The city should consider changing the minimum requirements for parking spaces that a single-family residence must meet in order to build an accessory dwelling unit (ADU).
We have a large yard — almost 7,500 square feet. However, we don’t qualify to build an ADU because the current building code requires space to park cars side-by-side. Our driveway is tandem parking. We can park six cars tandem if necessary, but not side-by-side.
First, why make a requirement about cars when we build an ADU? After it’s built, we may rent it out to someone who doesn’t own a car. Maybe the person will be me when I get older, and I’ll be able to have my family members live in the big house.
Second, many Hawaii condominiums are allowed to have tandem parking to make the apartment more affordable and use less space. It should be allowed in single-family residences as well.
Many other municipalities on the mainland have removed the minimum number of parking spaces allowed to build an ADU, and it’s past time that we change our code requirement for this as well.
Libby Tomar
Kailua
UH Warriors can learn lessons from losses
University of Hawaii football head coach Timmy Chang responded to a reporter’s question about Michigan’s football team: “They were really well-coached. They have really good players” (“No. 4 Michigan doesn’t delay the inevitable as it rolls over Hawaii,” Star-Advertiser, Sept. 11).
Does this mean that the UH team isn’t really well coached and the players aren’t really good? Those kinds of comments won’t go well with the entire coaching staff and players.
Chang should have chosen his words carefully but I guess in that moment of time, he said what he thought to congratulate the winner, which is commendable.
Most sports teams are well-coached, but the players are the ones who need to execute plays to advance and score. Executions are the basis for moving forward to accomplish a goal.
The players themselves are the ones who shoulder the responsibility. It’s a team effort. There are 10 more games to play. A loss or losses builds character. Learn from it and you’ll win games.
Go ’Bows!
John Keala
Waianae
UH graduate researches ‘immortal’ jellyfish
An article from The New York Times about research into the “immortal” jellyfish (“Jellyfish genes offer clues to immortality,,” Star-Advertiser, Sept. 12), failed to mention that a Ph.D. candidate conducting leading research in this area is a University of Hawaii graduate, Yui Matsumoto. My son and Matsumoto were roommates during their undergraduate years and still stay in touch with each other.
I just wanted to give UH a shoutout for laying the foundation of an outstanding career for Matsumoto.
Jeff Furumura
Mililani
Look beyond Navy to get Red Hill tanks defueled
Paperwork seems to get in the way of the Navy working to get defueling started at Red Hill.
I have proposed to Lt. Gov. Josh Green that the Navy get the big oil companies involved in speeding up the process to now and 2023 instead of 2024. This would include Chevron and Exxon. They are experts at pipeline maintenance and installation.
We can’t wait around, since any new proposals for additional housing would take our surplus water. There should be a moratorium on any new hotels, condominium complexes and housing until the Navy actually begins the defueling. An earthquake could wreak havoc at Red Hill and cause an exodus of families due to ground fractures and more fuel leaks.
At the moment, no defueling is taking place at all. No defueling crews are assigned.
Jay Pineda
Waikiki
GOP should support decent candidates
Among the striking differences between a man of conscience and Donald Trump is that Trump lies instinctively and with impunity.
Somehow, too many people believe his lies and support his selfish views.
To those Republicans who say they don’t like his behavior but support his policies: Why not support a decent human being to carry out those policies instead of a man who wants to end democracy in America for his dictatorship?
Jim Killett
Lahaina
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