Question: I live in Kapahulu, where residential parking is tight. A neighbor painted the curb in front of his house red, to reserve parking for himself and his family. Is this legal? I don’t think it is, but I want to find out for sure that a homeowner doesn’t own the street parking in front of his house. If this is illegal, who do I call?
Answer: No, it is not legal for Oahu residents to create do-it-yourself no-parking zones on city streets. You may report the violation by filing a problem report with the city online at 808ne.ws/26mxZF5 or by calling the Department of Transportation Services’ Traffic Engineering Division; for urban Honolulu the number is 768-8334.
For city roads, red curbs are not used or allowed except at bus stops and passenger loading zones; those locations are predetermined and on the city’s legal schedule, said Michael Formby, DTS director.
“If the city learns of the address of an illegally painted red curb and who painted the red curb, we typically ask the homeowner to remove the red curb as its presence is in violation of the law. If the city is unable to determine who painted the illegal red curb, we issue a work order to the Department of Facility Maintenance and request they remove the red curb,” Formby said.
Q: I noticed a man trying to get into my neighbors’ yard. He said he worked for the Board of Water Supply, but something just didn’t seem right so I told him he should come back when they were home. He left right away. I don’t know these neighbors very well. Now I am wondering whether I did the right thing. … What should I do now?
A: The fact that the person left right away without presenting any BWS credential indicates that he may have been an impersonator intent on robbing the place, which the Honolulu Board of Water Supply warned about last month.
The agency advised that anyone who observes such suspicious activity should call 911 at the time of the incident, to alert the Honolulu Police Department.
Now, after the fact, you should let your neighbor know that you intervened and also call the BWS at 748-5041 to report what you saw. Be prepared to provide as much information as you can, including the date, time and location of the incident, as well as a description of the person.
The agency received two reports in mid-July that people had falsely claimed to work for the BWS to access private property. The agency has not received any new reports since then, said Kathleen M. Pahinui, BWS information officer.
Board of Water Supply employees will be properly credentialed, wearing official attire with the BWS logo, driving BWS-marked vehicles and carrying an official City and County of Honolulu badge, with the agency identified as the BWS, the agency emphasized.
Absent all those indicators, you were wise to trust your instincts. You may have prevented your neighbors’ house from being robbed.
Reoccupied
The pedestrian island at Atkinson Drive and Ala Moana Boulevard did not stay cleared for long. The site was again occupied by homeless people shortly after being vacated and cleaned Friday. Scott Mori-shige, Gov. David Ige’s point person on homelessness, said Monday that the state would continue to pursue a deal giving the city enforcement rights on the property, which is under the state Department of Transportation’s jurisdiction. Outreach workers also will keep up their efforts, he said; shelter space is available.
Mahalo
Mahalo nui loa to the person who found my driver’s license on 11th Avenue in Kaimuki and immediately mailed it to the post office box listed on the license. It is a wonderful feeling to know that we live in a great city where the Golden Rule is still in place. We were on our way to the airport, and I couldn’t believe that I didn’t have my license for ID when I arrived at Hawaiian Airlines’ drive-thru check-in. Luckily we live close enough that I had time to drive home and pick up my U.S. passport so I could get on my flight to see my 99-year-old mother (very important!). I am very grateful to this good Samaritan as I just returned from my trip, and there was my driver’s license at my post office box! We are so lucky to live Hawaii! — Much aloha, Jan Davis
Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
