What Happened at July’s Kailua Neighborhood Board Meeting:
New Leadership, Environmental Wins, and Community Concerns. Your guide to the key decisions and discussions shaping Kailua’s future.
Key Takeaways
• New board leadership elected: Bill Hicks continues as chair, with seven fresh members bringing new energy
• Major environmental victory: Board votes to dramatically increase storm water inspections from 2.6% to 10% annually
• Kalaheo Hillside controversy deepens: Unpermitted construction by DHHL contractors sparks resident safety concerns
• Affordable housing project questioned: Kihapai Place development raises cultural and environmental red flags
• Summer events ahead: Symphony in the Park (July 9), Fall Festival (September 27), and cycling event (September 28)
• Coconut beetle solutions needed: Current state poisoning approach kills 30% of trees and harms bee populations
• Crime stays low: Zero burglaries and robberies in June, with enhanced fireworks enforcement planned
The first Kailua Neighborhood Board meeting of the new term brought fresh faces, important environmental victories, and some significant community concerns that deserve your attention. With seven new members joining the board and several pressing issues on the table, July’s meeting packed quite a punch.
Fresh Leadership Takes the Helm
The evening kicked off with elections for the board’s leadership positions, and the community chose to stick with proven experience while welcoming new energy. Bill Hicks was re-elected as chair, continuing his steady leadership, while Levani Lipton stepped up as vice chair. Kellyanne Kobayashi will continue as secretary, and Gary Weller takes over treasurer duties from the departing Jade Laauo.
What’s particularly exciting is the injection of new blood into the board. Seven new members were sworn in, bringing fresh perspectives to represent Kailua’s diverse community interests. This kind of civic engagement bodes well for addressing the challenges ahead.
Summer Events You Don’t Want to Miss
Speaking of what’s ahead, Kailua’s summer calendar is looking spectacular. The Fourth of July celebrations were just around the corner when the board met, with the traditional parade and fireworks show at Kailua Beach Park. But if you missed those festivities, there’s plenty more coming.
The Honolulu Symphony returns to Kailua District Park on July 9th for their beloved free concert series, thanks to continued sponsorship from Alexander & Baldwin. It’s one of those magical evenings where you can bring your blanket, pack a picnic, and enjoy world-class music under the stars. Looking further ahead, the Kailua Fall Festival on September 27th promises to be bigger than ever, transforming the Lahilahi Shops area into a celebration of local culture, food, and crafts.
A Major Environmental Victory
One of the most significant outcomes of the meeting was an overwhelming vote on storm water management, and this is where things get really interesting for anyone who cares about Kailua’s pristine waters. The board passed recommendations that could dramatically improve how the city handles storm water runoff, which directly impacts the health of our beaches and marine life.
Here’s what many people don’t realize: over 600 storm drains empty into Kawainui Pond alone, carrying everything from road oil to lawn fertilizers straight into our ocean. Currently, the city only inspects 2.6% of the storm drain system annually. At that rate, it would take nearly four decades to check every drain on the island. The board’s recommendation to increase inspections to 10% annually represents a significant step forward.
Even more importantly, the board pushed for transparency in storm water management reports and increased hazardous waste collection services. It’s a reminder that what goes down those storm drains doesn’t just disappear. It becomes part of the ecosystem where we swim, surf, and fish.
The Kalaheo Hillside Controversy Deepens
While the environmental victory was cause for celebration, the meeting also highlighted growing tensions over development plans for the Kalaheo Hillside. What started as a routine due diligence survey by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands has turned into a community flashpoint, and it’s easy to understand why residents are concerned.
The controversy centers around work done by Geolabs, a contractor that appears to have exceeded the scope of their survey work. Instead of using existing trails as promised, they carved out 30-foot-wide dirt roads and removed significant vegetation, all without the proper permits. For residents living downslope, this isn’t just an environmental concern. It’s a potential threat to their homes and safety.
The geology of the area makes this particularly worrisome. We’re talking about unstable clay soils that expand and contract with moisture, causing everything from foundation problems to sewer line breaks. Several residents shared their experiences of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on repairs due to soil movement, making the prospect of major construction above them genuinely frightening.
What’s perhaps most frustrating for the community is the lack of transparency. Residents have repeatedly requested access to geotechnical surveys and engineering reports, but so far, those requests haven’t been fulfilled. When 100+ homes could potentially be affected by development decisions, people want to see the data.
Housing Development Raises Cultural and Environmental Questions
Another development issue emerged during public testimony, this time concerning affordable housing planned for Kihapai Place. While the need for affordable housing in Kailua is undeniable, the project has raised several red flags that deserve attention.
The discovery of iwi (Native Hawaiian burials) on the property has sparked concerns about cultural protocols and respect for sacred sites. According to testimony, a cultural monitor was only present for the first day of excavation work, leaving questions about what happens if additional cultural resources are discovered during ongoing work.
Beyond cultural concerns, residents worry about the practical impacts of adding 40 housing units to what’s essentially a one-way street. The area also borders important wetland habitat where native birds nest, yet no Environmental Impact Statement appears to have been required. These are the kinds of questions that will likely dominate next month’s meeting when the developer presents their plans.
Public Safety: The Good News and Ongoing Challenges
On a more positive note, Kailua’s crime statistics for June were reassuring. Zero burglaries and robberies, with just three car break-ins reported. Numbers that many communities would envy. The police are also stepping up fireworks enforcement with dedicated patrols and extra shifts, particularly important given the new state legislation that makes enforcement easier.
Fire and ocean safety services continue their steady work protecting our community, with mountain rescues being the most common emergency calls. It’s a reminder of how Kailua’s natural beauty comes with inherent risks that our first responders handle professionally every day.
Battling the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle: A Search for Better Solutions
One issue that sparked considerable discussion was the ongoing battle against the coconut rhinoceros beetle, a pest that’s devastating palm trees across the islands. The current state approach involves injecting trees with neurotoxins, but as one community member pointed out, this strategy raises serious concerns.
The statistics are sobering: 30% of treated trees die from the treatment itself, and the poisoned flowers are harmful to bees, contributing to a 30% decline in Hawaii’s honeybee population. There’s also the question of food safety when people consume coconuts from treated trees, especially concerning since there’s no system for marking which trees have been treated.
Alternative approaches like sulfur treatments, netting, and better tree maintenance practices were discussed, offering hope for more sustainable solutions. The community is pushing for approaches that protect both our iconic palm trees and the broader ecosystem.
Infrastructure Updates and Future Planning
While much of the meeting focused on challenges, there were also positive developments to report. Alexander & Baldwin continues investing in Kailua Town Center, welcoming new restaurants and businesses that add to our community’s character. The long-awaited dog park project is finally showing signs of progress, with the state conducting due diligence work on the donated land.
Transportation planning is also moving forward, with the city’s HNL Connect program launching new initiatives to reduce traffic congestion. Anyone who’s sat in backup traffic on the weekend knows that creative solutions are worth exploring.
Looking Ahead: Your Voice Matters
As this meeting demonstrated, local government isn’t just about routine business. It’s where real decisions get made about issues that directly affect our daily lives. Whether it’s protecting our water quality, managing development pressures, or preserving cultural resources, the Kailua Neighborhood Board serves as an important forum for community input.
The next meeting on August 7th promises to be equally eventful, with the affordable housing developer scheduled to present their plans and the board’s annual community survey results being unveiled. If any of the issues discussed in July caught your attention, that meeting would be an excellent time to get involved.
The seven new board members who stepped up to serve demonstrate that civic engagement is alive and well in Kailua. In a community facing growth pressures, environmental challenges, and the need to balance development with preservation, having engaged residents who are willing to ask tough questions isn’t just helpful. It’s essential.
If you live in Kailua, this is your board—and your voice matters. Whether it’s about development, safety, or honoring community traditions, your input helps shape the future of our home.
📌 For board documents, meeting links, and more, visit the Kailua Neighborhood Board page
The Kailua Neighborhood Board meets the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 PM at Kailua District Park. All community members are welcome to attend and participate in public testimony.
