Let vows be made
on Hawaii’s beachesThe issue: The state has agreed to
compensate a Maui wedding coordinator
after trying to stop her beach ceremonies.
WEDDINGS are a growing feature of Hawaii's tourism industry and should be encouraged. But state and Maui County bureaucrats have spared no effort in trying to thwart ceremonies arranged by a wedding coordinator on the beach in front of her Mahinahina home on Maui's western shore. It is time they found ways to accommodate such activities instead of trying to put them asunder.Governor Cayetano announced two years ago that the state would seek national exposure as a wedding destination, appreciating that brides, grooms and honeymooners spend $5.3 billion a year in the United States. Hawaii is also a popular wedding destination for Japanese couples. Too many state and county officials have defied common sense as they fail to hear the bells ringing.
Sandra Becker has been operating a wedding business in Hawaii since 1988, and her present location is ideal for those activities, although some of her neighbors don't like it. Private properties essentially block public access to the beach, so her weddings don't have to compete for space with crowds of beachgoers.
However, the state Conservation Enforcement Division tried to force Becker to obtain a right-of-entry permit to a public beach for her weddings and pay $120 for a state enforcement officer to be present at each ceremony. In a settlement, the state has agreed to pay Becker $29,000, acknowledging that state law does not allow it to require permits or fees for weddings.
Meanwhile, Maui County is trying to stop her from performing weddings on the beach next to her home and has fined her $1,000 for allowing people to use her property to get to the beach for a wedding. Becker says she plans to sue the county for trying to stop her weddings.
"I get up every day full of anger and hostility because I've been cheated," Becker told the Star-Bulletin's Gary T. Kubota. "A lot of people want to have weddings and can't. Hawaii has the opportunity to be the No. 1 wedding destination in the world. Government is going to undermine it."
Becker may need to obtain county permission to run the business in a residential area, a difficulty that Honolulu City Councilman John Henry Felix has encountered in trying to operate a wedding service out of his Aina Haina home. Another company is seeking similar permission a few doors away from Felix. Applications for nonconforming uses of residences should be treated no differently just because the business is helping people get married.
New building codes
cool energy loadThe issue: The changes in the building
code are intended to cut consumption
of electricity by keeping the
heat out of homes.
Changes adopted in the city's building code moves Oahu a step forward in energy conservation that will lead, in turn, toward a cleaner environment. The city and state governments, the building industry, utility companies and environmentalists -- groups who at times find themselves at odds with one another -- all deserve praise for a collaborative effort that will benefit everyone.The code changes require better insulation and construction components in the roofs of new homes and additions of 100 square feet or more to keep heat out. The new standards will save energy by keeping homeowners cool enough to be comfortable without having to resort to air conditioning or electric fans. The changes will increase construction costs by a minimum of $300, but with lower energy bills, homeowners will recapture that amount in one to two years and save money in the long run. The codes also require inspection of energy systems in nonresidential and high-rise structures to make sure they are performing efficiently. This will result in reduced energy consumption.
The changes came about through research by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism's energy branch and the building industry's embracing of new technology and products that cut construction costs. City Council member Steve Holmes, who has sought these changes for years, brought the parties together with the support of the Sierra Club. Hawaiian Electric Co. joined the effort because efficient energy use is "good business," mitigating the company's need to build more costly power plants and equipment, a spokesman said.
As Congress and President Bush wrangle over national energy policies and environmental concerns, it is encouraging to see local government and business leaders take the reins themselves in searching for solutions.
Conservation can make a big difference, notwithstanding Vice President Dick Cheney's belief that it would be merely a personal virtue. DBEDT estimates the building code changes could save millions in fuel costs through the next three years. In a state so dependent on imported oil for energy needs, these small steps can leave big footprints.
Published by Oahu Publications Inc., a subsidiary of Black Press.Don Kendall, President
John Flanagan, publisher and editor in chief 529-4748; jflanagan@starbulletin.com
Frank Bridgewater, managing editor 529-4791; fbridgewater@starbulletin.com
Michael Rovner, assistant managing editor 529-4768; mrovner@starbulletin.com
Lucy Young-Oda, assistant managing editor 529-4762; lyoungoda@starbulletin.com The Honolulu Star-Bulletin (USPS 249460) is published daily by
Oahu Publications at 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813.
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