State plans to rent
Kokee cabins weekly

The state is considering a proposal to rent up to 30 vacation cabins in Kokee State Park by the week rather than under long-term leases.

If accepted tomorrow by the state Board of Land and Natural Resources, a master plan for Kokee and Waimea Canyon state parks would change the way the state leases land under 105 cabins, most of which were built by Kauai families as mountain getaways.

All of the leases expire in December 2006.

Current $2,500-a-year leases require that any improvements -- including the cabins themselves -- left on the land at the end of the leases revert to the state, said Dan Quinn, state parks administrator.

The Kokee Leaseholders Association opposes the plan and had wanted the state to negotiate lease extensions with current lessees. But association Vice President Paul Matsunaga said yesterday that he is not optimistic that the state will change its mind.

"We don't think it (the state plan) is viable from an economic standpoint," said Matsunaga. "These are cabins that are 85-90 years old. They don't meet code. Some of them don't have electricity. And you're going to convert them to daily rental use? It doesn't make sense."

Matsunaga said that by his estimate the state would have to charge $200 a day to rent the cabins and make a profit.

A summary of the master plan developed by consultant R.M. Towill Corp. estimates that the state could bring in about $478,000 a year under the proposal.

The master plan also proposes establishing an entrance fee for the parks, though no fee amount is suggested. Currently the only state park with an entrance fee is Diamond Head State Monument.

Improvements at Kokee and Waimea in the plan include repair and construction of roads, parking lots, lookout platforms, trails, bathrooms, signage, picnic areas, the old Civilian Conservation Corps camp and the park headquarters area.

A briefing on the master plan at 5 p.m. today and a 9 a.m. Land Board meeting tomorrow will be at the Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall, 4191 Hardy St. in Lihue.

Parks staff are asking the board to approve conducting an environmental impact statement for the proposed improvements and to issue a request for qualifications and proposals to have a private company act as "master leasee" and handle management of all cabins.