Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Musings: A Legacy of "Aloha"

Orange-edged clouds floated above a burnt-orange disc that was edging its way over the horizon into an otherwise gray sky when Koko and I went out walking this morning. The streets were wet, thanks to a recent shower, and I noticed that the guava trees are fruiting.

We passed a neighbor, whose dog still bore the wounds of a recent backyard encounter with a pig, and stopped to chat with one of the men who works at the end of the road. I see him going to and from work, at the bookends of the day, and we always exchange friendly waves, or in his case, a toot of his truck horn.

“You sure do put in long hours,” I said. “Like 12 hours a day, six days a week.”

“And sometimes more,” he said. “I gotta.”

As local people, regular people, work long hard hours to survive on Kauai, others come in and skim the cream off the top through activities that, when not downright illegal, are nefarious, questionable.

I’m not talking about the ice dealers, but the land dealers, and today, one couple in particular, Justin and Michele Hughes. (Click on the about MHC link for a photo).

As their own website proclaims:

With conscience and sensitivity to time, place and legacy, The Michele Hughes Company successfully embodies the unprecedented vision for design and build experiences while consistently adding generous value to real estate projects in high end resort areas such as Kauai, Aspen, Tiburon and Cabo San Lucas.

Here on Kauai, part of their “legacy” is Kealia Kai, former sugar land that they and Thomas McCloskey bought for a song and then spun into a gated luxury “agricultural subdivision,” with the kind assistance of then-Mayor Maryanne Kusaka and then-Councilman (and later, the late mayor) Bryan Baptiste. I can still recall seeing Kusaka’s top aide, Wally Rezentes Sr., sheepishly retrieving Michele’s purse from the Council Chambers during a public hearing on the project.

Like so many other “ag” subdivisions on Kauai, Kealia Kai has been chopped up into CPR lots, and these are now for sale at prices far out of reach of any but coca and marijuana farmers. Perhaps that explains why there is no true farming on the land, only lines of palms planted for the lower ag property tax rate.

But that is not the only example of “conscience and sensitivity to time, place and legacy” that mark the Hughes’ lucrative tenure on Kauai. They also have developed agricultural land into an LLC of high-end transient vacation rentals — their website calls them “farm dwellings” — above Kauapea, which they refer to by the bastardized name of “Secret Beach.”

To quote again from their website:

Every tree and flower on the lushly landscaped and very steep terrain has been planted by the owners, Michele and Justin Hughes. Despite the adversarial conditions, they have made, at considerable expense, a concerted effort to irrigate, add steps and trails for access, and plant the hillsides and whatever small flat areas available.

On March 11th of this year, those efforts came before the state Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) as an enforcement action after the Office of Conservation and Coastal lands (OCCL) conducted an investigation “that led us to conclude that the landowner has engaged in unauthorized landscaping in violation of Conservation District Rules,” according to the staff submittal to the Board.

The document then goes on to recount complaints dating back to March 2007 that ironwood trees had been cut on the Hughes’ property and dumped over the pali toward the beach. Although evidence of the violation was found, Justin claimed he had not authorized the work and was unaware of it. A neighboring landowner, Mr. Hass, claimed he had contracted with an unknown man who happened to be walking down the street with a chainsaw to do the work, and was unaware of either the man's name, or his property lines.

As a result, OCCL decided not to pursue enforcement at that time and left the case open pending removal of debris. But it did review conservation district rules with representatives of both landowners.

From September 2008 to July 2009, OOCL received more complaints about tree removal on the Hughes’ property and construction of a lateral trail to the beach.

OCCL re-opened its investigation which “revealed the Hughes or their contractors had begun construction of a modern trail traversing most of the property. Community members state that they had witnessed the Hughes leading prospective buyers along the new trail.”

Attorney Lorna Nishimitsu, who represents the Hughes' Secret Beach Properties LLC, claimed in a Sept. 15, 2008 letter that her clients had contracted with Paradise Grounds Care, which had opened the trail only to reach dumped greenwaste, extended the trail only after additional greenwaste was discovered further down the pali and installed “safety fencing” along the trail only out of liability concerns.

As an aside, Paradise Grounds Care is owned by Bruce Laymon, the same man who is attempting to install a cattle fence on Waioli’s land at Larsen’s (Lepeuli/Ka`aka`aniu) Beach and last year was cited by OCCL for unauthorized clearing in the conservation district there.

Returning to our story, OCCL termed Nishimitsu’s argument “disingenuous,” as evidenced by the fact that healthy trees had been removed, and the trail had been cut and graded, with PVC drainage pipes laid beneath it and fencing and trail borders installed. “We take this as evidence that the trail was intended to be a permanent feature of the land, and not a temporary measure designed for the one-time clean-up of debris.”

Since such work requires a Conservation District Use Permit, which the Hugheses did not have, OCCL sent them a notice of violation. According to its report to the BLNR:

OCCL’s main concern with this case is the willful nature of the alleged violations, rather than with any significant resource damage. The design and durability of the trail indicates that this was intended to be a permanent addition to the land, and one which would increase it’s [sic] value to prospective investors for the subject and neighboring parcels.

State rules allow for a maximum fine of $15,000 in such cases. OCCL recommended a minimum fine of $7,500, along with assessing administrative fees of $1,500, saying that “OCCL is concerned that a lower fine would establish a potentially dangerous precedence that Conservation District Rules can be violated at will.” OCCL further recommended that the Hughes must restore the land to its original state or apply for an after-the-fact CDUP within 60 days of the Board’s action, with any further unauthorized work garnering fines of $2,000 per day.

If you go to the link for the staff submittal and scroll down to page 26, you will see a copy of the real estate ad for a 3.55-acre portion of the property we’re discussing. For $6.25 million, it offers an ocean bluff home site and “rare Secret Beach vehicular and pedestrian access:”

The only private road on Kauai down to a very Secret Beach runs parallel to one side of the property providing exclusive, quick and easy vehicular access to the stunning beach below. A walking trail can also be easily created from home-site through property to the beach.

I can recall when that “private road” was cut down to the beach for a previous landowner, who later went and got an after-the-fact permit for the unauthorized access. It was granted with the condition that it was to be used only for maintenance and security purposes. Yet Bruce Laymon, who managed the property, frequently opened it to his friends, especially during fishing contests. And now, it seems, the Hugheses have packaged it as a private beach road for a luxury home site.

There’s also an ad for another portion of the property a question, a 4.02-acre parcel with a 3,104-square-foot home that includes, for the $8.7 million asking price, “a coveted beach access on a private manicured trail leading to world renowned Secret Beach.”

So what ever happened to the Hugheses — I mean, aside from the fact that Michele recently appeared before the County Council and claimed she has so much aloha for this place and developed her vacation rentals on ag land under the assurance from her attorneys that they were totally legal and is now trying to sell her 40-acre “Secret Beach” holdings for $40 million, according to an ad that a friend spotted this past weekend in the Springfield, Ill., newspaper?

Well, according to a PDF of the March 11 BLNR minutes, which I don’t know how to post, but would be happy to email to anyone interested, Lorna was there, along with Justin and Michele. Lorna repeated the tale of how the Hugheses hadn’t cut the trees that launched the initial investigation and “old hippy [sic] trails from the 1960Ss or 1970s” were fixed up so workers could remove the trees that had been thrown over the edge and when more dead trees were spotted further along the pali, the Hugheses had “created a horizontal trail to see what was there" and it is used only for maintenance purposes and so the owners can fully ccess their property to ensure no one is cutting down trees illegally.

Lorna further stated that “she doesn’t think there was disingenuous behavior on the part of her clients to violate rules” and the $7,500 is “excessive” and they want to “continue the clean-up work to protect them and the State from any injuries and welcome DOCARE’s involvement,” and they need four months rather than 60 days to apply for an after-the-fact-permit “because of the mapping of the trails on a 24-acre parcel.”

Michele then got up and testified that they needed the trails to protect their land from trespassers and from adjacent property owners “who had opened up the Hugheses property for their own use, having discovered sod, irrigation, rock walls, etc.,” and that since they control access to the beach, “there may be some ill will by the owners on the bluff.”

This was followed by the representative of adjacent landowners Bill and Sandi Strong, who pointed out that the Hugheses are developers and so should know the rules and be required to take out the trail, which they had built to increase the value of the property, and remediate the land and further, that "trespassing has increased" because of the trail.

And then Ron Agor, Kauai’s representative on the BLNR, made a motion to cut the fine to $3,500 and give the Hugheses four months to apply for a permit, saying they never would have needed to go into that part of their property if other neighbors hadn’t cut trees that then required removal. But members Rob Pacheco and Sam Gon weren’t buying it, saying the trail was way too flash to be temporary in nature, and even though Ron and two other members voted for it, the motion failed.

Another motion was made leaving the fine at $7,500, and requiring the Hugheses to either remediate the trail or apply for an after-the-fact CDUP within 120 days. It was approved, with only Ron Agor opposed.

We’ve now passed the 120-day mark. I sent an email to OCCL asking if the Hugheses had submitted an application for the permit, and forwarded a copy of their most recent real estate ad.

I have not yet received a reply.

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh Joan, you are so right on target! We need more of these shenanigans exposed. The hard working local people do not have a voice; elected officials kow-tow to money and the local paper is on the side of the moneyed. Please continue your investigative reporting. We need this shibai exposed!

Let's get it on a referendum in the general election?!

Aloha.

Anonymous said...

“If you ’re gonna pay that much money for a lot,” he said, “why should you have to deal with the poor trash of the island?”

Amazing.

Great blog Joan. Ron Agor must want do design work for them, doesn't want to offend future customers.

Wahine Warrior said...

Wow. I am officially speechless.

Anonymous said...

ooee don't get on joan's shitlist!

jackbauer said...

Wow. Thank you Joan. You do some fine investigative journalism.

Anonymous said...

Joan is the only real news journalist on Kauai. Plain and simple. Thanks Joan.

jackbauer said...

Iʻm going to carry something over from your post yesterday, Joan, cause it took awhile to digest and continued to disturb me regarding the unethical and unprofessional behavior of what the county calls their ʻattorneysʻ.


"To which Mike responded that although the AG’s opinion had stated it could find no justification under Chapter 205 for allowing TVRs on ag land “it doesn’t make a definitive statement that it’s not allowed.”

Joan said, "What kind of crap is that?"

This crap argument from Mike is what a criminal defense attorney might argue for a client that is looking at the death penalty (way out there); it is an opinion an attorney would try to sell if his clients were the very people that were in violation.
In other words, we have a county attorney aggressively looking for loopholes, perverting the spirit and intent of laws... to defend private parties.
It is difficult to tell who he is getting paid by, the county, the violators or both.

Anonymous said...

The Berm.
Does anybody remember the battle over The Berm?
It was written into the conditions of Kealia Kai that The Berm was to come down. But they built it up and it is now about 10 feet.
The Berm, it was rightly argued, stole the scenic public viewplain. It did in sections. That was then. Now itʻs taken the entire viewplain.
And The Berm, which we all knew, was to provide a selling point for exclusivity and privacy at the expense of something that belongs to the public.
They just took it. Stole it. Not just the land but the ocean view. That whole stretch of ugly highway used to have a redeeming quality: the view. Thatʻs the main reason I canʻt bear to drive that part of the island anymore unless absolutely necessary.
This place sucks. It is no longer keeping the rural mandate. It is no longer Hawaii especially with that trash I saw on Hoike: the Face and her family. I wish they would leave.

It took several calls over several years to have the "temporary" office removed from the entrance.
And it needs to come down.

Whatʻs up with this county?

wahine warrior said...

To anony at; August 3, 2010 5:02 PM

Then it is up to you to get out and do something about it.
One person can change the world.

The question is:

Will that person..............

...be you?

The first call to action is usually outrage.


Now take that knowledge and do something with it.

Anonymous said...

you wont receive a reply - you must send via us postal service or fax - I don't believe they accept emailed testimony or requests.

have you ever called and asked?

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Joan, for keeping on top of this. This is what blogs are supposed to do! Maybe, just maybe, outrage will lead to change. Maybe not -- if Pilaa and Ka Loko didn't change anything, why would this?

Anonymous said...

Whenever a developer hires Bruce Laymon, he gets someone who does
landscaping and is willing to trot out a bunch of his family members and friends to public hearings to testify in favor of the project. "See, local people like my proposal."

Maryanne Kusaka is another story. She's never publicly explained her role in the Ka Loko grading scandal. The closest she came was putting the paper up to cover her face as the television reporter tried to ask her questions. Wonder how she sleeps at night.

Anonymous said...

The Berm?

Thought the berm problem was up between Moloaa and Pila.
All you could see along Kealia Kai was sugar cane.
All the plantings are at the original surface.
Views are actually better with out the cane in the valleys.

Anonymous said...

Wahine August 3, 2010 5:32 PM

Who are you to dictate. What you think this is, a kindergarten level civics and you the teach.
You do it.

You probably didnʻt think maybe Iʻve already tried over and over.

Quit giving orders and shut up.

Anonymous said...

August 3, 2010 8:21 PM The Berm?


Bullshit. You must be one of their serfs.

Anonymous said...

Now you're arguing over a berm.

What next? An individual plant?

Man, the mindset of people living on a little island....

Rats in a frigging cage.

Anonymous said...

Mahalo Joan for this story. I tried to view the minutes of the hearing on line but couldn't. With Ron Agor as our Kauai rep we're in trouble. He's not protecting our natural resources.
He's an architect who makes a living off of development. What's he doing making conservation decisions? Is he a Lingle appointee? Is he out w/ her? I hope so. TGI is not worth the paper it's written on let alone 75 cents. It took them 4 days to report a fire in Kalalau. Honolulu paper not much better. It's Kauai Eclectic that I look forward to reading every day! Mahalo again for your blog. Btw check out Mel's letter to the editor today. I'm voting for him.

Miliaulani

Anonymous said...

wonder how much money the hughes donated to their mr. bynam? enough to sell us out... to be sure.

Wahine Warrior said...

Wahine August 3, 2010 5:32 PM

Lol
OOOh I am so makau'u. LOL.

Stop acting so childish, and you might get better results when you try to do something about issues. Sounds like so far you aren't getting much positive results.

If you start lashing out at others, who might otherwise agree with you, you will never get much accomplished.

There is an old saying:

Look in the mirror first before you cast dispersion upon others.

Food for thought.

As for shutting up? Hahaha.

As for who do I think I am? At least I know who I am, and am completely secure in that. As for being a teacher, I am a teacher. I have taught people from all over the world. So, now what do you have to say?

Have a lovely day.

If you come after me with stupid comments, I will come right back at you. So, I would say, don't waste the pixels.

Anonymous said...

"Let's get it on a referendum in the general election?!"

exactly what are you wanting on the ballot?

Anonymous said...

Some Wahine's....Can't understand normal thinking...hope you figure it out....Dirk.

Wahine Warrior said...

Some Wahine's....Can't understand normal thinking...hope you figure it out....Dirk.

August 4, 2010 6:35 AM

Hi Dirk.

Thanks for the kind words.

Hope I can give you the same courtesy you have bestowed upon me one day.

Anonymous said...

Great investigating on this one, Joan -- we are lucky to have your reporting!

Anonymous said...

Re: Hughes "is now trying to sell her 40-acre “Secret Beach” holdings for $40 million, according to an ad that a friend spotted this past weekend in the Springfield, Ill., newspaper?"

Yes, she is. Check this out, appeared on the WSJ website within the past day or so. Click through all the pictures and read the captions:

http://online.wsj.com/article/NA_WSJ_PUB:SB10001424052748703578104575397463977518870.html

She's auctioning here Anini Vista spec house and putting up for sale here Secret Beach property. It says on Hanalei Bay, but it's not.

Anonymous said...

Correction, here is the link:

http://online.wsj.com/article/NA_WSJ_PUB:SB100014240527487035781045753974639
77518870.html

Anonymous said...

Lack of facts or citation of sources indicate that you are a blogger.

Joan Conrow said...

If you missed the facts and sources in this piece, then you've got a major reading comprehension problem.

To the others who can read, and expressed appreciation for what they found here, mahalo nui loa!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for bringing this up Joan. I and many others testified and tried to block the development of Kealia Kai.....for many reasons. Beach access was one. We were supposed to have 4 to 6 points of access to the area, but that somehow got left in the development dust.

It just makes you sick to see corruption and ignorance on the county council, the planning commission and at the Mayor's office.

Money makes the world go around on this island.

Its not the "rich" its their attitude and what they do to undermine the "little guy" locals and non from beach and mountain access.

Also, what right do they have to divert streams that feed the ocean and the spawning areas for the fish. If you have walked the area for the past 25 years, you would notice that at least 3 streams are gone.

Anonymous said...

No right.
They do not have a right to do that.

They do it and barter later with the lap dogs.

Anonymous said...

Joan, your blog post was clear. CRYSTAL CLEAR!! Keep up the excellent work.

Anonymous said...

if she could cite the sources she used, she would have!

Anonymous said...

She did. If you click on the colored text it takes you to the link.

Anonymous said...

oh, internet research - real fine journalism...

Anonymous said...

troll alert...... do not feed