Question: My family went to the Pali Lookout recently and noticed that there is now paid parking. Where does that money go? Is it paying for maintenance of the land? What are they having to do there that they didn’t do before?
Answer: The fee at the Nu’uanu Pali State Wayside, more familiarly known as the Pali Lookout, is charged to nonresidents and commercial vehicles and was instituted in March 2010 as part of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ "Recreational Renaissance" plan.
The plan calls for protecting and enhancing the state’s natural and cultural assets by charging fees to maintain parks, hiking trails and small boat harbors.
There currently are fees at three other state sites on the neighbor islands.
Fees are not earmarked for a specific location. Instead, they all go into the State Park Special Fund and support "operating shortfalls in Hawaii’s state park system for payroll, utilities and basic park operations," said DLNR spokeswoman Deborah Ward.
At the Pali, visitors are charged $3 per vehicle, while commercial vehicles are charged $6, $12 or $24 per vehicle, depending on the number of passengers that can be carried.
The state collects about $300,000 a year at the Pali Lookout.
DLNR receives $26,000 a month or 70 percent of the gross, while the parking vendor, Makai Parking Inc., gets the rest, Ward said.
"We spend no (money) on this arrangement," she said. The "vendor makes less than we do," but she declined to specify that amount, saying it might affect future bids for the job.
Makai Parking, which has a five-year contract, has "had difficulty in receiving payment from some of the smaller commercial companies, and (the State Parks Division) has sent letters indicating it is a violation of Hawaii Administrative Rules to not pay the fees approved by the Board (of Land and Natural Resources)," Ward said. "This has helped to ensure that payments are made."
Asked if there is any difference at the Pali Lookout since the fees began, Ward said maintenance has remained the same but vehicle safety has improved.
"Management is the same as it has been, except that due to the presence of parking staff, there has been a dramatic reduction of vehicle break-ins," she said.
Meanwhile, state parks officials are trying to interest "porta-potty" vendors in setting up at the Pali "now that the wayside is generating additional income," Ward said. "It has been difficult to get interest due to the perception of either heavy use or vandalism."
STATE PARKS FEES
Out-of-state visitors and operators of commercial vehicles pay parking or entrance fees at the following state parks, monuments and recreation areas: Iao Valley State Monument on Maui and Akaka Falls State Park and Hapuna Beach State Recreational Area on Hawaii island.
The fees are $5 per vehicle for nonresidents and $1 for pedestrians, mopeds and motorcycles.
Fees for commercial vehicles are $10, $20 or $40, depending on the number of passengers that can be carried.
Fees have been approved for, but have not yet been imposed at, four other state-maintained parks: Makena State Park on Maui and Kokee State Park, Waimea Canyon State Park and Haena State Park on Kauai.
MAHALO
To Gavin Henry of Oceanic Cable and Steven, who risked their lives in January, stopping their cars along the H-2 freeway during heavy afternoon traffic, to render aid to my brother. He had suffered a massive heart attack and, sadly, did not survive. It takes very courageous and noble human beings to want to help a complete stranger, and I am incredibly grateful that they were there for my brother until the very end. Police on scene that day also thanked them because, in their line of duty, they have come upon people with a medical emergency who were completely alone. Our family is indebted to Gavin and Steven. God bless you both. — Nadine Grace
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