Advertiser Staff and News Services
CENTRAL
Geiger Park open nights
The ‘Ewa Neighborhood Board voted Thursday not to close Geiger Park between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m despite some residents’ concerns about noise and vandalism in the park at night.
Board member Karen Wenke said it was a split decision. "There was a lot of heartfelt testimony from residents," she said. "But the park will stay open for now."
Suzanne Alawa, general manager of the ‘Ewa By Gentry board of directors, said she hears many complains from residents of the 4,800 Gentry homes that surround the park about nighttime activities.
"I’m very disappointed," Alawa said. "I felt the closure time was reasonable."
Opponents of the closure said the park should remain open for public use at all hours.
Alawa said closing the park late at night would have allowed police officers the right to approach people in the park.
"Unless police have evidence of illegal behavior they can’t talk to anybody in the park or chase them out," Alawa said. "What is anybody doing in the park at 4 a.m.?"
Zoning panel OKs center
The City Council’s Zoning Committee passed a bill on to the full council Wednesday for a proposed 41-acre shopping center in Royal Kunia.
Landowners HRT Ltd., Honolulu Ltd. and 300 Corporation want to build a Kahala Mall-sized shopping center at the vacant Kunia Road location and are seeking a change in zoning from limited industrial use to neighborhood business district.
Several area residents testified and submitted written testimony in opposition to the bill, saying a new center of that size would hurt the already struggling businesses in nearby Waipahu and worsen area traffic problems.
A public hearing and second reading of the bill will be Feb. 21 at Honolulu Hale.
A community meeting to discuss the issue is scheduled for 7 p.m. Jan. 24 at Ho‘ae‘ae Community Park.
WINDWARD
Top road jobs are opposed
Five major transportation projects that affect Kahalu‘u were opposed by its neighborhood board this week.
Some board members said the projects, on the O‘ahu Metropolitan Planning Organization list, were proposals that have been rejected by the community in the past.
The list contained the top projects for O‘ahu that are intended to meet transportation needs for the next 25 years.
The board, in its advisory role, rejected the following:
 Kahekili Highway widening to four lanes from Kahalu‘u to Ha‘iku Road.
Kahekili Highway interchange.
Two Kamehameha Highway projects to widen the highway to three lanes from Kahalu‘u to Kuilima.
Kamehameha Highway/Waihe‘e Road intersection improvements.
Board members said they support improvements to the Waihe‘e Road intersection, but the modifications planned would not meet the needs of the community, which will soon have a district park and improved beach park at the intersection.
OMPO will make the final decision on what projects are completed.
Committees urge land buy
The City Council Environment and Public Works committees have recommended the acquisition of three Kahalu‘u waterfront properties through condemnation.
City Councilman Steve Holmes said the Ka‘alaea parcels are opposite the intersection of Wailehua Road and Kamehameha Highway and include the "Pyramid Barge" property, where several buses and vans are parked now. The condemnation also includes two properties on the Kahuku side of the buses.
Some $3.3 million has been set aside for the acquisition, he said.
In other action, the City Council set aside in the city supplement budget some $4 million to acquire land in He‘eia Kea, Holmes said. The council also added the property to the Public Infrastructure Map for Ko‘olau Poko, he said.
"For those of you who have been around for a while you may remember that Hawaii Electric had proposed a nuclear power plant for that property," Holmes told the Kahalu‘u Neighborhood Board Wednesday.
"This will end a 25-year struggle over this property."
HONOLULU
Ward on-ramp closed today
The Ward Avenue on-ramp to the eastbound H-1 freeway will be closed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today for guardrail work.
Motorists are advised to plan accordingly.
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