Kailua parking plan questioned
By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Windward O'ahu Writer
KAILUA — Some residents fear that a proposed parking structure in downtown Kailua would change the nature of the beach community and concentrate traffic in one area. They called for a master plan of the business district before the construction of a permanent building.
About 90 people attended an informational meeting last week about a proposed three- to four-story parking garage on the Longs Drug Stores parking lot. Kane'ohe Ranch Co. Ltd., which manages the property for the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation, was seeking comments about the project.
Residents expressed concern that a parking garage would change the flavor and culture of Kailua. More parking would allow for more and larger stores, they said. Kailua town would grow and lose its small-town identity and uniqueness.
Some questioned the need for more parking.
"When you go to a town like Annapolis, Maryland, or Georgetown, you don't go there because of the parking," said Libby Tomar. "You go there because it has wonderful stores that are indigenous to the area. They're not generic stores."
Mitch D'Olier, president and chief executive of Kane'ohe Ranch, said he is also concerned about preserving the character of Kailua. But he said a parking structure is needed and that it can be built without changing the town.
D'Olier said he was trying to determine the feasibility of the $20 million project, which has not yet been approved by the foundation's board.
He said one area of the Kailua business district has 363,892 square feet of retail space but only 881 parking stalls, half of what a national standard calls for.
"We're trying to get adequate parking for the Castle Foundation property," D'Olier said.
People surveyed at the annual Kailua Town Party for the past eight years said additional parking has been one of the three top suggestions for improving Kailua, he said.
The garage would also help advance a 10-year-old idea to make Kailua more pedestrian-oriented, D'Olier said.
One or more floors of the garage could be designated for a park-and-ride facility where residents could park their cars and take a bus to jobs in Honolulu.
D'Olier said he had no plans for bringing Costco into the community.
Jim Corcoran, a member of the Kailua Neighborhood Board, said he would like to see a traffic and pedestrian study completed before a decision is made.
Some of the people at last week's meeting supported the project and some suggested making it smaller. Other suggestions included placing the building somewhere else, providing bicycle parking, incorporating a meeting room in the structure and making Hahani Street one way.
Several people questioned the wisdom of placing a park-and-ride in the middle of town.
Ryan Costello said he favors Kane'ohe Ranch's long-term vision to make Kailua more pedestrian-oriented. But rushing a decision would be wrong, he said, because alternatives may be overlooked.
"We have the No. 1 beach in the nation," he said. "Why not take the time to create the No. 1 town."
Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com or 234-5266.
