OUR TOP ISSUES

1. Homeless explosion. Our St. Louis Heights area has an inner community in the woods: campers on the hill. Another spot is Kapiolani Park, which has become a homeless city at this time. The community is trying to reclaim the park; the park is getting some improvement. We're also questioning what programs the city and state have for addressing the housing shortage.

The population seems to be shifting; as soon as they clear out one park, they start popping up around the Ala Wai. There seems to be a “;game”; of chasing homeless around the island.

2. Bicycle master plan. There are lots of bicycle commuters who are waiting to hear from the city on the bike plan. The city passed a charter amendment in 2006 to make Honolulu a bike- and pedestrian- friendly city. Whenever we have questions concerning bike safety, it's gotten to the point: Do we wait to see what the master plan says, or do we treat it as a stand-alone issue?

We've been waiting for the bike plan. In many areas, the shoulders are narrow. Our roads are not designed for bike riding in general.

BOARD NO. 5         the officers         Chairman         Bert Narita         Vice chairman         Rick Egged         Secretary         Michael Cain         Treasurer         Scot Drown         Members         Julia Allen, Deborah Luckett, Barbara C. Miller, Kenneth C.C. Chang, Bertha S.J. Nahoopii, George Waialeale, Roxie Berlin, Jay Harden, Michelle S. Matson, Don A. Persons and Linda Wong         TO GET INVOLVED: The Diamond Head- Kapahulu-St. Louis Heights board meets at the Ala Wai Club House, 404 Kapahulu Ave. Call 768-3710; see www.honolulu.gov/nco.

3. Maintaining the residential character of the neighborhood. We look over plans that come in for development in the neighborhoods. Sometimes it's the Transportation Department wanting to widen roads, or residential living facilities that are larger than what we have, street lights shining into apartments. We're mindful of maintaining quality of life.

4. Noise and lighting issues. The leaf blowers are a concern that gets raised. We have a fair share of retirees, many of whom are home during the day. Another source of complaints is noisy motorcycles, usually on Sunday mornings.

There's some concern about inadequate lighting in front of the Honolulu Zoo entrance. Another area is at Kanewai Park, where lighting had gotten old and was recently removed.

5. Commercialization of parks and beaches. There was an issue of a surf school operating out of Kapiolani Park: They were at Publics beach, raising concerns about whether they were being regulated or not. The complaint was made with the city Parks Department and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, but there's not much we can do about it; these things are hard to regulate. It's still operating. The commercialization of parks and beaches raises the question: Are the recreational people being squeezed out?

6. Bed and breakfasts. There was a bit of concern when the bed-and-breakfast bills were being discussed, and the possible effect on areas like the Diamond Head- Kapiolani Park side of Kaimuki. People were very wary about anything that would allow more transient rentals.

SO SPECIAL

Our own Ahupuaa

Our area definitely functions as an ahupuaa: One can picture it from the mountains down to the shore, from the residential area to the public area, Kapiolani Park.

We have things in the public trusts that are within our boundaries.

We've got a pretty diverse mix of people, from the working class in Kapahulu, to the older middle class in St. Louis, to Diamond Head and the Gold Coast.

FACTS & FIGURES

» Kapahulu in Hawaiian means “;the worn-out soil.”;

» Diamond Head, Oahu's distinctive volcanic tuff cone, is called Leahi by Hawaiians, a phrase meaning “;tuna browridge”; or “;promontory,”; due to the ridgeline's shape resembling a tuna's dorsal fin. British sailors in the 19th century who mistook calcite crystals embedded in the rock for diamonds dubbed the site “;Diamond Head.”;