No 05 Diamond Head-Kapahulu-St Louis Heights Neighborhood Board Regular Meeting July 2026
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5 Diamond Head-Kapahulu-St. Louis Neighborhood Board Meeting – July 10, 2026
Call to Order and Quorum
The meeting was called to order with eight members initially counted toward quorum and nine expected once another member returned; additional members later joined online, bringing participation to 12 for several votes. The transcript’s opening referred to the meeting as occurring on July 9, although the meeting title identifies it as the July 10, 2026 regular meeting. Several members were absent at roll call, including Miranda, Mirchi, Rosman, Wasden, Witherwax, and Kendrick Wong, although Mirchi, Rosman, Kendrick Wong, and others subsequently appeared or participated online.
Fire Department and District 6 Police Reports
No Honolulu Fire Department representative was available at the start of the meeting. The chair noted two significant traffic accidents shortly before the meeting, one on Kapahulu Avenue near Leonard’s Bakery and another on Kapiolani Boulevard near the Texaco station, and suggested emergency personnel might have been occupied with those incidents. Honolulu Police Department District 6, which covers Waikiki, Kapiolani Park, and part of Diamond Head, also did not provide a formal report. The board later asked that District 6 investigate a red-and-white van resembling a former fire department vehicle that has reportedly been occupied by a transient and parked for years along Paki Avenue near the tennis courts, archery area, and picnic grounds. A District 7 officer agreed to forward the matter because the location is within District 6.
District 7 Crime Statistics and Vehicle-Theft Prevention
Honolulu Police Department District 7 reported June statistics for Diamond Head, Kapahulu, St. Louis Heights, and East Honolulu. Five motor-vehicle thefts were recorded, down from 10 in the previous month; burglaries fell from one to zero; and thefts declined from 22 to 14. Four unauthorized-entry incidents were also reported, and District 7 handled 5,315 calls for service during June. In recognition of National Vehicle Theft Prevention Month, the officer reported that approximately 650,000 vehicles were stolen nationally in 2025, including about 2,300 on Oahu. Residents were advised to park in visible, well-lit areas, lock all doors and windows, conceal valuables, never leave keys inside a vehicle, avoid leaving a running vehicle unattended, and consider alarms, steering-wheel locks, GPS trackers, and recovery systems. The officer specifically warned against storing vehicle keys in lockboxes attached to the rear of cars, noting that thieves can defeat those boxes and then simply drive away.
Annual Board Officer Elections
The board learned that its officers must be elected annually under the Neighborhood Plan rather than serving automatic two-year terms. Winston Welch was unanimously reelected chair with 12 votes and said he would continue serving with the board’s cooperation. Arlene Velasco was elected vice chair with 11 votes and one abstention. For secretary, Angie Knight and Michelle Mattson initially declined nominations; Rafia Hasina accepted and was elected, with most members voting for her while two voted for Knight. For treasurer, Bruce Wong declined nomination, after which Angie Knight and Kendrick Wong were nominated; Knight won by an 8–4 vote. The meeting administrator briefly misspoke by calling Knight the secretary, then corrected the position to treasurer.
St. Louis Heights Board Vacancy
The board considered Ronan Witherwax’s three absences during the prior term and his additional absence at this meeting. Staff explained that absence counts reset with the beginning of the new annual term, meaning this meeting represented one absence for the new term but four across the broader period being discussed. Witherwax appeared as a name on WebEx but did not respond. By a 12–0 vote, the board declared his Subdistrict 1 seat vacant under Neighborhood Plan Section 2-14-106. The opening is therefore initially associated with St. Louis Heights rather than being automatically at large. Members noted that Kapahulu vacancies had previously been converted to at-large seats for the term to attract eligible applicants, and a similar change could be considered for St. Louis Heights but would require additional action and Neighborhood Commission involvement.
Neighborhood Board Boundary Review
The board discussed possible changes to neighborhood board boundaries, particularly a request from some St. Louis Heights residents and the St. Louis Heights Community Association to move that subdistrict into the Kaimuki Neighborhood Board. Supporters said St. Louis Heights shares Waialae Avenue concerns with Kaimuki and has emergency-response relationships similar to Wilhelmina Rise and Maunalani Heights. Chair Welch and Vice Chair Velasco had met with Kaimuki’s chair and vice chair but found that critical procedural questions remained unanswered, including whether resulting subdistricts may have unequal populations, how resident preferences should be measured, and what formal steps the Neighborhood Commission requires. Members debated whether to form a special committee, which could continue reporting and represent the board in outside proceedings, or a permitted interaction group, which is narrower and dissolves after completing its assigned report. The board approved a permitted interaction group to obtain basic procedural guidance before undertaking substantive boundary deliberations. Participants included Welch, Velasco, Angie Knight, Julia Allen, Rafia Hasina, and Margaret Mirchi, subject to scheduling. The group was also asked to consider poorly aligned edge areas, including a high-rise site on Kapiolani Boulevard whose residents may identify more with Moiliili and the flood-prone Koali Road area. Residents and board members were encouraged to review the board’s existing legal boundary descriptions.
Meeting Minutes and AI-Generated Drafts
Former secretary Michelle Mattson raised concerns about the accuracy and completeness of minutes generated by the Neighborhood Commission Office using an artificial-intelligence program described as “Ninja AI.” She said prior drafts had omitted comments and entire subjects and required as much as 10 hours of comparison against recordings. Mattson prepared redlined corrections for several 2025 meetings, which were adopted and posted online so the public could see the differences between the original drafts and corrected versions. She had requested either a full transcript or a different, more objective tool but had not received one. Rather than approve the accumulated November-through-May drafts, the board postponed action and asked newly elected Secretary Hasina to compare them against transcripts or other source material. Members acknowledged that the work might take more than one month and emphasized that the secretary must receive appropriate transcription and review tools.
Board of Water Supply and Monsarrat Avenue Project
The Board of Water Supply reported no water-main breaks in the Diamond Head board district during June. A resident mentioned a recent break near University Avenue, Marco Polo, and Puuile Place, but the representative explained that July incidents would appear in the following month’s report. The annual “Unthirsty Plant Sale” was announced for Saturday, August 1, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Halawa Xeriscape Garden, featuring drought-tolerant plants, University of Hawaii Master Gardener plant-care advice, rain-barrel information, informational booths, wildfire-preparedness materials, and free soil conditioner. The Monsarrat Avenue water project remained delayed because the contractor was awaiting Board of Water Supply responses to requests for information concerning new customer service connections. The affected work extends along Monsarrat Avenue from Paki Avenue to Campbell Avenue and along Campbell Avenue back toward Monsarrat.
Community Agency Reports Not Presented
No reports were provided by Kapiolani Community College or by Diamond Head State Monument’s interpreter center coordinator. Several state representatives listed on the agenda, including Ikaika Olds and Andrew Garrett, also did not provide reports. The chair noted that Garrett represents only a small portion of the board district but remains included among its government contacts.
Honolulu Century Ride
The Hawaii Bicycling League announced that the Honolulu Century Ride will begin at Kapiolani Park on Sunday, September 27. The fundraiser is a recreational ride rather than a race and is open to cyclists of varying experience levels, with participants selecting their own distance up to 100 miles. Some roadway restrictions will accompany the event, with detailed maps and closure information placed in the board’s online Google Drive. Organizers described the ride as an opportunity for residents and visitors to experience cycling in a supported and accessible setting.
Road Races, Rainbow Ekiden, and Weekend Closures
The Dick Evans Memorial Road Race was listed for Sunday, August 23, with supporting information available in the board’s Google Drive, although no representative spoke. The Rainbow Ekiden was rescheduled from March 15 to Saturday, August 29 after Kona low weather forced cancellation of the original event. The route, closures, and logistics remain unchanged: teams will run relay loops from Kapiolani Park to the second Diamond Head lookout and back. Organizers hope all 1,000 runners originally registered for March will return, and the event will again culminate in the Nagaoka fireworks associated with the Honolulu Festival. The Norma Tamana 15K was announced for Sunday, August 9 at 6 a.m., with roads expected to clear in about two hours, and a half marathon was scheduled for Sunday, November 8 at 5:30 a.m. Both are longstanding events with limited closures, mainly affecting one mauka lane of Kalakaua Avenue near Kapiolani Park and portions of Diamond Head Road.
Community Debate Over Race Impacts
Residents and board members expressed concern about repeated race-related closures, no-parking periods, and occasions when streets were restricted on both Saturday and Sunday. Some residents said they can become effectively trapped or unable to use nearby parking and asked organizers to avoid scheduling closures on consecutive days. Members questioned whether the Rainbow Ekiden qualifies as a protected “heritage” event, noting that the race itself is only approximately 10 to 12 years old even though the Honolulu Festival is older. Another board member who lives near the routes said police generally manage traffic well enough for residents to enter and leave and emphasized that Kapiolani Park and Diamond Head serve as gathering and recreation areas for the entire state. He also said such events support visitor activity and tax revenue. The board requested that organizers check adjacent-day schedules before finalizing events and make closure information readily available.
Unauthorized Red-Curb Painting on Monsarrat Avenue
Monsarrat Avenue resident Paul Nishijima reported that approximately 30 feet of curb around a driveway was painted red around February 3, eliminating two or three scarce parking spaces during major street construction and during events that already restrict neighborhood parking. He contacted Council Chair Tommy Waters’s office and learned that the markings were not legally authorized. City officials explained that curb painting may be performed only by the Department of Transportation Services or Department of Facility Maintenance and, in this situation, should have applied only to the bus-stop area. A contractor apparently extended the red paint improperly. One 15-foot segment had already been repainted white, while another unnecessary 15-foot red section remained on the mauka side of the driveway. The mayor’s representative committed to monitoring the corrective order until only the legitimate bus-stop curb remains red. Nishijima emphasized that unclear or unofficial traffic markings create uncertainty for residents trying to obey the law and erode confidence in enforcement.
Kapiolani Park Recreation Proposals
A resident asked about the timeline for proposed Kapiolani Park additions, including slackline equipment, exercise rings, bocce facilities, sand-volleyball courts, and an ADA pathway through the Diamond Head Community Garden. Board members said the city’s earlier presentation grouped roughly eight projects together without providing a clear schedule, community planning process, or follow-up. Community gardeners are concerned that a large ADA route could cut through the garden, while soccer families and coaches object to converting heavily used playing fields into sand-volleyball areas. Members generally distinguished those concerns from support for replacing broken exercise equipment and installing rings or similar facilities, which current park users reportedly welcome. The Parks and Recreation Committee will hold a publicly noticed meeting, seek a detailed status report from the Department of Parks and Recreation, and examine whether the projects can be separated rather than advanced as a single package. The city representative agreed to obtain timelines for the individual projects.
Disaster Preparedness Training and Resilience Hubs
Residents promoted the Hawaii Hazard Awareness and Resilience Program, accessible through the state Department of Defense website, following a June disaster-preparedness town hall hosted by Representative Tina Grandinetti. The program trains residents to organize locally for hazards, a concern heightened by forecasts of a strong El Niño. The Oahu Resilience Hub Learning Community, operated jointly by Kapiolani Community College’s Serene Sustainability Lab and the Lahui Foundation, invited the board and neighborhood organizations to join a network of resilience hubs. Available training includes first aid and CPR, Red Cross shelter operations, psychological first aid, disaster mental health, Community Emergency Response Team instruction, and FEMA resilience certifications. The group offers Monday and Friday virtual office hours, monthly community meetings, including one scheduled for July 23, and small community grants of $50 to $250. The board expressed interest in a local preparedness fair modeled partly on Be Ready Manoa and asked that presentation materials and contact information be posted on its website.
Emergency Shelters and Hurricane Planning
Discussion with the mayor’s representative highlighted the complexity of opening emergency shelters. Schools are commonly designated as shelters, but the Department of Education must decide when to close them, and premature closure affects working families and school operations. During the Kona low storms, the city instead opened selected parks earlier, allowing residents in exposed areas to relocate before conditions worsened. The Department of Community Services staffed those shelters because many users were unsheltered residents and traditional relief organizations were not always equipped to manage their needs. The city is reviewing demand patterns, staffing requirements, and the interaction between housed and unsheltered shelter populations. Three or four parks have been identified as potential initial shelters, with schools as a subsequent option. Residents mentioned Jarrett Middle School, Kaimuki Middle School, and a Red Cross-certified Waikiki school and suggested evaluating Kaimuki and Palolo facilities because of access concerns in rainy, tree-lined Manoa. The chair also asked where residents of single-wall homes should go during a Category 5 hurricane, observing that the neighborhood lacks clearly understood hurricane-rated public structures. The city agreed to provide and distribute updated shelter information during hurricane season.
Ala Wai Canal Ferry Proposal
Laura Ruby asked the board to consider a resolution supporting a small passenger ferry across the Ala Wai Canal. The concept would function similarly to a small bus, carry pedestrians and bicycles, include an ADA-compliant boarding ramp, accept Holo cards, and prohibit gasoline-powered vehicles such as mopeds. Ruby argued that existing dock areas could reduce construction requirements and that a ferry would avoid the historic, visual, and structural effects associated with a permanent bridge while offering views of Diamond Head, the Koolau Range, and Punchbowl. Members questioned how the ferry would coordinate with city agencies, how it would relate to the proposed Ala Pono pedestrian-and-bicycle bridge, and whether neighboring boards had considered it. Because the concept requires more development than a regular meeting allows, it was referred to the Traffic and Transportation Committee, which will also seek a comprehensive city update on the bridge proposal.
Ala Wai Boathouse Restoration
The board received notice that Cultural Surveys Hawaii is seeking input on restoration of the historic Ala Wai boathouse. The proposed work is expected to remove or relocate later additions and restore the building closer to its original design. Particular attention will be given to the deteriorated roof, which has repeatedly been patched and has areas reportedly caving in. The project was characterized as a long-overdue effort to preserve the structure’s historic appearance and condition.
Property-Tax Credit Deadline and Committee Meeting
Residents were reminded that applications for the city’s real-property-tax credit are due September 30, although the updated form and detailed qualifications had not yet been issued. Board member Bruce Wong announced a Property Tax Committee meeting for Friday, July 17 at 5 p.m. in the lower-level area of the Kaimuki Public Library, accessed from the mauka-side parking lot. The committee planned to review tax-relief proposals and the effect of rapidly rising assessments on longtime homeowners.
Diamond Head Road Collision and Traffic Calming
A board member reported an April 22 head-on collision on Diamond Head Road at approximately 2 p.m. that sent about three people to the hospital by ambulance. He requested an update on planned speed humps and a raised crosswalk near Coconut Avenue and elsewhere along Diamond Head Road. Members said speeding affects residents, beachgoers, runners, cyclists, surfers, and visitors from across Oahu. Council Chair Waters noted that a stop sign had already been installed and agreed to ask the city’s traffic engineer to return. He said both city and state agencies have become more receptive to speed humps following serious pedestrian deaths, and members favored raised crosswalks because they physically slow vehicles without the harsher effects of traditional speed bumps. The board acknowledged that placement must account for nearby homes because vehicle movement over humps can create noise.
Mayor’s Office and City Leadership Update
Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s representative, Department of Community Services Director Anton Krucky, announced that a former Smithsonian National Zoo director had been hired to lead the Honolulu Zoo. The new director has family ties to Hawaii and most recently served as an ambassador to Australia. Krishna Jayaram was designated managing director and was undergoing confirmation, while Ian Shearing moved from the communications office into the deputy managing director role. Residents were directed to the mayor’s online newsletter for additional updates and encouraged to use the Honolulu 311 application because it creates trackable service requests and allows departments to be evaluated on their response times.
Reduced School-Zone Speed Limits
Under City Ordinance 24-32, the city will lower school-zone speed limits from 25 to 20 miles per hour between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Implementing the change will require extensive replacement and installation of signs, including notices beginning about 1,000 feet from school areas, and coordination where roads are not city-owned. Public schools will receive initial priority, but private schools and the University of Hawaii are also expected to be included. Members questioned why drivers should be directed to accelerate after 6 p.m. and suggested a uniform 20-mile-per-hour limit to reduce confusion, but the city representative said the adopted ordinance specifically establishes the hours and any change would require an amendment.
Paki Avenue Pedestrian Signs
The Department of Transportation Services intends to retain “Stop Here for Pedestrians” signs installed near Paki Avenue and Noela Street. Some members said the signs resemble regulatory stop signs and are positioned in ways that cause drivers to stop unnecessarily in the intersection, creating backups even when no pedestrian is present. Others supported stronger controls because drivers have failed to yield to people in the crosswalk. Suggestions included simpler signs with arrows placed immediately before the crossing or replacing sign-only measures with a raised crosswalk. The city said pedestrian safety remains the reason for the signs and offered to meet with the Traffic and Transportation Committee to review the broader corridor.
Bus Service Concerns
The city’s follow-up list included a prior concern about Route 2 buses breaking down, insufficient frequency, and the timing for replacing older buses on Routes 2 and 3. The meeting transcript did not contain a distinct substantive city answer to that question, instead repeating the Paki Avenue pedestrian-sign response. The concern therefore remained unresolved in the discussion presented.
Biki Bicycle-Share System
The city has entered an agreement with Secure Bike Share Hawaii to continue operating Biki. Members had previously complained that many stations lack available bicycles and asked about removing underused stations, adding electric bicycles or scooters, integrating Biki with Holo cards, and connecting the system with Skyline. The city reported approximately 600 active bicycles at 120 stations. Vandalism, maintenance problems, and damage during Kona low storms reduced the usable inventory, but the Department of Transportation Services expects it can restore bicycles and continue Biki as a viable multimodal transportation option. Station performance will continue to be monitored, while Holo integration, electric bicycles, scooters, and Skyline links remain future possibilities.
Illegal Parking on Winam Avenue
Following complaints about vehicles parked too close to crosswalks, intersections, and fire hydrants on Winam Avenue, especially between Kapahulu Avenue and Duval Street, HPD conducted enforcement checks between May 29 and June 28. Officers issued four parking citations and recovered one stolen vehicle. The Department of Transportation Services also issued a work order to add no-parking signs between Mooheau and Hoolulu streets, with the Department of Facility Maintenance responsible for installation. Residents were told to call 911 when active parking violations are observed.
Diamond Head Cliffs Maintenance and Utilities
The city reported that it has no formal Adopt-a-Park agreement with the nonprofit associated with the Diamond Head Cliffs, despite approaching the group several times. HPD’s authority at the site is limited to enforcing laws concerning criminal activity, trespass, vandalism, public safety, and property destruction; it does not decide who is authorized to perform maintenance. The Department of Parks and Recreation is studying whether a booster pump can improve the existing water system and is discussing restoration of electrical service with Hawaiian Electric. No installation timeline was available, and the mayor’s representative agreed to seek one.
Burned-Out and Hoarded Properties
The chair asked about three burned-out houses along Date Street between Kapahulu and the Ala Wai area, including two that have reportedly remained for nearly a decade near a school athletic field. He also raised fire and first-responder dangers at severely cluttered or hoarded homes. Council Chair Waters said existing laws allow citations, citing a Kaimuki property that accumulated approximately $500,000 in fines before it was cleaned. Enforcement is difficult when owners do not comply, however. A previous proposal to authorize nonjudicial foreclosure for extreme violations failed at the Legislature after strong public opposition. Judicial foreclosure remains expensive, and the city may be last in line among lienholders to recover costs. City officials agreed to investigate the specific burned structures.
Council Recognition of Board Service
Council Chair Tommy Waters presented City Council certificates recognizing three board members. Michelle Mattson was honored as the board’s longest-serving member and for service as vice chair and secretary. Linda Wong was recognized for serving as chair, vice chair, and treasurer and for accepting an appointment to fill a vacant seat in September 2025. Winston Welch was honored for eight years of board service, including serving as chair since 2023, and for his work as executive director of The Outdoor Circle. Waters, who served on the Kailua Neighborhood Board in 1987, thanked all members for the substantial time and work required for neighborhood-level public service.
Diamond Head “Monster Home” Review
Council Chair Waters reported that Linda Wong had shown him a very large three-story Diamond Head residence with an unusual rooftop element. He obtained the approved plans and will review them with an architect to determine whether construction conforms to applicable permits and laws. Waters said similar plan reviews have previously helped stop noncompliant “monster homes” that passed through the Department of Planning and Permitting. Board members questioned why the local inspector had not responded and whether the department had adequately reviewed the project. Waters offered to provide Wong with a copy of the plans after completing his initial analysis.
Tennis-Court Resurfacing Funding
Waters planned to meet with Parks and Recreation Director Laura Thielen on July 22 concerning the deteriorated Diamond Head tennis courts. The United States Tennis Association has offered funding to repave the courts, but the city must review and formally accept the gift. Waters said he wanted to understand the resurfacing project and available funding before committing to any permanent pickleball conversion. Members stressed that both the physical condition of the courts and the balance between tennis and pickleball users require coordinated planning.
Recreation Space and Softball Fields
A board member proposed converting the underused Ala Wai golf driving range into a high-quality softball complex capable of hosting local and visitor tournaments. Waters said Honolulu has a serious shortage of baseball and softball fields but cautioned that removing golf facilities would likely generate major opposition. The driving range is also managed by the Department of Enterprise Services rather than Parks and Recreation. An alternative under discussion is restoring Stadium Park as a baseball field, although that location lies in another council district and would require coordination with Councilmember Scott Nishimoto.
Transit Incentives and Vehicle Fees
Following Waters’s proposal to reduce vehicle-registration costs, a board member asked whether the city could provide a tax credit or similar benefit to residents who use the bus and do not own cars. Such an incentive was presented as a way to reduce congestion and encourage transit use. Waters said he was willing to work with the member on the idea. He also explained that Oahu residents pay substantially higher vehicle fees than residents of neighboring counties; a statewide equalization proposal would have cost Honolulu approximately $134 million, but he supports more modest reductions where financially possible.
Property-Tax Relief Bills
Waters discussed Bills 45, 46, and 47, which seek various forms of taxpayer relief. One proposal would raise the homeowner exemption for residents aged 65 and older from $180,000 to $200,000, producing an estimated annual saving of about $70. He also wants the standard exemption increased, potentially to $180,000, to offset rising assessments while the basic residential rate remains $3.50 per $1,000 of assessed value. Members noted that sales far above asking price can increase assessments for longtime neighbors who have lived in their homes for decades, even though their income has not risen correspondingly. The proposals were expected to receive further discussion at the Property Tax Committee meeting.
Ticketmaster and City Venue Ticketing
A member complained that Ticketmaster service charges can be large and unclear until checkout, that readers have malfunctioned at events at the Waikiki Shell and Blaisdell Center, and that some listings incorrectly appeared sold out. Although the member believed in-person Blaisdell purchases were no longer available, city officials said tickets could still be bought directly at the box office. Waters agreed to examine the broader concerns about the city’s reliance on Ticketmaster systems and the resale market.
Kapahulu Avenue Pedestrian and Bus Safety
The chair identified the Kapahulu Avenue segment between Kalakaua Avenue and the Ala Wai as one of the city’s most dangerous corridors. Buses near the zoo can block motorists’ and pedestrians’ views, while visitors sometimes enter the street without recognizing oncoming traffic. Drivers traveling toward the crossing may also face direct sun glare. The chair suggested moving bus stops farther up Kapahulu Avenue and possibly removing a limited number of parking spaces along the zoo side to create safer sightlines. The request was directed to city officials for review.
State Paid Family Leave Study
Representative Jackson Sayama reported that the Legislature was in recess but that the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations had secured a contract for actuarial and legal analysis of a statewide paid-family-leave policy. The study is expected to be completed in late December 2026 or early January 2027, before the next legislative session. It is intended to determine whether Hawaii has the fiscal capacity and legal framework to implement such a program.
Election Information
Because several candidates are running for offices affecting the district and there may not be time for a neighborhood board candidate forum, the chair referred residents to recent media coverage. He cited a Civil Beat interview involving Representative Sayama and Les Ihara and a PBS Hawaii “Insights” program featuring candidates for the area, including board member Angie Knight, Andrew Palmsavan, Derek Turbin, the Palolo Neighborhood Board chair, and a representative associated with the Palolo Zen Center. Residents were reminded that ballots would soon arrive and encouraged to vote.
Kapiolani Nursery Administration Building
Wilson Okamoto Corporation and RMA Architects presented plans to replace the deteriorated, termite-damaged Division of Urban Forestry office at the approximately 3.4-acre Kapiolani Nursery site. The property is state-owned, classified in the State Urban Land Use District, and zoned P-2 General Preservation as part of the city’s major park and open-space system. Access is from Paki Avenue and Noela Street. The active nursery will remain in place and is not expected to be disrupted. The replacement, single-story modular building will contain reception and clerical areas, staff workstations, locker rooms, restrooms and showers, a classroom, staff room, storage, an outdoor patio, and utility spaces. Its roof ridge will reach approximately 21 feet at the highest point, with the apparent height varying from roughly 13 to 21 feet because the site slopes.
Nursery Environmental Review and Landscaping
A Chapter 343 environmental assessment resulted in a finding of no significant impact published May 24, 2025. The review addressed traffic, access, air and noise effects, cultural and historic resources, and coastal and shoreline conditions, with best-management practices required during construction. The modular building will use shallow footings and limited excavation with structural fill to reduce ground disturbance. Board members supported relocating the structure away from the central Paki Avenue view plane but requested tall, noninvasive screening trees along the rear of the nursery to conceal the nearby oversized residence, preservation of the mature tree shown in the site plan, additional shade trees, and consideration of permeable paving. The design team was asked to provide the landscaping plan. Construction is tentatively expected to begin in fall 2027 and take about 12 months, although that schedule is not yet final.
Diamond Head Pickleball Proposal
A coalition including local players, Friends of Diamond Head Tennis, the Oahu Pickleball Association, USA Pickleball, and international representatives asked the board to support redesigning tennis courts 8 and 9 as eight permanent pickleball courts when the Diamond Head complex is resurfaced. The two tennis courts already contain four temporary pickleball layouts and are reportedly used almost exclusively for pickleball. The proposed configuration would remain within the existing footprint, double simultaneous capacity from 16 to 32 players, install permanent nets, create an outside spectator area, and potentially add shade pergolas funded or built with community assistance. Advocates said weekend crowds can reach 60 to 70 people waiting to play and that permanent infrastructure would eliminate the daily setup and storage of temporary nets.
Pickleball Participation, Tennis Use, and Noise
Presenters said Diamond Head’s 10-court complex dates to 1972 and has not received a comparable redesign in its 54-year history. They reported 31 pickleball tournaments scheduled statewide in 2026 compared with 13 tennis tournaments, while the largest cited pickleball event attracted 811 participants compared with 96 for tennis. Pickleball draws many players in their 60s, 70s, and 80s as well as visitors who travel with paddles, making Diamond Head a combined community and tourism venue. Friends of Diamond Head Tennis said its nonprofit contributed $60,000 toward court repairs in 2010 and has since provided hundreds of volunteer maintenance hours. Its president described a substantial decline in tennis use and said the remaining eight courts are generally available even on weekends. Opponents and nearby residents raised concerns about paddle noise, player shouting, and doubling the number of simultaneous users near homes. They also noted two marked pickleball courts near the aquarium, although presenters said windblown sand makes those courts slippery and unsafe. The Parks and Recreation Committee will hold a more detailed meeting, potentially near the courts so members can inspect conditions and hear from both tennis and pickleball users. Resurfacing is tentatively anticipated for late 2026 or early 2027, pending a city master agreement.
Pending Marketing Materials Group
The board did not have time to review the permitted interaction group report concerning neighborhood board brochures or “marketing materials.” Mattson reiterated that the temporary group should be converted into a special committee so it can continue its work and provide updates rather than terminate after issuing one report. The chair agreed to place that question on a future board agenda.
Next Meeting and Adjournment
The next regular meeting was announced for Thursday, August 13. Members and residents were asked to send proposed agenda material to the chair and copy Neighborhood Commission staff. The chair also asked members to review the existing standing-committee structure and submit any requested changes. After reminding residents to vote when ballots arrive, the chair adjourned the meeting.