Honolulu’s rules governing shore water events like surf contests, canoe regattas, triathlons and swim races, and the permits needed to hold them are undergoing changes.
On Oct. 20, the city Department of Parks and Recreation will host a public hearing at Kapolei Hale to gain community feedback over proposed new rules for events held along the island’s coastline, namely at city parks.
In particular, the rules affect Oahu’s surf season and the permits, regularly issued to surfing event organizers, which have deadlines for submission.
DPR says the planned public hearing follows several outreach efforts to draft new rules that “balance the public’s free access to ocean recreation, the equitable use of public resources for permitted events, and DPR’s ability to mange these events and resources” along with other government agencies.
The outreach efforts also included public surveys and event organizer meetings along with input from the city’s Shore Water Advisory Group and the Honolulu City Council.
Nate Serota, DPR’s spokesperson, said actual implementation of these new rules and regulations was not known at this time.
“It depends on the public hearing process, but we hope to have them implemented well before the application period for the next triennial North Shore surf calendar period closes at the end of January 2024,” Serota said via email. “Once completed, the rules do require mayoral approval but not City Council. We have already worked with the Council members, and had a public briefing with them on Aug. 23.”
The proposed rules recommend a variety of changes to existing rules, which include but are not limited to:
>> Modifying how applications for North Shore and South Shore surfing events are ranked, including consideration for equity of under-represented groups, including women.
>> Shifting the North Shore surf calendar to align with the surf season from September to May.
>> Adopting new regulations governing surfing events for the South Shore, including a cap on the total number of events along this coast.
>> Establishing a calendar for South Shore surfing events from May to September, with exception for organized youth sports.
>> Creating an after-event report for North Shore and South Shore surfing events.
>> Maintaining the current North Shore rule that does not permit a second surf event to be held on the same day as the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational.
The city’s effort to implement rule changes to shore water activities at city parks — often popular sites, heavily trafficked by beachgoers — has been going on for years.
In 2019 the city considered setting limits for surfing contests on the South Shore. In October of that year, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported that the process would be similar to the one used in the late 1990s to set limits on North Shore contests. Rule changes then limited North Shore contests to 16 per site and required contests to begin at 8 a.m. and end at 4 p.m.
To do so meant allowing local surfers continued access to surf spots. During surf contests, only contestants are allowed to surf.
Having a cap on the total number of events held on Oahu’s South Shore — namely in and around the Waikiki surf breaks — is under consideration.
“This was one of the primary concerns we heard from surfers regarding proposed changes to the shore water event rules,” Serota said.
To that end, according to the city, the Shore Water Advisory Group, or SWAG, was formed in July 2021.
“SWAG was formed to facilitate revisions, public participation and implementation of the rules governing shore water events for city parks across Oahu,” Serota said.
The advisory group — which has since dissolved — included surf shop owner Keone Downing, businessperson and community activist Kanani Oury and Meghan Statts, who represented the state Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation.
According to Serota, the rules that were being worked on were designed “to work in tangent with ocean permitting and usage guidelines” facilitated by the state’s boating and ocean recreation division.
SWAG — an all-volunteer panel — held a total of six meetings, with the last one adjourning in May 2022.
Among that group’s former members, Downing told the Star-Advertiser by phone that he’d like to see greater public input when it comes “to the use of our public resources.”
And he added that more members of the public — from different areas of the island that see impacts from commercial activities at local beaches — should be heard.
“The communities which are impacted by these commercial endeavors should be the ones to address their areas,” Downing said. “In other words, I can talk about Waikiki but I shouldn’t be talking for Makaha, because the people of Makaha should be talking about the resources they use out there.”
He said more meetings should be held over what he believes is a critical issue for many on Oahu. “Not one meeting, between 2 and 4 p.m.,” said Downing. “I’ve always been against that.”
Meanwhile, as far as any input the city gleaned from event organizers and the business sector over proposed rule changes along the island’s coastal areas, Serota said the city did not want to comment on their behalf.
“But they and the members of the public/surf community appreciated being included in the process,” Serota added.
The in-person and virtual public hearing will be held Oct. 20 from 2 to 4 p.m. at 1000 Uluohia St., Suite 312, in Kapolei. The virtual meeting will be held via Zoom, and can be accessed using the following link: bit.ly/shorewaterhearing.
For further information about this public hearing, call DPR at 808-768-3003.
