I have been surfing the Kewalo area for more than 40 years.

This is a magical place for me, my family and many other local people who share the same ocean lifestyle.

It is a place to relax and relieve stress, be with friends and enjoy the beautiful scenery. I call it our little piece of “country” in the hustle and bustle of the city. 

I have seen many changes, some good and some bad. The good are the Kewalo Basin Park and the Kakaako Waterfront Park, which were built to benefit the people and preserve access to the ocean.

The bad are all the residential high-rises that have sprung up within the last 15 years, forever changing the landscape of Honolulu. I know for a fact that more are slated to come, taxing our infrastructure and increasing density and traffic. The good part was that they were all built on the mauka side of Ala Moana Boulevard, preserving the makai land for the people to access the ocean.

All of this came to a head in 2005 when the state planned to sell public land in Kakaako Makai to a private developer to build luxury residential high-rises on this last public oceanfront land in Honolulu.

People of all ages and all walks of life rallied, and with the help of legislators, a law was passed prohibiting any residential development and sale of public land in Kakaako Makai. This law virtually stopped the project and preserved the land for the people. 

The work was not over. For the next five years, the community worked with the Hawaii Community Development Authority (the state agency governing Kakaako Makai) and created the Kakaako Makai conceptual master plan, which includes a vision (a people’s gathering place) and 14 guiding principles.

In May 2011, it became official, with the adoption of the plan by HCDA. Now, all developers must review this plan to determine if their plans are a good fit. Kakaako Makai can become a jewel of this city, if it is planned right, using the master plan as a basis.

To my surprise and disappointment, there is a bill going through the Legislature that may virtually undo all the hard work that has been done to preserve this land. 

Senate Bill 682 will allow an exception to the no-residential law and allow residential development on two public parcels in Kakaako Makai.

My worst fear is that this will set a bad precedent for more exceptions and ultimately open the door for more residential developments on this makai land.

Another Waikiki in the making? It is too late for Waikiki, but not for Kakaako Makai.

Once you build residential, the land becomes private. Only the residents can use the land. 

I understand that housing and jobs are important for the economy. However, there is a time and place for everything. Recreational areas and parks are just as important because they contribute to the well-being of everyone. When everyone is happy, the world becomes a better place.

I respectfully ask the Legislature to please stop SB 682 and keep Kakaako Makai for all the people of Hawaii. Present and the future generations will thank you for it.