Whatever Happened To...
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Auction planned for Kauai cabin leases
Question: What ever happened to the fate of Kauai's Kokee cabins, with leases supposed to run out in December?
Answer: After a two-year process, the Board of Land and Natural Resources decided at its February meeting to hold an auction for leases to 102 recreational cabins in Kokee State Park, near Kauai's Waimea Canyon.
No date for the auctions has been set, but it will be held before the end of the year.
The current leaseholders had hoped to negotiate directly with the state to hold on to their cabins, which, in some cases, have been held in families for generations. The board also discussed holding a lottery for the cabins. But in the end, the auction was unanimously agreed upon.
On Friday, however, the BLNR will decide whether to hold a contested-case hearing for about a dozen cabin holders who say that by turning over their improved cabins, they are losing an investment in their properties.
The current leaseholders signed 20-year leases in 1985 for cabins that in some cases are now over 50 years old. They argue that when their leases expire they will lose their property, mainly the improvements they have made since then.
But other members of the public have said the direct negotiation is unfair, allowing a small segment a chance to enjoy the crisp, cool nights in the vicinity of one of Hawaii's most famous natural wonders, as well as the myriad hiking trails in the area.
The board also decided, at their February meeting, to keep nine cabins for state use.
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