Council district borders affirmed
By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer
New boundaries for O'ahu's nine City Council districts were approved unanimously last night, but not before a last-minute attempt to sway the city Reapportionment Commission.
The commission voted 8-0 to approve a proposal to redraw the council districts, each with about 92,000 residents. The City Charter requires that district lines be redrawn every 10 years based on new Census data.
The changes drew criticism from Makakilo and Mililani Mauka residents who felt their communities are being divided by redistricting.
Makakilo and Kapolei, now in the same district, will be separated at the H-1 Freeway. Makakilo will be part of the new 9th District that includes Mililani and Waipahu, while Kapolei will belong in the 1st District that includes 'Ewa and the Wai'anae Coast.
Mililani Mauka will fall within the boundaries of the massive 2nd District that includes Wahiawa, all of the North Shore and parts of Windward O'ahu.
Opponents have 45 days to appeal the decision with the Hawai'i Supreme Court. Makakilo resident Michael Oakland said he plans to join a Mililani Mauka resident in appealing the decision.
Oakland argued before the commission last night that Makakilo and Kapolei are one community.
"We in Kapolei, Makakilo and Honokai Hale share virtually nothing with Waipahu anymore, not our kid's activities, our youth leagues, our schools, our water concerns, our growth concerns, our educational concerns or our transportation needs," he said.
State Rep. Mark Moses, R-42nd (Kapolei, 'Ewa Village, Village Park), said the commission never considered the concerns of the Makakilo and Kapolei residents.
"There was no Kapolei, we built Kapolei," he said of Makakilo residents. "The people of Makakilo were the founders of many clubs and organizations in Kapolei. We designed the middle school and built it and the high school and built it — we, up in Makakilo."
Moses said residents in both areas may be hurt when it comes to obtaining city resources, such as bus routes or sidewalks.
The commissioners said the plan was the best they could come up with without splitting neighborhoods in half. Commission Chairman Kerry Komatsubara dismissed accusations of ignoring community concerns.
"We tried to be as fair as possible, but you can't please a hundred percent of the people. The best that you can do is do a fair and rational plan, and I think that's what we accomplished," Komatsubara said. "We could not keep Kapolei, Makakilo, Wai'anae and the 'Ewa Plain all together in one district, and something had to be done to balance out the numbers."
He said alternatives would have been to move Kapolei to the Waipahu district or divide 'Ewa into two districts.
Pending the outcome of the appeal, the new districts will be in place for the 2002 elections.
Reach Curtis Lum at culum@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8025.
