11th satellite city hall OK'd

By Suzanne Roig
Advertiser East Honolulu Writer

HAWAI'I KAI — East Honolulu will be the site of O'ahu's 11th satellite city hall come fall.

The new office will be on the first floor of the Hawai'i Kai Corporate Plaza, on the corner of Kalaniana'ole Highway and Keahole Street, said city spokeswoman Carol Costa.

Money for office construction and staff was included in the budget approved Wednesday by the City Council. Construction likely will begin mid-June and take about three months, Costa said.

The mobile unit, while good at providing some services, has limited hours and a reputation for breaking down, said Charlie Rodgers, chairman of the Hawai'i Kai Neighborhood Board. The mobile unit has served the area since 1987, according to Costa.

The new office will "solve the problem of traffic," said Rodgers. "Now you don't have to drive in to town to solve even minor permits issues."

The office will be open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday to accommodate weekday workers, the first time the city has tried such a schedule, said Costa.

The office will be able to process motor vehicle transactions, picnic and camping permits, bus passes, spay/neuter certificates, permits for disabled parking, loading zone permits, fireworks permits and licenses for dogs, bicycles and mopeds.

In 1974, the city operated a satellite office at Koko Marina Shopping Center, Costa said. But it never took off, partly because of its location on the second floor. Today, however, the area is a thriving community with major retail draws that pull people in from Kahala as well as Kailua, she said.

"The population base just wasn't established enough then in East Honolulu," Costa said. "We went into the area too early. We feel it's time to get out of the bus and get into a full-service facility."

Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com or 395-8831.