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Sharks Cove
mall plan needs
thorough review

The North Shore has serious concerns and questions about the water's-edge, high-density shopping mall proposed for Sharks Cove. These concerns are not "anti-mall," they are "pro-Sharks Cove." The Department of Planning and Permitting is reviewing whether an Environmental Impact Statement for the project will be necessary.

The proposed mall would overlook Shark's Cove and the Pupukea Marine Life Conservation District. These waters also are part of the Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, and the community is concerned that the project could harm this important resource for the local visitor economy.

The North Shore Sustainable Communities Plan, the Oahu General Plan and the Hawaii State Plan call for the North Shore to be a rural community serving as an agricultural, recreational and public open-space area for the benefit of both residents and visitors.

The area is designated in the Honolulu Land Use Ordinance zoning scheme as a B-1 Neighborhood Business District. The intent of B-1 is to serve the daily retail and other business needs of the surrounding population.

The area is also designated as a Rural Community Commercial Center that should contain a "small cluster of commercial and service businesses which serve primarily the immediate community" and "provide a range of goods and services to meet the needs of the surrounding residential communities and visitors to the North Shore." This area should be scaled to be compatible with the area's rural character and surrounding land uses.

In seeming contrast to the guidelines and policies, the proposed mall takes up the bulk of a 2.7-acre property, is planned to host at least 53 businesses (or about half the number of businesses in Haleiwa town), includes plans for an underground parking garage, is slated to have more restaurant seating than all of the restaurants in Haleiwa town combined, is about twice the size of the adjacent Foodland and is planned to bring more than 3,300 vehicle trips into and out of the property each day.

The draft environmental assessment states there will be increased storm-water surface pollution and runoff; highlights issues with sewage and sewage treatment; and points to increased traffic congestion and widening of Kamehameha Highway, increased use of infrastructure, possible contamination of the aquifer and pollution of the near-shore waters as possible consequences of the mall.

At its October meeting, the North Shore Neighborhood Board made several recommendations to the Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting. The first of these was that the government "should require the completion of a full EIS (including a socioeconomic impact section) for the proposed development and not issue a "finding of no significant impact."

Guidelines state that no development shall be approved unless the City Council first finds that the development will not have any substantial adverse environmental or ecological effect.

The community has learned that the developer attempted to have 'Olelo censor the video of the Oct. 26 North Shore Neighborhood Board meeting where the community made its recommendations to the government, and that the developer has hinted at legal action against the community for raising its concerns.

Members of the community cannot believe that it is a crime to raise legitimate questions about potential pollution, runoff, infrastructure overload and traffic gridlock. We feel the government and concerned residents have an obligation to protect our health and safety.

Until questions are answered regarding the developer's track record and an EIS is completed, the community will continue to raise concerns. In the meantime, the community will continue to build its capacity to help protect, preserve and enhance the North Shore's treasures. Given what is at stake, such a course is only reasonable.

Please watch the North Shore Neighborhood Board October meeting on 'Olelo this Saturday, Nov 20, Nov. 27 and Dec. 4, where you can see the hundreds of residents who gathered to raise their concerns. You also can find out more at www.savesharks-cove.org.

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