Posted on: Wednesday, July 25, 2001

Councilman looks into Central O'ahu park dispute

By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser City Hall Reporter

City Council Chairman Jon Yoshimura wants to know more about why the city does not yet own the Central O'ahu Regional Park near Waipi'o-Gentry, which held a festive opening Saturday.

Yoshimura said he found out Monday that the title had not transferred from landowner Castle & Cooke Homes Hawai'i to the city. "I am concerned that we don't own it yet," he said.

A land exchange announced in 1999 called for the city to pay Castle & Cooke $4.5 million and to turn over a 37-acre parcel on Manager's Drive in Waipahu that was appraised at $8.2 million in exchange for the 269-acre park parcel, appraised at $12.7 million.

But the sale never went through. It stalled after Castle & Cooke discovered soil contamination at the Waipahu site and estimated that cleanup would cost about $2.1 million. The administration of Mayor Jeremy Harris is asking the City Council to increase the cash payment to Castle & Cooke by $2.1 million to clean the site.

Yoshimura said he wants more information about how the estimate for the cleanup was figured.

Overall, Yoshimura said he believes that the city can work out the agreement with Castle & Cooke for the park and the Waipahu property.

The city originally acquired the Waipahu property in February 1991 for free from Amfac/JMB Hawai'i as part of a deal in which the developer got permits needed to build the Waikele Golf Course.

Yoshimura said it still ends up saving the city and taxpayers money on the purchase of the park land, even if the city ends up paying $2.1 million more.

"What was a great deal for taxpayers is now a good deal for taxpayers," he said.

He said he would like to find out more from the administration about why the cleanup costs were not discussed with the Council earlier and resolved with the landowner earlier.

"I do believe the administration has some explaining to do," he said.