Resident Denise Jackson, who regularly strolls down Kahala Beach with her dog, Sasha, is disturbed by the sight of overgrown weeds that blanket a vacant oceanfront lot.
"This is disastrous," said Jackson as she stood on the fine, sandy beach, looking at the parcel owned by Japanese real estate tycoon Genshiro Kawamoto. "The guy needs to take control of his property. He has the money. I don’t understand why he can’t do anything."
Kawamoto owns a string of run-down and unsightly properties along Kahala Avenue. While the city Department of Planning and Permitting said Kawamoto has paid all fines and corrected violations, some residents from the affluent neighborhood argue that more needs to be done to address the ongoing lack of upkeep.
Attorney Richard Turbin, who lives around the corner from the weedy parcel, said the city needs to impose harsher penalties against property owners like Kawamoto who fail to maintain their land.
The billionaire recently paid $3,000 to the Department of Planning and Permitting for violations on three properties, bringing the total amount of fines he has paid to $38,000.
Turbin calls that sum "laughable" and criticizes the city for taking too passive an approach to the problem.
The fines are chump change to a billionaire like Kawamoto, said Turbin, who ran for the City Council in 2010.
"If the fines started amounting in the millions rather than the thousands, even a billionaire would stand up and take notice," said Turbin. He proposed the city increase the daily fine to $500 from $50 for violators.
Art Challacombe, chief of customer service at the planning department, said the range of fines matches the severity and circumstances of the violation.
By law the department has the authority to impose a maximum initial fine of $1,000 and $1,000 a day against violators.
But generally that is reserved for life-threatening violations like a sparking wire, not "nuisance" violations like weeds.
However, because of recurring violations on three properties, Kawamoto was fined the maximum, which accounted for the $3,000 he recently paid to the city.
Kawamoto, who owns about 20 properties in Kahala, most on Kahala Avenue, has been cited over the last few years on violations ranging from improper grading to weed overgrowth.
Most fines start at $50, plus $50 per day until the problem is corrected.
"With as many properties as he currently owns, the fines add up," said Challacombe.
He noted the department’s mission is to gain compliance, not punish people or make money.
"We want people to abide by the code," he said. "We will do whatever we need to do to make that happen."
No code violations are pending against Kawamoto. If the permitting department is informed of a legitimate complaint, officials will address it, said Challacombe.
Turbin said overgrowth on Kawamoto’s vacant properties is a health and safety problem in that it attracts vermin, the homeless and illegal activity.
At least two properties have been hit by vandals. One is a vacant beachfront house at 4585 Kahala Ave., which Kawamoto bought for $9.7 million in 2005. Another is a two-story mansion at 4758 Kahala Ave., which property records say is worth $1.6 million.
It’s unclear exactly when the walls and windows were defaced.
Challacombe said Kawamoto informed planning department officials recently that he is looking to retain someone on a permanent basis to look after his properties.
Kawamoto could not be reached for comment.
Scotty Anderson, chairman of the Waialae-Kahala Neighborhood Board, said the community just wants Kawamoto to take care of his land.
"All anyone wants is to have his properties not be an eyesore for the community," Anderson said.
