Kokua Line June Watanabe

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Boats on trailers can be cited, towed

Question: In Pearl City, two boats have been left on different streets for weeks. I called the city's abandoned-vehicle section and was told that the boats are in the state's jurisdiction, so even though they're on trailers licensed by the city, it's not responsible for tagging the boats. I called the state Division of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and was told that although the boats are licensed by the state, because they're on trailers they're the city's jurisdiction. The boats are obstructing egress and ingress to our driveways. You can't see around them, and when children are playing or crossing, it's very dangerous. How can we get them off the streets?

Answer: If the boats/trailers are a hazard, call police at 911.

"If the trailer and boat constitute a traffic hazard, we will tow immediately," said HPD Capt. Frank Fujii.

Police also will order tows for "towable" offenses such as blocking driveways or fire hydrants, parking in a tow-away zone, etc.

They additionally can cite the trailer, like any other abandoned vehicle, if it has not moved for more than 24 hours, Fujii said, adding that "we cite the trailer, not the boat." But if the trailer is towed, the boat goes with it, he said. Police will not order the boat removed.

Meanwhile, the situation about jurisdiction is basically correct. Until the middle of this year, complaints about "vessels on trailers" abandoned on public roads were investigated initially as abandoned trailers on public roads, said Dennis Kamimura, administrator of the city's Motor Vehicle & Licensing Division.

After the city completed its abandoned-vehicle process, it sent a letter to DLNR, transferring the authority to dispose of the trailer, with the vessel, in accordance with Chapter 200 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, he said.

"According to our Corporation Counsel, the city has no authority to tow and dispose of abandoned vessels," Kamimura said. "It did not make sense" for the city to unload the vessel from the abandoned trailer, then to have DLNR load the vessel on its trailer, "when DLNR could just tow the vessel and trailer."

Kamimura added that if HPD directs the removal of the vessel and trailer, and if they go unclaimed, "we would send a letter to DLNR to pick up the vessel and trailer at the contractor's storage lot and dispose of the vessel and trailer" in accordance with Chapter 200.

Q: South King Street, from River Street to Bethel, is a bottleneck every afternoon around 5:30 p.m., when cars start to park on the mauka side, forcing cars behind them to pull out into traffic. Is it possible for the city to extend the "no parking" restriction until 6 p.m.? Just this half-hour might help quite a bit.

A: Happy holidays: The city Department of Transportation Services had already studied the situation and approved such a change in August. A work order was sent to the Department of Facility Maintenance, and we were told the signs were changed last week by a crew from the Road Maintenance Division.