Wedding sites marketed by model hit with fines

Two beachfront houses in Aina Haina once marketed as potential destination wedding locations by former swimsuit model Kathy Ireland have suspended business while owners attempt to resolve more than $140,000 in unpaid city fines over charges of illegally conducting weddings in at least one of the homes.

A property listed at 5505 Kalanianaole Highway has been racking up $250 a day in fines since November 2011. Ireland is recorded as a part-owner of both properties, which are listed on her destination weddings website. A message says the site is no longer accepting reservations for weddings or events.

Art Challacombe, deputy director of the city Department of Planning and Permitting, said the property’s owners and tenant were warned in November 2010 and given 30 days to correct the matter. A year later, after two extensions, the violations still had not been corrected, and the property was fined $250 and given an additional 15 days before daily fines of $250 were levied.

An appeal by owners was withdrawn in August. The department has been working since February with the city Corporation Counsel to place a lien on the property, Challacombe said.

Meanwhile, business has been suspended at both sites, said Tommy Mehauri, bookings manager for the properties.

"They (city officials) interpreted the land act ordinance differently than we do," he said. "We thought we were doing exactly what John Henry Felix did, and they think we’re not.

"We’re communicating with them to figure out how we can get it to be correct."

Felix, a former city councilman, paid $49,500 in 2004 to settle three years’ worth of fines stemming from similar charges of operating a wedding business at his Aina Haina home. Felix, who said he paid the fines rather than fight City Hall, corrected the problem and continued operations.