The 'Iolani Palace State Monument is a unique treasure. It makes sense that the rules governing its use by the public be unique as well.

The need for such rules came into sharp relief in April, when a group calling itself the Hawaiian Kingdom Government attempted to occupy the grounds, blocking the gates, denying access to the general public and causing the shutdown of palace tours and the State Archives building.

The occupation prompted the state Department of Land and Natural Resources to propose new permit rules, which spell out more precisely what's permitted and what's prohibited on the grounds. Public comment will be taken beginning next week.

Certainly, DLNR has a responsibility to protect and preserve the monument's grounds. They encompass not only the symbols of Hawaiian monarchy — the palace, barracks and pavilion — but the ghosts of history as the site of an ancient heiau and the remains of Hawaiian chiefs.

The rules will allow organized groups — including the Hawaiian Kingdom Government, which eventually applied for a permit — to use the site in a way that respects its status as a public treasure.

And for those who would break the rules, the DLNR has an answer for that: its proposed new civil administrative system, which would allow it to issue on-the-spot civil citations in noncriminal cases.

The combination should benefit 'Iolani Palace and those who treasure it.