Hawaii Land Board delays action against North Shore homeowner for alleged shoreline violations
CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / FEB. 28
Rocky Point homeowner Todd Dunphy confronts Suzanne Case, chairperson of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, after his neighbor’s house fell onto the beach on Oahu’s North Shore on Feb. 28. DLNR wants to fine Dunphy, who subsequently moved large amounts of sand without permission in front of two beachfront homes he owns along Rocky Point.
The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources postponed a hearing today on a $92,000 proposed fine against Todd Dunphy, a North Shore property owner, for alleged shoreline violations along Rocky Point.
Dunphy has acknowledged to the media that he moved large amounts of sand without permission in front of two beachfront homes he owns along Rocky Point. DLNR is also seeking to fine him for not removing broken sandbags, rocks, concrete rubble and other debris that it says he placed on the public beach to protect his property.
Land Board Chair Suzanne Case said DLNR received a letter from Dunphy’s attorney requesting a 30-day delay in hearing the matter to provide time to prepare.
“We agreed do that,” Case said at the start of today’s Land Board meeting. She said the matter is now scheduled to be heard the second board meeting in May.
Any fines must be approved by the Land Board.
Dunphy, during an interview with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser this week, vowed to fight the fine and said he planned to use an excavator to move additional sand in front of beachfront homes all along the North Shore.
“I’m keeping (the excavator) because they are going to hire me to do the whole North Shore,” said Dunphy, referencing other beachfront property owners. “I know what I’m doing. I should be the one in charge of the North Shore.”
