Saturday, February 23, 2013

Musings: Abuse Chronicles 3

Remember Billie Jean King, the tennis star? She had one of the first “fancy” houses on North Shore Kauai, though even with its tennis court and satellite dish, it was relatively modest compared to the mansions that crowd the white sand beaches of Wainiha now. In the years since King sold it, the house has grown, too, tripling in size, with a partially enclosed and furnished "basement." The value grew, too, from a sales price of $1.85 million in 2006 to $4.4 million in June 2012.

In the process, the property skirted federal flood regulations and a shoreline certification and somehow managed to get two TVR permits.  Yes, the former King Hale has become, in vacation rental parlance, the King and the Princess, as in a multi-family rental, each with a separate nonconforming use permit. It's unclear how this could happen, since multi-family vacation rentals outside the Visitor Destination Area (VDA) have always been illegal, and still are.


But let's back up a little, to 1980, when the Kings divided the house into a horizontal — as in side-by-side — two-unit CPR. By the early 1990s, it had morphed, without the aid of permits, into four illegal vacation rentals. Neighbors clamored for enforcement against the mutli-family rental, and the county began investigating. Meanwhile, the structure, and its price, continued to evolve.  Developer Craig Maas bought Unit B in 1998 for $300,000. After putting it through an extensive remodel, for which no building permits are listed, he sold it for $700,000, just 18 months later.

Murray Charlton, an Australian with a misnamed LLC called My Bungalow, bought both units for $1.85 million in 2006. The sales listing identified it as a five-bedroom, three-bath unit, with the caveat, “Property not in VDA, buyer should check with the county on vacation-rental issues…”

On Oct. 31, 2006, Charlton applied for a county building permit to add 4,350 square feet to the structure and make the house whole again. The value of the permit was listed at $256,000. On Aug. 3, 2007, the application was denied as a “substantial improvement” that would require the house to comply with federal flood standards. On Aug. 15, Charlton submitted a second application for a $243,000 remodel — just under the "substantial" threshold — and on Oct. 23, 2007, he got his building permit.

So began the “unsubstantial improvements,” which are also detailed on architect Glenn Forman''s website, that resulted in a much grander house.



Now prior to construction, in July 2007, the county had directed Charlton to conduct a shoreline certification, which is used to determine the structure's setback. The state surveyor came and discovered a revetment of rock and telephone poles fronting the house, on the public beach. He set the shoreline, which marks the extent of the public beach, at the red line marked on this photo.
The owner rejected the recommended shoreline, which would have made him remove the revetment as an illegal encroachment and restore the public beach. He appealed to the county, which inexplicably waived the shoreline requirement. The revetment was left in place, and the beach has since been heavily cultivated with naupaka, causing the once broad expanse to become narrow and steep.
In 2008, the county adopted a bill regulating vacation rentals. Charlton applied for two TVR permits: one for the King Hale and the other for the Princess Hale, which was identified as the ground floor of the King Hale, even though the application noted a remodel project in which "two halves of house joined together."

Neighbors objected, pointing out that it was still under construction, and if it was to be treated as a multifamily dwelling, then a special management area (SMA) permit should have been required for the renovation. Their primary concern, however, was that it would allow ground floor habitation in the flood zone, on a lot with no setback in a hazardous coastal area. But both TVR permits were approved, though planning inspector Bambi Emayo noted “SFR (single family residence) under construction” on his 2009 inspection report.

Meanwhile, the state Department of Health, acting on a tip, cited the owner for installing the new septic tank without a permit on the previously identified public beach seaward of the red line. DOH required the tank be dug up and moved to the mauka side of the house. The resulting hole on the makai side was filled with dirt, rather than sand, and the red clay now leaches onto the white sand of the public accessway and beach.

The house got its final building inspection on August 19, 2009. This picture, taken on July 11, 2008, shows the gutting of the house is well under way, and it is obviously not in use as a vacation rental.
As noted in Abuse Chronicles 2:

If any nonconforming use ceases for any reason for a continuous period of 12 calendar months or for 1 season if use be seasonal, then the use should not be resumed and any use of the building or property thereafter shall be in full conformance with the provisions of this chapter.”

But since it had been operating as an illegal multifamily TVR, it should not have qualified as a previous nonconforming use.

On June 1, 2012, Charlton sold the property to Hale King LLC, of Berkeley, Calif., for $4.4 million. Curiously, 2013 county tax records  still show the house at its original 1,880 square feet,  and it is described as one building and one dwelling. Even more telling, the property's assessed value is just $2.775 million, which indicates people are willing to pay a substantial premium for permits that allow them to operate commercial enterprises on prime beachfront land. 

Advertisements for the vacation rental, which sleeps eight and rents for $1,450 to $1,750 per night, with a seven-night minimum stay, depict it as having three bedrooms, three baths, a kitchen and living area on the main floor, as well as a first floor guest suite, with a bedroom, sitting area, full kitchen and separate entrance. In short, it is operating as a multi-family vacation rental, which is an illegal use outside of the visitor destination area. So how did they get not just one, but two permits for this illegal use?

The property is also described as a “stone's throw” from the ocean, which may not prove to be such a selling point for the unsuspecting ground floor inhabitants during the next big wave event or tsunami.

38 comments:

Anonymous said...

Interesting, very interesting.

The North Shore Development Plan prohibits duplexes - however not so surprising is that the 'planning inspector' isn't familiar enough with the laws or be able to identify two separate units.

All of the TVR were passed because the county was afraid of lawsuits that were never filed.

Anonymous said...

Most of the TVR's were passed because of corruption in the planning department and corrupt paid off inspectors, ruthless real estate agents and piss poor planning, did I forget to say an incompetant past council that allowed the problem to escalate. But what now, will the county start to get a grip?
Excellent reporting Joan, how does the county justify these kind of approvals? I hope you keep exposing these . Can you or have you asked them to comment?

Anonymous said...

I know this is interesting, but it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone even on Kauai. Whether inept, lazy, or corrupt, we're talking about the county government. Oh, it's the Kauai County government. My guess is someone or a chosen few got some additional untraceable cash to look the other way AND not make waves. It's government and that's one of the many reasons we shouldn't be voting for larger government.

Anonymous said...

If our county government were a tomato, it would collapse under its own weight...and smell REALLY bad.

Anonymous said...

So far you have identified people named Vil and Bambi as inspectors who approved these disasters. It does make one wonder. Who was their supervisor?

Anonymous said...

This is frigging outrageous! They are STEALING our beaches! Shouldn't that piss all of us off? There is obvious FRAUD here with all of the documentation. Send the prosecutor to send these people to jail. In addition, these illegal TVR's are spiking the real estate prices for the people who have to live on the island.

Anonymous said...

Shelia! is their supervisor - talk about the blind leading the BLINDED!

Anonymous said...

It is a matter of improper management.

There has been no discipline in that department. If the Mayor (Planning Commission) would have sought qualified candidates - with management experience, they would no longer have jobs.

Anonymous said...

Good reason why it is so important to hire qualified County employees, not cronies and their families. People of Kauai are stuck with these illegal tvrs thanks to current and previous mayors, planning directors/planners and our visionary council members. Its too bad these chronicles cannot be published in TGI. We need wider circulation. Mother nature needs to cleanse Hanalei and all of the north shore of these ocean front resorts.

Anonymous said...

funny -- that guy bambi came for an inspection to my house -- talk about a haole-hater -- you could just feel it. then, he and his crony walked around smoking cigs and just throwing their butts on my lawn. i had to pick up after they left -- guess i should have offered some dough or something. talk about unprofessional and unqualified. yet, they got the power.

Anonymous said...

Bambi is in fact a racist and makes no attempt to hide it.

Anonymous said...

Well, somebody ain't doing their job. And is it any surprise given that the former hairdresser turned environmental planning commissioner turned deputy planning director is now head of the inspectors?

Anonymous said...

Bambi isn't the only racist in that department. Try waiting at the counter if your not 'local' or bring trays of sushi, malasadas, or alcohol in brown paper bags...

Anonymous said...

People say Bambi plays guitar and he and Sheila sing anti-white songs at planning department parties. Is that why Costa is gone?

Anonymous said...

People say a lot of things but if you got to hear it in person...well, it is special..

Anonymous said...

If they are all so "anti-white" why are their actions screwing locals and making mainland haoles richer.?

Anonymous said...

8:15 -- that is the best question of all

Anonymous said...

The answer is probably the color green.

Anonymous said...

Locals are making mainland Haoles richer ? ...Precious

Anonymous said...

no one accused them of being intelligent - just racist.

Anonymous said...

February 23, 2013 at 8:51 PM

just following orders from their superiors...

Anonymous said...

what is truly scary is that the most incompetent people are in charge of the regulation of development on this island.

Anonymous said...

What is truly scary is that the tsunami warnings are more and more frequent, and there is NO Evacuation route for people staying along the beach in houses like these.But renting the bottom floor to tourists with county approval, ouch, talk about county liability. A tsunami can come in 15 minutes, and these people are told to open the phone book. But there is no evacuation route, and no one to help them either.54 people trapped in Hanakapiai on a rainy day, with more tourists here than ever before and more tourists staying in dangerous places, seems the visitors have been set up for potentially very bad outcome.
Sue Kanoho should be demanding the county address this escalation of hazards to people and property that has been allowed under the kind of corruption you are exposing .

Anonymous said...

6:57 Who is being a racist ?

Anonymous said...

The county of Kauai is so stupid and corrupt. The Kalalau trail is a easy fix. All they have to do is put a fat retired former dirty KPD cop who is now a DLNR officer at the entrance of the trail to advise these tourists. We have 2 more years then we need to get rid of this corrupt admin like we the people of Kauai got rid of a tyrant like Shaylene.

Anonymous said...

There is in fact no decent evacuation possibility for Haena, Wainiha, and parts of Hanalei. It will simply be a scramble. Lucky for us Hawaii has the best tsunami early warning system in the world. We will need it if we have another '46 event which recorded at 45' at Haena and went right to the cliff face. Until 1964, Kauai averaged a catastrophic tsunami every 12 years. The sparse oceanside population of Haena, Kalahiwai,Anini, and Moloaa was a result. There is no reason why the loose pattern of destruction cannot return to form.

Anonymous said...

If one wanted a CPR a few years back, one knew to hire Sheila's daughter. That incestuous Planning Department needs to be nuked and rebuilt from the ground up. These inspectors and their supervisors should be picking up the soap in a prison shower.

They have caused so much harm. Many have felt the racism of the baby Doe.

Anonymous said...

Hey February 24, 2013 at 9:57 AM, talk about stupid. Kalalau is a State park. The County has nothing to do with Kalalau except to send in the firefighters to rescue the tourists.

Anonymous said...

Sue Kanoho and KVB is a joke. All they care about are visitor arrival numbers. Read the letter to the editor today about the state of Poipu Beach Park. It is absolutely unacceptable. How can they actively entice people to come here but drop the ball on maintaining our facilities or closing off popular trails when it becomes hazardous? Or what of the number of recent visitor drownings? Enough is NOT being done in prevention. Procedures need to be in place, such as high alert warnings during times of hazardous ocean conditions and winter surf/weather. Kalalau Trail needs to close during times of heavy rain and flooding. We cannot leave it in the hands of unknowing tourists to make the right choices. Inflight warning material should be on every flight, in every room, or given out at every check-in. We need to worry less about scaring visitors away and do the ethical thing. And lets be clear, residents are not second class citizens and deserve clean restroom facilities as much as visitors. So where in all of this is the Director of Parks and Recreation, Lenny Rapozo? Why are such deplorable conditions of park facilities allowed under his oversight? And where is the State Parks oversight for Haena State Park and Kalalau Trail? Both extremely lacking. In the case of the County, chronyism can explain such ineptitude! And he's being groomed to take Bernard's place? Now that is a scarier thought than what we currently have.

Anonymous said...

The Tourism Director on Kauai needs to coordinate with state officials, airlines, and the tourism industry for ways to improve the safety of tourists.

Lives and the waste of county tax dollars are at stake here. Is there any responsible people on Kauai? If so then please apply for the soon to be open state and county public safety positions that will need qualified individuals in two years.

Kauai will be also looking for a county manager and all new qualified department head positions.

The prosecutor has to go after the GAS theft ring. This is felony charges for all that was involved in defrauding the county of Kauai's taxpayers. If e doesn't than the FEDS should phone tap, email screen, and video all of these people.

Anonymous said...

February 24, 2013 at 9:43 AM

What you want names? It would be almost all of the department - just get a list of the department's employees...it's that simple.

Anonymous said...

"Many have felt the racism of the baby Doe."

Funny and true.

But until HR takes a stand against racist comments in the workplace, and starts suspending people without pay, the baby deer thrive.

Anonymous said...

by HR do you mean Janine, because she's had her own sexism problems...

Anonymous said...

It would be easy for any federal government body to take down the corrupt planning commission.

All they have to do is pose as a team of investors, contractors, and real estate agent and offer the usual bribes.

Anonymous said...

want special treatment - hire a former county attorney working in private practice.

Anonymous said...

or a former county planner

Anonymous said...

9:17 - the interesting thing is that Sue's husband is a firefighter. I would think that the safety of her husband having to go out and rescue these visitors would prompt her to be more proactive with getting accurate safety information out to the public.

Anonymous said...

February 26, 2013 at 8:42 AM

You got that right - he is also under investigation as well...btw.