Private lots don’t have to let electric cars park for free

Question: I have an electric car and have been able to park at city lots for free. But on a recent Saturday night, I was charged $3 for parking at Alii Place, with the parking attendant claiming that it was a private lot. Since Alii Place was built on a former municipal lot, the deal was that the lot retained its character as a city lot. I therefore assumed I was entitled to free parking for the electric car. Am I wrong in my understanding?

Answer: Yes, as far as parking for electric vehicles goes, according to city officials.

The parking garage at Alii Place, at Alakea, Hotel and Richards streets, is listed under “attendant parking facilities” in Section 15-23.2A of the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu.

However, Alii Place is not a city parking facility, according to both the departments of Facility Maintenance and Transportation Services.

Under terms of its city contract, the building owner is required to offer a certain number of parking stalls at city rates.

“But they’re not obliged to follow the electric vehicle parking rules, which apply only to government-owned and -operated garages and lots, where the government agency receives the net proceeds of the parking revenues,” said Transportation Services Director Michael Formby.

From 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, the city rate for parking at Alii Place is 75 cents per half hour for the first two hours, and $1.50 per half hour thereafter. From 5 p.m. to midnight Mondays through Fridays, and from 6 a.m. to midnight on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, the rate is 50 cents per half hour, to a maximum of $3.

Q: I see city buses with a rainbow design. This is nothing serious, but the rainbows are upside down. Why can’t they correct that? We’re an island paradise with beautiful rainbows that I see all the time in the back of our valley. But in Honolulu, the buses have all the colors upside down.

A: The “upside down” rainbows are the result of artistic license. Buses that sport that look gradually will be phased out.

The design in question “reflects the artistic license of the designer” and was introduced during former Mayor Jeremy Harris’ administration, said Michael Formby, director of the Department of Transportation Services.

The design is on 112 buses purchased from 2002 to 2004.

Since 2004, DTS has specified a “three-color straight-line design as the exterior paint scheme for all new buses,” Formby said.

That yellow-orange design is painted on the buses at the factory, while the rainbow design is “a decal wrap,” he said. “The rainbow design will eventually be phased out as the vehicles bearing this design are retired or require repainting.”

For the record, Mother Nature’s rainbows, from top to bottom, are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.

Mahalo

To Herman, who walks on Kahekili Highway/Hui Iwa Street to the Toyota dealership on Kamehameha Highway, through Kaneohe town and back on Kahekili every other day picking up rubbish, glass and everything else. He keeps our roads clean in Kaneohe and hauls the rubbish once a week. He even spends his own money on trash bags. Herman, your efforts have not gone unnoticed. — A Lifelong Kaneohe Resident

Mahalo

To a Good Samaritan named Robert. On Dec. 22, after paying our respects

to the late Sen. Daniel Inouye at the state Capitol, I lost my wallet. Robert found it in the ‘Iolani Palace parking lot and drove all the way to Pearl City that night to return it intact. Not accepting any compensation, he wished me “Happy Holidays.” I’m so fortunate and thankful to you, Robert. May you be blessed tenfold for your kindness and honesty! Also, mahalo to Sheriff’s deputies Messich and Jaentsch and others who helped me after I discovered my wallet was missing. — Karen/A Grateful Retiree

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