We had some pretty good press coverage too, KITV and KHON stopped by, along with the Hawai`i Independent and FLUX Hawai`i Magazine. Click below to see KITV’s full story.

Click here to watch story.

Here’s more from Marti who was with the commissioners on the site visit:

Members of the Land Use Commission made an official site visit to the parcel of farmland that Tropic Land proposes to turn into an industrial park. They drove up Lualualei Naval Access Road and then back down Hakimo Road, over the new the roadway that Tropic cut to connect the Navy Road to Hakimo Road. The Commissioners saw first-hand all of the farms along Hakimo Road, the profile of Maui, the Hoaliku Drake Preschool, and the narrow intersection at Hakimo and Farrington Hwy.

Checking out the preschool along the curvy Hakimo Rd. on the way to the proposed industrial park. Also taking a moment to introduce the group to our kupua, Maui!

Interestingly, just seconds after the developer’s attorney said it was too hot and arid to grow palm trees on the property, the sky opened and big drops of rain fell. We got drenched as we drove down Hakimo Road.

Umbrellas out in full effect as Lono gives kokua to show the commissioners that it does indeed rain in the valley!

Please come share your mana’o on the proposed industrial park at the Land Use Commission hearing on Thursday September 9th at the Kakuhihewa Bldg. in Kapolei, 9:30 am. You can hold one of the beautiful signs you see here, or bring your own!

Mahalo nui loa to Pono Kealoha for the photos!

On DAR’s proposed list of activities that they believe should be exempted from doing environmental assessment, they write, “DAR’s proposed list appears to exempt every type of permit and license issued by the division.” Including live rock and coral collecting permits and all permits for Papahanaumokuakea in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

There is also great coverage of Waimanalo Gulch violations and wet-noodle enforcement from the Department of Health, and excellent reporting on this summer’s WESPAC meetings.

Mahalo to Pat and Teresa for their excellent investigative reporting! You can support Environment Hawai’i by subscribing today!

(Mahalo to the talented Mark Fiesta for the picture)

The latest scoops from legal intern Tyler on legal proceedings around the push to protect agricultural and preservation lands in Waianae currently threatened with industrialization. Fenceline to farms and homes, an industral park and new landfill are proposed on this area in the middle of one of Hawai’i's largest communities of Native Hawaiians. It’s a justice thing, and it’s a kākou thing!

From Tyler:

We last left you with some tremendous victories following the Land Use Commission’s granting our Motion to Intervene.  This means, as you may remember, that we get to sit at the big kids table and play hardball.  As dates are solidified and we proceed, our first act as official Intervenors is to order fancy name plates for our desks that say “Intevenor” on them.  That was a joke.  They say “Super Intervenor.”

All jokes aside, our first OFFICIAL act was to submit a Statement of Position.  It’s essentially a formality that lets everyone at the big kids table know what we’re playing for. Environmental and cultural justice. Here’s what we believe to be true:

Tropic’s proposed development ignores:
1) The cultural significance of Wai‘anae
2) The Wai‘anae Sustainable Communities Plan
3) The characterization of Urban land

Think of this as a game of Monopoly.  Tropic Lands owns a parcel not on the game board.  Let’s call it Insensitive Avenue.  They really want to be in the game, because they believe they can make a nice chunk of change.  But they can ONLY do this on Insensitive Avenue.  So what do they do?  They cry “JOBS!” and then they ask the state Land Use Commission (LUC) if they can amend the rules and put Insensitive Avenue on the game board.

The problem is: If we let Insensitive Avenue on the game board, then we MUST put Greedy Place and The Capitalism Railroad into play.  And in fact, this is the purpose of the rules. The reason Community Plans and Zoning Regulations are made? To prevent unruly development in a community and to maintain balance. Not to mention mediating ongoing insensitivity to cultural concerns.

We understand the need for economic development.  We understand the need for jobs in Wai‘anae.

In actuality, all we’re asking is that you put your industrial park in an area that is compatible with your development plans.  Like… Maybe put the industrial park in an already industrialized area?  That seems fairly logical to me!  How about you folks reading this?

This area is Preservation/Agriculture Land.  Let’s keep it  that way. There are some incredible alternatives being proposed by communities members–everything from a gateway park to an agricultural incubator.

Now that the big kids know what we’re  playing for and why, we gotta show them what we’re playing with. The Scottish Terrier. Or the thimble!  Joke.  In fact, we’re playing with  people who are experts in their fields, and we believe their expert testimonies will expose to the Commission some undeniable truths behind this bad proposal.

Stay tuned!

Aunty WalterBea shares stories of Mauikupua, the demi-god.

This weekend we hosted our fourth Environmental Justice Bus Tour–this time with an added stop at the Farmer’s Market.  Mahalo to everyone who came out to learn more about Wai`anae! We had a great mix of people hailing from far and wide.  Groups represented were Nakem Youth (from Kalihi), CEJE, Hawai`i Farm Union, the Hawai`i Independent, and the Lawai`a Action Network–as well as some community members.  Special shout out to Nakem Youth for blogging your reflections of the bus tour! Check it out! Here is some of their powerful testimony:

Mark: “We gotta change our public perception of Waianae. I didn’t know about the agricultural lands, it was beautiful to see and very different from the way the mainstream media presents it.”

Sonny: “I have family members who live in Waianae and I fear for their lives. There are many kids who run around and I don’t want them getting hit by trucks…”

Rochie: “I live in Waianae I didn’t know what was really happening.  The dumpsite was all blocked and I thought it was for housing development.  We need more transparency from these companies and the state.”

Powerful! More at their blog.  Mahalo to Nakem Youth member, Mark Fiesta, also for putting up such beautiful photos of the event. Here’s a link to his blog. Solidarity is a beautiful thing. Mahalo to everyone for coming, if you are interested in joining our next tour, it is on August 28th.  Email shelley@kahea.org for more information.

The Ho‘ike for the second graduating class of Ka Makani Kaiaulu o Wai‘anae that was held last friday totally renewed my internal spring of hope for the future of Hawai‘i.  Ten young people with nothing in common, but their home along the Wai‘anae Coast, came together to learn about the history and power of social justice movements in Hawai‘i and around the world… and they got to participate in a little movement building themselves.

“Waianae needs more voices,” the returning institute student added. “A lot of people are affected by what’s going on but don’t do anything about it. It’s like an ongoing unfinished project. … We are just trying to do our part and along the way we are learning so much about Waianae, the cultural history, and the impact we can have on our future; not just in the community but the whole world if we do something.”

KAHEA staff had the honor of working with this youth during this summer program.  We helped with some of the curriculum and encouraged them to participate in the LUC hearing on the Concerned Elders’ Petition to Intervene in the reclassification of ag land for an industrial park.

These students are an inspiration.  Smart, compassionate, and full of possibility.  The hope is to continue this program next summer or maybe even expand it into a year-long program.  To do that, though, would mean a lot of community support and financial backing.  If you are interested in donating to this program, click here.

Here is a link to the full story on the Ho‘ike in The Hawaii Independent.

From Shelley:

This past Saturday, a small group of determined “door knockers” set out to give a heads up to residents on Hakimo Road in Lualualei about a proposed industrial park planned in their neighborhood of small farms and homes.  Of all the 30 or so people we talked to, not a single person had heard about or been notified of these plans to industrialize the valley.

I have to admit, I was nervous going into a rural community knocking on doors, but everyone was really nice.  They were thankful we came by because otherwise they would have never known that an industrial park is being proposed.   Of course it helped being with Aunty Alice Greenwood, who everyone knows, and it felt good to hear people express their gratitude for  her determination to fight.  Those kind words are important to me because I’m always wary to get into other people’s business–knowing that we have their blessing and request to move forward tells me that we’re on the right path!

One thing that really tugged at my heartstrings was meeting more than one family that lost their farm in the Kalama Valley evictions in the 1970s.  These families relocated to Wai`anae and 35 years later are again facing the displacement of their family business and rural lifestyle- -from some of the same developers!

For rural Hakimo Road, the developer’s own numbers cites an additional 522 trucks an hour during peak hours! I don’t even know how that is possible, but that figure comes directly out of their EIS report. The only legal access to the property is rural Hakimo Road. (Though the proposed site is actually on Lualualei Naval Road, this private road requires an agreement with the Navy for regular access.  Our calls to the Navy have confirmed that no such agreement exists!)

If you have ever been on Hakimo Road you will know that 1) there are NO sidewalks, 2) it is narrow and winding, and 3) is already dangerous at the current traffic level, let alone with the addition of over 500 big trucks!  One resident pointed out to us, “Go walk up and down, you’ll see flowers at almost every turn marking all the accidents!”–it was so sad, she was right.  There’s a preschool on this road and many residents are worried about the health and safety of the kamalii (little ones) who go to school there.

Can you imagine if this was going on in your neighborhood?  You can sign here to stand in solidarity with this community!

The first preliminary hearing in the whole purple spot saga was held on May 20th before the Land Use Commission.  The Land Use Commission met to decide whether the Environmental Impact Statement is complete for Tropic Land’s proposal to turn 96 acres of fertile farm land into an industrial park at the back of Lualualei Valley (the industrial park is the purple spot).

All six commissioners present agreed that the EIS is complete, but some of them made clear that based on the public testimony presented they had serious concerns about the proposal itself.

Testimony presented to the Land Use Commission alleged that Tropic Land, LLC  is operating an unauthorized truck baseyard on agricultural land and has illegally mined pohaku from a known ancient Hawaiian cultural site.

“At least 85% of the farmland has been covered with asphalt,” said one eye-witness.

Activities like storage of trucks, and vehicle repair and maintenance are not allowed on land zoned for agricultural use.  Waianae Coast residents said they filed complaints with both the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Enforcement Branch and the City and County of Honolulu.

Tropic Land, LLC has been cited on at least three other occasions for engaging in activities on the Lualualei property that were not consistent with its agricultural classification.

Pictures also documented the mining of stones on preservation land adjoining the Tropic Land parcel.  Cultural surveys conducted on the parcel in the 1990’s confirm that this stones comprised a substantial, culturally significant platform.

A Nanakuli resident testified that ¾ of the substantial stone platform had been removed and some of the stones were used to make a sacred place to reinter Hawaiian burials exhumed by Wal-Mart on Keaaumoku Street.  Tropic Land, LLC did not have authorization from the State Historic Preservation Division to remove stones from this site.

Tropic Land, LLC was before the Land Use Commission to change the classification of their Lualualei Valley property from agricultural to urban, in order to allow them to construct an industrial park on the property.

The Land Use Commission accepted Tropic Land, LLC’s final environmental impact statement for the industrial park proposal, but not before voicing concerns about the testimony presented by the public.

Holding up a picture of trucks parked behind a fence on the Tropic Land parcel, Commissioner Contrades  asked Tropic Land’s attorney William Yuen, “is this correct?”  Mr. Yuen said he had not seen the photograph, but that the property is not paved and trucks are not being stored on the property at this time.

Commissioner Wong asked Yuen a series of questions to clarify that acceptance of the EIS did not in anyway demonstrate support for or ensure approval of the project.

Commissioner Teves requested that the Commission perform a site visit to “see the so-called commercial use of the property in its present form, to see if it is true or not.”

What does this mean for the future of the purple spot?

It means that the formal one-year process to decide whether to rezone this part of Lualualei Valley from ag to urban has started.  The hearing on the actual rezoning decision will be held on September 9, 2010 at 9:30 before the Land Use Commission.

It also means that the developer will have a very hard time arguing that this industrial park proposal is consistent with Waianae’s Community Sustainability Plan, since the current has no purple spot allowing for industrialization of this area… and the amended one with the purple spot has not been adopted by the Honolulu City Council.  In fact, staff at the city said they don’t expect the Waianae Community Sustainability Plan to come before the Council the Fall of 2010.

Last month, we went to the Land Use Commission for the proposed rezoning of agriculture land to industrial land in the back of Lualualei Valley. From the moment I got there I felt lost–the actual hearing room is tucked away on the 4th floor with very little signage.  The building is set with a corridor that goes around in a square with rooms toward the outside of the building and then a bigger square room in the center (although it’s not very big either).  Before I realized the layout looked like a racetrack I was wandering around in a circle and ran into 4 other people looking for the LUC!  I ducked into one of the offices and got directions.  When we got to  the actual hearing room I was shocked at how small it was!  This is the room where some of the most important decisions about Hawai’i's land and our access to that land happens… in this itty bitty place?!

It doesn’t inspire confidence that the commission that decides on how the space on our island is used, haven’t done such a good job managing their own space!  There are tables arranged in a long rectangle with a big empty puka in the middle!  This leaves enough space for a single ring of people to sit and stand around 3 of the 4 walls of the room.  Everybody else has to overflow into the hallway where you can’t hear anything! Also, the guy who has the job of passing out printed materials from the testifiers sits on the other end of the rectangle and has to shimmy along the wall behind the commissioners to get the documents. There must be a better layout!

The point of my rant is that this kind of space doesn’t encourage public participation!  Moreover, having the hearings during the workday prevents many people from participating.  There must be a better way!

Last weekend we hosted the third Environmental Justice tour of Wai’anae.  We had a nice mix of people hailing from different parts of the island and from many different backgrounds–professors, students, locals, newcomers, young, and not so young–it was great. Before I begin the breakdown of what we saw, I just have to say mahalo to the Wai’anae aunties who always inspire me–if every community had a cadre of aunties like them, surely the world would be a better place.  They know and love their aina and will protect her with the same zeal that anyone would fight for their grandma or grandpa.

On our tour we heard many stories about the landscape of the area.  I’ve always loved the mountains in Wai’anae, but now I really see them differently!  We watched the demi-god Maui being born, two lovers greeting each other in the mist, and even mano (sharks) in the mountains!  We saw Hina’s cave and beautiful Makua Valley (although currently occupied by the US Military).  Along the way we also saw some not so beautiful things.  We drove by PVT, a construction landfill which houses especially hazardous materials oftentimes from construction demolitions.  There is a giant mountain of asbestos that is literally stories high, right next to a neighborhood.  We were all shocked to see that there was nothing but a thin black piece of material between someone’s backyard and the asbestos mountain, jokingly named Pu’u ‘Opala–Rubbish Mountain.

Pu'u 'Opala looking into PVT Landfill

This is the flimsy cloth barrier that supposedly protects the people who live in the neighboring community.

Look closely, that light brown line cutting the picture horizontally is the top of the asbestos hill. Much higher than the flimsy cloth barrier "protecting" the residents.

The place where the beautiful and pollutant met was at the base of the mountains, near PVT.  We got off the bus and were greeted by 2 horses.  This is the site that they are trying to get changed from agriculture to industrial land.  I cannot imagine a landfill in such a pristine place. We held this bus tour to ask the participants to stand in solidarity with this community to fight off the “purple spot”–which is what this proposed industrial zone would look like on a map.  You can go here to learn more and sign a petition!

We ended the tour up at MA’O Farms to show us a system that is working in Wai’anae, in stark contrast to the dumps and proposed dumps that are not a good fit.  Mahalo to Kamu Enos for showing us around! We even got to learn about sustainable building practices using materials that were all locally sourced.  MA’O answers back to all the people who think that Wai’anae is too dry to grow food!

Wai'anae is not too dry to grow 'ono food! Happy veggies.

Mahalo to all the aunties for showing us what aloha aina feels like.  I loved hearing them gush about the legends of Wai’anae!  I truly will never see Wai’anae the same again.  Our next bus tour is July 24, leave a comment if you want to reserve your spot!

Mahalo to Candace Fujikane for the pictures!

The plan must be approved by the Council for the City and County of Honolulu before it becomes law. We are asking Councilmembers to reject the “purple spot” and protect agricultural lands throughout the Wai‘anae Coast.

Become a spot remover! You can sign this petition to tell Councilmembers NO to more loss of precious rural agricultural lands! And NO to government that serves wealthy developers over the interests of local families and communities!

You can learn more and sign the petition at: http://tiny.cc/purplespotpetition
View, download and share the informational fact sheet here: http://tiny.cc/purplespotinfo