Kualoa Stairs? My mind is boggled. All sorts of thoughts are running through it now. Hawaii’s environmental statutes must be rather mushy that they allow a Circuit Court judge to render an absolute black-and-white decision, just like that (“Kualoa Ranch considers having Haiku Stairs on its property,” Star-Advertiser, Dec. 8).
Giving the stairs to Kualoa Ranch would be incredible, but the thought that Kualoa Ranch would even entertain such an offer is more incredible.
To Kualoa Ranch, gifted Haiku Stairs should be a white elephant. What does it think it can do with them? For example, running the stairs up the side of Pu‘u Kanehoalani or Pu‘u Manamana would be sacrilegious, obscene and criminal. This would essentially destroy the unspoiled grandeur of these prominences that Hawaii is noted for. The environmental permitting process for such a project is destined to become a nightmare.
(The cynical view has it that pockets can be lined.)
Maybe the city could offer the Haiku Stairs in toto (underlying land, structures and all) to Kualoa Ranch, with guaranteed public access, to run as a managed activity.
Richard M. Tuggle
Kaneohe
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