Honolulu mayor rejects city councilman’s plea to halt construction project at Waimanalo Bay Beach Park

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell on Friday rejected a request by City Councilman Ikaika Anderson to put the brakes on the controversial construction of athletic fields and other improvements at Waimanalo Bay Beach Park — at least for now.

Anderson, a longtime supporter of the Waimanalo Bay Beach Park Master Plan, urged Caldwell in a letter Friday to pause the project due to community concerns about potential harm to Hawaiian hoary bats.

But Caldwell, noting that canceling the first phase would cost taxpayers as much as $300,000, said the city is following the advice of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which recommended in the project’s final environmental assessment that clearing woody plants over 15 feet tall should not occur after June 1 to protect the young bats.

“The city has informed the contractor that all grubbing work for Phase 1 needs to be finished by the end of this month as mandated by the EA,” the mayor said in a statement responding to Anderson.

Caldwell added, “The city will thereafter review, in cooperation with Council member Anderson, whether to proceed with any additional work phases.”

Phase 1 includes a multipurpose field, a play apparatus and an 11-stall parking lot at the cost of $1.43 million.

Opponents of the plan said they were surprised last month to learn that trees and brush were being knocked over at the 75-acre park region, also known as Sherwood Forest or Sherwood Beach. They say the project will eliminate green space and bring more visitors and traffic congestion to Waimanalo.

But supporters say more athletic fields are needed in Waimanalo, especially as more homes are being built in the area.

In his letter, Anderson said community members pointed out an inconsistency in the various plans for the project. Specifically, an earlier version of the master plan recommended halting the clearing of trees and shrubs between April 15 and Aug. 15.

“This inconsistency coupled with a general concern for the well-being of the hoary bats does give good reason for us to pause the current work to honor the April 15 cease-work date,” Anderson said.

But Caldwell said the final environmental plan supersedes the draft plan.

“Therefore, the city will be proceeding with grubbing work until the end of this month and then such work will stop,” he said.

Future phases are expected to include walking trails, restrooms, picnic facilities and camping sites, among other things.