Maunawili Community Association

MUSE, Volume 5, Issue 3, August 2002

MUSE, Volume 5, Issue 3, August 2002, Page 1

SATURDAY - SEPTEMBER 21, 2002

PRIMARY ELECTION DAY
DON'T FORGET TO VOTE

MAUNAWILI COMMUNTITY
GARAGE SALE
8:00 AM TO NOON
REGISTER NOW¡ªsee flyer
¡?? ¡?? ¡?? ¡?? TUESDAY - OCTOBER 2, 2002
CANDIDATE NIGHT¡ªsee flyer
¡?? ¡?? ¡?? ¡??
Our ¡°Meet your Neighbor¡± gathering at the park on Saturday August 3rd was a great success. Over 60 residents attended, bringing family and friends. Food was abundant and a good time was had by all!
¡?? ¡?? ¡?? Mail is still being stolen from home mail boxes. The MCA does not place items in your mail boxes without proper postage and handling by the Postal Service. We are pursuing the installation of a Federal Outgoing Mail Box for the Maunawili residents to address the continuing mail theft situation.
¡?? ¡?? ¡?? ¡?? Coqui Frog has been collected in Waimanalo recently by the Oahu Invasive Species Committee¡ªsee report.
¡?? ¡?? ¡?? ¡?? Luana Hills Golf Club, Weinberg HRT is requesting DLNR (Na Ala Hele Trails) to give HRT ownership of the Maunawili Old Government Road in a ¡°quit claim¡± process. Luana Hills proposes the building of a Food Service Facility, Pitch ¡®N Putt and a Golf Academy on the 150 Acres of undeveloped Golf Course land adjacent to Maunawili Estates¡ªsee report.
¡?? ¡?? ¡?? ¡?? Kailua Historical Society is pursuing the acquisition, management and restoration of the Queen¡¯s Bath, Hedeman home and adjacent historical archeological features in Maunawili Valley.
¡?? ¡?? ¡?? ¡?? Your Board of Directors and Officers of the MCA continue to seek information and resolve issues on your behalf. They are:
¡?? ¡?? ¡?? ¡?? Acting President
& Vice-President: David Laeha 261-2419
President: Ed Gomes 262-5265
Treasurer: Rose Faria 261-1226
Secretary: Linda Ure 263-3093
Directors: Jim Corcoran
Suzy Hemmings
Virginia Fine
MUSE Editor: Linda Ure
¡?? ¡?? ¡?? MUSE ADS

Susan Johnston Hemmings (RA)
Previews Property Specialist
¡°The Maunawili Expert¡±
Call for a free Market Analysis
Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties
808-597-5563 Direct Line
808-342-0077 Cell
808-593-2944 Fax
suzyhemmings@aol.com

MUSE, Volume 5, Issue 3, August 3, 2002, Cont'd

Coqui Frog Crises and the Oahu Invasive Species Committee
August 14, 2002

The Coqui frog threat has reached emergency proportions. At the August 14 meeting of the Oahu Invasive Species Committee (OISC) it was announced that the Coqui frog is now present in Waimanalo. Earlier reports placed the intrusive ¡°call¡± of the Coqui frog at Kahaluu.

Fred Kraus, Hawaii State DLNR Alien Species coordinator said ¡°the frogs may threaten the isle economy by bothering tourists at hotels, lowering property values and inhibiting the export of tropical fruits and flowers¡± (ABC News, December 28, 2001).

The August 14 OISC meeting revealed that the State government is not using any of the 3 tons of caffeine to eradicate the Coqui frogs on Oahu. The Cayetano administration isn¡¯t using the caffeine to eradicate the frogs because requirements are ¡°restrictive¡± (site selection & protection/employee safety/recordkeeping, etc.) even though the Federal EPA, last year, authorized the use of a 2% Caffeine-water solution ¡°to control the Coqui . . . on outdoor ornamental plants, in nurseries and residential areas, parks, hotels and resorts, and forest habitats from September 27, 2001 to September 27, 2002¡± (U.S. EPA, Sec. 18, n. d. Product ID No. 2001-3).

The Hawaii State Agricultural Department reported limited, small-scale ¡°testing¡± of a Caffeine solution on-going in August 2002. Media reports stated that commercial nurseries refuse to use the caffeine solution ¡°because of the record keeping¡± (Honolulu Star Bulletin, 020707). The admin requirements are not excessively burdensome; and are nothing compared to the risk to business, environment, economy, and life-style if the Coqui frog becomes permanent on Oahu.

Media and other sources indicate that private businesses have pressured the Hawaii State Legislature and government employees to avoid control of invasive species by law and regulations. One example was the defeat of legislation requiring inspection of plants between islands. No inspection is allowed unless the agriculture inspector first spots a Coqui frog on the plant (the frog lives in the roots and is silent in daylight). Noting that, unlike the Caribbean, in Hawaii the frog has no natural enemy to control its population and will number up to 8,000 frogs per acre and consume 46,000 prey items (indigenous crickets, spiders, etc.)/ acre/night, Tim Ohashi, U.S. Department of Agriculture recently stated ¡°On the Big Island we think we can contain them. We don¡¯t thing we can eradicate them.¡± (HSB 020707). Reports of frog-infested areas on Oahu are now showing growth from 20 areas to more areas.

On November 1, 2001, the Kailua Neighborhood Board voted to push the Hawaii State Government to take immediate action to protect Oahu from damage by the Coqui frog. On August 1, 2002, the KNB No. 31 passed a resolution (14 ayes, 1 abstention) advising Governor Cayetano to declare an ecological emergency in order to gain immediate Federal funding and assistance as well as any and all other emergency actions within the power of his office.

On the Big Island of Hawaii, the Coqui went from 30 known areas to permanent occupation of the Big Island in a short period of about 18 months.

As of August, 2002, the Cayetano administration has still not taken effective action to eradicate the Coqui frog on Oahu.

Jim Corcoran, Director MCA
Linda C Ure, Secretary MCA

MUSE, Volume 5, Issue 3, August 3, 2002 Cont'd

Maunawili Old Government Road, Weinberg Foundation, and State Na Ala Hele Meeting.
August 13, 2002


At the regular meeting of the Hawaii State Na Ala Hele Trails Committee for Oahu, August 13, 2002, Keith Kurahashi, Planning and Zoning Consultant for Weinberg Foundation, owner (through HRT) of Luana Hills Golf Course, requested the State DLNR to transfer ownership of Maunawili Old Government Road to Weinberg (HRT) by use of the ¡°quit-claim¡± process.
Kurahashi said that Weinberg (HRT) wants the road because it passes through Weinberg (HRT) land. The road is owned by the State (the people) of Hawaii, and the City issued a CUP, case no. 85/CUP-20 to the previous owner ¡°to provide public access through their property as a condition of the issuance of the permit¡± (BLNR, Land Court Notice of Ownership of the State of Hawaii of the Old Government Road at Maunawili, Kailua, Oahu, TMK: 4-2, April 26, 1995).
State DLNR had begun negotiations with the previous owner (Y.Y. Valley Corporation) ¡°to sell portions of Old Government Road in exchange for public access, access for hiking, equestrian and bicycle use¡± in the Maunawili Valley (Ibid.). Negotiations were not completed.
Kurahashi and Arron Lowe, Director, Oahu Na Ala Hele Trails and Access, had previously walked the ground and discussed the possibility of the State transferring Old Government Road to Weinberg (HRT) in exchange for some favors: completion of a contour trail along the south side of Olomana Mountain, a parking lot for hikers (built but closed) on ¡°Luana Hills¡± road between the sewer pumping station and the bridge, a new parking lot across the street from the Hedeman house, and a comfort station next to that parking lot. Lowe also said that the last parking lot could allow access to the Na Ala Hele Maunawili Falls Trail, thereby eliminating two crossings downstream.
Jim Corcoran, Director, MCA, and Kailua Neighborhood Board member, invited Kurahashi and Na Ala Hele to come talk to the Kailua Neighborhood Board and the Maunawili Community Association because these plans are unknown to Board and Association members. Kurahashi said he would meet with the Community Association if Weinberg Foundation authorizes him to do so. Lowe said he will meet with the Board and the Assocaiton.
The Kailua Neighborhood Board passed a resolution on January 4, 2001 which, among other things, opposes housing or other construction development in Maunawili Valley; houses or building complexes would spoil the pristine nature of Maunawili Valley. Public facilities (increased traffic, sewers, new roads, electricity, school capacity, mail delivery, water, suburban pollution to Maunawili Stream, and other factors) played into the Board¡¯s decision.
Kurahashi informed Corcoran on August 13, 2002, that Weinberg/HRT is planning to build a ¡°Golf Academy,¡± a food service facility, and a ¡°pitch and putt¡± area on the Golf Course land.
The City Council has budgeted about $4 million for purchase of about 900 acres of land toward the back of Maunawili Valley for use as the City¡¯s ¡°Windward Regional Park¡± for hiking, equestrian, bicycling, educational and camping potential use (C&C Bill 100, 2001.)
The City Council also budgeted about $6 million for establishment of a ¡°Conservation Easement¡± across Weinberg/HRT land which would, in turn, allow public access to ¡°Windward Regional Park,¡± and prevent housing or building development in Maunawili Valley (C&C Bill 100, 2002).
Mr. Kurahashi informed Corcoran on August 13, 2002 that Weinberg Foundation is now asking for more money, and that negotiations between Weinberg Foundation and the City for the Conservation Easement are stalled. He said he planned to meet with City Managing Director Ben Lee sometime toward the end of August to see if the City can come to some agreement.

Jim Corcoran, Director MCA
Linda Ure, Secretary, MCA

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