No 05 Diamond Head - Kapahulu - St. Louis Heights Neighborhood Board Regular Meeting October 2026
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5 Diamond Head-Kapahulu-St. Louis Neighborhood Board Meeting – October 9, 2026
Call to Order and Agenda Changes
Chair Winston Welch called the meeting to order with ten members initially present and a quorum established; additional members joined later. Although the requested meeting title identifies October 9, the chair referred to the session as the October 8, 2026 meeting. The board unanimously amended the agenda to consider a certificate of appreciation for retiring Senator Les Ihara Jr. The board also postponed filling the vacant St. Louis Heights seat until November because another interested candidate could not attend due to an exigent circumstance; the delay will allow the board to consider as many candidates as possible. The Honolulu Fire Department was not present when called, so the board proceeded to police reports.
Waikīkī and Diamond Head Police Activity
Honolulu Police Department District 6 reported four robberies, six burglaries compared with 11 in the preceding month, 108 thefts compared with 133, nine unauthorized motor vehicle entries compared with six, 52 assaults compared with 42, and two sex crimes, unchanged from the prior period. Officers issued two citations for skateboarding on sidewalks, 17 speeding citations compared with six, 1,176 parking citations compared with 1,255, and 20 loud-muffler or prohibited-noise citations compared with 11. Park-closure enforcement resulted in 99 citations and 18 arrests, up from 83 citations and ten arrests. District 6 handled 4,084 calls for service, down from 4,600, and recorded six DUI cases compared with four previously. District 7 reported ten motor vehicle thefts, three burglaries, 16 thefts, three unauthorized motor vehicle entries, and 5,808 calls for service during September.
Police-Impersonation Scam Warning
District 7 warned residents about a scam in which callers impersonate active or retired police officers and manipulate caller identification so that a police department number appears on the recipient’s phone. Victims are told that they have an outstanding warrant or fine and must pay immediately to avoid arrest, often by purchasing gift cards and providing the card numbers by telephone. HPD emphasized that police do not demand payment over the phone and that any request for gift-card payment is a clear warning sign. Residents were encouraged to share this information with kūpuna and other vulnerable community members who are frequently targeted.
Certificate Honoring Senator Les Ihara Jr.
The board unanimously approved a certificate of appreciation for Senator Les Ihara Jr., recognizing more than 50 years of public service in neighborhood, legislative, and civic roles as he concludes his Senate tenure and Senator-elect Jackson Sayama prepares to take office. The certificate traced Ihara’s service from the Pālolo Neighborhood Board beginning in 1977 through approximately four decades in the Hawaiʻi Legislature, first in the House and later in the Senate. It credited him with representing Kapahulu, Diamond Head, St. Louis Heights, Kaimukī, Pālolo, and surrounding communities; helping establish the Kapahulu Business Association and the Ala Wai Watershed Community Network; serving as vice president of the 1978 Constitutional Convention and Senate majority leader; and advocating for open government, campaign-finance reform, environmental protection, kūpuna, integrity, and civic participation. Members recalled his help during a serious neighborhood dispute involving a resident’s takeover of a street, praised his commitment to good-government principles, and described his mentorship and public-minded approach. The certificate will be delivered to Ihara, who is expected to continue civic work through Civic Square initiatives.
Approval of August and September Minutes
The board considered minutes from August 13 and September 10, 2026. Members discussed the use of artificial-intelligence tools and personal review to improve accuracy, with Secretary Rafia Hasina explaining that she, the chair, and staff had closely reviewed the records using available AI programs and their own checking. A correction was made to the September minutes concerning Kapiʻolani Park: an email from Parks and Recreation’s Nate Shirota concerned allowing dogs to have “on-leash,” not “off-leash,” access. The minutes also retained a reference to an inquiry about transferring a former North Shore food-truck site for Ocean Safety use, despite one member’s concern that the matter was outside the board district. The corrected minutes were adopted by roll call with ten votes in favor and two abstentions.
Neighborhood Board Informational Brochure Committee
The board unanimously created an ad hoc special-subject committee concerning Neighborhood Board informational brochure materials. Members rejected the term “marketing materials,” arguing that elected boards should inform residents about their duties, history, accomplishments, and public role rather than market themselves or the Neighborhood Commission Office. Criticism focused on earlier brochure drafts that allegedly removed the history of Oʻahu’s Neighborhood Board system and the complete list of the island’s boards. Members also objected that the Neighborhood Commission Office had consulted another board about revisions without including Diamond Head-Kapahulu-St. Louis Heights, even though this board had submitted substantial comments. The new committee will continue work that could not remain with a permitted interaction group after that group issued its report, seek input from other boards, and work directly with the full Neighborhood Commission. Rafia Hasina and Michelle Madsen agreed to serve as co-chairs, while Linda Wong said she would assist as her circumstances permit.
Dole Street Water Main and Water-System Projects
The Board of Water Supply reported one significant recent break: the 20-inch water main failure on Dole Street discussed at the previous meeting. A replacement or improvement project is now in design, although construction is not expected soon and the precise project limits have not yet been released. The agency offered to return with a presentation once designs are sufficiently developed. No new information was available on the Diamond Head site, although Board of Water Supply staff again offered to escort a group of fewer than four board members there after several days of dry weather. Staff noted that recent rain should benefit newly planted naupaka. The Monsarrat water-system improvement project remains delayed while the agency waits for materials needed to install new service laterals throughout the project area.
Water Availability During Power Outages
The Board of Water Supply warned that widespread electrical outages can stop electrically powered wells and pumps from moving water into reservoirs. Although some sites have generators, the system has more than 190 pumps, and the industrial generators needed are extremely large, expensive, space-intensive, and require staff for maintenance and refueling. Water already stored in reservoirs would therefore be the community’s primary supply during an outage. The Diamond Head reservoir, which does not serve Waikīkī, receives water principally from the Beretania system, with Kalihi and possibly Wilder also contributing. If customers conserve, the reservoir might last 24 to 36 hours, but because the area is densely populated it could be depleted in roughly 24 hours under ordinary demand. Residents were asked to conserve before, during, and after storms because reservoirs also need time to refill after power returns. The agency described close coordination with Hawaiian Electric during major storms: HECO shares restoration locations, and water crews follow electrical repair teams to restart pumps as quickly as possible.
Hawaiʻi Food and Wine Festival at Kapiʻolani Community College
Kapiʻolani Community College Culinary Arts Department Chair Grant Itomitsu announced that the Hawaiʻi Food and Wine Festival’s signature event will be held at KCC on Saturday, November 7, from 5 to 9 p.m. The sold-out event was moved within the campus from the central Great Lawn, or Makahiyapo, to the flatter Lot A near Makapuʻu and Kīlauea avenues, across from Leʻahi Hospital. Because Lot A is closer to residential areas, KCC briefed the board about noise, lighting, traffic, security, and setup. More than 1,000 ticketed guests are expected, including approximately 600 arriving around 5 p.m. and 400 around 6 p.m. Seven HPD officers, private security personnel, barricades, traffic controls, free campus parking, shuttles from lower lots, and encouragement of rideshare use are intended to reduce neighborhood impacts. Tent installation is scheduled for Thursday, November 5, from 4 to 9 p.m.; staging and lighting will be installed Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and the event will end with a firm 9 p.m. program stop, followed by guest departure and cleanup. Sound will be directed inward, and quieter generators will be used where possible. The festival features local, national, and international chefs and winemakers and supports KCC culinary students by allowing them to work directly with participating professionals.
KCC Resiliency and Diamond Head Restoration Concerns
During the KCC discussion, members praised retired dean Carol Hoshiko for her longstanding work with the college and neighborhood. A separate concern was raised about KCC’s SERENE resiliency program, the Student Learning Program, restoration of the Diamond Head Scenic Byway, and work near Flanders Memorial Park. The Diamond Head State Monument Foundation said it holds Hawaiʻi Community Foundation grants intended for broader environmental and landscape restoration along Diamond Head Road, not merely a small namesake park. Because Itomitsu’s role is limited to Culinary Arts, he agreed to refer the questions to KCC’s administration and identify the correct contacts. The chair suggested scheduling a separate future discussion about KCC capital improvements, resiliency initiatives, and coordination with the monument foundation.
Kūhiō Beach Shower Improvement Outreach
Carollo Engineers, working with the Department of Facility Maintenance, announced public engagement opportunities for the Kūhiō Beach Shower Improvement Project. A small stakeholder workshop was scheduled for Friday, October 16, from 10 a.m. to noon, and the board was invited to designate up to two representatives; Arlene Velasco and Margaret Murchie expressed interest. Public open houses were scheduled at the Hula Mound near the showers on Friday, October 16, from 4 to 6 p.m., and Saturday, October 17, from 10 a.m. to noon. Participants will be able to review design alternatives and speak with the project team. Residents emphasized longstanding complaints that aerated shower nozzles do not provide a strong, continuous stream, particularly in windy conditions. A related suggestion that shower runoff be directed into landscaping instead of back toward the ocean concerned the separate Kaimana Beach shower and was therefore outside this project’s scope.
Thanksgiving Turkey Trot
The Honolulu Marathon Clinic described its Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot, an event that has operated for more than 50 years. All races will begin and end near the pavilion at Kapiʻolani Park. A five-mile race will begin at 7:30 a.m., travel around the park and up Diamond Head Road, circle Triangle Park, and return; a 3.6-mile two-lap park route will begin ten minutes later, followed ten minutes afterward by a 1.8-mile single-lap route. One traffic lane will be controlled using cones, signs, police officers, and volunteer course marshals. A water station will be placed at Triangle Park, and cleanup crews will collect cups and other debris. The final five-mile participant is expected back by approximately 9 to 9:15 a.m., and the event expects to leave the park by 11 to 11:30 a.m. Members raised concerns about holiday traffic and traditionally discouraging events on major holidays. Because approval of the event had not been listed as an action item, the board could not vote; the organizer was asked to return in November if a formal endorsement is required.
Kakaʻako Makai Development and Contaminated Fill
Vice Chair Arlene Velasco reported on a Hawaiʻi Community Development Authority workshop concerning future development on the makai side of Kakaʻako. She said existing state law prohibits residential development makai of Ala Moana Boulevard because the area consists of filled land, including potentially toxic material, and cited environmental studies and a 2009 report recommending low-rise, community-oriented, nonresidential development. She felt the workshop framed the choices in a manner favoring development and noted that public comments were due October 19 through an HCDA website that can be difficult to navigate. Members recalled that Kakaʻako Makai includes former fishpond lands and areas where incinerator waste was deposited. They warned that deep foundations for high-rise residential structures could disturb contaminants and allow them to move through subsurface karst waterways toward nearby land and the shoreline. The board discussed working with Kakaʻako and other Neighborhood Boards through its Planning and Zoning and environmental committees, potentially developing a joint resolution defending the existing prohibition and public shoreline uses.
Yoga Classes and Conditions at Leʻahi and Makalei Parks
A resident asked the board to consider the loss of a donation-based yoga class at Leʻahi and Makalei parks after the instructor was told to stop teaching. She said the class primarily served nearby residents rather than tourists, created a community presence, and organized Saturday trash cleanups. She argued that the city’s reported $3-per-student cap for certain contracted classes is outdated and suggested that a higher limit, such as $10, could preserve affordable instruction while allowing teachers to earn a reasonable amount. Members responded that Leʻahi and Makalei are small, environmentally fragile, passive shoreline parks without restrooms, with ongoing erosion and underground wave action, and should not be overwhelmed by commercial or intensive uses. Other participants noted that nonprofit groups may be able to charge or recover costs under certain permitting arrangements, although the board did not determine the applicable rules. The resident was asked to work with the board’s parks committee and city officials so that permitted community use, environmental protection, and park safety can be considered together.
Leʻahi Park Sinkholes, Trees, and Shoreline Damage
The city confirmed that the Department of Design and Construction is actively addressing two sinkholes at Leʻahi Park, one of which is associated with a storm-drainage issue. An ironwood tree was removed because its roots were damaging part of the seawall, while other tree work was left incomplete after crews considered conditions unsafe. New benches have been installed, and the city noted that they are available to any park user during posted hours; suspected illegal activity should be reported to 911. Parks and Recreation currently has no broader long-term plan for Leʻahi or Makalei beyond addressing the sinkholes. Members said recent storms and high tides have further undermined the shoreline and called for public involvement in decisions over erosion management, managed retreat, seawalls, and future park use.
Mental-Health Crisis Response and Storm Recovery
Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s representative, Anton Krucky, highlighted the city’s MH-3 mental-health response process, enabled by recent state legislation. Individuals considered a danger to themselves or others may now be transported voluntarily or involuntarily for assessment at Queen’s, Castle, or the Behavioral Health Crisis Center. Depending on the evaluation, a person may be released or retained for further observation. The city sees this as a stronger street-management tool for people unable to make safe decisions, although long-term treatment beds remain primarily a state responsibility because the city does not operate a health department. Krucky also reported that a Central Oʻahu park used to store storm debris has been cleared, environmentally assessed, restored, and reopened. Repeated storms have strained city personnel but improved interagency response procedures.
Zoo and Community Grant Updates
The Honolulu Zoo has improved the walkway around the endangered African penguin exhibit and upgraded the habitat for its two hippopotamuses. The Neighborhood Commission Office reminded residents that the general election would be held November 3. Krucky also announced that nonprofit applications for the city’s Grants in Aid program are due November 30. The fund generally contains approximately $10 million to $11 million, supported by one-half of one percent of property-tax revenue, and commonly awards grants to roughly 70 to 90 organizations. Nonprofits that miss the deadline must wait another year, and the city plans to offer guidance on the application process.
Seawalls, Cliffs, Drains, and Park Repairs
The mayor’s representative provided responses to several unresolved infrastructure questions. The overhanging asphalt or damaged area at the base of the cliffs near Diamond Head, referred to during the meeting as the “Kool-Aid cliffs,” appears to fall under the state Department of Land and Natural Resources rather than the city, and the city will seek a state response. Responsibility for the failing seawalls at Leʻahi Beach and near Barefoot Beach Café is still being clarified between Parks and Recreation and DLNR. A service request, number 75755, has been opened for the damaged storm drain at Dole and Frank streets, with work to be scheduled as staffing and resources permit. Parks and Recreation has no plan to install bleachers at the Diamond Head Tennis Center, and proposed additional pickleball courts remain preliminary, with no decision made. Repairs to Kapiʻolani Park’s calisthenics equipment are being addressed, but no completion date is available. The city is also coordinating with Noresco to upgrade the Ala Wai Golf Course ballroom’s lighting and electrical system, though no schedule has been established.
Waiʻalae Avenue Pedestrian Safety and Transit Payments
The Department of Transportation Services plans to install a quick-build pedestrian refuge island and solar-powered rectangular rapid-flashing beacons at the uncontrolled crosswalk at Waiʻalae and Fourth avenues later in October. The uncontrolled crosswalk at Waiʻalae and Second Avenue near City Mill is also expected to receive solar-powered flashing signals through a federal high-injury-location safety program, but that project is not anticipated to begin until 2029. DTS has spent approximately a year developing contactless payment capability for TheBus and Skyline. Beginning in spring or summer 2027, riders are expected to be able to tap physical credit or debit cards, mobile wallets, or connected watches at fare gates and bus readers and receive an adult two-hour pass. DTS does not plan to create a digital HOLO card or accept payments directly through the Transit app.
Neighborhood Board Funding and Guidebook
The Neighborhood Board system guidebook remains in draft form, and the Neighborhood Commission Office expects to make additional edits before printing and distributing a booklet for the July 2027 inauguration. Residents and board members may download the current draft but were cautioned that it will change. Individual Neighborhood Boards do not receive separate operating allocations; the NCO centrally administers funds for all boards. A board seeking support for a newsletter, community event, or AI tool for meeting minutes must submit a request to the NCO describing the project, distribution plan, and responsible person. The office also noted that several free AI programs can assist with drafting minutes.
Parking, Traffic, and Additional City Requests
Residents again raised the shortage of lawful parking near the Leʻahi community garden, including the difficulty of accommodating elderly and disabled gardeners where unimproved shoulders and nearby crosswalks limit possible parking spaces. A longer-term possibility may involve parking on adjacent land if the city acquires it, but no immediate solution was offered. A proposal to move the left-turn-only lane on Monsarrat/Leʻahi toward Paki Avenue generated disagreement: one member said the current configuration backs up right-turning traffic, while a resident of the area argued that the existing left turns onto both Leʻahi and Paki are essential and should not be altered without a complete DTS study. The chair asked the city to investigate several long-burned-out homes on Date Street, storm-damaged trees and missing landscaping at Crane Park, and visible erosion beneath the Seabreeze condominium parking structure on Kalākaua Avenue. He also proposed regular liaisons between city departments and board committees, particularly for transportation, parks, environmental services, and facility maintenance; the mayor’s representative agreed to help establish contacts.
Outdoor Court Resurfacing Legislation
Council Chair Tommy Waters’ office reported that Bill 57 passed first reading. The measure would require the Department of Parks and Recreation to develop and publish a schedule for resurfacing outdoor play courts. The proposal arose partly from uncertainty over when the aging courts at the Diamond Head Tennis Center would be repaired, but it would also apply to public pickleball, basketball, and volleyball courts. The schedule would provide residents with clearer information about maintenance priorities and expected project timing.
Monster Homes on Noela Street
Members reported that at least six large houses on Noela Street have been constructed or listed for sale with approximately six to nine bedrooms and three to five bathrooms, but insufficient on-site parking. Residents said the concentration of these “monster homes” forces vehicles onto the street and creates growing congestion and safety concerns. Planning and Zoning Committee members questioned whether the structures comply with the Diamond Head Special District’s 25-foot height limit, density standards, and other permitting rules. Council Chair Waters’ office agreed to investigate and follow up directly with the reporting member.
Council Member Tyler Dos Santos-Tam/Nishimoto District Updates
Council office representative Kylie provided notice of an Ala Moana Park cleanup scheduled from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, with volunteers meeting near the tennis courts. An electronic-waste recycling drive will be held at Mānoa Elementary School on Saturday, November 7, from 9 a.m. to noon, with further information to be posted on the council member’s social media. Members also requested follow-up on overgrown vegetation and maintenance along Pālolo Stream, noting that an earlier report dated to June 2025 and asking whether the public can access a maintenance schedule. The representative agreed to check a newer service request, seek scheduling information, and arrange a site visit if possible. Residents additionally requested clearer public instructions on how and when to submit community infrastructure proposals during the City Council appropriations process.
Proposed High-Density Development and Senator Chang Outreach
Several members expressed concern about a notice attributed to Senator Stanley Chang promoting high-density, mixed-use housing that could override numerous planning, zoning, height, and design requirements, reportedly in coordination with the governor. Details remained unclear, and the board had not received the notice directly. Members initially believed Chang was holding a conflicting meeting at Kalani High School, while another member found information indicating that the evening meeting was in Kapolei and focused on Hawaiian Electric outages; it appeared the development notice and the utility meeting were separate matters. Because no representative from Chang’s office attended, the board requested the original flyer or email for its shared records and discussed holding an urgent Planning and Zoning Committee meeting to clarify the location, scope, exemptions, and neighborhood effects of any proposal.
Governor’s Office: Elections, Climate Resilience, and State Funding
Governor Josh Green’s representative said a recent Supreme Court decision had provided certainty for Hawaiʻi election administration and affirmed that every eligible voter should have a fair and secure opportunity to cast a ballot; detailed election questions were referred to the state Office of Elections. He also described the state “green fee” as a dedicated source of resilience funding prompted in part by the Maui wildfires and reinforced by recent Kona lows and storms. Current priorities include home hardening and hurricane resilience, wildfire-risk reduction, flood-control and mitigation work, beach restoration, and coastal protection. The governor intends to work with the Legislature so future funding continues to emphasize preventive projects before disasters occur. Members asked the administration to explain reports concerning an alleged $13 million misuse or scam involving the state’s kauhale homeless-housing program and urged the governor not to support development proposals that broadly override community planning protections.
Homeless Encampments Along Pālolo Stream and Market City
Representative Ikaika Olds reported that his office is open, though not yet fully furnished, and reminded residents that hurricane season had not ended. He had inspected all three streams in his district and found substantial trash. Discussion focused on encampments beneath the freeway near Market City and within Pālolo Stream. Olds said people often move under the overpass during heavy rain and later return to streamside camps, while the Department of Transportation has not developed a strong long-term strategy because it views the movement as temporary. He emphasized that stream encampments place residents, their animals, and first responders in danger during flash floods and send human waste, oil, rusting bicycles and mopeds, and other debris into waterways that lead to the Ala Wai Canal and ocean. He plans to reintroduce legislation addressing habitation in dangerous waterways after previous proposals cleared the Human Services and Homelessness Committee but lost enforcement provisions in the Judiciary Committee. Board members offered Surf Rider Foundation water-quality data showing persistently high bacterial readings in the Ala Wai system, particularly after storms, to support future legislation and pollution investigations.
Neighborhood Boundaries and Board Guidance
The chair reported that the Neighborhood Commission is still considering questions about whether St. Louis Heights should remain within the Diamond Head-Kapahulu-St. Louis Heights district or be reassigned. No immediate boundary change will occur because the commission and NCO must first resolve basic procedural and factual questions, and the earliest possible change would be approximately two years away. Members debated potential conflicts because individuals connected to the St. Louis Heights Community Association also serve in Neighborhood Commission or board roles. The chair said anyone facing an actual conflict should recuse themselves and encouraged interested residents to participate in the St. Louis Heights Community Association’s next meeting, tentatively scheduled for Monday, November 9, at 7 p.m., either online or at Hōkūlani School depending on arrangements.
Committee and Inter-Board Reports
Vice Chair Velasco reported to the Hawaiʻi Kai Neighborhood Board on pollution in the Kuʻiapa/Kūhiō-area stream system, where readings are so elevated that a broken sewage main or lateral may be involved. She is beginning work to identify the source and seek support for dye testing. At the same Hawaiʻi Kai meeting, residents strongly opposed the eviction of local stables and expressed concern about a reported proposal involving the mayor and a Japanese company to establish an archery center. Diamond Head representatives also continued monitoring the damaged asphalt or shoreline feature at the base of the Diamond Head cliffs following recent storms. The board’s new brochure committee will be added to the regular committee list.
Next Meeting and Adjournment
The board’s next regular meeting was scheduled for November 12, 2026, at 6 p.m. at the Ala Wai Golf Course ballroom, with agenda requests to be sent to the chair and copied to Neighborhood Commission staff. The chair reminded residents to vote in the November 3 general election and adjourned after completing the agenda.