Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 12, Number 5, 1 May 1995 — Save Sunset Beach [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Save Sunset Beach

bv Moanike'ala Akaka Trustee, Hawai'i One hundred years ago Hawaiians lost control of Hawai'i. "Progress" has not been without its pnee — the pnee rises as global economies fluctuate. We now impon over 90 percent of what we eat. Our beaches are sand among the concrete and makai homeowners build walls limiting coastal access to beach-goers and fishermen.

Many of us are wage-slaves needing i more than one full-time job to meet basic bills. Alienation is rife and one of the leading growth industries is the construction and maintenance of prisons. The boundless oeean is polluted and plans exist to sea mine — scrape the oeean floor for minerals; fish are disappearing. Hawai'i's forests are largely gone, along with endangered birds due to importation of exotic species and crit-

ters. Our young people bravely struggle for an identity. These thoughts weigh heavily as 1 contemplate the Lihi Lani development at Sunset Beach, north shore O'ahu. OHA's televised committee meeting on Planning, Eeonomie Development and Housing, whieh I chair, had Lihi Lani on the agenda recently because many of you contacted me concerning OHA's position on this development. An impressive presentation was given by Ben Hopkins and Sam Monet of the Save Sunset Beach Coalition. Before a final decision is made, this committee will hear from the developers. Ohbayashi, a Japane.se investor, is proposing a 445unit subdivision on a plateau surrounding Sunset Elementary School. This beginning of urban-suburban sprawl on this coastline will seriously alter the quality of life and have huge social impact. Construction and erosion will destroy Hawaiian burials and historic sites while polluting world-renowned Sunset Beach. It is feared if Lihi Lani is permitted (it now awaits City Council rezoning and SMA) other large landowners will follow and bring an end to the North Shore as we know it: an escape hatch from the pressures of urbanization on O'ahu. Over half of Ohbayashi's 1,100 acres is steep,

rugged terrain unsuitable for agriculture or housing. Three hundred and fifteen one-acre lots will be available at 5300,000 to 5500,000; homes will cost a million dollars and more. Fifty lots will be available for affordable (?) housing at 5200.000 to 5225,000. Land for 80 units of elderly housing will be made available for the city to build near the school. Sam Monet, a part-Hawaiian in real estate and a contractor, pointed out this development is not for loeal people, but will most likely be marketed to

wealthy Japanese nationals. He felt Lihi Lani would only bring short-term eeonomie support to the area, and that as Hawaiians we have an obligation to preserve the 'āina, the kai and our ancestors' iwi. He felt OHA should help keep the country country, that construction jobs are short-term and unstable and that the "build, build, build mentality can't last forever!" "Let's stop chasing that carrot of development — jobs." Hopkins and Monet propose long-term

eeonomie development of sustainable agnculture projects like hydroponic-grown vegetables whieh are exportable and employ people. I received a letter from Sunset Elementary School principal Phyllis Tate (365 students). She shares her concems and doubts about the development's ramifications on environment, flooding, erosion, smells, toxic chemicals (sewage plant) and added traffic hazards. Several kamali'i have been hit in the past few years, one killed. The excellent mana'o shared by Tate. Hopkins.and Monet, in protecting their community is appreciated. Thanks to Councilman Steve Holmes for proposing a moratorium of major development on the north shore until the City completes a revision of its development plan. Infrastructure, overcrowded roads and schools are some of Holmes' rightful concerns. Freshman Council Mufi Hannemann, who was a C. Brewer pusher of the ill-fated spaceport and failed attempt of hotels in Ka'ū, is against this moratorium as a bad precedent "for other districts like 'Ewa and Central O'ahu that need planning." What is wrong with eommunities planning ahead? Watch out for "hip pocket" politicians. Mālama pono. Ua mau ke ea o ka 'āina i ka pono.