Warehouse ‘screwup’ a call to action
The case of the “humongous warehouse” project billed as a residential property detailed in the Aug. 21 edition of West Hawaii Today is not only about the “ask-after-you-build” strategy of the property owner, a county public works department chief who has held a lucrative County contract for many years.
The case also calls into question the meaning of documents submitted to the county for permits and the like. Apparently, a signature on an official application has no legal significance. The applicant can sign for information known to be inaccurate or untruthful.
The 7000-plus square-foot steel-framed building with 6,000 square feet of garage, no windows, and five 20-foot-high bay doors did not raise eyebrows when the “residential use” box was checked off on the building permit. Photos of double-axle trucks parked in the cavernous structure did not cause planning department or planning commission officials — with Planning Commissioner Greg Henkel as the lone objector — to question its purportedly residential use.
Whether the neighborhood is “in transition” should have no bearing on scrutiny placed on building projects. All property owners are owed equal consideration, even if it is the last residence in an area chock full of warehouses. Officials should be mindful to not presume owners’ intent to sell or stay.
What should the county do now? At a minimum, enforce current laws and bar the garaging of double-axle trucks. Impose significant monetary sanctions. Deny rezoning and have property remain residential, to bar the owner from unethical financial gain.
Mahalo to council members Dennis Onishi, Margaret Wille, Brenda Ford, Karen Eoff, Valerie Poindexter and Drew Kanuha who went on the record with their concerns about the blunder. Citizens who want to prevent further “screw-ups” should contact their council member before the Sept. 5 council meeting. Insist rezoning be denied for this and any other schemers looking for quick jackpots.
After all, we want a climate of fairness and transparency, not just rules that are a headache for those citizens who naively follow them.
Arlene Kimata
Hilo
Koustik helped bring football back to Kohala High
As a staff member of Kohala High School, I would like to give credit to Laurie Koustik the athletic director of Kohala high school for being the driving force to bring football back to Kohala.
Without her efforts and persistence, eight-man football would not have been possible. Also, thanks to the coaching staff and athletes for their commitment to Kohala football.
Brendalyn Viernes
Kapaau