HILO — Hawaii County is fining a landowner for building an illegal seawall on Lalakea pond after state officials declined to levy a penalty.
In a Feb. 8 letter, the county Planning Department ordered Robert Iopa to pay $2,500 in fines for unauthorized wall construction and fill material placed within a shoreline setback area.
He also is ordered to restore the shoreline area or submit a special management area use permit application.
Fines are due April 7. It’s not clear if Iopa, who removed trees, extended an old wall and backfilled the shoreline area in front of his property, will appeal.
Iopa, a Honolulu architect originally from Hilo, received a “Friends of the Park” agreement from the county Department of Parks and Recreation to conduct the work but didn’t receive any approval from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources or county planning officials for altering the shoreline. The alterations occurred partially on public land managed by the Parks Department as part of Leleiwi Beach Park.
Some park users and neighbors accused Iopa of trying to build a private beach on public land.
He removed the wall extension and at least some fill to comply with DLNR, which chose not to issue any penalties.