical to keeping public access to the beach and coastline in Honolulu. HCDA awarded the lease-hold of State land that will keep "Honolulu's Green Lei" of undeveloped coastline intact for future Hawaii beach-goers and visitors alike. (12/02/2015)
Most recently, Ko Olina has blocked public entry to their public parking lots since the beginning of the Covid-19 epidemic. With community and media help, Ko Olina management opened the largest lot at Cove #4 on Nov. 1st, 2020.
After months of illegal blockage of public parking lots using the smoke-screen of "Public Safety" which is the sole domain of C&C and Hawaii State control, Ko Olina reopened all of its public parking lots 100%, February 1st, 2021.
Our latest and most grave challenge is with the U.S. Navy's continuing to operate the massive underground fuel storage facility at Red Hill, just outside of Pearl Harbor. The WWII facility was built to protect fuel from Japanese attack during the war. The 20 massive underground tanks feature only 1/4 inch steel walls encased in a concrete shell. Over the last 70 or more years, the water permeable concrete contact with the outer edges of the tanks has caused dangerous corrosion.
These massive tanks sit only 100 feet about the City of Honolulu's aquifer supplying water to over 400,000 residents and visitors. In late 2021, a major pollution of part of the aquifer that supplies water to over 90,000 military dependents in Pearl Harbor/Hickam base, caused major disruption and evacuation of about 3,000 military family members to Waikiki Hotels.
The tainted water was not potable and if used for cleaning or bathing caused additional skin problems.
The Navy challenged the State Closure of the Red Hill facility in Federal Court. We are waiting to see how this situation will be resolved. The fate of Honolulu's drinking water lies in the balance.
On March 7th, 2022, Sec. of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin III, announced that the Navy would drain the underground fuel tanks at Red Hill and decommission the facility. HUGE victory for a large coalition of environmental, Hawaii State officials, and the public in general!
As of March, 2023, the Navy is still stalling the draining of the underground tanks. Pressure from Board of Water Supply Chief Engineer, Ernie Lau, is on-going as is pressure from Hawaii's Governor, and Federal representatives.
Finally, by early 2024, all of the fuel was drained from the 18 active underground tanks in less than three weeks. Innovative techniques proffered by "Kupuna" Kalani Whitford to Admiral John Wade made this feat possible. Now, all that is left is to remove the sludge at the bottom of the tanks and decommission the fuel storage depot permanently.
When Mufi Hannemann left his job as Honolulu Mayor to pursue a Hawaii Governor campaign, Peter Carlisle won a run-off election. He decided to follow Hannemann’s lead and continue a “Master Plan” to meter all of the City and County parks. His first area was the A’ala Park lot in downtown Honolulu where the poorest people live.
FAC was able to stop Carlisle’s bid to install “smart meters” at A’ala Park with the help of Councilmember Ann Kobayashi whose Budget and Finance Committee let Carlisle’s meter bill die in committee.
The Honolulu Ocean Safety Department (Lifeguards) wanted to build an administration and storage building right on the beach at Kapiolani Park. Althea Rebman’s group Kapiolani Park Preservation Society in coalition with many non-profit organizations and concerned individuals was able to stop this from happening. Water Safety was moved to an area at Kewalo Basin.
MALAMA MAKAHA, has an on-going issue with the City and County regarding the re-routing of Farrington Highway mauka (mountain side) of the Makaha Beach Park. The Hawaii Department of Transportation received grant money to replace the two bridges that would keep the highway on the coast, separating the beach from the bathhouse and parking lot area far into the future. The safety hazard is obvious when beach-goers cross the highway. There is an inherent danger of keeping the highway so close to the shoreline, especially with rising tides and large winter swells that could cut off the highway.
So far, Malama Makaha has been able to stop the HDOT from building bridges that would lock the direction of Farrington Highway to the coastline. The master plan for the area calls for the highway to be re-routed inland of the beach park. This issue is on-going--Latest is that bridges are being built next to the ocean--sad outcome.
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) became the trust owner of a large tract of open water front property in an area called Kaka’ako Makai in 2010 and immediately petitioned the State Legislature to make an exception to the State Law passed in 2006 prohibiting high-rise residential condominiums on their newly acquired property. Ron Iwami’s powerful group along with FAC rallied the Legislature to stop the variance law from passing. That bill died in committee with the help of David Ige, who was the Senate Ways & Means Committee chairman.
Since then OHA has tried to get the Legislature to allow a zoning variance to build their high-rise condos. It was stopped again by House Speaker, Scott Saiki in 2021. Public rallies at the Capitol helped drive the opposition to the OHA development.
As of 2023, four attempts by OHA to get a variance from the State Legislature have failed. The latest attempt cost OHA over $7 million in their failed campaign.
As of the 2024 Hawaii Legislature session, OHA has backed away from their effort to build residential hi-rise condos on their land at Kaka'ako Makai(beach front.)
Later, developers on the North Shore wanted to build hotel resort buildings on the pristine coastline on the North Shore of O’ahu near Turtle Bay. Then State Senator, David Ige was able to arrange financing so the State could purchase the land to keep it from unscrupulous development. Surfrider Foundation, Stuart Coleman, and N. Shore activist, Bill Quinlan drove this issue to successful conclusion with the coastal area saved in its natural state.
Laniakea Beach parking access was blocked by the Hawaii Dept. of Transportation to stop tourists, beach-goers and surfers from accessing the surfing beach that features sea turtles resting in the cove. As of this update, the parking area has been REOPENED!
Friends of Kewalos was able to muster public support along with FAC to get the Hawaii Community Development Authority, HCDA, to accept the Howard Hughes Corporation's bid to improve the shoreline on three tracts of land that are critical to keeping public access to the beach and coastline in Honolulu. HCDA awarded the lease-hold of State land that will keep "Honolulu's Green Lei" of undeveloped coastline intact for future Hawaii beach-goers and visitors alike. (12/02/2015)
Most recently, Ko Olina has blocked public entry to their public parking lots since the beginning of the Covid-19 epidemic. With community and media help, Ko Olina management opened the largest lot at Cove #4 on Nov. 1st, 2020.
After months of illegal blockage of public parking lots using the smoke-screen of "Public Safety" which is the sole domain of C&C and Hawaii State control, Ko Olina reopened all of its public parking lots 100%, February 1st, 2021.
Our latest and most grave challenge is with the U.S. Navy's continuing to operate the massive underground fuel storage facility at Red Hill, just outside of Pearl Harbor. The WWII facility was built to protect fuel from Japanese attack during the war. The 20 massive underground tanks feature only 1/4 inch steel walls encased in a concrete shell. Over the last 70 or more years, the water permeable concrete contact with the outer edges of the tanks has caused dangerous corrosion.
These massive tanks sit only 100 feet about the City of Honolulu's aquifer supplying water to over 400,000 residents and visitors. In late 2021, a major pollution of part of the aquifer that supplies water to over 90,000 military dependents in Pearl Harbor/Hickam base, caused major disruption and evacuation of about 3,000 military family members to Waikiki Hotels.
The tainted water was not potable and if used for cleaning or bathing caused additional skin problems.
The Navy challenged the State Closure of the Red Hill facility in Federal Court. We are waiting to see how this situation will be resolved. The fate of Honolulu's drinking water lies in the balance.
On March 7th, 2022, Sec. of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin III, announced that the Navy would drain the underground fuel tanks at Red Hill and decommission the facility. HUGE victory for a large coalition of environmental, Hawaii State officials, and the public in general!
As of March, 2023, the Navy is still stalling the draining of the underground tanks. Pressure from Board of Water Supply Chief Engineer, Ernie Lau, is on-going as is pressure from Hawaii's Governor, and Federal representatives.
Finally, by early 2024, all of the fuel was drained from the 18 active underground tanks in less than three weeks. Innovative techniques proffered by "Kupuna" Kalani Whitford to Admiral John Wade made this feat possible. Now, all that is left is to remove the sludge at the bottom of the tanks and decommission the fuel storage depot permanently.