Monthly Archives: January 2017

Choon James: Mayor Caldwell, Stop Bullying Us in Federal Court!

BY ALICE UBANDO

Updated 1-21-17

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We bought our Hauula home in 1963. It was the model 3 bedrooms 1 bath home in the Kawaipuna Street subdivision.  We used a whole month of my husband’s paycheck of $549.00 to pay for closing costs. We have raised 6 children in this home and some of them still live with us.

 I’m now 80 years old. I’ve worked hard all my life and do my part paying taxes.  I worked every summer  for the Dole company during high school.  After high school, I got married and worked as a waitress at Pat’s at Punalu’u for 14 years. After that, I worked as a bank teller for the Bank of Hawaii and retired after 26 years. I also worked at Foodland in Kaneohe. I’ve been working at Foodland for nearly 18 years.  I recently retired.

I work very hard to make a living.  This is our only home. When I‘m pau with work, I want to relax in my home in Hauula.  I hope you understand why we are very mad at the City.  It has no aloha for its working people. It spends our taxpayers’ money like it grows on trees. It does not use common sense.

The city wants to relocate the Hauula Fire Station 25 feet in front of our home! They said they needed to relocate the existing fire station to a no-flood zone. It makes no sense because we also pay flood insurance in this new area. Getting out of the flood zone is not a good enough excuse. We think they just want to spend money because we have never seen the existing Hauula fire station flooded all our lives. Mayor Caldwell, you must also  know that the city’s first choice for the fire station relocation was an acre of beachfront across Papa Ole. You cannot tell me that the beachfront property was out of the flood zone!

The city did not follow and comply with proper procedures. We were the people most affected by this never knew about this fire station relocation. We were never consulted. Nobody sent us any notice. When we found out they were condemning land, we went to the Ko’olauloa Neighborhood Board meeting to protest.  The Chair did not allow us to speak but Junior Ah You from Laie was allowed to speak for it. Many of us in Hauula sent letters to the city but were dissed by City Councilmember Donovan Dela Cruz.

I think it’s really bad for the Laie Community Association to come over to Hauula and tell us what is good for us. They should take the fire station to Laie if they want another fire station so badly. They want to build a Marriott hotel and other homes. Why don’t they build a fire station in Laie and leave the one in Hauula alone? They want all the income projects in Laie while  they force Hauula to have another new fire station that produces no income. Monopolizing is wrong.

The Kawaipuna intersection is not a right location to put the fire station. Period. The area is already very crowded from the preschool and subdivision traffic. Many children and senior citizens live here. And the city wants to throw the big fire engines into this busy Kawaipuna Street and Kam Hwy intersection. What are they thinking?

“You’re lucky to have a fire station next to you. Alice, if you have a fire, the station is next to your home, ” Junior Ah You from Laie said to me. If Junior Ah You loves a fire station so much, he should build it next to his home in Laie.

We don’t want to live next to a fire station. We would sacrifice if there was no other choices. But there are many alternate places to relocate the fire station. The city can save money by renovating or tearing down the old one and build at the same location. The existing fire station is only 2 minutes away from this new site.

The fire sirens can go off any time of the day and night. We will have big fire engines with bright lights shining right into our bedrooms and living room. Do you know how loud a fire siren sounds like?  And they say there is no impact on us?

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Mayor Caldwell, it is wrong to treat working people this way. I work long hours and I do not have time to attend meetings in Honolulu. Mayor Caldwell, you must think of the people first. The bureaucrats under you are doing a stink job. How can they build a fire station in front of our homes and not even tell us? They want $13 Million to relocate the Hauula Fire Station.  Only now they say it will not cost more than the $5 Million McCully Station. I was a bank teller. I can add and subtract. This is now a $8 Million mistake? I’ve been told the McCully was built on 19,555 square feet lot.  The means the city can build on the half acre lot they already bought last year. Why continue to condemn another half acre lot in front of our home? Something smells very bad.  Things do not add up.

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Mayor Caldwell, please fix this problem. Don’t bully us in the federal court. Things don’t add up. Something smells really bad. It makes no sense to build a new fire mansion in Hauula when we are all hurting in this bad economy. The firemen are more worried about their job cuts and pension funds and you still have furloughs.  We are already paying for the rail we will not use. Please don’t burden taxpayers with more careless spending.

Mayor Caldwell, please fix this problem today. STOP BULLYING US IN FEDERAL COURT  CV-1615-000193 LEK/RLP

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(Judge Leslie Kobayashi was also the federal judge who sworned in Mayor Kirk Caldwell for his second term.)

Stop the project!  It’s the wrong location.

We should not build a fire station just to build a fire station.

We cannot afford it.

We don’t have problems with the  fire services.

The Kahuku, Kaaawa, and our Hauula fire stations back each other up very well.

The firemen are doing a good job. They are more worried about their money paychecks and pensions

The Honolulu City Council deleted and defunded this project for over 5 years. Mayor Carlisle allocated $250K to study alternatives but nothing was done. Please use common sense and listen to our concerns in Hauula. Please work with us. We want to help you find a more suitable site that will make everyone happy and not waste taxpayers‘ monies. Please do the right thing for the people.

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Malama Pono,

Alice Ubando

Alice Ubando was born in Kahuku Hospital and grew up in Punalu’u. She’s lived in her Hauula home since 1963.

Iseke-Lessary City Hall

Choon James: Keep Public Land in Public Hands!

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On January 11, 2017, the City and County of Honolulu City Council Budget Committee will consider Resolution 16-321 to sell a portion of Kahalu’u Regional Park.  It’s the 20,957 sq. ft. Zoned B-1 Lot close to the Kahalu’u Hygienic Store. The Subject Lot is identified with a yellow pin in the above photo.
(Click above for link to agenda and to submit online testimony)
REGULAR MEETING COMMITTEE MEETING ROOM
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017
9:00 A.M.
(Note: Ernie Martin, as Chair of City Council, was following customary practice of introducing this Resolution – BR – By Request.  The Kirk Caldwell administration generated this Resolution on November 30, 2016 for Council Hearing, after the November 8, 2016 mayoral elections.)
As a matter of good public policy, we oppose this short-sighted trend to sell public lands. It may make sense to sell vestigial tiny strips of “remnant” land that are awkwardly located to adjacent owners but continuing to sell significant-sized land parcels is selling the inheritance of Oahu’s future generations.
As this island becomes more congested, open space and community parks and land for public purposes will become more valuable and imperative, not less.
This proposed sale is not in the interest of the inhabitants of Oahu.
Furthermore, we question the following bureaucratic justification provided in Resolution 16-321, as excerpted below:

1.    “WHEREAS, the BFS Director has proposed and recommended the sale of                    Parcel 1 by a sealed public bidding process for the minimum upset price of $455,000, based on an appraisal by the Department of Design and Construction; and WHEREAS, Parcel 1 will be awarded to the bidder submitting the highest sealed bid that is not less than the minimum upset price of $455,000; “

 

What really is rationale behind proposing and recommending the sale of this unique parcel?
We see no logical or compelling reasons given beside invoking the ordinances  that allow such an action.
Who was the certified appraiser who valued this?
How will the sealed bidding process be advertised to the public and conducted?
What are the financing and purchase criteria?
When will the public be provided detailed information about this sealed bidding process?
How can the public be assured that this Business -1 parcel is not already spoken for by friends of Mayor Kirk Caldwell?
Will the public be allowed as public observers at this sealed bid opening to ensure transparency?
 2.  “WHEREAS, the sale proceeds from the sale of Parcel 1 shall be expended only             for the acquisition of property for park or recreational purposes, in accordance with HRS Section 46-1.5 (1 6)(C) and ROH Section 37-1.4(c);”
How does this make fiscal or good policy for our island home?
Why sell a piece of public park land to buy another property for a park or recreational purposes?  Where and for what recreational purposes? This Subject Lot has been a park where locals go crabbing or just enjoy the open space and rural views.
We are not convinced that selling public land in order for proceeds to be expended elsewhere is fiscally prudent or in the best interest for the inhabitants of Oahu.
Wouldn’t it make more sense for Mayor Caldwell to be more efficient and prudent in his fiscal management of the city’s treasury?
A case in point: Why spend $1.2 Million to hire a mainland consultant from New York for the Ala Moana Park? Many locals ended up being irritated by Mayor Caldwell forgetting that Ala Moana Park is heavily used by locals. The garish suggestions that lacked  “sense of place” suggested by out-of-state experts ended up wasting precious funds.

Adding to the above questions, the definition of “remnant” properties and its implementation are arbitrary and loosely used with no big-picture public good governance for Oahu.  Example: The 3.4 acres Haleiwa Mauka Park can hardly be considered a “remnant”.  Yet, the City & County of Honolulu negotiated with Developer Andy Anderson on the 3.4 acres of land mauka of Kamehameha Highway across from the Haleiwa Regional Beach Park and northeast of Jameson’s Restaurant for Anderson’s planned hotel development.

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Citizens were able to preserve this public land in public hands with the assistance of City Council Chair Ernie Martin, Budget Chair Ann Kobayashi and other Council members. Ironically,  funds allocated to this area’s improvement have been in limbo for years and not expended by Mayor Caldwell.

Without question, the Kahalu’u Subject Lot of 20,957 sq. ft. Zoned B-1 cannot be considered as “remnant” land either. Residents use this park land for crabbing, fishing, simple enjoyment of the outdoors and the views and so forth.

It’s important to note that the opportunities for commercializing this subject lot are significant.  Structures can be built up to 40 feet (3-story) with mixed business and residential uses. Depending on the flood elevation, structures could be higher than 40 feet from ground up.
This unique Kahalu’u location is also the gateway to the rural “Keep the Country Country” region.
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                        Views of Ko’olau mountains from Subject Lot. Photo by Harry Honda.
Is it in the best interest of the Oahu General Plan to expand urban sprawl into the country?
Will it undermine the rural golden goose that tourists love so much?
Has the city consulted with the affected communities about this proposed sale and seek their input on the best use of this parcel?
Will the public be allowed to share their mana’o on how this Lot could be used for the enjoyment and benefit of its inhabitants?
The Kahalu’u Neighborhood Board #29 will discuss this Resolution in their 7:00 pm Regular Meeting at Key Project on January 11, 2017.