Views From The Cliffs - The Cliffs at Princeville

Views From The Cliffs
The purpose of the report is to illuminate aspects of the situation and condition of The Cliffs, which should be interesting to those who receive it. Questions and suggestions
should be sent or called to AOAO President, Don Jacobs, (9046 E. Colorado Circle, Denver, CO 80231; (303-750-3214) [email protected]; CCIOA President Gus Daal,
4444 Delaney Drive, Burlington, Ontario, Canada, L7L 5J2 (905-637-8083) [email protected]; CRVOA President, Chris Stawski, 1139 E. Knapp Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202
(414-276-8202) [email protected]. Comments on the Newsletter should be sent to the Editor, Lou Genett, 1849 Oakmont Drive, Denver, NC 28037 (704-560-6338)
[email protected].
The Newsletter of The Cliffs at Princeville: Fall 2007
General
Manager’s
Report
Kimo M. Keawe
T
he renovation of the Administration Building
is progressing well and the contractor has
recently completed pouring new concrete in
the lobby entry and employee dining area
adjacent to the housekeeping building.
Over the next several weeks subcontractors
will be performing most of the work including
electrical wiring, the new A/C system and plumbing for the
new ADA compliant bathrooms. The solar panel contractor
recently completed installing the majority of the panels on
the roof and will return at the end of September to
complete that installation. We are waiting for the new
exterior vinyl siding to arrive and anticipate installation to
begin in early October. If we hold to the current overall
construction schedule, the contractor should be finished
with his work at the end of February, 2008.
Proposed Restated and Amended
CCIOA Declaration and Bylaws
We continue to solicit for more proxies from our owners in
our attempt to amend the CCIOA declarations and bylaws.
For those of you who have sent in your proxies, we thank
you for taking the time to address this very important issue.
As of mid-September, we are still 634 votes short of
passing the Proposed Restated Declarations and Bylaws.
We continue to send out individual emails to owners who
have not voted and we will do so until our goal is reached.
Ongoing Projects
We are still working on finalizing the new pool design.
Although we would have liked to begun the project at the
beginning of 2008, based on the status of the current
permitting process on Kauai, a more realistic date would be
the fall of 2008. We’ve included in this newsletter a color
rendering of the new design which will transform our old
dated pool into a Hawaiian aquatic retreat, complete with
waterfalls and other water features.
Renovation of Buildings 1 & 2
The renovation of Building 1 was completed on schedule at
the end of August and turned over for occupancy during
Labor Day weekend. That Labor Day weekend was a busy
event for all involved as we also took down the units in
Building 2 to begin their renovation and they are on
schedule to be completed at the end of October.
The improvements have been well received by owners who
have had a chance to view them. For those who have had
an opportunity to stay in the units, they liked the upgrades,
including the new large flat screen televisions and built-in
entertainment center. Included here are several photos of
the newly renovated units.
Front Office
On your next visit to the property you may encounter
several new employees. Miriam Kupihea, Jenny Stacio,
and Mark Mullahy recently joined our ohana as Front Desk
Clerks and in security Diane Nuuhiwa has been a
welcomed addition to the department. We have been
fortunate to find these individuals to join our employee
ohana while the Kauai unemployment rate still hovers
around 2.4%
WE SEE PROGRESS
Owner Services
Rosarie Kelekoma continues to work with deed backs and
foreclosures in our collection efforts for delinquent
intervals. The next foreclosure proceeding is scheduled
for September 20th. With that new inventory we will be
able to complete the Shell transaction and still have
additional inventory for sale. The individual interval values
should increase as we complete our capital improvement
projects, including the renovations of all of the Cliffs Club
and Cliffs Resort units.
Facilities (Maintenance)
Rear view of the Administration Building.
Theo Bissonnette, Leo Taylan, Sr., Eddie Gorospe have
joined us in our maintenance department.
Our
maintenance crew has been instrumental in assisting us in
our efforts to renovate Buildings 1 and 2. We have been
able to adjust their schedules to provide additional
resources to solve unforeseen problems that invariably
occur during any renovation project. Because of their
availability and skill we have been able to stay on schedule
and return the units back into our operating inventory on
time.
Housekeeping
A view of the solar electrical panels.
Jason Garcia and Leo Taylan, Jr. are new hires in our
Housekeeping Department. With the completion of the
units in Building 1, the Housekeeping Department
continues to work with our maintenance staff to assist in
our efforts to renovate units in Building 2. Their cleaning
skills have been most evident as they monitor the condition
of the units between the various subcontractors to make
sure that literally “nothing falls through the cracks”.
We recently transferred Ruby Lapilio from our
Housekeeping Department to Quality Control. She will be
working directly with Fred Constantino who heads our
Quality Control efforts on property. Our original focus of
this program was to address issues within individual units;
however we have now expanded that scope to include the
exterior as well.
More storage space at Housekeeping.
Progress to the façade of the Admin. Building.
Landscaping & Grounds
We have replanted a small section of the entry pathway
leading to our existing Front Desk. We have included
Hapu’u tree ferns along with dry land taro plants in this
area. We hope to incorporate more indigenous Hawaiian
plants in our overall landscaping theme.
There was a recent article published in “The Garden
Island” about a popular kayak destination off of the Wailua
River called Secret Falls. Within the last several months,
the falls have all but dried up and where there once was a
beautiful waterfall and swimming pool beneath, now there
is just a dry rock face with virtually no pool to swim in.
Rainfall on Kauai is down 60% from normal and many
areas on the island have been extremely dry which has
produced a rash of brush fires this past summer. Even in
Princeville, we’ve noticed the lack of rain and it is evident in
a lot of areas that are normally kept green by the abundant
Page 2
rainfall. This year will turn out to be the driest year for this
island since record keeping began. It seems unusual, but
we are hoping that it will soon rain more consistently to
restore the property to its normal lush condition.
Accounting
Administration
During the last board meetings, the Boards approved
installing wireless access in all CCIOA and CRVOA units.
This project should be completed by the first week in
November.
The Accounting Department is busy during this time of the
year preparing operating budgets for all four entities for the
upcoming 2008 year. A lot of research and number
crunching by our staff, in conjunction with several
committees made up of Board members, goes into
producing these budgets.
Our budgets need to be
completed and submitted for the October Board meetings
in order to be approved and our maintenance fees finalized
allowing us adequate time to send out the billings for the
2008 operating year.
You may remember from previous newsletters that Hawaii
adopted a new Smoke Free law which the collective
Boards have adopted as well. This policy is currently in
effect and does not allow any smoking on property with the
exception of individual whole unit owners who under the
law may allow smoking in their units. However, smoking
on any lanai is strictly prohibited. Currently smokers have
to go off property in order to do so. At the upcoming
October Board meetings, they will consider designating
several sites on property as smoking areas.
As we mentioned last year, we are hoping that many
owners take advantage of our new on-line payment system
on our secure website. This will eliminate the delay in our
manually posting checks and credit card information and
allow you to promptly secure your reservations.
In
addition, by the time the 2008 statements are received we
will have upgraded our on-line software to allow owners to
view their accounts and balances and make changes to
their personal information.
As we proceed with the renovations of the new
administration building along with units for the Cliffs Club,
we look forward to the completion of these projects which
will upgrade our property to a whole new level. There is no
doubt that they are truly gold crown and five star upgrades
and we will continue to improve the level of our service to
insure that we maintain those standards into the future.
Coming in 2008.
Page 3
Pool Area: The Board approved the funds for the new pool. While
it was decided to begin the renovation in January 2008 and we
have hoped to have the project completed by June 2008, based on
the current permitting process on Kauai, a more realistic date is fall
of 2008. The pool area plan details include installing a new pool,
adding a keiki pool, relocation of the spa, adding a water feature,
adding additional showers, adding speakers for music, and lighting.
CLIFFS AOAO
Donald M. Jacobs, President
A
loha Owners and Guests – Thanks to all of you who
spent the time and attended our July Board meeting.
We appreciate your input and thoughts. The following
is some of the major items we discussed.
No Smoking Policy: Our No Smoking program was successfully
implemented and the policy has been included as part of the
House Rules. However, please understand that the AOAO has
no control over the interiors and it is up to each whole owner or
timeshare association to implement an interior no smoking policy.
(Both timeshare associations currently have no smoking policies
for their interiors.)
Finances: Our Treasurer, Mark Barra reported operationally we
are $21,000 ahead of budget, and it is due to interest income
earned from our investments. With regards to investments, some
of the Association’s excess monies will be moved to a more
aggressive fund
Renovation in Buildings 1 and 2: The CCIOA is on-schedule
with the remodeling of their units in Buildings One and Two.
Although they did everything they could do to minimize the
construction noise; some Cliffs Resort Owners and Whole
Owners were affected.
The next buildings scheduled for
remodeling are Buildings 3 and 8. If you not a CCIOA member
and are going to be in those Buildings, you might want to contact
the property to determine the exact dates, so you can plan
accordingly.
Solar Energy for Residential Buildings: Preliminary numbers of
what it would cost to have the whole property powered by solar
energy were presented. To pay the costs of acquiring the
equipment and installing it, it was suggested that the Association
consider partnering with a third party, and entering into a lease
agreement. The third party would purchase and fund the
installation of the entire solar energy system, sell the energy to
the property, and the third party would earn tax credits. At the
end of the lease agreement, the property would have the
opportunity to purchase the solar energy system or to continue
leasing it by paying an energy cost. We will have a presentation
at our October board meeting to learn more about this.
Sidewalks: We are ready to move forward with installing new
sidewalks at Buildings One and Two. The plan calls for curved
sidewalks with no sharp or square edges. We have completed
sidewalk drawings for Buildings One, Two, and Three.
Insurance Letter and Survey: We continue to search for an
insurance provider that will write an insurance policy that will
cover whole units which are inadequately insured. An insurance
letter and survey was sent out to whole unit owners and to find
out if they are properly insured.
Wireless Internet: There are recommendations to have wireless
routers and surge protectors in the timeshare units. Whole unit
owners may address their wireless needs with Time Warner
Oceanic Cable.
We appreciate hearing from you. It helps us know we are doing
what you want and your comments are most appreciated. Our
next meeting will be October 18 at 10:30 am (which is just after
the Joint Meeting). We hope to see you there. Mahalo Nui.
Page 4
CLIFFS CLUB Report
Gus Daal, President
H
ello CCIOA Owners. Those of you who have been on
the property recently would have discovered that the
Administration Building renovation is coming along
nicely. The refurbishing of Building 1 and building 2 is
also well on the way. The refurbishing of Building 1 was
recently completed.
At our July board meeting the two Boards, CCIOA and
CRVOA, signed a new management contract for our services
to CRVOA.
The Finance Committee presented the board with the 2006
Audit. The Audit report was approved unanimously. Up till now
our owners have paid 97% of the special assessment fee.
The communication committee chairman, Mr. Lou Genett,
reported some new plans to coordinate and enhance our
marketing program efforts. As a result we have changed this
Committee name to: Marketing and Communications
Committee.
As you already have read, each association is responsible for
enforcing the No Smoking Policy. CCIOA will continue to place
stickers in the interior as well as on the lanai.
The CCIOA board approved installations of wireless routers
and surge protectors for all of our electronic components, (TV’s
and routers) to protect us against voltage spikes or lightening.
This optional service will permit our owners traveling with their
laptop to have internet access from their unit, front and rear
lanai and throughout their unit with a protected code and with
access for more than one laptop at the same time,
CCIOA Board is committed to continue to improve our housekeeping efforts through its Quality Control program. Ms. Karen
Angona has been assigned to work with Fred Constantino to
address reporting.
Mr. Kimo Keawe, our General Manager, stated that the
operations office is getting fewer complaints which proves that
our efforts are paying off.
Housekeeping departments in coordination with Quality Control
will introduce training and procedures to ensure proper care
and cleaning of new Buildings 1 and 2 content, such as the
new wood flooring, new counter tops and new solid wood
furniture.
Enjoy the rest of your summer and we hope to meet you and
your family soon at the Cliffs and at one of our Board meetings.
Page 5
\ÇàÜÉwâv|Çz Cliffs Club’s
Building One exÇÉätàxw hÇ|àá
Cliffs Resort
will need to be completely renovated again within the next
several years. To assist the Board in determining the
appropriate level of our capital reserve, we are having a
level one reserve study performed, as opposed to a level
three reserve study. The difference is that the level one
study starts from scratch, whereas a level three study does
not do much more than update a prior level one study.
REPORT
Christopher Stawski
President
MANAGEMENT CONTRACT SIGNED
I’m pleased to announce that The Cliffs Resort Vacation
Owners Association (CRVOA) has entered into another
agreement with The Cliffs Club (CCIOA) to have The Cliffs
Club staff perform management services for the CRVOA.
As some of you may recall from my last newsletter article,
there were some issues between the organizations that
prevented the parties from entering into a management
contract earlier. Gus Daal, President of the CCIOA, and I
sat down face to face and addressed the problematic
issues. A new management contract was in place within
days after our meeting. My thanks to Gus and the other
members of the CCIOA Board for their willingness to work
out our issues in an amicable fashion.
While the level one study is about $1,000.00 more than the
level three study, the CRVOA Board believes that, in the
long run, this additional expense will allow us to better plan
for the future. It is contemplated that our level one reserve
study will be completed early next year and, at that point,
we will have a better idea of what we’re looking at in terms
of the cost to completely refurbish or renovate our units.
With this information, we can then set the yearly
maintenance fees at an appropriate level and avoid having
to impose any special assessments. While there may be a
slight increase in the maintenance fees due to the findings
of the level one study, the Board has determined that this
is the best way to go. Copies of the studies will be
available if anyone is interested in reviewing them.
CRVOA – II AGREEMENT
The fact that the organizations were able to resolve these
issues amicably is in stark contrast to the manner that the
organizations dealt with each other five or ten years ago.
Much of the credit for this new spirit of cooperation must go
to Mark Barra, who was instrumental in initiating the
dialogue between The Cliffs Club and the CRVOA. The
relationship between the four on-site organizations at The
Cliffs at Princeville has never been better. All involved with
the organizations are to be commended for their efforts.
My personal thanks to the gentleman I mentioned earlier,
as well as Don Jacobs and Ron Raine for their efforts in
getting this most recent agreement signed, sealed and
delivered.
In previous articles, I have mentioned the possibility of the
CRVOA entering into an affiliation agreement with Interval
International (II). Jim Moyes has been the point person for
this endeavor. I have received an update from Jim which
indicates that he is still awaiting a response from II
regarding certain specific aspects of the affiliation
agreement. The ball has been in II’s court for some time
now and Jim has made contact with II to determine the
reasons for the delay. In any event, we hope to work out
the specifics of our affiliation agreement with II within the
next several months.
RENOVATIONS
Two CRVOA Board members were up for election in July.
Four individuals ran for the two positions. Congratulations
to Chuck Gehrke and Jim Moyes on their reelection to the
CRVOA’s Board of Directors. CRVOA officers were also
elected in July. I’m happy to announce that I will be
serving as your President for at least another year. Thanks
to all of you who returned your proxies and participated in
the election process.
Because of the delay in finalizing the management
agreement, the contemplated renovations to the CRVOA’s
eight remaining units has been put off until 2008. As things
now stand, the renovations schedule is as follows:
1.
2.
3.
Units 1106, 1203 and 1207 will be
renovated between May 3 and June 28,
2008;
Units 2105, 2207, 2307 and 7305 will be
renovated between September 19 and
November 21, 2008; and
Unit 7204 will be renovated between
September 20 and November 29, 2008.
Once these renovations are completed, all our CRVOA
units will have been completely refurbished within the past
two years. Having stayed in one of the units that was
refurbished last year, I can tell you that they look great.
RESERVE STUDY PLANNED
As we are now set to proceed with this round of
renovations, it is important that we look ahead, as our units
ELECTION RESULTS
I’m also pleased to report that I was elected to another
three year term to serve on the Board of Directors for the
AOAO. This means that the CRVOA has a voice on the
AOAO Board. I was also elected by the AOAO Board of
Directors to serve a second term as Vice-President of the
organization. I plan to continue my work on the AOAO
committees that I have been appointed to, most notably the
legal committee and the long-range planning committee.
As always, I invite any CRVOA owners having questions or
comments regarding CRVOA business to contact me at
[email protected]. It’s always a pleasure to hear from
our owners and I thank you all for the opportunity to serve
you.
Page 6
Page 7
Check List….
5 The maintenance fee statements will be mailed
out in late November. Payments can be made
online at www.cliffsatprinceville.com.
5 Cliffs Club Owners if you have not already done
so please vote and return your proxy. Should you
have any questions please send e-mail to
[email protected] or contact
Fred Constantino at 808-826-6219.
5
Submitting your Cliffs Resort or Cliffs Club
reservations is easier than ever. Go to
www.cliffsatprinceville.com to book your
reservations or fax your request at 808-826-2140!
5 We are determined to make your resort better!
We now have in place repaved parking and
renovated tennis courts and recreational amenities.
The administration building is undergoing major
renovation, new sidewalks will be installed and we
have plans for a new pool, all coming soon in 2008!
HI-SPEED INTERNET
NOW AVAILABLE
Broadband internet is now available in each of the Cliffs Club
and Cliffs Resort units. Now you can check for e-mail
and surf the internet in the comfort of your unit.
Contact Cliffs Front Desk at (808) 826-2003 for details!
Rates do not include tax and are subject to change.
Upcoming Board Meetings
2007
Oct 18 Joint Meeting – AOAO/CCIOA
Oct 18 AOAO Regular Meeting
Oct 19 CCIOA Regular
2008
Jan 16 Joint Meeting – CCIOA/AOAO/CRVOA
Jan 16 CRVOA Regular Meeting
Jan 17 CCIOA Regular Meeting
Jan 18 AOAO Regular Meeting
Apr 16 Joint Meeting – AOAO/CCIOA/CMG/CRVOA
Apr 16 AOAO Regular Meeting
Apr 17 CCIOA Annual Meeting
Apr 17 CCIOA Regular Meeting
Apr 18 AOAO Annual Meeting
Apr 18 CMG Regular Meeting
Apr 18 CMG Annual Meeting
Meetings will be held at The Cliffs.
Page 8
James D. “Jim” Quisenberry was both a Whole Unit and
Timeshare owner. He and his wife of 46 years, Nancy,
considered The Cliffs their “home away from home,”
spending more than three months each year in Princeville.
Nancy passed away in October 2006.
In Memorium
Jim was elected to the AOAO Board in 2002, serving as
secretary each year. He edited the AOAO “Views From
the Cliffs” newsletter for many years. He worked hard to
create one newsletter representing all organizations at the
resort. His dream was to have the newsletter available as
an on-line publication, which came to fruition in 2006.
T
he Cliffs at Princeville recently lost two long
time Board members, Clyde Hampton, Jr.
and James D. Quisenberry.
Clyde Hampton had been an active Board Member and
Officer in CCIOA, CMG and AOAO for the past twelve
years. He used his skill as a lawyer to guide us in many
legal issues and he was instrumental in settling lawsuits,
thereby, saving the Cliffs many dollars.
Clyde served as President of AOAO for six years. These
were difficult years for the Cliffs; Clyde's active role made
the job a lot easier for the rest of us. Clyde will be missed
and we wish his wife, Ruth, the best of memories.
Jim had a PhD in Education and specialized in linguistics.
He kept the Board on its toes with insightful comments and
knowledge. He corrected our grammatical errors and
made sure every motion was properly worded.
Jim and Nancy both enjoyed the camaraderie of the board
meetings. Many evenings were spent at the hot tub, where
Jim kept up on the observations of owners and guests.
Jim suffered a stroke following the Board meeting in April
2006. This prevented him from returning to The Cliffs, but
he never lost interest and always wanted to be kept
informed of the latest problems, solutions and construction
projects. Even though he could not be present in person,
he called in to actively participate in Board meetings. He
was making plans to attend the October meeting, when he
passed away.
CMG BOARD Seeks Advisor
The Board of Directors of Cliffs Management Group (the organization which owns the leaseholds for Cliffs
Club timeshares) seeks an advisor to the board. The successful candidate should anticipate lots of work, no
pay, and little recognition. The reward for a job well done will be another job.
The board meets annually in Hawaii in April, and this year, due to ambitious plans of action (and a heavy
work load), we are also meeting monthly, either by telephone or in person at varying locations, although
Advisors may not be present at all meetings. Travel, meals, and accommodations expenses are reimbursed
in accordance with the CMG corporate policy.
Advisors are appointed for a one-year term, which expires at the annual meeting in April. It is strongly
recommended that candidates have email access. All CMG shareholders are eligible to serve. CMG
shareholders are those Cliffs Club members who have paid the fees for the land (and therefore are not billed
for land rent along with their maintenance fees), but have not yet taken specific steps to have the deed
reissued so that they own in fee simple. (If you get a ballot in spring to vote for candidates for the CMG
Board, as well as the AOAO and CCIOA boards, our records show you as a CMG shareholder.)
The Board is particularly interested in candidates who have a background in bookkeeping, tax, or accounting.
However, candidates with other backgrounds are also encouraged to apply.
Interested candidates should contact James Hunt at [email protected].
Page 9
Upcoming
Kauai Events
September 28
23rd ANNUAL MOKIHANA FESTIVAL
The Kauai Mokihana Festivals presents an evening of
modern hula au’ana competition. For tickets call 808-8222166 or visit www.mokihana.kauai.net
Mid September to Late October
ART KAUAI
The Kauai Society of Artists annual juried art exhibition.
Kukui Grove Exhibition Hall. (808) 823-0579.
Diverse array of
local agricultural products
First Weekend in October
COCONUT FESTIVAL
An annual event that features the cultural, social and
historical importance of the coconut. (808) 651-3273.
Mid October
KAUAI POWWOW
Native Americans from across America join in a celebration
of cultural exchange with the people of Kauai.
(808) 335-5427.
Mid October
EO E EMALANI I ALAKAI FESTIVAL (QUEEN EMMA
FESTIVAL)
The annual Emmalani Festival at Kokee State Park.
(808) 335-9975.
Kaua’i Kama’aina and many Mainland visitors have
long known that the Kauai Sunshine markets
provide local unprocessed fruits, vegetables, nuts,
flowers and plants at best prices.
Kauai Sunshine Markets was set up in recognition
of the need to help reduce the high price residents
must pay for fresh agricultural products and the
need to support the economic viability of agriculture
in the State of Hawaii, the County of Kauai has
established the Sunshine Market Program.
Operating on a weekly basis, come and support the
local economy and buy from the diverse array of
agricultural products at the Sunshine Markets.
Late October
HAWAII INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
An annual event specializing in Pacific Rim films
(808) 528-3456 ext. 17.
Kaua’i Sunshine Market
Schedule
December 1
FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS AND PARADE
The 8th annual Lights on Rice Parade takes place at 6:30
p.m. on Rice Street in Lihu`e. Come for the food booths,
Kauai Museum craft fair, and check out the Festival of
Lights at the historic County building.
(808) 332-5857.
y Monday, 12 p.m. – Koloa Ball Park (Maluhia
Road)
y Tuesday, 3 p.m. – Kalaheo Neighborhood Center
(Papalina Road off Kaumuali’1)
Mid December
CHRISTMAS FANTASY FAIRE
Browse through a fabulous array of gifts by Kauai's finest
artisans! Great Entertainment! Delicious food! Free Keiki
Crafts! Silent Auction. For more information call Seacliff
School (808) 828-0014.
y Tuesday, 3 p.m. – Wailua Homesteads Park
Late December
WAIMEA LIGHTED CHRISTMAS PARADE
Waimea Town holds its annual Christmas Parade of lighted
floats led by fire engines. For more information call West
Kauai Main Street Hotline (808) 338-9957 or Chris at (808)
335-2824.
Center (Keneke off Lighthouse Road)
(Kamula Road)
y Wednesday, 3 p.m. – Kapa’a New Town Park
(Kahau Street)
y Thursday, 4:30 p.m. – Kilauea Neighborhood
Page 10
y Friday, 3 p.m. – Vidinha Stadium (Ho’olako
Road)
y Saturday, 9 p.m. – Kekaha Neighborhood Center
(Elepa’io Road)
N E W S F R O M A R O U ND T H E I S L A N D
[Gleaned from The Garden Island newspaper, mahalo nui loa to them]
VSuperferry Service On Hold
V Coco Palms, Has left The Building
By Nathan Eagle – THE GARDEN ISLAND
Posted: Tuesday, September 11, 2007
H
by Lester Chang – THE GARDEN ISLAND
awaii Superferry extended its suspension of interisland service to and from Kaua‘i, saying on its Web
site that the U.S. Coast Guard has not yet provided
assurances for safe passage into Nawiliwili Harbor.
The announcement came as Second Circuit Court Judge Joseph
Cardoza presided over a hearing to decide if the 350-foot “Alakai”
catamaran can sail between O‘ahu and Maui while the Hawai‘i
Department of Transportation conducts an environmental
assessment of $40 million in state-funded harbor improvements.
The three environmental groups filing the lawsuit want the Maui
judge to make the current temporary restraining order a
permanent injunction until the state determines the impact the
836-passenger, 282-car ferry may have on traffic, marine life and
local communities.
Fifth Circuit Court Judge Randal Valenciano on September 7th
refused a request for a similar temporary restraining order for
Kaua‘i voyages, but scheduled a proceeding Sept. 17 to hear
arguments for a permanent ban on Superferry service to
Nawiliwili Harbor during the state environmental review. The
Hawai‘i Supreme Court on Aug. 23 ruled that the Transportation
Department wrongly exempted the Superferry from an
environmental assessment prior to service.
V
Mayor
Bryan
Statement On Situation
Baptiste’s
by Nathan Eagle – THE GARDEN ISLAND
Posted: Tuesday, September 11, 2007
The state has told us that an Environmental Assessment will be
done for all harbors in which the Hawaii Superferry plans to
provide service including Nawiliwili. A question remains as to
whether the Hawaii Superferry should be allowed to operate
before the environmental review is completed. I believe we need
to allow the courts to respond to that question and make a
determination.
I have been asked by many people to take a side on this issue.
No matter how I personally feel about this complex situation, it’s
important for me as Mayor of Kaua‘i to remain impartial. This
allows for a greater opportunity to ensure public safety,
regardless of which side of the issue people may stand. What I
believe is needed is leadership that can talk to all parties without
prejudice.
While public safety is paramount, it’s also important to recognize
and protect the rights of our people to express their opinions
lawfully. I continue to ask for restraint by all parties as we move
toward a resolution of these difficult issues.
Posted: Friday, September 14, 2007
The drive by Coco Palms Ventures to restore the historic Coco
Palms Resort in Wailua — the flagship hotel in Hawai‘i in the
1950s and 1960s – has ended.
The developer recently decided to sell the resort partly because
the county Planning Commission rejected a plan for a full-scale
fitness spa — a key project aimed at attracting affluent buyers,
according to Donna Apisa, the listing agent for the sale of 200
condominiums at the project. Although the developer had argued
the county had previously approved the spa at the site of old
tennis courts at the northern end of the project in 1985 and 2000,
the current planning commissions sided with critics who said the
project should not be placed in an open district.
The hotel has been closed since suffering severe damage by
Hurricane ‘Iniki in 1992. The effort to build a new resort
reminiscent of the Polynesian style of the old one came with
much fanfare in March 2006.
During a meeting at Mayor Bryan Baptiste’s office at the Lihu‘e
Civic Center in March 2006, Richard Weiser, a part-time resident
of Princeville and one of the key principals for Coco Palms
Ventures, and other representatives for the resort, announced the
completed sale of the resort from Wailua Associates, a San
Francisco interest, in January of that year. With the sale
completed and with county Planning Commission permits
approved in January 2005, Weiser said the developer was ready
to move full steam ahead.
Plans called for the start of the first phase of the work —
demolition of at least 90 percent of the buildings — last summer
and for the resort to open in summer 2008. Plans called for the
building of a $220 million resort that was to include 48 bungalows,
200 condominiums, restaurants and some form of a spa to be
built among clusters of buildings.
Weiser, Phillip Ross nor Walter Petrie, partners in the proposed
reconstruction project, were available for comment yesterday.
Had they followed through on their plans, the resort would have
been the last of the island’s hurricane-damaged hotels to be
repaired. The entire resort project had provoked criticism from
some Hawaiians who felt its development would prevent them
from accessing ancestral lands. But Weiser had met with powerful
Hawaiian groups, including the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and
pledged to protect historical sites.
The hotel was the home of Queen Deborah Kapule, Kaua‘i’s last
reigning queen. The hotel also was the site of the famous
wedding scene in Elvis Presley’s 1961 film, “Blue Hawai‘i,” which
helped the state, just two years after statehood, become a worldrenowned visitor destination.
The hotel reached a high level of grandeur under the ownership
of Grace and Lyle Guslander, two well-known Hawai‘i hoteliers in
the 1950s and 1960s.
Page 11
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FALL 2007 ISSUE
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