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‘Visioning team’
to review plan
for Ala Wai

Cayetano says he doesn't recall
a House resolution that would
require input from a
citizens' panel

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By Richard Borreca
Star-Bulletin

Gov. Ben Cayetano and Mayor Jeremy Harris are going ahead with a "visioning team" to discuss how to plan for a major park complex on the site of the Ala Wai Golf Course, although the state House wants a special commission to look at the idea.

The House last year approved a resolution (HR 130) asking Cayetano to name a citizens' advisory commission to review the state's plans, but Cayetano said yesterday he didn't recall the resolution and was acting independently of it.

The resolution said "the interests of the community should be considered prior to the implementation of the governor's plan."

The House asked that Cayetano name residents, elected officials, business people and representatives of community organizations and neighborhood boards from the affected areas.

That commission was supposed to report its preliminary findings to the governor 20 days before the beginning of the 2001 Legislature on Jan. 17, and prepare a final report in 2002.

Cayetano, however, said yesterday the visioning team would be made up of community representatives and those who have "skills in park development and design."

"Also we would have people who represent certain kinds of groups that would benefit from the park: soccer teams, maybe the Little League," Cayetano said.

When the House considered the resolution, Cayetano's office of planning and the leaders of the Diamond Head-Kapahulu-St. Louis Heights Neighborhood Boards supported it.

The resolution did not take a position for or against the park concept.

"The commission will ensure that there is sufficient public input," the committee on water and land use wrote in a report on the resolution.

Cayetano said park plans would have to move in tandem with a search for a replacement golf course.

He said the state's land on Sand Island would be the best spot, but noted that if that doesn't work, he would like to look in Leeward Oahu.