Letters to the Editor: 1-28-17

Try this ordinance on for size

To blatantly have a photo in the North Hawaii News on Friday regarding the skateboarders “visiting” Kohala Ranch and how cute and interesting they were, was wrong and not in compliance with the following Hawaii County Code. It showed a poor example for our own keiki that skateboarding is permitted on street sand sidewalks anywhere, which it is not.

I believe Liz Nakayama, freelance writer for North Hawaii News, should have done her homework before running this article.

Section 24-4 says: Use of coasters, roller skates, roller blades, skateboards, and other similar devices prohibited. (a) No person shall ride a coaster, roller skates, roller blades, skateboard, or any similar device upon any roadway except while crossing a street in a crosswalk and when so crossing such person shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to pedestrians. (b) No person shall ride a coaster, roller skates, roller blades, skateboard, or any similar device upon any sidewalk or sidewalk area, except upon a permanent or temporary driveway specifically designated and authorized for such use, in the following designated locations: (1) Within the downtown Hilo commercial area bounded by the Wailuku River on the west; Hilo Bay on the north; 20 feet east of the eastern most boundary of Ponahawai Street (this boundary shall also continue in a northerly direction, from the point 20 feet east of the Ponahawai Street and Kamehameha Avenue intersection, across Kamehameha Avenue, through Bayfront Park and the Hawaii Belt Road, to Hilo Bay) on the east; and 20 feet south of the southern most boundary of Kapiolani and Kaiulani streets on the south (including the portion of Waianuenue Avenue which is contiguous to Kapiolani and Kaiulani streets).

Barbara Hussey

Kailua-Kona