Question: Regarding the vacation rentals, is there a way to check zoning without knowing an exact address?
Answer: Yes. The city Department of Planning and Permitting has a new web page that links to parcel maps showing where short-term rentals are permitted by zoning in Kahala, Waikiki, Ko Olina, Laie, Ewa, Makaha and Kahuku (Kuilima). Permitted areas are highlighted (such as in pink, for resort zones), and unpermitted areas are left blank.
As the DPP explains, rentals of less than 30 days are allowed only in resort zones and in certain apartment- zoned districts on Oahu, unless the unit has a nonconforming use certificate (NUC).
The website is at 808ne.ws/dppstr. You’ll find the links to the zoning maps on the home page.
You can also link to the list of Oahu properties that hold NUCs from this page; click on “Approved STRs” in the left column.
Some elements of the web page remain under construction, and an FAQ that was previously available has been removed, at least temporarily. But the general parcel maps and list of NUCs remained accessible as of deadline Tuesday.
Q: Thanks for the update about the Waipahu and Pearl City pools, but what about Waialua? Seems like it has been closed forever.
A: “The project to repair the water line and address the bonding issue at the Waialua District Park pool is scheduled to go out to bid before the end of this year. We are expecting construction to be completed by the fall of 2020. In the meantime, we encourage the public to explore the other available pool locations by visiting bit.ly/HonoluluPools,” said Nate Serota, a spokesman for the city Department of Parks and Recreation.
The Waialua pool has been closed since at least April 2018 due to what the city described then as damage caused by a water main break. “The bonding issue was discovered following assessment of the damaged water line. It is what contributed to the delay in the overall repairs,” Serota said Tuesday.
Monday’s column about the long closures of the Waipahu and Pearl City pools prompted responses from numerous readers, including several who also wanted to know about Waialua.
Others expressed general frustration about the pace of repairs, as in the following comment: “Auwe! Maybe the city should get out of the pool business entirely if it will take three years to repair the Waipahu swimming pool! Imagine if any of our hotels treated their guests like this! Absurd! The Parks and Recreation spokesperson says it’s all about public safety. Really? Time to contract this responsibility out to the private sector!”
As Monday’s column said, problems with electrical bonding have delayed the Waipahu pool’s reopening, after other repairs were completed. The Pearl City and Waialua pools have similar problems. A pool’s electrical system, which powers pumps, lights and heaters, must be bonded, or pool users could be shocked in the water or when they touch a pool railing, for example.
Other readers wanted to know how many of Oahu’s community swimming pools are closed until further notice. The answer is three out of 21, based on notices posted on the DPR’s website.
Auwe
The King Street “campers” on the sidewalk near Old Stadium Park are blocking the parking meters, making it difficult if not impossible for motorists to park legally in that area. Depending on how the tent or tarp is set up, it’s difficult or impossible for passengers to exit or enter the car, not to mention difficult or impossible to feed the meters. It feels like the city has given up. — Honolulu resident
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.
