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Question: So how many of those New Year’s Eve aerial extravaganzas on Oahu were legal?
Answer: Eight shows, if you count each firing time listed in the total of five display permits issued by the Honolulu fire chief.
Aloha Tower Marketplace (four firing times, on the hour, starting at 9 p.m.), the Hilton Hawaiian Village Lagoon (11:45 p.m.), the Kahala Hotel and Resort (midnight), a barge off Waikiki (midnight) and a barge off Kahala Avenue (10:30 p.m.) were the only locations with such permits New Year’s Eve, according to the Honolulu Fire Department.
Obviously, aerials were exploding in countless other locations, in violation of Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 132D, which makes it unlawful to possess or use aerial fireworks on Oahu without a display permit issued by the chief of the Honolulu Fire Department. You can read the statute, known as the Fireworks Control Law, at 808ne.ws/fireworkslaw2.
Section 132D-16 explains the requirements for an Oahu display permit, which include verifying that a licensed pyrotechnic operator will be in charge and that the applicant has sufficient insurance and surety bonding to cover the damage if something goes wrong. Permit requirements are much stricter for aerial fireworks than for firecrackers, which are allowed under a simple consumer permit.
Q: Auwe to all those people setting off fireworks on the city streets and leaving a big mess behind. And just when so many have been repaved!
A: After being off for a holiday break, Kokua Line returned to numerous voicemails complaining about illegal New Year’s revelry and questions about whether the seemingly ubiquitous pyrotechnics had damaged newly repaired streets. The callers did not mention precise locations, but we followed up to see whether the city was aware of any damage. Ross Sasamura, director of the Department of Facility Maintenance, replied:
“The Department of Facility Maintenance has not received any direct reports of damage to city streets from permitted or unpermitted fireworks. Ideally, it would be best if all city streets were spared the high temperatures, gases, flames and staining from exposure to fireworks. Intense and repeated application of high heat to asphalt and concrete surfaces may result in damage. Any pavement damage to city streets caused by fireworks or fire, in addition to the dropping or dragging of heavy objects, paint and/or chemical spills, graffiti, etc. should be reported immediately to DFM by calling 768-3343.”
As callers alluded, the city recently announced that it had repaved 332 lane miles on Oahu in 2016 and is ahead of schedule in its five-year goal to repave1,500 lane miles by the end of 2017. Since January 2013 the city has repaved 1,309 lane miles, and expects to finish at least another 300 within the next 12 months. The municipal government has jurisdiction over a total of 3,517 lane miles on Oahu, according to the announcement.
Q: Is the Maunawili Falls Trail closed now?
A: Not yet, according to the city.
The city has authorized the landowner, HRT Realty LLC, to close the trail until October while the landowner works toward a solution that allows public access without trampling on the rights of adjacent Maunawili Estate residents, whose properties have been overrun by tourists and others drawn to the trail by social media.
However, the landowner can’t close the trailhead until after it notifies the city in writing about when and how it intends to do so, according to a news release from the city’s Department of Planning and Permitting. DPP expects the landowner to address the problems promptly, but as of Friday had not received a closure plan, a spokesman said.
Mahalo
My son had lost his wallet on a bike path in Pearl City. Surprise! He received his wallet in the mail from an anonymous angel. To whoever found and mailed it, I appreciate your thoughtfulness and honesty. — Mahalo from a grateful mom, G.B.
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.
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