Niu ridge access denied
By Suzanne Roig
Advertiser East Honolulu Writer
NIU VALLEY — Trustees for the Charles Lucas Estate, who wanted to obtain a road access to undeveloped ridge land, will be going back to the drawing board after the community rejected their plans.
Jonna Wickesser, vice president of Bank of Hawaii's real estate trust department, and Myron Thompson recently presented plans to the community that involved using a portion of Board of Water Supply land to gain access to nearly an acre of land on a slope above Kalaniana'ole Highway just past the Niu Valley Shopping Center.
The community representatives, the Kuli'ou'ou/ Kalani Iki Neighborhood Board, voted Dec. 2 to oppose the trust's plans to use the water utility's road for access to the property.
Access was lost when the state Department of Transportation widened Kalaniana'ole Highway in the 1990s. The trust does not have any plans to develop the property, but would like to provide access if it should decide to offer the land for sale, Wickesser said.
The trust did say that it would like to come back with other plans.
Thompson, who grew up in the area, said the trust wouldn't go forward with the plan if a compromise couldn't be struck that is agreeable to the residents and meets the trust's approval.
"We want to make the property salable for the future so it can be developed," Wickesser said. "We're here to talk to the community about going up the Board of Water Supply road because the property is not usable.
"We appreciate the input from the community."
Su Shin, Honolulu Board of Water Supply spokeswoman, said the board is looking to the community as the final decision-makers to grant an easement.
"It's our land, but it's not a normal part of our business," Shin said. "Because the neighborhood board voted against it, we wouldn't grant the easement at this point."
Members of the community who live on Mahimahi Street, right below the Board of Water Supply road that leads to a reservoir tank, cited concerns about rockslides from any development on the steep slope.
Maile Goo, a resident of Niu Valley for 50 years, said rockslides from any potential development on the slope worry her.
"Personally if the trust can take care of my concerns and mitigate them, I wouldn't be opposed," Goo said. "I believe in the right of the individual to use their property. I have much aloha for the trust."
Neighborhood board member Al Andrews said, "What we're talking about here is one proposal creating concern for an entire neighborhood. I don't think the numbers play out for the neighborhood."
Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com or 395-8831.
