Kokua Line
June Watanabe
Hotels get break
on pool regulationsQuestion: What are the requirements for swimming pools at condominiums and co-ops? Recently, a co-op was told it didn't follow the law because it didn't have both the front and another gate locked and the fence was not high enough. What is the city ordinance regarding this, because the Elks Club doesn't have it and a lot of hotels don't have it. There needs to be some clarification.
Answer: The regulations are spelled out in Chapter 16, Articles 6 and 7, of the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu.
Generally, "more passive deterrents" are called for with residential pools because people usually aren't around as much to monitor any activity, explained Barbara Stanton, deputy director for city Department of Planning and Permitting.
At hotels, by comparison, there typically are a lot more people around, hence the thinking is that more people are available to watch what's going on.
Article 7 covers "public swimming pools," which include municipal, institutional, hotel and apartment pools, as well as hydrotherapy spas, therapeutic pools and special pools of similar usage.
Among the regulations:
If the water is more than 18 inches deep at any point, a fence, wall, building or other enclosure has to completely surround the pool or property on which the pool is situated, "sufficient to make the pool inaccessible to small children."
The enclosures, including gates, have to be at least 4 1/2 feet high.
However, this requirement "shall not apply to any swimming, dipping or wading pool on the premises of a hotel ... "
The ordinance also requires that "all gates or doors must be self-closing and equipped with a self-latching device capable of keeping such gate or door securely closed, with latches placed at least 4 feet above ground or otherwise made inaccessible from the outside to small children."
If you need any clarification, call the Department of Planning and Permitting. The director's office is 523-4432.
Q: Why is there a policeman parked on Waieli Street, across from Kalani High School, on most mornings? Cars have to turn into Waieli Street to go across Kalanianaole Highway to get to the school. What are we doing wrong that the police are always there? I would like to know because I don't want to get a ticket.
A: Officers are assigned to such traffic posts every weekday from 6 to 8 a.m. and stay at their posts unless they are called to a case in progress, according to Honolulu police Capt. Marie McCauley of District 7 (East Honolulu).
They're there to help with traffic flow, she said.
The traffic post that used to be at Kalanianaole Highway and Ainakoa Avenue was relocated to Kalanianaole and Waieli, because of numerous complaints of traffic violations from area residents.
"Some people claim that the traffic is so bad that they cannot get out of their driveways in the morning," McCauley said. "We have also received complaints that motorists were making illegal U-turns, and on several occasions, complaints were received in which the caller stated that they were almost run over trying to cross the street."
|
Useful phone numbers
Got a question or complaint?
Call 529-4773, fax 529-4750, or write to Kokua Line,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu 96813. As many as possible will be answered.
E-mail to kokualine@starbulletin.com