A corporation that owns a property in Kahala, which is falling into the ocean, is facing up to $100,000 in fines if they do not remove all items from the shoreline by Aug. 7, 2024.
The Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting and the DLNR Land Division and Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands received complaints that portions of the property at 4623 Kahala Avenue had eroded and structures were encroaching on the beach, according to a news release.
The city and state conducted a joint investigation because of jurisdictional questions of the location of the structures on private versus public lands.
An inspection revealed that a fence and alleged unauthorized erosion control devices that used to be on the edge of the property had collapsed into the ocean.
DLNR has sent state Conservation District enforcement-related notices to the landowner, Asagami Corporation, chaired by Tomomi Kimura, since Aug. 2005.
A DLNR notice of alleged violation sent on June 7, 2024, said the collapsed fence had been modified and was being used as part of an alleged unauthorized erosion control device along with sandbags and other materials.
State law stipulates that it is illegal to obstruct access to the shoreline and erosion control is a regulated land use.
DLNR told the landowner to remove the structures on the shoreline area within 21 days. If the landowner does not comply, they would face an initial fine up to $100,000 and daily fines of up to $10,000 until the violations are corrected. The Board of Land and Natural Resources could also take actions to remove the encroachments.
Below are photos of the Kahala property:
Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at michelle.brodervandyke@charter.com.