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Aloha Princeville 1 Property Owner.

The PHCA Board appears to be taking away member participation that seems to be guaranteed by not only our by-laws, but also by HRS (Hawaii Revised Statutes) 421J, the ruling Hawaii statute for Planned Community Associations (HOA's); ie. Princeville.

On Tuesday, over objections from the few members who attended, the Board changed the hybrid meetings to ZOOM only (3-2 vote Hodgin, Sands and Francis vs Thiele and Forgey), and the 2 minute restriction holds. The Board also is limiting the total amount of time for community input - only 10 minutes for some of these very important issues. They just DON'T seem to want to hear from the community.

Please review your CC&Rs/By-laws/Charter of Incorporation from the PHCA website under Resources/Public Documents AND HRS 421J - this is the Hawaii Revised Statute that, in most cases overrules local HOA rules.

If you haven't already, get online, get a username and get registered for the Board meeting on Friday, Dec 8th at 10am. There's a resolution to appoint the Board (in its changing composition) as the Nominating Committee going forward. Maybe, sometimes, they'll allow another non-board member to join the nominating committee. Download and read particularly pages 11-12 in the most recent "Board Packet".

https://engage.goenumerate.com/s/phca

AND review HRS 421J (it's pretty easy to read, really). Alternatively use this link:

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol08_Ch0401-0429/HRS0421J/HRS_0421J-.htm

It doesn't even look like they've given adequate notice for the Friday, December 8th meeting, and the packet just showed up earlier this evening - not a full 48 hours, much less 14 days in advance of the meeting.

Please make your displeasure known. This is just their next step is removing community input to PHCA Board decisions. Please help defend your interests and HOME, and please TELL your neighboring PHCA (PV1) members to join the meeting on Friday.

Here are a couple of quotes from HRS 421J:

“421J-3.5 Notice required; regular, annual, and special meetings. (a) Not less than fourteen days in advance of any regular, annual, or special meeting of an association, the secretary or other officer specified in the bylaws shall give written notice of the meeting to each member of the association as provided in the bylaws of the association or by two or more of the following means:”…USPS, email, posting to website, etc.

421J-5 Meetings of the board of directors; committee or subcommittee. (a) All meetings of the board of directors, other than executive sessions, shall be open to all members to provide input on the matters being discussed. Members who are not on the board of directors may participate in any deliberation or discussion, other than during executive sessions, unless a majority of a quorum of the board of directors votes otherwise.

Mahalo nui loa.
-Andy White for SOSHui.org

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The PHCA Board of Directors announced that Mr. Duncan Forgey would fill the remaining open position created by the resignation of Teri Peers earlier in the year. Mr. Forgey will be on the board until the 2024 election when he can run for a full 3 year term.

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The property owners of Princeville 1 voted for this year's 2 open positions on the PHCA Board of Directors. Find out who won and importantly where the source of the votes came from.

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NOTE: Following the publishing of this summary, the Board published a DETAILED SUMMARY of how the votes were allocated based on their sources; 1Hotel (SCG), Timeshares, Single Family Homes and Condos. You can clearly see how the block votes submitted by 1Hotel in particular with lesser extent Timeshares, affected the final outcome.

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Aloha Princeville 1 Supporters of Open Space,

FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION – Please send an email to the PHCA Board at board@pcaonline.org encouraging them to appoint Duncan Forgey to the open Board seat as he had the next highest number of votes in the recent BoD election. Historically, this is how the appointment to an unexpired term of a Board seat was made.

In addition, please add your comments to the PHCA Community Feed thread entitled “Appointment to the Vacant Board Seat Based on Vote Count” submitted by Anne Thurston as a way of registering your support for Duncan Forgey for the Board.


For PV1 people who were not able to attend in person or by Zoom, the 3 PHCA Board Meetings, October 19th and 2 on the 21st, 2023 were very interesting. We’ll report on them in reverse chronological order:

October 21, 2023:
Annual Members’ Meeting and immediately following Monthly Board Meeting – here are the election results:
Isaiah Francis – 1052
Dale Sands – 667
Duncan Forgey – 639
Bernard Markowicz – 476
Randy Kotsol – 174
Number of disqualified votes – 44

Messrs. Francis and Sands were seated at the Annual Members’ Meeting.

Officers were chosen immediately following at the Monthly Board Meeting:
Ace Hodgin – President
Dale Sands – Vice President
Isaiah Francis – Secretary
Patti Thiele – Treasurer unless the 5th seat appointee would prefer that to Director at Large.

We are hopeful the new Board will appoint the 3rd highest vote-getter, Duncan Forgey to the open seat. Up until a couple of years ago, the next highest vote-getter was usually appointed. It’s reassuring that Ace Hodgin in his posts also supports that approach; we are hopeful the other Board members do as well.

In addition, it would be a better policy to make the voting simpler – throwing away 44 envelopes (88 votes) for basically misunderstanding complex instructions seems a harsh penalty. The goal should be to have every vote count. If there was a name on the envelope, it seems a call to the “offender” would be in order. At least those who are local could remedy any issues. Email should work too. Perhaps next time, voting will be simpler, and there will be electronic remedies for non-compliance.

We have received some questions about the 1Hotel’s number of votes. In the 1971 original founding documents, in order to attract a hotel to build on the parcel, the eventual hotel owner was granted 2 votes for each room. In this case, there are 252 rooms, so the current owner, 1Hotel receives 504 votes for each open seat. In addition, the founding documents allowed “cumulative voting”, which allows the hotel owner to cast all 1008 (2 * 504) for a single candidate, just as homeowners can cast 1 vote for each open seat, or 2 votes for the same candidate. Net net – Isaiah Francis clearly received the 1008 from the 1Hotel, plus an additional 44 votes from the rest of the community.


October 19, 2023
The Special Board Meeting began with an effort by some to record the meeting. The Board relied on the PHCA rules put forth during Covid and Zoom against recording, their concern being that recordings could be shared with those outside of the membership. Someone else said OMG – someone might share it with... the PRESS! Ace Hodgin was fine to have it recorded, and suggested that the new Board take this up with legal counsel to determine if recording would be a problem or not.

Then there were 3 resolutions, resolved as follows:

1. The resolution to appoint then-Board member JD Hansen to the 5th Board seat was removed. This was good – it suggests that the Board actually listened to Community members with concerns about the urgency of this appointment, and the Boardʻs earlier statement that the new Board would make that appointment.
   
   
2. The resolution to stop Pickleball at the Emmalani Park courts was passed after hearing from many who attended the meeting. There was discussion about all the volunteer efforts to establish the courts in the first place, the results of petitions – roughly 235 to 18 for preserving the courts. Apparently, even some of the most effected neighbors were o.k. with the current time restrictions. Several people who wanted to preserve the courts suggested evaluating new noise abatement facilities, but the noise nuisance issue won the day. The Board did offer to be an intermediary between the pros & cons, and said that the ban on Pickleball need not be permanent – that perhaps a better solution can be found and brought back to the Board for consideration. There are still opportunities to come together to propose a solution that is acceptable to both sides.
   
   
3. The resolution to form the 2026 Committee was actually not broadly discussed. The resolution itself was a bit confusing, but Patti Thiele spent a little time describing how it would work. The 2 current Board members whose terms finished Saturday at the Annual Meeting agreed it should be the work of the newly constituted Board. As we understood it, Ace said the resolution was too restrictive and Patti said the resolution was written to protect the Board and PHCA from issues revolving around Board members with conflicts of interest. This too, was booted to the new Board, as is appropriate from our perspective.
   

Mahalo nui loa to those who attended and spoke on these important issues facing PHCA. Community participation is critical. We hope that the new Board will take open communication with community members very seriously.

And mahalo nui loa for your ongoing support!
SOSHui.org

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Aloha Concerned Princeville 1 Open Space Supporters –
 
The PHCA 2023 Board election is upon us.  We remain concerned about the election’s legality because there was no 2023 Nominating Committee as required by PHCA Bylaws.  The ever-changing deadlines and special treatment of 2 candidates isn’t encouraging either.  Please express your concerns online ON the PHCA “Community Feed” and at these 3 upcoming Board meetings:

1. Please vote – ballots are due IN THE PHCA OFFICE by THIS Thursday, October 19th at 4:30pm HST.  We suggest putting both your votes for Duncan Forgey.  Randy Kotsol is another good choice for open space preservation.

2. Please attend (in person or by Zoom) the special Board meeting beginning at 4pm HST THIS Thursday, October 19th.  More on the surprise resolutions below.

3. Please attend (in person or by Zoom) the combined Annual & Monthly Board Meetings beginning at 9am HST on Saturday, October 21st.  The new Board members will be announced at this time. 

The Special Board Meeting (10/19) has been called so the Board can vote on 2 key issues affecting Open Space.  WHAT’S SO URGENT THAT 2 DAYS WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

1. Our recollection is that on August 24, 2023, Patti Thiele, President of the Board, announced the 5th Board seat would be filled after this election WHEN THE NEW BOARD COULD MAKE THE APPOINTMENT.  However, there is a resolution on pages 7-8 of the Board Packet appointing J.D. Hansen back onto the Board effective immediately after the Annual Meeting. 

This is in direct conflict with the Board’s earlier statements, and sadly mirrors all their current verbal commitments – yes/no/yes/no.The deadline is this/no, it’s that.

We want to be able to believe what the Board says, but they are making it beyond difficult. Why couldn’t this wait at least until the Annual Meeting - 2 more days? 

2. The second resolution establishes the special 2026 Committee and talks about conflicted Board members’ participation  – pages 9-10 in the Board Packet.    The resolution apparently does not stop the conflicted member from voting on issues even where the conflict is clear.  The Board “may” consult with its attorney?   That should say MUST consult with its attorney.  Here’s the legal gobbledygook – WHAT DOES IT MEAN??:

“The Committee shall generally be advisory in nature; provided that the Committee may exercise the power and authority of the Board if and when the vote or abstention of a conflicted Board member has prevented the implementation or pursuit of a course of action recommended by the Committee with respect to any one or more of the Issues. The Committee may rely upon the written opinion of PHCA counsel to determine if conditions enabling the exercise of Board power and authority exist. “

We hope PHCA counsel or SOMEONE will tell PHCA owners how this flimsy resolution protects us from the current or future owners of the land protected by the Dedication and their desire to “Pave Paradise and Put up a Parking Lot”…with our apologies to Joni Mitchell.

REMEMBER, PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR BALLOT TO THE PHCA OFFICE BY THIS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19TH 4:30PM HST and ATTEND ALL THE BOARD MEETINGS!

Mahalo for your continuing support!!!
SOSHui.org

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Concerns about PHCA BoD's respect for their fiduciary duties

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Good afternoon,

As a member of the PHCA community I must say that I am quite disheartened by the recent events of this new BOD. Underhandedly appointing a member of the Starwood board to this BOD before the new members are elected is quite obvious in your intentions. I thought the previous board president, Sam George, clearly acted in his own behalf when he negotiated a deal with Starwood that would allow glamping but only on the Woods course that was NOT affecting his home with complete disregard for the other homeowners in the community and how badly they would be affected. I see that this current board is equally unconcerned with the whole of Princeville.

Passing a resolution to disallow Pickleball completely at Emmalani park because a few anointed residents do not care for it is not in the best interest of the entire community, who by the way pay for the upkeep of that park with their dues as well, completely unconscionable. Passing other resolutions that will keep certain BOD members from sharing board information and decisions with interested parties like Starwood and open space is a waste of time. There is not one person who believes that will happen. Stacking the board with Starwood members is not fair to the community and not appropriate. You are elected to represent the entirety of the community, not the anointed few and those with the most money. You have a fiduciary duty to fairly represent the entire community. Do you believe you have?

You can give us all your bent arguments on why you are legally allowed to do the things you are doing but it is obvious they are underhanded as they are being done without notice and to get done without the community having an opportunity to object or make their feelings known. You can tell yourselves this is all legal but ask yourselves if it is moral. You have a moral and fiduciary duty to all the residents, not just a few. I think you should take a hard look at your actions. Being less affluent does not mean less intelligent. Just because you believe what you are doing is all legal, also does not mean it is.

Sincerely,

Shelly Paialii

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Concerns about PHCA BoD's Questionable Actions

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Dear PHCA Board,

We are owners in PV1 and are appalled by the PHCA board’s recent actions. The members of PHCA have made it abundantly clear in past meetings and surveys that we do not want development on our open space. While Starwood Capital Group likes to tout how green their hotel is, they apparently have no regard for keeping Princeville green. We did not move here to sit and watch it turn into an over-crowded community with increased noise and traffic. This BOD is supposed to represent ALL owners. So why then did you allow questionable candidates who applied AFTER the deadline - some of whom don’t seem to actually live or own here - a place on the ballot. Why the special meeting to appoint a board member before a new board is in place two days later? Why is this Board seemingly stacking itself with those protecting SCG’s interests over those of the rest of the owners? Do you really think your resolution about not sharing info with those who have an interest in SCG is really going to do anything? Why not a resolution to ensure they are recused from all votes pertaining to SCG. And for those of you not directly or indirectly related to SCG, what is in this for you? Princeville residents do not want more development of our open space. We will fight it and need a BOD that fights with us instead of holding special meetings and taking questionable actions.

We hope you’ll be prepared to answer these questions on Thursday and Saturday because we will be there asking them.

Barbara Levin & Dave Zacarias
Owners

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Objection to Board Nominees, Deadlines and Nominating Committee Issues - Pollock email to PHCA Board

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Aloha Patti,
Because April wrote Mr. McCann, she should have the records of all her communications.

The important point to note in her letter to him is, as she states, “all board members must be a member of our association (owned property).“

Furthermore, she mentioned the Board-established date of July 31, 2021 for candidates to pick up their information packets, and the due date to turn those in was August 6, 2021. Those were the two dates of importance that the board specified to All candidates. While I would agree that you pointed out that April did not specifically say that he was not eligible to apply, the tone of the letter, and the specific words, stating he must be an owner, implied he would not be allowed to be on the board because he was not an owner as of the date the applications were due. I highlight those dates because those are the dates that April used and that the Candidate information packet established. Just like this year, in 2023, the board established THE FINAL deadline of August 30 at 5 PM.

August 30 was THE date that you and the board established, in order to be a “qualified“ applicant, which means an owner, who has filled out the paperwork completely, and returned it on time.

You made NO mention of the “election date” at any time in this process, relating to when a candidate needed to be an owner. To now suggest something different, is to create a double standard, and change the rules for some, and not others, which is not allowed. Continuing on down this path is to dig a deeper hole.

So now, because Mr. Sands and Mr. Francis were not property owners as of August 30, that either can prove, it appears the board took it upon itself to unfairly give those two candidates some ‘extra time’ to qualify. This is a complete breach of fiduciary responsibility of fairness and equity to all members. You made a separate rule change and time extension for two candidates. That is unacceptable.

Furthermore, at the meeting before last, and again at this meeting, it was established that Mr. Francis would have conflicts of interest. Mr. Francis is not an owner, and he was not a representative of Starwood as of the date of August 30 deadline. He should have been removed from the ballot at that point.

To have now declared that he presents conflicts of interest, and further allowed him the opportunity to speak at the candidate forum, the board seems to be taking its own action to promote someone who the board has stated, would have conflicts of interest, and now seems to be promoting, which is completely against the best interest of the community in Princeville.

Please understand that I have no personal issues with either Mr. Sands or Mr. Francis, but what I do take serious issue with is the board’s breach of fiduciary responsibility, and the responsibility of the board to give every candidate equal time and opportunity, and make no exceptions for anyone.

The board can rectify any current breach of fiduciary duty by removing Mr. Sands and Mr. Francis from the ballot for 2023, BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT QUALIFIED OWNERS on August 30, 2023.

If they go through the qualification procedures in 2024 then they can run at that point.

And finally, with regard to the election of 2023, I would like to point out that no Nominating committee exists for 2023, which goes completely against the bylaws, for Princeville, in which Article V Section 1 states, “Nomination for election to the board of directors SHALL be made by a Nominating committee…“

Had the board followed proper procedure, and made a nominating committee, and that committee had vetted each of the candidates, EQUALLY , Mr. Sands’ and Mr. Francis‘ applications would’ve been denied because they were not qualified owners/members as of the date of the deadline established by the board, which was August 30, 2023.

At this point, the board can still do the right thing by removing Mr. Sands and Mr. Francis from the ballots, thereby applying fair and equitable standards to all candidates. This would restore public trust and alleviate the Board of any breaches of fiduciary duty and responsibility, by eliminating the double standard Board members have created currently, and restore trust and fairness to the process of electing board members.

To not do so will be to create more problems.

Respectfully,

Rob Pollock

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We hope you will stand with us to prevent Isaiah Francis, an Employee of Starwood Capital Group – the developer aspiring to develop Princeville's open spaces - from attaining a seat on the board. Please VOTE!

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Aloha Princeville 1 Neighbors,

We are writing to encourage you to make your vote count in the upcoming PHCA Election of Directors. We hope you will stand with us to prevent Isaiah Francis, an Employee of Starwood Capital Group – the developer aspiring to develop Princeville's open spaces - from attaining a seat on the board. He has stated that he supports the development of Princeville's open spaces, most specifically, the 27 hole Makai Golf Course owned by his employer, Starwood Capital. Such development would eliminate much of the open spaces that make Princeville the unique place it is. With it would come an increase in traffic, noise, and the potential destruction of endangered species habitats. The Princeville we all know & love would be forever changed. As Starwood Capital's 1 Hotel is allocated 504 votes, it is imperative that all of Princeville's home & condo owners band together to elect directors who support protection of our open spaces and stand against any type of development of the 27 hole Maikai Golf Course.

As such we implore you to vote in this election. We trust that you will vote for the candidates you believe will best protect the future of this truly unique community. That said, we believe Duncan Forgey & Randy Kotsol are committed to that goal. While Dale Sands appears to be an excellent candidate as well, we do not believe he has taken a firm stand against this threat of development. We also believe Starwood Capital already has support on the PHCA Board, making it all the more critical that we prevent expansion of their influence on Princeville's future.

Don't forget that each household is entitled to two votes. You can vote for two different candidates with an “X” in the vote column next to the candidate's name or you may vote for one candidate twice by placing “XX” in the vote column next to a candidate's name. Please either mail them in early of drop them in the drop box outside the PHCA office as all ballots need to be received by the PHCA office no later than October 19th by 4:30pm.

Please vote! Let us not be silenced!

Aloha, Joe & Gail Locati, 4183 Mahina Place.

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Unresolved process and legal issues surround the 2023 PHCA Board Election. Noncompliance with PHCA Bylaws and timely qualification of candidate Francis may challenge its validity.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:  There are several unresolved process/legal questions concerning the validity of this election:

1.  Noncompliance with PHCA Bylaws. Our Bylaws require a Nominating Committee and allow for nominations from the floor at the annual meeting. This election complies with neither requirement.

2.  Mr. Francis' purported appointment as a representative of 1Hotel is confusing at best. Does Mr. Francis represent the actual fee owner of the 1Hotel?

3.  Where are PHCA counsel's written opinions?  As members we pay the attorneys’ bills, we should get to see them.

CONCLUSION: Mr. Francis’ name should be stricken from the ballot and any votes submitted for him should not be tallied.

Below is a detailed explanation of these issues:

In this year’s election there was NO Nominating Committee as required by our Bylaws. Moreover, there is NO opportunity to “nominate from the floor” because the votes for Board membership are submitted and counted prior to the Annual Meeting when the winners’ names are announced.

Bylaws are our governing rules and Bylaws matter, especially in important times such as these. Although the original PHCA Bylaws allowed a non-member to be nominated and serve as a Board Director, that has been superseded by Hawaii State Law (HRS 421 J-3a) that now mandates that members of the board MUST be a member of the Association.

Noncompliance with the Bylaws in this election is a violation of our governing documents. Why is the PHCA Board asking the membership to “look the other way” on this important issue? The recent announcement that they will have a Nominating Committee next year does not absolve them of the 2023 violations.

Our Bylaws are silent as to what triggers the date for determining who is eligible to run as a candidate for our Board. Is it the deadline established by the PHCA for submitting the candidates’ name and documents determined on that date, or by the calendar date of the election? HRS 421 J-3a is also silent as to when the qualification of a potential candidate for the Board is determined.

For the first time, the Board is taking the position that it is the date of the election that determines whether a candidate is qualified to serve. A reading of the Board’s published position on this process and conclusion is NOT satisfactory. Where is the opinion of the PHCA attorney on this issue? It’s a fair question considering that PHCA members’ dues pay for his opinion. What was the process that led to the conclusion that the clear mandate of the Bylaws could be disregarded in this election? Has the PHCA attorney given a dated written opinion that the Bylaws can be ignored this year? If so, where is that opinion?

SOF-XI is a very complex venture capital group that is attempting to elect their employee, a recent 27-year-old hire who has only been with their organization since July 2022, to the PHCA Board of Directors. SOF-XI has been very clear that their intention is to monetize portions, or perhaps all, of the 27-hole Makai Golf Course when the Golf Course Dedication purportedly expires on February 28, 2026. (The purported expiration of the Dedication is a contested topic for another day).

Mr. Francis (who is clearly not a member of the PHCA as an owner of land in Princeville at Hanalei) is being allowed to run and his name is on the ballot. His candidacy is predicated on the basis that he is representing the owner of the 1Hotel as per a resolution dated September 6, one week after documents were due according to the extended PHCA deadline. The resolution states that Mr. Francis is an “authorized signatory” of SOF-XI Kauai PV Holdings, LP, the “Sole Member” of SOF-XI Kauai PV Hotel GP, LLC, “the Company”… and the Sole Member desires to appoint officers “the Officers” to “the Company”…. After a list of fourteen “Officers, Managing Directors (“Senior” and “Managing”), CFO, and Vice Presidents (“Senior” and various), Mr. Francis is listed as an “authorized signatory” of SOF-XI Kauai PV Hotel GP, LLC.

However, according to County records, SOF-XI Kauai PV Hotel LP is the fee owner of the hotel property. As of the PHCA “deadline” for candidates’ applications, the week-late resolution that was made available to PHCA members does not readily reveal that Mr. Francis has a clear relationship with the actual fee owner of 1Hotel. To determine whether Mr. Francis is/was qualified to run for a PHCA Board position, it is necessary to review the organizational documents, Articles, Bylaws, Operating Agreements, and any/all other documents pertinent to Mr. Francis’ board candidacy, especially with respect to the SOF-XI organization, and more specifically, from SOF-XI Kauai PV Hotel GP, LLC; SOF-XI Kauai PV Holdings, LP; and SOF-XI Kauai PV Hotel LP.

PHCA has stated that it “is satisfied” that Mr. Francis is eligible to run for the Board of Directors, and states that, as per their criteria, “this question must be addressed on a case-by-case basis depending on the specific situation”. What was the criteria that was considered? Where are the assurances that the organizational structure of SOF-XI has been adequately addressed and assessed? Where can the written opinion of PHCA counsel be found?

Since there was no Nominating Committee this year, were these documents and org charts requested, submitted, and reviewed by the Board, General Manager, and PHCA counsel prior to determining Mr. Francis’ candidacy? If so, why isn’t the legal opinion of PHCA counsel published and reviewable by the membership? Is the PHCA attorney well-versed in complex capital structures? If not, it seems appropriate to have an independent legal counsel, with a specialty in complex capital structures, review the documents and give a professional opinion as to whether Mr. Francis is a qualified candidate with timely legal standing to run for a PHCA Board position.

Since a Nominating Committee was not appointed as mandated by the Bylaws for vetting candidates for Board positions, this election is clearly in violation of our governing documents.

However, since the Board has decided not to follow the Bylaws in this election, it should at the very least follow its own precedents. If a precedent has been set regarding qualification of candidates in elections in the past, the present Board’s position should be consistent with that precedent.

In 2021, a potential candidate expressed his interest in running for a Board position. His qualification to run was called into question on the basis that his name was not in the PHCA database (i.e., he was not a PHCA member as an “owner of land in Princeville at Hanalei”) and that his documents had not been submitted in a timely fashion.

Make no mistake, the Directors that are elected this year (note the 1Hotel has 2 votes per door, unlike every other PHCA member), will appoint the 5^th member for the duration for another term of a vacant board seat. They will be members of the Board on February 28, 2026.

Mr. Francis’ name should be stricken from the ballot and any votes submitted for him should not be tallied.

Sincerely,
Lorri & Tom Mull

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Aloha Princeville 1 Members:

The Candidates’ Forum (canceled 9/28/23 due to the power outage at the PHCA Community Center) has been rescheduled for this Wednesday, October 4, 2023 at 4pm HST.

Please register to attend by Zoom or come in person to the Community Center by 4pm HST. We may still only be allowed an hour for questions, so please make yours count.

The Board has been under fire as a number of people have expressed concerns about the uneven treatment of the candidates. After consultation with its legal counsel, the Board has determined that all candidates are deemed eligible despite the 2 late filings of Messrs. Francis and Sands. Why bother to set a deadline if it is ignored? The Board has a fiduciary duty to run the elections in a fair and unprejudiced manner.

It has at least been established that Starwood’s candidate Francis would indeed have a conflict of interest if he wins. If he loses the election, would the newly constituted Board appoint him to the 5th seat even though he would be excluded from Open Space deliberations?

FROM THE PHCA WEBSITE: “The current board is developing a resolution which will be adopted in October. The resolution will establish a new committee which will address topics involving SOF-XI including discussions about the Golf Course Dedication; this committee will not include board members that have a direct or indirect conflict. “ QUESTIONS: Will Mr. Francis be precluded from sharing whatever he learns from PHCA’s legal counsel and the Board with his employer(s)? How?

In preparation for Wednesday’s meeting, here is a reminder of some suggested questions to be asked of candidates:

1. Were you a fee titled owner of land in Princeville at Hanalei on August 30, 2023 (the deadline for candidacy submissions to be on the ballot) and if not, did you have proper authorization to run for a PHCA board position by the fee owner of a PHCA member by August 30, 2023? If no, did you reveal this information to the General Manager and/or the PHCA Board?

2. If you don’t live full-time in Princeville at Hanalei, please tell us why you feel like you have the breadth and depth of understanding of our special community to serve as a board member of PHCA. How often do you visit or how many days / year are you in Princeville?

3. Do you support or oppose future development of ANY of the Makai 27-hole golf course land in PV1? Please explain your answer with specificity regarding upon which holes you would consider future development and why?

4. Please paint a picture of Princeville over the next 10 years. Be specific regarding Open Space, traffic, environmental issues such as drainage and sewage, and wildlife habitat. Is it consistent with the Master Plan?

5. Is Princeville 1 a “Master Planned Community”? How does Open Space fit in?

6. Have you read Article VIII, Section 2 of the CC&Rs and what does that mean to you as a potential member of the PHCA board?

7. Do you believe the May 12, 1972 Golf Course Dedication is a restrictive covenant of Princeville at Hanalei and should have been included in PHCA closing documents along with the CCRs, Bylaws, and CDC rules prior to 2018?

8. Are you aware of the number and extent of endangered and/or threatened species on the 27-hole Makai Golf Course? What is your plan to protect these species?

9. Are you concerned about any potential environmental contaminants in PV 1, and if so, how it/they affect(s) important issues such as climate change, reef degradation, water pollution, and/or public health? If so, please identify and explain your concerns and what you would you do to address it/them?

10. Do you believe that Starwood Capital Group (or any other of its entities) can or should determine the future of Princeville’s Open Space at the expense of the expressed interests/wishes of the majority of the other owners of land in Princeville at Hanalei? Click to review the 2020 Questionnaire results where 94% of the respondents said keeping open space represented by the Makai golf course, Open, was "important or greater".

11. Would you support conducting a new survey of all owners to determine their interest in preserving open space vs. development? If yes, would the results influence your vote?

Please attend the Candidates Forum Wednesday 10/4/23 at 4pm HST so you can learn about the Candidates’ positions on these important topics. MAHALO NUI LOA for your on-going support and concern about maintaining the Open Space that is so important to all of us.

Save Open Space Hui.

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Aloha Save Open Space Supporters in PV1,

The PHCA election ballots are now arriving in owners’ mailboxes.

Messrs. Isaiah Francis and Dale Sands’ names are on the ballot despite challenges from PHCA members. To be clear, there is precedent for recalling the current ballots and re-issuing them. In 2021, the ballots were SO unintelligible they had to be re-done. Even some Board members could not figure out how to properly vote them.

The Board Meeting on Thursday, September 28, 2023 at 4pm HST is an important opportunity to ask questions of all the candidates. Right now, PHCA intends to limit the question time to ONE hour. Please send an email to board@pcaonline.org to ask for more time. It’s the most important election since the inception of Princeville as any newly elected directors will be on the Board to support or oppose further development of Open Space in Princeville.

Here are some suggestions for questions:

1. Were you a fee titled owner of land in Princeville at Hanalei on August 30, 2023 (the deadline for candidacy submissions to be on the ballot)? If your answer is “no”, did you have proper authorization to run for a PHCA board position by the fee owner of a PHCA member by August 30, 2023? If no, did you reveal this information to the General Manager and/or the PHCA Board?

2. Do you live full-time in Princeville at Hanalei? If your answer is “yes”, please skip to Question 3. If your answer is “no”, please tell us why you feel like you have the breadth and depth of understanding of our special community to serve as a board member of PHCA. How often do you visit or how many days / year are you in Princeville?

3. Is Princeville 1 a “Master Planned Community”?

4. What is your understanding of County/State designation of Open Space in a Master Planned Community such as Princeville?

5. Is the May 12, 1972 Golf Course Dedication (which is recorded in the State of Hawaii Bureau of Conveyances) a restrictive covenant of Princeville at Hanalei?

6. Do you believe the Golf Course Dedication should have been included in PHCA closing documents along with the CCRs, Bylaws, and CDC rules prior to 2018?

7. Do you support or oppose future development of ANY of the Makai 27-hole golf course land in PV1? Please explain your answer with specificity regarding upon which holes you would consider future development. Why?

8. Have you read Article VIII, Section 2 of the CC&Rs? What does that mean to you as a potential member of the PHCA board reading it?

9. Are you aware of the number and extent of endangered and/or threatened species on the 27-hole Makai Golf Course? What is your plan to protect these species?

10. Are you concerned about any potential environmental contaminants in PV 1, and if so, how it/they affect(s) important issues such as climate change, reef degradation, water pollution, and/or public health? If so, please identify and explain your concerns and what you would you do to address it/them?

11. Do you believe that Starwood Capital Group (or any other of its entities) can or should have the capacity to determine the future of Princeville’s Open Space at the expense of the expressed interests/wishes of the majority of the other owners of land in Princeville at Hanalei? The survey run by PHCA in 2020 had 94% of the respondents supporting the preservation of ALL existing open space.

12. Would you support conducting a new survey of all owners to determine their interest in preserving open space vs. development? If yes, would the results influence your vote?

13. Please paint a picture of Princeville over the next 10 years. Be specific regarding Open Space, traffic, environmental issues such as drainage and sewage, and wildlife habitat.
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To the CURRENT BOARD –
The By Laws mandate a Nominating Committee per Article V, Section 1. Those By Laws state that “Nomination for election to the Board of Directors shall be made by a Nominating Committee. Nominations may also be made from the floor at the annual meeting.” (emphasis added)

First, there has been no Nominating Committee as dictated by the By Laws, and secondly, all the votes are tallied and the new Directors determined BEFORE the annual meeting, so any “nomination from the floor” is functionally irrelevant. It appears that the mandated Nominating Committee as per the By Laws has been ignored in recent years. Many years have passed since the CCRs and By-Laws were enacted and filed in the Bureau of Conveyances. Yet, the wisdom of the initial documents should be given great consideration.

PLEASE attend the Board meeting this Thursday, September 28th, 4pm HST. You will have an opportunity to ask questions of all the candidates. You will need to register to attend by Zoom, or attend in person at the Princeville Community Center.

Mahalo nui for your continuing support,
Save Open Space Hui.

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I am writing to express my concerns regarding the apparent inconsistent application of rules used to accept/deny applications for the election to fill PHCA board positions.

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Aloha Maylette and Members of the PHCA Board,

I am writing to express my concerns regarding the apparent inconsistent application of rules used to accept/deny applications for the election to fill PHCA board positions. It appears to be a confusing procedure with the Hawaii Statute superseding PHCA Bylaws. I appreciate the legal complexities present unique challenges for the administration of this important election.

Yet the importance of this election is the point. The new board will be in position when the future of open space in Princeville is debated as the potential end of the Dedication in 2026 looms. Therefore, the utmost diligence to the application process must be applied. If not, the results of the election will be debated and faith in your abilities to make unbiased decisions will be questioned. I believe this is not your goal.

I do believe your goal is to run an unimpeachable election. If you sincerely apply the lens of fairness and legality, applicants who missed the legal deadline will be removed.

As a member of the PHCA community you represent, thank you for addressing these legitimate concerns and making decisions to ensure a fair election.

Janet Ramatici

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Dear Open Space Supporters,

This email is particularly important to Members of Princeville 1 (PHCA), as the election of new Board Members is fast approaching. Here are some key facts to help you determine the best candidates for the future of Princeville 1:

-Two new Board Members and the two existing members will appoint the fifth board member for the remaining vacant board seat. Please take great care when you fill out your ballot!

-Two candidates’ names (Francis and Sands) are on the ballot, but it appears their qualifying paperwork was submitted after the August 30, 2023 candidate application deadline.

• Mr. Isaiah Francis is an employee of Starwood Capital Group, living in San Francisco who apparently does not own any property in Princeville, but is an appointee of Starwood. The Starwood resolution appointing Mr. Francis was signed September 6, 2023, a week after the Board-imposed deadline. The resolution makes Mr. Francis an “authorized signatory” to SOF-XI KAUAI PV HOTEL GP, L.L.C., but the “fee owner” of the property is a different equity fund, SOF-XI KAUAI PV HOTEL, LP. Do we really want a representative of the 1Hotel sitting on the PHCA Board of Directors when he is not personally a member of PHCA? How can he represent all homeowners and not be driven by Starwood’s orders as they control his paycheck?
  
  
• Mr. Dale Sands was also not an owner at the August 30, 2023 deadline according to county records. His trust received partial ownership of a condo from his wife’s trust on August 31, 2023.
  
  
• The Board appears to be changing the rules on the fly, now asserting that as long as candidates meet the qualifications by the election date, their names can be on the ballot. This treatment has not been consistent. Is there a deadline to apply to run or not?
  
  
• In August of 2021, a PV1 condo owner wished to designate a personal representative to run for a PHCA Board position (like Starwood is doing with Mr. Francis). The owner’s request was denied because the candidate was not in the PHCA database, i.e. not a PHCA member of record and, additionally, because the letter stating his intent to run was received after the candidate deadline published by the PHCA.
  
  
• This is an obvious change of rules and appears to constitute a double standard and a possible fiduciary violation. There are 2 candidates on the ballot, neither one of whom was in the PHCA database at the deadline, and both candidates’ qualifying papers were late. They are both on the ballot.
  
  
• If a PHCA member applied today to run for the board after the August 30th deadline for candidate applications, they would most likely be denied the opportunity to run or have their name appear on the ballot.

Several PHCA Members have sent letters to the Board with their concerns. Click on each member’s name to read their letter. (Rob Pollock, Tom Mull, Carolyn Padgett).

Please contact the current Board with your concerns at “board@pcaonline.org”.

The other three candidates, Messrs. Forgey, Kotsol and Markowicz are ALL qualified MEMBERS of PHCA as of the deadline.

VERY IMPORTANTLY, please attend the September 28, 2023 Board meeting – in person or via Zoom (must register in advance). You will have an opportunity to ask questions of ALL the candidates…from how long have they lived here to how will they work to protect all the OPEN SPACE identified in the Dedication.

Mahalo nui for your kind attention to this lengthy but worthy issue. For those of you outside of PV1, please send this email to all your PV1 friends.

And, Mahalo nui for your ongoing support of the efforts to keep OPEN space OPEN!!!!

-Save Open Space Hui.

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I’m very concerned about the candidates up for 2023 election to the PHCA Board of Directors.

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Subject: Upcoming elections

From: Carolyn Padgett

Date: 9/20/23, 11:07 AM

To: Maylette Garces

Aloha Maylette,

I’m very concerned about the candidates up for election to the PHCA BoD. It appears that not one but two of the people running were not actually eligible as of the August 30 deadline because of their being neither members of the association nor legally appointed to run. I am referring to Isaiah Francis and Dale Sands.

As you probably know, the deck is already stacked against those of us who are legal residents of PV1 (and therefore members) due to the sheer number of seats held by the short term rental community. It certainly should not be necessary to bend the rules in their favor to allow anyone to run for the PHCA board of directors at the whim of a hotel owner who does not care enough about Princeville to bother to follow the rules. Could it be that they have plans for our community that are so bad that they are unable to find anyone who lives here willing to represent them?

Therefore I humbly request, in the interest of the future of our beloved community, that Isaiah Francis and Dale Sands be disqualified from running. Should this not be done any decisions made by a board of directors which includes either or both of them will be invalid and the community will be embroiled in legal battles and have a difficult time getting anything accomplished.

Thanks for all you do for Princeville.

Carolyn Burkhardt-Padgett

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My concerns regarding the vetting of qualifications of certain candidates for the upcoming 2023 PHCA Board election.

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September 14, 2023

Aloha Maylette and Members of the PHCA Board,

I am writing to express my concerns regarding the vetting of qualifications of certain candidates for the upcoming PHCA Board election.

As per Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 421J-3(a) which pertains to a “Planned Community” such as PV1,

“Every member of the Board of Directors shall be a member of the association. However, a developer may appoint or elect directors pursuant to any special voting rights or power of appointment reserved to the master developer. “

As we no longer have classes of voting rights, candidates for election to the PHCA Board “shall be a member of the association”. According to the website post by Ace Hodgins, VP, “PHCA Board Election Key Dates and Candidates” of August 27, 2023, four candidates (Isaiah Francis, Randy Kotsol, Bernard Markowicz, and Dale Sands) had declared by the original Monday August 14th deadline to submit their candidacy. Because notice of the deadline was not clearly published nor announced prior to that date, after discussion at the August 24th PHCA meeting, the deadline was extended until Wednesday August 30th. Within the new deadline, another candidate, Duncan Forgey, submitted his candidacy and documents.

I note that Mr. Isaiah Francis is not a member of the association per se. A resolution was executed, signed, and dated on September 6, 2023, one week after the deadline for PHCA Board candidacy submissions, by Mr. Nick Antonopoulos, Managing Director of SOF-XI Kauai PV Holdings, GP, LLC. The resolution states that SOF-XI Kauai PV Holdings, LP is the “Sole Member” of SOF-XI Kauai PV Hotel GP, LLC, “the Company”… and the Sole Member desires to appoint officers “the Officers” to “the Company”…. Mr. Francis is listed as an “Authorized Signatory” in the resolution.

County records indicate that SOF-XI Kauai PV Hotel LP is the fee owner of the hotel property and, as of August 30, 2023, Mr. Francis had no relationship with SOF-XI Kauai PV Hotel LP and from a careful reading of the resolution, still appears to have no relationship with the fee owner of the property. To properly ascertain whether Mr. Francis’ is/was qualified to run for a PHCA Board position as of August 30th, I would request that all organizational documents, Articles, By-Laws, Operating Agreements, and any/all other documents pertinent to Mr. Francis board candidacy, specifically from SOF-XI Kauai PV Hotel GP, LLC; SOF-XI Kauai PV Holdings, LP; and SOF-XI Kauai PV Hotel LP, be submitted and carefully reviewed by the Board, General Manager, and independent legal counsel with a specialty in complex capital structures in order to ascertain whether Mr. Francis is a qualified candidate with timely legal standing for a PHCA Board position.

Similarly, Mr. Dale Sands does not appear to have been a member of PHCA on August 30, 2023. County records indicate that the owner of record of the property at The Plantation in Princeville on August 30th was Debra H. Sands Revocable Trust dated March 5, 2008. A Quitclaim Deed was executed, signed, and recorded in the State of Hawaii Bureau of Conveyances on August 31, 2023, one day after the deadline for candidates to submit proper documentation of their qualification for membership in PHCA to run for the Board. It does not appear that Mr. Sands was a member of PHCA until August 31, 2023.

I believe that it is critical that all potential candidates be vetted for their qualification to run for a PHCA board position as per HRS 421J-3(a) as of the deadline for submitting their candidacy for office.

Important issues are at stake and this election is vitally important to the future of PV1. At the very least, each candidate should be carefully vetted for their qualification to run for the board as of the August 30, 2023, deadline and I respectfully request that the vetting process with regard to the issues identified above be readdressed, documented with additional specialized legal counsel opinion, and reported to the members of PV1 prior to the distribution of ballots. Your fiduciary duty requires nothing less.

Sincerely,

Thomas Mull, J.D.

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Objections to 2023 Princeville at Hanalei Community Association Board member nominees.

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Date: September 13, 2023

Subject: Objections to Princeville at Hanalei Community Association Board member nominees

To: Maylette and the board of Princeville at Hanalei Community Association

My name is Robert Pollock, and I am a member/owner in Princeville.

According to the Revised Hawaii Statutes VII Chapter 421J, Planned Community Associations, “Member” means the person or persons owning a unit or having the right of occupancy of a unit under a recorded lease 20 or more years from its commencement date; or anyone included in the definition of a member under the association documents, including the developer, whether or not the developer owns a unit.

I am writing to object to the nomination of Mr. Isiah Francis, because he was neither a member by ownership, in Princeville, nor was he legally appointed as a representative, as of the Board application deadline.Because he was not officially listed as an “Authorized Signatory,” until September 6, 2023, clearly NOT in time for the 5P.M. August 30, 2023 DEADLINE for nominees to have filed their paperwork, his application, therefore, must be Disqualified.

Similarly, Mr. Dale Sands wrote that he “has been a resident for 10 years.” But, as of the board member application extended DEADLINE of August 30 @ 5P.M., he was NOT an owner. His wife’s revocable trust was the owner of record as of both the initial board member application filing deadline of August 14, 2023, as well as the ‘extended’ deadline of 5p.m. on August 30, 2023. According to a Quitclaim Deed, filed a day later, on August 31, clearly AFTER the ‘extended’ application deadline, Mr Sands’ wife’s trust owned the home, up until and beyond August 30, until August 31, 2023, when the Quitclaim Deed was recorded, at 10:55A.M, by the State of Hawaii Bureau of Conveyances, (reference: Doc No(s)A-86430773), conveying an interest to Mr. Sands. The transfer of ownership occurred clearly AFTER the qualifying deadline of 5P.M. on August 30, 2023, thus missing the deadline, thereby disqualifying Mr. Sands.

Please Disqualify Mr. Francis and Mr. Sands, because neither applicants were Qualified nominees as of the filing deadline of 5P.M. on August 30, 2023.

The deadline of August 30 was final. If I or anyone would have gone in to the office the morning after, on 31 August, and said, "here's my application for the board...,” I would've been told that my application was past the deadline and it would not have been accepted. My application would have been Disqualified. This is no different.

Please remove the names of Mr. Sands and Mr. Francis from the ballot.

Mssrs. Markowicz, Forgey and Kotsol are qualified owners.

Respectfully submitted,
Robert Pollock

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Aloha Save Open Space Supporter,

It's been some time since we last updated you on our efforts to keep all of Princeville's Makai golf courses as designated open lands and not developed for overnight accommodations by Starwood Capital Group (SCG), current owners of the Makai and 1 Hotel.

Members of the Hui have been in a protracted legal dispute with SCG regarding their attempt to build 50 Glamping sites on the Makai Woods Golf Course. You may recall that at the end of 2021, with the passage of changes in Kaua‘i's Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, SCG withdrew their Glamping plans. However, we believe they never stopped their long-term plans to build out parts or possibly all of the three Makai Golf Courses.

As of a couple of months ago, the judge overseeing the case ruled that "The Dedication does not permit glamping or other overnight accommodations..." on the golf courses in accordance with the original 1972 Dedication of Golf Course Property. But, SCG has stated they want to be ready to break ground as early as March 1st, 2026, so members of SOS Hui continue to fight for keeping all of Princeville's open space, OPEN!

This brings us to the upcoming Princeville at Hanalei (PHCA) Board of Directors election. You will shortly be receiving ballots for the election to fill 2 open seats. These two newly-elected representatives will remain on the Board through at least October 2026 and will be intimately involved in the Board's ultimate position regarding Saving Open Space in Princeville. A third open seat will be filled by Board appointment after the election.

Because your vote is critical to the future of Princeville, we are asking you to make sure you:

1. Have signed up with access to the new Princeville Association website.
If you haven't, please either go to the new PHCA website registration page or contact the PHCA staff at (808) 826-6687 or info@pcaonline.org and they can walk you through the sign-up process which takes only a minute. You can find this contact information on the main website.

2. Attend (via Zoom or in person) this month's Princeville Board Meeting on Thursday, September 28th at 4pm HST, where the 5 candidates will present why they should receive your vote and where you can ask them direct questions. If you can sign-in (see #1) to the PHCA website, you will receive an email prior to the 28th with instructions for registering to attend via Zoom.

We know many residents do not attend the monthly PHCA Board meetings but this one is really important as it's the only time you will have the opportunity to listen to and ask questions of the candidates before the most critical PHCA election in many years.

To pique your interest, one of the candidates is a Starwood Capital Group junior employee who, as far as we know, doesn’t own property in Princeville. We request you politely ask what possible un-biased benefit he could bring to the Princeville Board of Directors as we move towards critical 2026.

Additionally, please forward this email to as many of your friends in Princeville as possible so that property owners can learn about these candidates' positions at the Sept. 28th meeting.

We will follow up with a reminder email as we get closer to the September 28th meeting.

Mahalo for your continuing support and everyone's efforts towards keeping the existing open lands, open in Princeville.

-Save Open Space Hui.

Contact: contact@soshui.org
Website: soshui.org

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Aloha and Hau‘oli Makahiki Hou, "Happy New Year" Open Space Supporters –

While the Save Open Space Hui has been quiet over these past months, we want to assure you that the fight is ongoing to save all of the Open Space that is the hallmark of Princeville 1. The sweeping Open Space and iconic vistas, preserved under the Master Plan and approved by the County under the terms of the Interim Zoning Ordinance in 1971, was intended to be reserved for the enjoyment of all of the Princeville community, the North Shore, and the entire Island of Kaua‘i.  We have been incredibly gratified to see so many of our neighbors from all across the North Shore, as well as other sides of the island, support our efforts to save the Open Space.  It is vitally important for the North Shore to pull together and support each other as we strive to keep the North Shore green!

The court action against Starwood Capital Group (SCG) to preclude development on the Woods Course is still pending in the 5th Circuit Court for the County of Kaua‘i and is being vigorously pursued.  Although the Ordinance passed by the County now prevents “glamping” on any land not designated as “Resort”, the action to preserve the Open Space has not been resolved and there are many issues that have yet to be addressed in the litigation.  As always, SOSHui is grateful for your continued support.

KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS  

We are all so “lucky to live Kaua‘i” and, as members of the North Shore community from Ha‘ena to Moloa‘a, we are all committed to working together to support each other, our communities, our way of life, and our beautiful land.  We are committed to protecting the environment, the ocean and its precious reefs, as well as the endangered and threatened species, especially those unique to our island and the North Shore. 

It was important to the original developers of Princeville to preserve and protect the endangered and threatened water birds and their nesting areas.  SOSHui is committed to helping save the Open Space so our feathered friends are able to survive and thrive.  At least one Nene family has hatched three chicks on the Third Hole of the Woods Course– the area that Starwood Capital Group continues to threaten to develop—and the albatross are happily nesting on numerous other sites across the Makai Golf Course.  Endangered Koloa ducks, Hawaiian Stilts and Hawaiian Gallinules are living and raising their young in various areas on Princeville’s Open Space as well.  

  

Speaking of our neighbors, the Washington Post ran an article on January 2, 2023 regarding Starwood Capital Group’s real estate practices entitled “Rising Rents Were a Crisis for Tenants. For Starwood, They Were a Gift.”  
Read the entire article to better understand the SCG mindset.

On a County level, Mayor Kawakami was inaugurated for a second term on December 1, 2022.  In a moving and beautiful ceremony at the War Memorial, the Mayor and new County Council members were sworn in.  After his comments on the critical issues of infrastructure, solid waste management, and affordable housing, Mayor stated, 

“Lastly, if there was one silver lining of our state’s COVID crisis it was that it highlighted the critical need to revamp and renew how we manage our visitor industry. Gone are the days of parading around paradise to one and all. For those of us who are privileged enough to call this island home, we have a responsibility to care for it. And for those who wish to visit, there will be ground rules. Because here on Kauai, we take our shoes off at the door and we leave a light footprint. … We look forward to working with our County Council, Office of Economic Development, Kauai Visitors Bureau and industry partners on how to set that example and lead the state in destination management.“  

You can read the entirety of the Mayor’s inaugural speech.

 

We applaud Mayor Kawakami for his leadership, vision, and commitment to our unique island home and look forward to watching his plans for the future unfold in his upcoming term.

We wish you all a healthy and happy 2023 and will continue our efforts to Save Open Space in the upcoming year!

Mahalo nui loa.
SOSHui.org

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"Gone are the days of parading around paradise to one and all. For those of us who are privileged enough to call this island home, we have a responsibility to care for it. And for those who wish to visit, there will be ground rules. Because here on Kauai, we take our shoes off at the door and we leave a light footprint."

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Good afternoon and thank you for being here.

First, please join me in acknowledging the staff and volunteers who helped to coordinate today’s event, and all those who participated to make it special. MAHALO.

****

On behalf of our County Council and the County of Kauai, we welcome you to our 2022 Inauguration Ceremony.

To my wife Monica and our family, cabinet members and county associates, our campaign team, all of the volunteers and participants, and of course, to the families of the Council Members standing here today – thank you for making this day possible for us.

I’d also like to acknowledge my dad, Charles, and my mother, Arlene, who I hold dearly in my heart, especially on important days like this one. If they were in the audience, I think they’d still be surprised to see me on this stage.

***

I stand before you today – as I did four years ago – humbled and evermore committed to serving our island and each of you.

We are in a time where changes to technology, environment, expectations – and even viruses – threaten to move at a faster pace than our ability to adapt. This rapid and ever- present sense of change pulls us out of our collective comfort zone, often leaving us anxious for the future that lies ahead.

In a community like ours, built on its deep-rooted history...immersed in a culture that binds us so closely together, change is not always welcome.

And yet we know it is inevitable.

That is why it is more important now than ever to elect leaders who can be trusted to navigate change in a way that is responsible and true to who we are. As with any navigator, we must know the direction from which we came, in order to see the right path forward.

I am confident that the group of us here today are those leaders for Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau.

With that, I ask you trust us to navigate our future not with a fear of change, but, with what Pastor Jon so eloquently refers to as “Joyful Anticipation.”

Today is a new day. A new beginning. While many of the faces around the room look and feel familiar, this day is not identical to the one four years ago.

We are wiser, stronger, and maybe slightly more weathered. We are more eager, more ready to finish what we started, and each of us has a passion to lay a path for the next generation – for our children and their children.

We have work to do. And we are ready to roll up our sleeves and get the job done, as our public expects of us.

We are proud of the work we have accomplished in our first term, from managing a global pandemic, building affordable housing, repaving and repairing more roads than ever before, and modernizing processes, from park permits to DMV registrations. While many chapters in our journey are now complete, we have much more that lies ahead.

We also recognize that we can’t solve all the issues. With four years left, our Administration intends to finish what we started and hand the next administration a playbook to success. This will require us to be efficient and keep a laser-like focus on our highest priorities.

But what truly makes Kauai special and unique from every other county is our ability to work together and lean on one another. Our County Council and administration have identified SHARED priorities for our island and understand that it will take partnership, collaboration, and communication to accomplish these goals together.

I’ve said and will continue to say that our priorities for our island will focus on infrastructure, infrastructure, and infrastructure.

First and foremost, we have a landfill that is living on borrowed time. We will be working together with our Solid Waste team, community members and stakeholders to site a new landfill. This is a large undertaking, and we are up to the task. We have no time to waste!

In tandem with pursuing a new landfill, we know that on our small island with limited resources and a growing population, it is imperative that we begin to utilize more sustainable alternatives to dumping our trash. We are committed to Waste to Energy technologies and other diversion strategies to preserve landfill space. We look forward to the completion of our Waste to Energy study to help us determine next steps.

We will also continue to partner with the Council to prioritize affordable housing for our residents. Under the direction of our Housing Agency, we are looking to commence an unprecedented number of affordable housing projects across our island in the coming year. This will result in an estimated 400 units, to include single-family, multi-family, senior and supportive housing. While we know that more housing will not solve homelessness, we will look at creative adaptation to meet people where they are in addressing their basic needs.

We thank the development partners who have prioritized people over profits by building housing that our residents can afford.

But let’s be clear. Affordable housing is not an issue of funding but one of courage. While our community may say that housing is a top priority, with every new affordable housing development we have proposed, we have been met with community opposition. So I thank this Council for having the courage to push through criticism for the greater good.

Lastly, if there was one silver lining of our state’s COVID crisis it was that it highlighted the critical need to revamp and renew how we manage our visitor industry. Gone are the days of parading around paradise to one and all. For those of us who are privileged enough to call this island home, we have a responsibility to care for it. And for those who wish to visit, there will be ground rules. Because here on Kauai, we take our shoes off at the door and we leave a light footprint.

We look forward to working with our County Council, Office of Economic Development, Kauai Visitors Bureau and industry partners on how to set that example and lead the state in destination management.

Finding housing solutions, revamping tourism, and siting a new landfill are not simple tasks. They will require us to work together as seemingly one elected body to tackle them. I have been blessed to work alongside a Council that prioritizes progressive policy, financial accountability, and perhaps most importantly, a shared sense of responsibility. I am grateful for that partnership, and we will continue to lead Kaua‘i forward with respect, honesty, and transparency.

There are of course other important partners here today that I’d like to acknowledge.....

Our state delegation led by Senate President Ron Kouchi, along with representatives Jimmy Tokioka, Dee Morikawa and Nadine Nakamura. Of course, former Mayor Maryanne Kusaka. And our newly elected Lt. Governor Sylvia Luke.

To Maui Mayor Mike Victorino and members of his cabinet. Mayor Victorino, it has been my honor and privilege to work alongside you through our state’s darkest hour and make it to the other side. You have a love for your island that is unmatched, and you will always be an inspiration to me as a leader. Your attendance today means the world to me. My aloha to you, Aunty Joycelyn and your team.

Last but certainly not least, I’d like to ask that my cabinet and all county associates here today. Please stand and be recognized.

***

I say every day that I am the luckiest Mayor in the world and I have the absolute best job. This team right here is the reason. They are diverse, talented, loyal and above all passionate about the work they do to serve our county. We are not simply a group of county employees - we are volunteers, coaches, teachers, surfers, fishermen, ranchers, farmers, mothers and fathers, sons and daugthers. Our team is deeply committed to our beautiful island and its people, and we will work every day to leave our island in a better place than when we took office.

***

Change is coming. And we are joined here together in Joyful Anticipation of the Kaua‘i that we will help to build, where our children and their children can make a living in a job they love, that affords them a house right here at home. Where respect for the land, the ocean and our culture remain our core values. Where people are our most precious commodity, and relationships are our highest priority. We are hopeful that the leaders of Kauai’s future will look back and be proud of this moment in our history.

I know that I am incredibly proud to be your Mayor. And I thank you from the bottom of my heart for partnering with me as we continue to work for the good people of Kauai and Niihau.

Mahalo for being here. God Bless and Aloha.

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By Peter Whoriskey (Washington Post)

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Read an ARTICLE titled "Rising rents were a crisis for tenants. For Starwood Capital Group, they were a gift." The company has become one of the nation’s largest landlords in recent years and imposed some daunting rent hikes.

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Let's make 2023 a great year!

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Let's make 2023 a great year!

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Let's make 2023 a banner year!

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Hawaii’s 2022 Nov. 8th elections are right around the corner. Honolulu's Civil Beat magazine put together an election guide to help with candidate positions and more. Click the Election Guide to review Kauai's County Council candidates and their responses to a set of questions posed by Civil Beat.

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It was the Kauai County Council that passed Bill 2838 which the Mayor immediately signed that changed the definition of Developed Camping to make "glamping" illegal on zoned Open Space. It was this effort that stopped "glamping" in Princeville

View Civil Beat's Elections Guide.

Primary election turnout was low this year, at 38.5% compared to 49.7% and 43.3% in the 2020 and 2018 primaries, respectively. (TGI)

Fourteen candidates advanced to the general election, in order of vote totals, incumbent Luke Evslin, incumbent Bernard Carvalho, former Councilmember Mel Rapozo, incumbent KipuKai Kuali‘i, former Councilmember Ross Kagawa, Dr. Addison Bulosan, incumbent Felicia Cowden, incumbent Billy DeCosta, Fern Anuenue Holland, Lila Balmores Metzger, Shirley Simbre-Medeiros, Rachel Secretario, Nelson Mukai and Roy Saito. The candidates with the top 7 vote counts will be on the next Kauai County Council.

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Although passage of Bill 2838 (resulting in Ordinance 1105) stopped "glamping" in Princeville and across Kaua‘i, Starwood Capital Group continues to threaten development of Princeville's Open Spaces in their single minded pursuit of maximizing their profits at the expense of current and future Princeville residents.

In June 2021, their spokesperson Jason Cruce, VP SCG, stated SCG's intent to maximize their investment in Princeville by developing "glamping", and if that was not possible, to build new housing on some or ALL 27 holes of the Makai Golf Course. Mr Cruce also stated SCG may maximize their profits by selling parts of the Makai Golf Course to a separate housing developer.

With public statements like those by Jason Cruce, we believe Starwood Capital Group has every intention of selling to a developer or developing themselves, some or all of the Makai Woods golf course (9 holes). And, though we think it would be catastrophic to their 1Hotel holding if they convert all of the Makai's 27 holes to either high-end or worker housing, it would not be beyond them to sell off or develop part, if they felt it would further their efforts on flipping their over-a-year-late and over-budget 1Hotel property.

As of August 2023 we have seen no evidence by Starwood Capital Group of any change in their intention of maximizing their investment in Princeville by either selling off the Makai Golf Course in total or in parts, especially the Woods Course where they wanted to build their "glamping" tourist accommodations or building additional housing through their own development. Either way, they are still highly focused at taking away Princeville's existing open spaces to feather their pockets and those of their investors. Princeville will not be the same once they start "paving it over" for short term gains.

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Monthly Visitor Statistics.

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Click Monthly Visitor Statistics to view the official statistics distributed by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority.

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By Scott Yunker (The Garden Island)

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LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau is assessing efforts to alter the local tourism industry following the recent publication of the Kaua‘i Destination Management Action Plan Phase 1 Report.

The Kaua‘i-specific report covers the first year of the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority’s three-year, county-by-county DMAP initiative, which launched in early 2021 to address a changing visitor industry.

KVB personnel, who shared their top priorities for 2022 in January, discussed the highs and lows of the project this week.

KVB Executive Director Sue Kanoho opened with the greatest stumbling block encountered since January.

“There was a universal fee that they were looking at statewide,” Kanoho told The Garden Island. “But that is dead on arrival through the legislature.”

Kanoho had named the proposed universal user-fee model as her number-one goal, at the beginning of the year. The model, had it come to pass, would have seen tourists pay to offset costs at beaches and parks throughout the state.

However, a local version of the plan remains a possibility. Visitors already pay entrance and parking or shuttle fees at Waimea Canyon, Koke‘e and Ha‘ena state parks.

The county’s Parks &Recreation Department is now considering user-fee models for Po‘ipu, Lydgate and Black Pot county beach parks.

“I think what’s going to happen is, they’re probably going to pick one and make it a pilot and see how it goes,” KVB Destination Manager Patti Ornellas said.

The Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau and its partners have made greater headway in other directions.

Ornellas and the county’s Office of Economic Development are continuing to install interpretative signage throughout the island, to promote Native Hawaiian culture and history.

“We’re looking at not only the parks, but other significant areas like the heiau and sacred sites,” Ornellas said.

‘A homerun’

This year’s state legislative session may have sank the proposed universal user-fee system, but it resulted in a win for the Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau and its DMAP partners, who lobbied for more Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources rangers and resources.

“That is a homerun,” Kanoho said. “DLNR was able to get extra funding, and they’re underway with trying to find out where they’re going to focus it.”

Kanoho has said DLNR needs more resources to target illegal activities in Kaua‘i’s state parks.

Kanoho’s go-to example is Wailua Falls, where trespassing by tourists, residents and commercial photography businesses has been a perennial issue for the state.

However, she says a recent DMAP workshop with commercial photographers appears to have reduced the number of online advertisements for photoshoots in illegal locations.

“I’m pretty happy about that,” Kanoho said.

Perhaps the most concrete example of DMAP progress is Alakoko, a Lihu‘e storefront and resource for entrepreneurs located throughout the island.

Alakoko, which opened earlier this year with support from the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, does not take a percentage of sales. Instead, members pay a monthly fee to place their wares within the store. The model is intended to stimulate local economic growth by lessening Kaua‘i product makers’ overhead.

Industry buy-in

Ornellas and Kanoho also touted a series of completed and pending DMAP videos, intended for use by the travel industry.

One, titled “Hawai‘i is Our Home,” will be screened by airlines to educate tourists mid-flight.

The short videos are available on the Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau’s YouTube page. They feature local entities like the Kaua‘i Museum in Lihu‘e and the North Shore’s Hanalei Initiative.

Each spot is notably reverent in tone. Local people, places, animals and culture take center stage. Few tourists are seen.

“It’s time to really set the pace of, ‘You’re visiting our home. You’re not coming to a destination where you can do whatever the heck you want,’” Kanoho said.

Players in the Kaua‘i tourism industry and beyond are buying into that message, according to Kanoho, who said the Princeville Community Association has presented a “Princeville Management Action Plan” to the Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau.

The document, which localizes elements of the islandwide Destination Management Action Plan, is the Princeville Community Association’s commitment to better manage their corner of Kaua‘i.

On the opposite side of the island, the Grand Hyatt resort in Koloa has opened a Native Hawaiian cultural center.

“It’s a place that connects our past to our present and provides a place for both malihini and kama‘aina to gain a greater appreciation and understanding of Hawaiian culture,” the resort’s Manager of Hawaiian Culture Moani Tolentino said.

The cultural center is named Ke Kumu O Hihinui, in honor of the ili (land section) the property sits on, according to Tolentino.

Ke Kumu O Hihinui opened earlier this year.

Its cultural classes and workshops are currently limited to resort guests, but Tolentino hopes to welcome kama‘aina in the near future.

“I hope that our cultural center will become a place where everyone can come together to learn from each other and share their aloha,” Tolentino said.

“It’s important that we as kama‘aina share our aloha for our island and culture with our visitors so they have a better understanding and respect for it,” she continued. “It’s equally important that our kama‘aina learn more about our culture and history so they too can gain a better understanding and respect for it.”

The Kaua‘i DMAP and related updates can be found on the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority website, hawaiitourismauthority.org.

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J.D. Hansen chosen as new BoD member, Starwood Capital transplanting Kukui trees to 1Hotel entrance, Michael Cole's presentation regarding ongoing Hawaiian Village (Waimaumau park) alternatives.

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Aloha Open Space Supporters –
 
Here is a brief summary of the most recent PHCA Board Meeting held March 17, 2022.
 
J.D. Hansen has been appointed to fill the recent vacancy occasioned by Lionel Moore’s resignation in December.  We hope Mr. Hansen will be a strong supporter of preserving ALL the open space in Princeville, as was originally intended by the developer, and as marketed by the Princeville Development’s sales teams.
 
East-West Partners’ Mark Hall reported that the relocation of 22 of the 50+ year old kukui nut trees from Woods holes 4 & 9 would begin March 21st.  The decision to move these mature, well-established trees from their home on the Woods Course where they provide a habitat for the Nene, the Hawaiian Coot and Gallinule and other endangered species is puzzling at best, especially in light of Mr. Hall’s representation that they will be relocated to the entrance of the 1Hotel entrance. Kukui trees, while beautiful, shed copious amounts of nuts which can potentially pose a significant slip and fall risk for guests and visitors to the hotel.

There was no other news on the potential development on the Makai Golf Course by Starwood.
 
With respect to the proposed development of Waimaumau park by John Davenport and Kaua‘I Eco Design, Michael Cole and other Princeville residents affected by the proposed development recently met with Mr. Davenport, owner of the parcel, that has been touted as a potential tourist park, a la the Polynesian Cultural Center on O‘ahu, with a trail down to Queens Bath.  After a thorough discussion with the group, Mr. Davenport expressed an interest in working with PHCA or another non-profit that might be interested in preserving the parcel as true open space rather than a commercial tourist park.  
 
Michael and others also made an excellent presentation to those present at the Zoom Board meeting.  The presentation specified the large variety of issues that would accompany the Waimaumau proposed development including substantially increased traffic into Princeville (with only a 33 space parking lot), noise, destruction of habitat for protected species, increased numbers of visitors to the already trampled Queens Bath, which is a very dangerous place during any high surf event, and the addition of another “tourist attraction” to our community.  
 
We hope that Mr. Davenport, as well as other present and potential developers, will recognize that Princeville 1 is a well-planned community that has been fully developed according to its master plan that was based upon the preservation of OPEN space. The preservation of our precious open space, view planes, endangered species’ habitats, etc. represent the true and real value of the North Shore of Kaua‘i.  The development of Princeville fifty years ago as the first master planned community in the State of Hawaii was predicated on preserving the open space; the preservation of open space was recognized by the Hawaii Land Use Commission and the Kaua‘i Planning Commission as a critical element of the approval of the original permit application.  
 
With the opening of 1Hotel in Princeville (predicted for fall of 2022), the increase in traffic, tourists, strain on roads, utilities, sewage, water, trash, etc. will add considerable stress to the existing infrastructure that is already stretched thin. As a community that extends from Moloa‘a to Ha‘ena, we all cherish the North Shore and the open space that is the hallmark of our island lifestyle.  We understand that tourism is a significant factor of our economy, but if we do not protect the essential element of what makes it so special, we risk letting the developers kill the proverbial goose that lays the golden egg. 
 
Mahalo for your continuing support of Open Space!
 
The next PHCA Board Meeting is April 21, 2022 – please remember to sign up and attend.

With aloha,
SOSHui.org

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An Existential Threat to the Quality of Life in Princeville - Waimaumau, a “Hawai‘ian Village” tourist attraction with all that comes with such a development.

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As some of you already know, there is an existential threat to our quality of life in Princeville. Waimaumau/Queen’s Bath Valley is the large parcel of open space (27 acres) that sits between Wyndham Bali Hai, Ali‘i Kai I and Ali‘i Kai II on the East, and Kapiolani Loop on the West. The parcel is quite steep, and goes all the way down to Queen’s Bath. The developer’s team wants to create a major tourist attraction- a “Hawai‘ian Village” with luaus, weddings, and other social events, as well as cultural exhibits, botanical gardens tours, yoga classes and physical fitness activities. There would also be a paved path to the end of the parcel that would dramatically increase the number of people going to Queen’s Bath.

At our initial meeting with the developer’s team, one of them said they would work hand in hand with the Hawaii Tourism Authority to heavily advertise and promote the business to make Queen’s Bath the #1 visitor attraction on Kaua‘i. With tourism quickly approaching pre- pandemic levels, even if they only attract 25% of visitors, that’s 30,000 people a month coming to Princeville. If they get 50% of visitors, that’s 60,000 people per month coming to Princeville.

1,000 to 2,000 people per day coming to Princeville- every day of the year. How long will it take you to get to the roundabout? How much time will it take to turn left onto Kuhio Highway?

This massive traffic increase will be felt throughout Princeville, as the relentless advertising and promotion will drive far more visitors than can ever be accommodated by the developer’s 33 car parking lot. Those visitors will then look for other ways to access Queens Bath, creating additional traffic and parking issues on Punahele Rd and Kapi‘olani Loop, as well as increasing pressure on destinations such as Hideaways Beach, creating more traffic and parking issues around Hale Moi, Pale Ke Kua, and Pu‘u Poa. Those who can’t park near access points will drive through every neighborhood in Princeville looking for things to do and places to park.

With the exponential increase in traffic will come a corresponding increase in noise, trash, road damage, and exhaust fumes, including diesel fumes from the buses they talked about bringing in daily. How much will the additional road repairs cost due to the massive traffic increase?

All of this will be terrible for humans, but an absolute disaster for various species of wildlife in the parcel, like the endangered Hawai‘ian Hoary bat and the large colony of Shearwaters that nest there. This area (for now) is a wilderness that is home to a large variety of native birds and trees. The proposed walkway to Queen’s Bath could also provide easier access to Turtle Cove, a critical habitat for an endangered species that already has too much human visitation.

There are other serious environmental concerns, such as storm water runoff. The gravel that will be used to cover the proposed parking lot will, during heavy rain events, wash into the stream valley and onto the nearshore reef. Garbage and vehicle fluids will also be flushed into the stream valley and onto the reef from the parking area.

Greatly increasing the number of tourists coming to Queen’s Bath will also greatly increase the number of injuries and fatalities. It’s simple math. Queen’s Bath is a dangerous place when there is any surf, and extremely dangerous during high surf. The current trail to Queen’s Bath is somewhat difficult, and holds down to some extent the number of people attempting the hike. The new proposed walkway to Queen’s Bath would be 2-3 times as long as the current one, with a long stretch traversing across the lava shelf, providing even more opportunity for injury. Worse, the paved path would be a smooth and easy walk down to the lava, giving tourists a false sense of security, and putting even more people into potentially critical situations.

All of the above is the bad news.

The good news is that we have an opportunity to buy this land and preserve it forever as open space.

About 15-20 Princeville residents met with the developer, John Davenport, on Friday. This was our first time meeting with him directly, as previous meetings had been with his team. Things went about as well as we could have hoped for in an initial meeting. He said he originally bought the property to help out a friend who was in financial difficulty and that he was simply looking to monetize his investment. After some discussion, he said he was willing to sell the parcel to the community, and that he had offered to sell it to Princeville through the PHCA board when he originally bought the property.

We were courteous and respectful, and emphasized our desire to work with him to buy the property to preserve it as open space. We also went into great detail about the issues involved with their plans and the fierce resistance he would face in attempting to develop the property. He said they were envisioning a smaller scale project than what was originally proposed, but also that the parcel would be a commercial venture that would pay for itself. Given the costs involved to grade and excavate the property, install infrastructure, build the “Hawai‘ian Village”, employ staff, etc, even a smaller scale version would still require driving mass numbers of tourists into Princeville every day to generate sufficient revenue to make a profit.

It seems Mr. Davenport got a good sense of the level of opposition he will face if he tries to move forward with this project, as he texted me later in the day to let me know that he had met with Sam George and Maylette and told them that PHCA should buy the property. He said he would send them proposed terms, and that Sam and Maylette told him they would bring it up at our PHCA meeting on Thursday. Sam is personally very supportive of the concept of buying the land to preserve it as open space, although he only counts for one vote on the board, so this is not the official position of the PHCA board.

This is a golden opportunity to take control of this land and protect it forever by dedicating it as a nature preserve or something similar. This should be the model for how to preserve open space in the future in Princeville- buy the land and take developers out of the equation entirely.

We can set a strong precedent for the inevitable negotiations with Starwood over the golf courses by doing this, as the possibility of this development emboldens companies like Starwood and others looking for development opportunities in Princeville. Stopping this development will show the strength and unity of the community.

Just as Starwood attempted to divide and conquer with their glamping project by trying to pit residents of different areas of Princeville against each other, John Davenport’s reps have taken a similar approach with this project. These developers position their projects as only affecting a portion of Princeville, but any increase in development affects all of Princeville, and inevitably leads to even more development.

The only way to win the battle for preserving open space is a united front, with a zero-tolerance policy towards development of open space in Princeville.

Please forward this to any PHCA members you know and make sure they’re registered for the meeting on Thursday, as we will be discussing this issue and want as many voices as possible to be heard. Our presentation will be the last item on the agenda, so that we have as much time as we need.
“United We Stand, Divided We Fall.”

Mahalo nui loa,
Michael Cole

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3/14/2022
Aloha Open Space Supporters –

We hope 2022 has started off well for you and that you have taken some time to celebrate the County Council’s passage and Mayor’s signature on the bill that protects Open and Ag-zoned spaces from “Developed Campgrounds” – aka “glamping”.

REMEMBER TO REGISTER (via ZOOM) TO COME TO THE PHCA BOARD MEETING THIS THURSDAY, March 17th at 4pm HST.

There are 2 key things we wanted to bring to your attention right now:

1. On or around March 21st, Starwood is planning to begin moving 22 fifty-year-old Kukui trees (biggest estimated 25-30’ tall) from Woods Holes 4 and 9 to the 1Hotel entrance, and replace those on the (un)golf course with young Kukui trees. There are 11 targeted from one grove of 28. The root balls are large, but East West has represented to the County Engineering Department that they will not need a grading and grubbing permit because they will not be moving more than 100 cubic yards of dirt or disturbing more than an acre of soil during this project. A neighboring PV resident, Rob Pollock, has submitted the following short video in which he explains the tree removal and what is being affected: https://youtu.be/7FoeR43iEcM.

2. Planning for the proposed Hawaiian Village on the open 27 acre parcel next to Queen’s Bath has been proceeding. Concerned residents are working with the current owner, John Davenport, to find a different path, avoiding the creation of another proverbial "Disneyland" right here in Princeville. The short version is this:

BAD NEWS: The proposed Waimaumau Hawai‘ian Village is another existential threat to Princeville. It’s estimated there could be an additional 1000-2000 people per DAY through Princeville based on Hawai‘i Tourist Authority numbers. The proposed parking for about 35 cars wouldn't begin to accommodate them. The impact on residents and peaceful Princeville alone is unacceptable, and this development would have terrible consequences for the endangered species (Hawai‘ian Hoary Bat, Shearwaters and more) that nest there.

GOOD NEWS: Concerned Princeville residents have met with owner John Davenport; he has indicated a willingness to sell the parcel to PHCA or other party that could preserve it as open space. Read a well thought out summary (READ PDF). You may contact one of the authors, Michael Cole, at blackrockholdings@yahoo.com.

REGISTER (via ZOOM) TO COME TO THE PHCA BOARD MEETING THIS THURSDAY, March 17th at 4pm HST to hear about PHCA's opportunity to purchase and preserve these 27 acres of Princeville's Open Space.

Other news from the last two months or so:

1. PHCA has embarked on a strategic planning effort, with 4 areas under consideration, including the critically important Open Spaces (& 2026), and how to keep all our open spaces here in greater Princeville, OPEN! PHCA Treasurer, Teri Peers, is the captain of the committee focused on that effort.

2. The four pillars of the strategic planning are:

Open Spaces (captain – Teri Peers);
Amenities (co-captains – JD Hansen & Dan Metsch);
Infrastructure (co-captains – Dan Fregeau & April McGinnis);
Communications (captain – Maylette Garces).

PHCA is reaching out for additional volunteers to help flesh out the planning in these areas of focus. Please contact the captain(s) if you are interested in helping to guide Princeville’s future.

3. Mark Hall (East West Partners’ Development Manager for 1Hotel) reported on the remodeling progress at the 1Hotel – they anticipate opening sometime this fall. Mark said there were “no plans now” to move forward on the 400 space parking facility at the current Maka‘i parking lot, OR the six residences or up to 24 units previously discussed on the parcel between Ft. Alexander and Pu‘u Poa. As far as we know, there has been nothing further submitted to Planning Department for future development on these parcels, but we will continue to monitor submissions to the County.

4. Finally, we understand the PHCA Board will announce the appointment to fill its vacancy. We hope the appointment will be someone who appreciates Princeville’s history and respects the Master Plan’s intent of the original developers which reserved 50% of PV1 for Open Space.

Our beautiful open space is the gem of our community, but it is much more than a feast for the eyes. It provides a habitat for numerous endangered species (both flora and fauna) and is an integral element of our drainage system. All good community planning incorporates parks and open space because of all the benefits it provides. As the first Master Planned community in the State of Hawai‘i, we can be proud that Princeville 1 has, to date, been true to that plan. It is now up to all of us to ensure that we preserve and maintain our safe, beautiful, desirable community as it was originally envisioned and now fully implemented.

Mahalo nui loa to all who have contributed time, energy, and funds to the Save Open Space efforts here in Princeville. You have accomplished amazing things! Your voices are being heard and, with the commitment of a strong community, we can continue to maintain PV1 with ALL the beautiful open spaces that are the crown jewels of our fifty-year-old Master Planned community.

With aloha,
SOSHui.org

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Originally, the purpose of this site was to disseminate information regarding Starwood Capital Group's (SCG) resort expansion, commonly known as Glamorous Camping "glamping", on the Makai Woods Golf Course located within Hawaiʻi's first planned and beautiful community, Princeville, Kaua‘i HI.

Due to a concerted effort over the span of 18 months by Princeville residents and legislative action by the Kaua‘i County Council to change the Kaua‘i Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, Starwood Capital Group withdrew their "glamping" development efforts in December 2021.

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Mayor Kawakami signed Bill 2838 on December 2, 2021 resulting in Ordinance 1105 prohibiting Developed Campgrounds (ie. glamping) on Open & Ag lands across Kaua‘i. Read about the details behind Bill 2838.

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BREAKING NEWS!  Mayor Derek Kawakami has signed Bill 2838 into law which immediately becomes Ordinance 1105. It’s effective upon his signature, and blocks Developed Campgrounds on both Open and Agricultural-zoned land across this wonderful Island.


OUR SINCERE THANKS TO THE MAYOR, COUNTY COUNCIL, PLANNING DEPARTMENT and PLANNING COMMISSION for GETTING THIS ORDINANCE ACROSS THE FINISH LINE!!!


With Starwood Capital Group’s withdrawal of their glamping application for the Makai Golf Course, and the approval of this ordinance, glamping is finished on these Open zoned lands!!! We should all take a moment to acknowledge this victory for Kaua‘i - residents and visitors alike.

Most importantly, our heartfelt thanks go to everyone who talked with a neighbor, emailed County organizations and friends alike, spoke up and offered advice, testified at any opportunity, contributed time and treasure, held signs at public occasions or supported this endeavor in other numerous ways!  This outcome would not have been possible without your combined efforts.

And now for the last word:
We are still accepting monetary donations to help cover legal expenses. If you wish to contribute, please email us at contact@soshui.org.

MAHALO NUI LOA!!!
SOSHui.org