Letter: Property never had public right-of-way

I bought my Portlock house in 1982. The driveway to my house, and a footpath, are private property. It has never been a public right-of-way.

My driveway, unfortunately, has been a magnet for drug users, vandals and homeless people who trespass illegally over my property because there is a patch of sand at the end at low tide.

They would come onto our property at night, defecating on our lanai, leaving broken liquor bottles, etc.

Police who came to our house for the many incidents said, Why don’t you put up a gate? It’s your property. Finally, my wife and I took the advice.

But now City Councilman Trevor Ozawa wants to confiscate my driveway and footpath at taxpayer expense (“Honolulu Councilman blames mayor for stalling beach access plan,” Star-Advertiser. Oct. 24). He says people are prevented from the ocean by a private property owner. But people have other accessible lanes nearby: Two are about 50 yards to the right and to the left of my house. Surfers and fishermen use them every day.

Today it is my property they are intending to confiscate. Tomorrow it may be yours.

Bert Dohmen

Portlock

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