Kauai Real Estate and Local News Update November 22
The pounding storms that rocked our island last week have given way to lots of sunshine with some scattered showers and heavy trade winds. Emergency work on the Hanalei River started Friday morning for the repair of a breach in the Hanalei River bank upstream of the China Ditch intake that resulted from last weekend’s flooding. Water levels have subsided in Hanalei.
On Sunday we had a rainy morning that cleared to blue skies and the ”TriKauai Triathlon” was in full swing at Poipu Beach Park. Huge crowds of people both competing and cheering on their favorites.
A Dump In Kalaheo????
Around 250 people packed the Kalaheo School cafeteria for Thursday night’s public meeting on a proposed new county landfill, and dozens who spoke gave myriad reasons why a committee-favored site on 127 acres of Kaua‘i Coffee Company land near the Brydeswood residential subdivision is a bad idea. Residents are confused as to why this very productive agricultural land would even be considered when there are plenty of acres that used to be Gay and Robinson sugar land that could be used instead.
“The Umi site (as the Kalaheo site is known in landfill-proposal documents) does not make sense for Kaua‘i Coffee,” said Kaua‘i Coffee Company General Manager Wayne Katayama, to thunderous applause from the packed house.
Mike Shimatsu, roastmaster at Kaua‘i Coffee Company, called it a “slap in the face” to consider placing a landfill on productive agricultural land. Current land use and the IAL designation are two reasons the Umi site should not even be considered for the new county landfill, Shimatsu said. The proposed site would be located near Pu‘u Road and the National Tropical Botanical Garden.
Around 300 signatures were attached to pages of petitions opposing the Umi site for a new county landfill. Many in the crowd sported “Dump da Dump” buttons. Another meeting with the same format is scheduled for Dec. 16 from 6 to 9 p.m., also in the Kalaheo School cafeteria. Councilmembers have the final say on where a new county landfill will be sited.
Real Estate News; Wells Fargo will close three stores on the Big Island and Kauai next week as part of a plan to consolidate its Hawaii operations, this is in response to the slow economy. Customers on the Big Island and Kauai will be served by one of the company’s three remaining stores in Wailuku on Maui and in Aiea and Waipahu on Oahu.
Also the Trump International Hotel Waikiki Beach Walk opened Monday. Introductory rates at the 462-unit hotel start at $255 per night and go up to $8,000 for a penthouse suite. Amenities and services include two restaurants, lobby bar, library, spa and fitness center. The new Trump property is the fourth in the Trump Hotel Collection. The others are in New York, Chicago and Las Vegas.
For a list of what came on the market and what closed here in Kauai last weekCLICK HERE FOR A DOWNLOADABLE SPREADSHEET