Kahala wants state response to dying plants
By Suzanne Roig
Advertiser East Honolulu Writer
KAHALA — Parts of a $375,000 landscaping project done a little less than two years ago under the H-1 Freeway viaduct already are dying, and residents say it's because the state has not maintained the plants.
• What: Wai'alae-Kahala Neighborhood Board meeting • When: 7 p.m. Feb. 20 • Where: Wesley United Methodist Church, 1350 Hunakai St.
The mondo grass and dwarf palms at the entrance/exit to tony Kahala were supposed to make a statement in an area known for its multimillion-dollar homes.
Plant issue tops agenda
Because the community feels that much rides on the look of its gateways, it has asked the state Department of Transportation to come to its next meeting to explain the problems with the landscaping.
The meeting will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 20 at Wesley United Methodist Church.
"Kahala and Wai'alae are big taxpayers," said Lee Manfredi, a member of the Wai'alae-Kahala Neighborhood Board. "They're concerned, and deserve to have something that will last."
The Department of Transportation did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
In July 2000, the state hired Green Thumb Inc. to plant palm trees and mondo grass at either end of the freeway underpass. By December 2002, the grass was brown and the trees wilting, Manfredi said.
"We're very frustrated," Manfredi said. "This was the beginning of the vision projects, and if this is any indication of what will happen, then it doesn't bode well for other vision projects."
The community was able to see the project completed with the help of Rep. Barbara Marumoto, who obtained $300,000 in state money for the work.
"The state was supposed to make sure it was maintained," Manfredi said. "There's no follow-through. The plants are dead, there are no sprinklers and there's rubbish. People are complaining to me all the time."
Marumoto, R-19th (Kaimuki, Kahala, Wai'alae Iki), said the Department of Transportation constantly has problems finding money to maintain projects.
"This is unacceptable, and we are writing to the DOT asking it to take another look at the project," Marumoto said.
The project was controversial because residents thought they were getting one kind of project and the state planned another.
It was an attempt by the community to beautify its entrances, she said. But the state went ahead with different plans.
The community believed the state supported its plans for dwarf palms and native white hibiscus, which were chosen for their hardiness and ability to survive with minimum water and care.
Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com or 395-8831.
