On September 25, the County of Hawaiʻi was sued in federal court over the operation of its Kealakehe sewage treatment plant. That facility disposes of treated effluent by pumping it uphill to a disposal pit, where it then percolates through … Continued
The wheels of justice turn slowly, it is said. In the case of the federal criminal charges that have been brought against Hilo attorneys Gary Zamber and Paul Sulla Jr., and their business partner, Rajesh Budhabhatti, those wheels are turning … Continued
For years, the Honolulu-based longline fishing fleet has been lobbying for an increase in the bigeye tuna allotment it has in that part of the ocean under the jurisdiction of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission. Finally, last month, … Continued
Kona Vistas Correction: Last month we reported that the Hawaiʻi County Cultural Resources Commission had not come to a final decision on what recommendation to make with respect to the planned Kona Vistas housing development. We were in error. On … Continued
Lahaina needs housing. Even before the firestorm that tore through Lahaina in August, housing for the people who worked in the hotels, shops, and other businesses in West Maui was scarce and expensive. More than 3,700 homes in the area … Continued
For the three decades that landowner Amfac/Pioneer Mill/Kaʻanapali Land Management Corporation has been talking about development upslope of the West Maui resort area, that talk has included plans for some type of health care facility. With the island’s main hospital … Continued
The Kaʻanapali Land Management Corporation has been working on its 2020 master plan for more than a decade, and it is still, apparently, a work in progress. But a project to develop an exclusive agricultural subdivision on some of its … Continued
A housing development first proposed 40 years ago and into which the current owners are seeking to breathe new life faces a series of daunting challenges. There’s the uproar from the community over traffic impacts from the proposed 450-unit development. … Continued
“Stale entitlements.” That’s the term that the Hawaiʻi County Planning Department uses to describe approvals given decades ago for a Holualoa development. The time for performance ran out and, with no requests made for time extensions, one might think that … Continued
When the Land Use Commission approved the redistricting of the property to be developed by Kona Vistas, the very first condition concerned affordable housing. Condition A required 10 percent of the housing built on the property be “offered to residents … Continued