Kokua Line
By June Watanabe
Friday, October 2, 1998
Kokua Line
Are private citizens allowed to paint curbs red in front of their houses to prevent other people from parking? That appears to be the case in Maunawili Valley, next to where the trail to Maunawili Falls starts. All the curbs in the block are painted red so hikers don't have a place to park in the immediate area. That doesn't seem right. Maunawili residents’
red curbs not allowedPrivate citizens are not authorized to paint any public curbs, said Joe Magaldi, deputy director of the city Department of Transportation Services.
"There is an ordinance that makes it illegal," he said. "We're aware of the situation (in Maunawili), so we're going to tell them it's going to have to be painted out."
As long as drivers "obey the rules and regs as far as the Traffic Code is concerned, they can park there -- the red curb doesn't mean anything," Magaldi said. "The thing is, there have to be signs, in this case, for police to enforce."
Magaldi also said the city doesn't go around painting curbs red anymore because "we don't have the manpower." The exceptions are at bus stops. But, in those cases, there are also "no parking" signs in place, he said.
Genell DeRobertis, president of the Maunawili Estates Community Association, said, "We met (Wednesday) with city officials and are working to resolve the matter."
She declined further comment.
However, Curt Cottrell, trails manager for the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, provided some background:
When the city approved the building of a private golf course in the area in 1985, it required the developer to provide access to Maunawili Falls. In 1996 the current golf course owner, working with Cottrell's Na Ala Hele trails program, the city and the Sierra Club, built the trail with access from Kelewina Street. Previously, access was from an upper portion of Maunawili, with hikers cutting through private house lots.
Although the golf course owner had no obligation to do so, "They were going to provide parking at the trail head," Cottrell said. But a parking lot was opposed by the community, who feared it would attract illegal and disruptive activities, he said.
There was talk about putting in a gate, with residents in charge of locking and unlocking it, but "no one wanted to do it," he said.
So hikers end up parking along the residential streets, most notably along Kelewina.
"The community is at wit's ends, but the subdivision was placed right next to conservation land where the public has a right to go," Cottrell said. Unfortunately for residents, "It's a very popular destination."
Auwe to the people on the mauka side of Luawai Street in the Kahala area who erected what looks like permanent tents over their garage. It is an eyesore. Also, is it legal for them to operate their business out of their home?
The garage is used for an engraving business, with no employees, which is permitted under the Land Use Ordinance, said William Deering, head of the Building Division for the city Department of Planning and Permitting.
However, the occupant was issued a notice of violation for storing business materials that exceeded the amount allowed, he said. Deering added that the tent was temporary -- used for a party in September and to be removed after another party this weekend.
Mahalo
To Kimo, who helped my wife and four kids when they were stuck on the H-1 near the Pali exit, Ewa bound, about 4:30 p.m. Aug. 28. He took them home to Halawa Heights and left a message on my cellular phone. We want to acknowledge his graciousness and real aloha spirit when a lot of drivers just passed by. -- Jason (and Kathy and the kids)
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