Kauai kite proposal
fails to fly

Opposition was high to a plan to
ban kites at some county parks

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By Anthony Sommer
tsommer@starbulletin.com

LIHUE >> A proposal to change a number of prohibited activities at county parks -- including forbidding kite flying at some parks -- was withdrawn from the Kauai County Council agenda yesterday after the Kauai Parks and Recreation Office said it needed some redrafting.

The Council was told it would receive a new version and another public hearing would be required. There was no outcry at the public hearing last week, but since then opposition to the proposed kite ban has grown.

Opponents say the county has failed to make a distinction between large high-performance kites with wood and metal parts and more common nylon kites that have no hard parts that could cause injuries.

Parks and Recreation Supervisor Mel Nishihara said the limitation on kite flying -- which he insisted would affect only a few unspecified county parks -- stemmed from a single complaint two years ago by a lifeguard at Poipu Beach Park.

The lifeguard said a high-performance kite was being flown over about 200 park visitors.

Similarly, Kane Pa, one of a group of native Hawaiian surfers who cleaned up Kealia Beach several years ago and turned it into a major tourist attraction, said there is a problem with what he called "Top Gun" kites endangering people on the beach.

"But there's no problem with the keiki kites. There's no reason to ban them," Pa said.