The Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ presentation to the state requesting an extraordinary variance fell far short of meriting serious consideration — much less approval — because it lacked an adequate development plan or any explicit justification (“Battle over Kakaako housing continues on Oahu,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 6).
OHA presented a woefully skimpy development plan, considering that the property is worth $91 million, by OHA’s estimation.
Most critically, an extraordinary variance requires an extraordinary justification. “OHA gets the money” is not enough. An extraordinary justification requires a comprehensive strategy to use the property’s proceeds. It would consider selling versus leasing, specify uses for the proceeds, identify necessary governmental agreements, name likely donor partnerships, include a parametric schedule and more.
Such a unique justification would prevent future variances for other makai private properties.
This kind of pre-proposal planning is complex and expensive, so perhaps the state should assist OHA with funding and/or oversight.
The state must not grant OHA an extraordinary variance for its Kakaako Makai property until OHA provides an adequate development plan and an extraordinary justification comprehensively describing how the Hawaiian people will benefit.
Brad Frye
Palolo
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