No 31 Kailua Neighborhood Board Regular Meeting November 2026
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31 Kailua Neighborhood Board Meeting – November 7, 2026
Call to Order and Attendance
The regular hybrid meeting was called to order at 7 p.m. Following roll call, the chair reported that eight members were present—four in person and four remotely—with Steve Trecker online but initially muted. Because the board did not yet have a quorum, it proceeded with informational portions of the agenda while awaiting sufficient attendance. The meeting later addressed agency reports, community concerns, presentations, committee business, and approval of the October 1 minutes before adjourning at 9:30 p.m.
Holiday and Community Announcements
The 59th annual Lanikai “Woes Day” celebration was announced for New Year’s Day, Friday, January 1, 2027, with an 8 a.m. race, a 9 a.m. parade, and breakfast and live music from 9 to 11 a.m. The Neighborhood Commission Office is again partnering with Toys for Tots; unwrapped toys could be donated at the November or December board meeting in time for Christmas distribution. The board will also continue its holiday tradition with a potluck dinner at 6 p.m. before the December meeting, open to board members, friends, spouses, and family. John White recognized Veterans Day and thanked members of the Armed Forces and their families for their service. He also encouraged the community to support Kalaheo High School in its championship game against Kaiser; later in the meeting, the board learned that Kalaheo won 27–13 and became the new OIA champion.
Waimanalo Christmas Parade
Leala Koch, president of Hawaii Paʻu Riders and chair of the Waimanalo Christmas Parade, invited Kailua residents to the 34th annual parade on Saturday, December 12. Traffic will begin slowing around 8 a.m., roads will close at approximately 8:45 a.m., the parade will start at 9 a.m., and the event is expected to conclude by 11:30 a.m. The route will begin near Hihimanu and Kalanianaʻole Highway and end at Waimanalo Beach Park. Participants will include the Kailua High School Band, schools, marching units, vehicles, floats, paʻu riders, horse units, and Santa. The theme, “Christmas Roots in Waimanalo,” honors earlier generations and emphasizes aloha, ʻike, family, and community togetherness. Drivers, particularly those traveling toward Costco, were advised to use alternate routes because of limited access through Waimanalo. Applications remain available through Hawaii Paʻu Riders and the parade’s Instagram account.
Honolulu Police Department
Lieutenant Drew Akagi reported Kailua crime statistics for October. There were two motor-vehicle thefts, down from three in September; one burglary, down from five; 23 thefts, up from 22; five vehicle break-ins, unchanged; and one robbery, also unchanged. HPD handled 1,415 calls for service in Kailua during the month. With property crime typically increasing during the holiday season, particularly package theft and vehicle break-ins, residents were advised to remove laptops, bags, spare keys, and other valuables from cars; lock vehicles and homes; promptly retrieve packages and mail; keep gifts out of sight; avoid announcing travel plans on social media; and confirm that motion-activated lights are working. Akagi said Kailua officers would continue roving traffic enforcement, and HPD was considering additional DUI checkpoints during the holidays. Residents were urged to designate sober drivers and never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
School Parking and Bicycle-Lane Enforcement
The board asked HPD about student parking across Mokapu Boulevard from Kalaheo High School, where tow trucks had recently been observed. A student said pupils had been warned that cars blocking driveways or mailboxes could be towed. HPD clarified that vehicles must remain at least four feet from a driveway opening and ten feet from a fire hydrant and cannot park in marked no-parking areas, block sidewalks, interfere with intersections, or impede traffic. Honolulu does not have a corresponding general parking restriction for mailboxes. Akagi said he would inspect the marsh-side area across from the school; where parking is otherwise legal and does not obstruct the roadway or sidewalk, HPD would have no enforcement basis. A resident also described cars idling in Kailua bike lanes, open vehicle doors creating “dooring” hazards, drivers cutting into bicycle lanes without signaling, and rolling through stop signs. Akagi agreed vehicles should not obstruct bike lanes and said he would place the issue on the day-watch officers’ enforcement list.
Honolulu Fire Department
Captain Shauna Shima of the Kailua Fire Station reported that October had no structure fires or wildland fires, one nuisance or rubbish-type fire, one cooking fire, and five alarm activations where no fire was found. Firefighters responded to 111 medical emergencies, two motor-vehicle crashes, and no vehicle collisions involving pedestrians, mountain rescues, ocean rescues, or hazardous-material incidents. For holiday travel, HFD advised residents to drive sober and alert, avoid cellphone distractions and drowsy driving, arrange designated drivers when alcohol is involved, ensure everyone uses seat belts, and place children in age- and size-appropriate car seats or boosters. Travelers should keep medications, identification, itineraries, and emergency contacts accessible, and residents should turn off holiday lights and close doors before leaving home or going to bed.
Ocean Safety
Ocean Safety reported several notable Kailua rescues during October. Lifeguards assisted an intoxicated and aggressive woman in the water between Castles and Kalama Beach, rescued two people after a small catamaran broke in the surf off Castles, and recovered both the passengers and vessel. Rescue Unit 6 also responded to a sinking kayak outside the Mokulua Islets and returned its two occupants safely to shore. Ocean Safety has moved into its new facility on the hillside and reported that staff are pleased with the building. In response to a question about youth career development, the representative highlighted the summer Junior Lifeguard Program and said there might be an additional winter program, subject to confirmation.
Board of Water Supply
The Board of Water Supply recorded two water-main breaks in October: one in Enchanted Lake and one in Maunawili. Both affected mains were installed in the early 1950s. The agency also promoted employment opportunities through bwsjobs.org, including permanent full-time and contract positions in business management, engineering, information technology, management and executive leadership, labor, and call-center operations. The announcement characterized employment with the Board of Water Supply as an opportunity to protect Oʻahu’s water resources while receiving professional development and work-life balance.
Marine Corps Base Events
Marine Corps Base Hawaii announced several upcoming events. The base planned a Marine Corps birthday pageant on November 9, attended by invited kūpuna and Kalaheo High School JROTC members, followed by a luncheon at Anderson Hall. Makahiki opening observances were scheduled for November 13–15, including cultural ceremonies and talk-story and moʻolelo sessions connecting lineal descendants and Marine Corps families. From November 20–22, the base would host the Special Olympics Hawaii Holiday Classic, bringing more than 1,000 athletes, participants, and family members, including athletes from neighbor islands; the base has supported the event for approximately 20 years. A free Christmas concert by the Windward Choral Society was being organized for December 12 at the base chapel, with work underway to make it accessible to the general public through an open-base arrangement. Residents were also reminded to use the base’s forms to report noise concerns and were invited to take copies of its quarterly publication.
Marine Corps Wastewater Exceedance
Marine Corps Base Hawaii addressed a water-quality advisory arising from an enterococcus exceedance identified in a sample taken Thursday, October 29. Officials explained that rapid, heavy rain infiltrates the base’s aging sewer network, increasing flows beyond the wastewater plant’s treatment capacity. The plant was constructed in the 1940s, upgraded in the 1970s, and designed for a maximum flow of roughly two million gallons per day, but intense storms can produce flows near five million gallons per day. The discharge is not untreated sewage, according to the base, but water moving through the system too quickly to receive full treatment. The base and Department of Health were conducting daily sampling, including at seven shoreline stations from North Beach and Fort Hase through areas toward the boat ramp. Signs were being posted along the base and Kailua shoreline, and base beaches were closed during the advisory in coordination with lifeguards. Residents were asked to report any shoreline access points where warning signs appeared to be missing.
Wastewater Upgrades and Stormwater Diversion
The base described several long-term projects intended to reduce future wastewater exceedances. A roughly $40 million project will upgrade the existing plant to tertiary treatment through chlorination. A subsequent approximately $350 million “redundancy project” will effectively construct a new treatment plant with an equalization basin capable of holding flows of up to ten million gallons per day, allowing stormwater-influenced wastewater to be retained and released gradually for full treatment. The base has also been studying its sanitary sewer network for about two years to identify the most serious leaks and prioritize pipe repairs, including possible use of technology that relines pipes rather than excavating and replacing them. About 100 low-impact-development features have already been installed to retain rainfall on the base, diverting close to seven million gallons annually from the outfall. Officials clarified that treated effluent will be chlorinated to kill bacteria and then dechlorinated before discharge. Permit compliance includes toxicity testing using sea urchin reproduction, which can also reveal effects from chlorine, oils, or other contaminants. A resident objected that repeated advisories after rain make Kailua Bay unusable and questioned whether the outfall should be extended, while the base emphasized that its current projects are designed to address treatment and flow capacity. The base agreed to investigate a separate report that a commercial Robinson helicopter may have made an emergency landing there during poor visibility.
Proposed Kapaa Quarry Landfill
Resident and business owner Lindsay Barrett raised concerns about a possible landfill in the Kapaa Quarry area. She noted that the area is near roughly seven schools, contains approximately 250 businesses, includes youth and family facilities, and borders the protected Kawainui Marsh ecosystem. She said the industrial park has changed substantially since its drive-in theater era and now attracts much more daily traffic. Board members recalled that Mayor Rick Blangiardi had previously said a landfill would not be placed in Kailua and expressed disappointment that the area was again under consideration. The board has previously adopted a position opposing another Kailua landfill and plans to update its report and monitor the 2027 legislative session. Particular attention was directed to Act 73 and discussion of reducing landfill separation requirements from approximately one mile to one-half mile from sensitive uses such as schools and hospitals.
Landfill Transportation and Environmental Risks
Board members and residents discussed the costs and environmental consequences of transporting H-POWER ash from the leeward side to Kailua. The ash was described as among Oʻahu’s most hazardous waste streams and is currently wetted before transport to prevent wind dispersal. Participants warned that moving it across the island to the windward side would expose trucks to rain and strong winds and could increase risks of windblown material, leaching into Kawainui Marsh, and contamination of the water table. Members criticized the landfill-selection process as insufficiently transparent and said prior consultants and task forces had produced expensive studies without a clear result. Barrett reported that about 25 businesses were prepared to submit letters opposing the landfill, and speakers noted that the industrial area includes major youth programs, including a large autism school. The board encouraged businesses, schools, and youth organizations to document how many children and families use the area and to explain their proximity to any proposed landfill site.
Future Vision for Kapaa Quarry Road
Residents urged the community not only to oppose a landfill but also to identify a positive future for Kapaa Quarry as an ecological, cultural, recreational, educational, and employment area. Suggestions included creating community space, improving public access, celebrating the marsh, adding a bicycle facility, and exploring a different entrance or exit for quarry traffic. Participants acknowledged that Kapaa Quarry Road is privately owned and currently dangerous for cyclists, but argued that its heavy use by employees, students traveling to Kalaheo High School and Le Jardin Academy, families, and visitors warrants more attention. Speakers said a coherent vision for the area could offer a stronger alternative to landfill development and proposed organizing local businesses and schools to participate in planning and advocacy.
Safe Streets for Children and Families
Dr. Sylvia Rahm, a Kailua pediatrician, public-health professional, and mother, said her 14-year-old son had been struck by a vehicle while riding his bicycle on a designated bicycle route along Kailua Road. Although he was not seriously injured, his bicycle was damaged and he is now afraid to ride in Kailua. Within one day of discussing the incident with other parents, she heard from approximately 20 mothers who shared concerns about road safety. She also presented eight letters from children asking for safer streets so they can walk to parks, ride bicycles for local errands, and travel independently. Residents emphasized that Kailua’s flat terrain, compact scale, and generally favorable weather should make it possible for people from age eight to 80 to travel safely without depending exclusively on cars.
Bicycle Network Gaps and Road Conditions
Several residents described Kailua’s bicycle facilities as fragmented, inconsistently protected, and poorly maintained. A former Boston and Cambridge resident said she felt safer bicycling year-round in those cities than in Kailua and advocated physically separated lanes or off-road paths similar to the Kawainui Marsh trail. Another Lanikai resident said she struck a pothole in a bicycle lane while riding home, fell into the roadway, and suffered a concussion and short-term memory loss. She reported that the pothole remained unrepaired one year later and that the city denied liability on the theory that, as a local resident, she should have known it was there. The chair called that response unacceptable and referred the issue to the Transportation Committee. Speakers also observed that no continuous protected route connects Kailua town with Kailua or Lanikai beaches, despite their heavy visitor and resident use. The board invited residents to continue the discussion at the Transportation Committee meeting the following Thursday at 7 p.m.
Hahani Street, Hamakua Drive, and Chick-fil-A Traffic
Members discussed the shared bicycle and motor-vehicle lane on Hahani Street near Target and the proposed Chick-fil-A at Hahani and Hamakua. Residents predicted that vehicles entering the restaurant could queue along Hahani, worsening congestion and creating new conflicts with cyclists. Jade Lau clarified that the marked facility is a shared lane, not an exclusive bicycle lane, and said cyclists frequently use the sidewalk because riding among cars feels unsafe. Physical separation and, in selected locations, pedestrian- and bicycle-priority streets were suggested as alternatives. Anna Malia Kia also alerted the board to a Department of Transportation Services matter involving possible removal of parking along Hamakua Drive between Kailua Road and Hahani as part of a Complete Streets concept dating to approximately 2016. Such a change could affect businesses and employees, including Target workers. The chair said the proposal had not reached the board and would seek more information, noting that the board had previously expressed skepticism about adding bicycle lanes on the narrow, heavily traveled segment of Hamakua between Foodland and Kailua Road.
Enchanted Lake Runoff and Water Quality
Cindy Turner, representing the Enchanted Lake Residents Association, presented photographs documenting severe brown-water and sediment runoff during and after the late-October storm. Images from October 28 showed muddy water entering the wetland and flowing down the Keolu hardened channel, while photographs from November 1 showed the lake remaining dark red after the storm. Turner explained that sediment remains in the lake or passes onward to Kailua Beach Park and Kailua Bay, affecting fish and other aquatic life. The lake also received coconuts, water bottles, balls, sleeping bags, trash, and some branches. She credited the Department of Facility Maintenance with improving control of larger debris but urged stronger requirements and enforcement for construction-site runoff. Turner said city inspectors often give violators repeated opportunities to correct problems rather than issuing meaningful penalties, while stricter enforcement and fine collection could both reduce pollution and provide additional stormwater-management funding.
Castle Junction War Memorial
Vietnam veteran and former Marine Eddie Freeman called for restoration and formal recognition of the Castle Junction memorial. The site, established around 1946, contains names of Windward Oʻahu service members killed in action from Kahuku to Waimanalo and recognizes World War II, Korea, Afghanistan, Iraq, and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, but does not include approximately 23 Windward Vietnam veterans whom Freeman believes should be added. More than 140 Marines are reportedly named there. Freeman and volunteers from the Kailua Elks have been cutting grass, removing rubbish, and maintaining the site, but the memorial does not appear on the state’s formal memorial inventory. The flagpole, originally erected in 1963, is corroded, and the flag is not properly illuminated after sunset. The board noted that Representative Scot Matayoshi and the Kiwanis Club helped return the flagpole to service in 2020. Because the site is on state Department of Transportation property, the board referred the matter to its Community and Government Engagement Committee to seek a durable maintenance arrangement, potentially involving the state, the Elks, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, and other civic organizations. Relocation to a more suitable site was mentioned if proper care cannot be sustained at Castle Junction.
Alleged Drug Activity and Fire Hazard
A resident described a prolonged probate dispute involving her late father’s Kailua property, alleging that unauthorized occupants have engaged in drug use and trafficking and that unlicensed electrical work has created a severe fire or explosion risk. She said a 2025 home inspection documented extensive electrical hazards and that the property is less than 50 feet from a preschool. According to her account, HPD has monitored the property for roughly three years, but the trust’s successor trustee has not acted. She said she won an Intermediate Court of Appeals ruling on March 31, with judgment entered May 11 and the matter remanded to probate court June 1, but further hearings were delayed. She filed a writ of mandamus with the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court on September 14 and separately requested Department of Planning and Permitting inspections on September 7. Inspectors visited October 14, but she contended that they did not review the underlying home-inspection report and only directed that extension-cord issues be corrected. The chair emphasized that the allegations require action through lawful channels, referred the matter to the Public Safety, Public Health and Civil Defense Committee for a meeting two weeks later, and encouraged the resident to work with Councilmember Esther Kiaʻāina regarding city-agency accountability.
State Business Registration System
During the governor’s representative’s report, Gary Weller described serious problems with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs’ business-registration system, which he said had malfunctioned for nearly two months. Companies were reportedly unable to complete annual reports, and nonprofits could enter officers but not the minimum three directors needed for some federal requirements. He said paper filings could take as long as 17 weeks to become accessible, delaying new organizations and creating a poor impression for mainland businesses seeking to operate in Hawaiʻi. Another participant confirmed that the problem was preventing nonprofit organizations from proving good standing, applying for funding, and meeting government vendor-compliance requirements. Governor Josh Green’s representative, Aaron Connor-Jerome, agreed to contact DCCA regarding a remedy.
Questions for the Governor
Board members asked for an update on the unresolved “$35,000 paper bag” controversy, including who would oversee the matter after the attorney general’s announced resignation and when the public could expect findings. A resident also asked whether the governor still intended to develop liquefied natural gas infrastructure on Oʻahu, arguing that new fossil-fuel facilities would conflict with Hawaiʻi’s clean-energy mandates and the declining cost of solar power. These questions were taken for follow-up. The governor’s November newsletter was made available at the meeting.
City Grants, Athletic Fields, and Council Follow-Up
Councilmember Esther Kiaʻāina could not attend because of a conflict, but her staff announced that applications for the city’s Grants in Aid Program were due November 30 at 2 p.m. Eligible nonprofit organizations may request grants of up to $150,000. In the previous year, the city approved more than $11.9 million for 94 organizations across Oʻahu. Kiaʻāina’s office also reported follow-up from an October 27 community town hall with Representative Mike Lee and Senator Jarrett Keohokalole. The councilmember has been communicating with Kalaheo baseball regarding renovations to its practice field at Kailua District Park and is arranging to meet Kalaheo girls’ softball representatives regarding their practice field at ʻAikahi Community Park. Staff also agreed to convey concerns about the proposed landfill, bicycle safety and public-notice procedures, and the city’s response to people with serious mental-health needs released from Castle Medical Center with only a bus pass. The board additionally requested an update on a traffic signal reportedly approved in 2012 for Kailua Road and ʻAulike Street near McDonald’s and Kailua Elementary School.
Congressional and Immigration Concerns
A representative from Congresswoman Jill Tokuda’s office attended without a formal report and offered to take questions back to the office. A resident asked whether the congresswoman’s reelection and broader changes in Congress might lead to stronger action regarding immigration enforcement, detention, and the removal of people from Hawaiʻi or the United States. The resident, who is married to a legal immigrant, expressed concern about international travel and legal status. Tokuda’s representative said immigration remains a significant issue for the office and invited residents with specific cases to contact staff so the office can communicate with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Kaʻelepulu Stormwater Alternatives Plan
Randall Wakamoto, program administrator for the Department of Facility Maintenance’s Stormwater Quality Division, reported that the city is completing an alternatives analysis and detailed implementation plan for the Kaʻelepulu watershed. Over the previous two years, public meetings gathered ideas concerning water quality, flooding, sediment control, and related watershed issues. The final report will assess each alternative’s planning-level cost, permitting needs, land acquisition, maintenance requirements, and likely implementation schedule. The city intends to post the report at kaelepulustormwater.org in December, meet individually with key participants during December and January, and make a full presentation to the Neighborhood Board in February. Wakamoto emphasized that the city does not intend to select only one project; multiple coordinated projects will be needed to address the watershed’s water-quality problems. The city is already designing additional debris screens for storm drains and catch basins in the Hamakua commercial area near Target and Whole Foods, following earlier installations near Keolu Drive, with bidding anticipated in 2027.
City Stormwater Management Plan
The city is also updating its five-year Stormwater Management Program Plan under permits issued by the Hawaiʻi Department of Health and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency pursuant to the Clean Water Act. The plan addresses enforcement, inspections, water-quality monitoring, trash and sediment control, public education, and training. Three open-house-style public meetings were scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.: November 10 at Kapolei Hale, November 12 at Kaimukī High School, and November 17 at Pali Golf Course for the Windward community. The draft plan was posted at the end of October, and written comments were due November 30. After responding to comments, the city must submit the final plan to the Department of Health by the end of January. Residents suggested that Wakamoto also attend the board’s December Water Quality Committee meeting to gather broader feedback.
Red Hill Health Registry
Lauren Ray introduced the University of Hawaiʻi’s Red Hill Registry, which is tracking long-term health outcomes among people exposed to jet-fuel-contaminated water during the November 2021 Red Hill crisis. The water advisory continued through March 18, 2022, and the Navy estimates that approximately 93,000 people were exposed. Although Kailua was outside the directly affected water system, many military families who experienced the crisis have since relocated to Windward Oʻahu or are connected to Marine Corps Base Hawaii. The registry received funding in June 2024 and launched enrollment in August 2025. Approximately 3,000 people had begun pre-enrollment, more than 500 had completed enrollment, and about 300 fully enrolled participants still lived in Hawaiʻi. Participants now reside in nearly every state and in countries including Japan, Germany, South Korea, Italy, Qatar, Turkey, and Canada. Anyone who lived in or near an affected area during the crisis may enroll, whether or not they experienced symptoms.
Red Hill Health Findings and Independence
The registry is a family-centered, longitudinal project intended to identify current, delayed, and long-term effects of jet-fuel exposure while providing referrals, education, and support. Early reported concerns include skin irritation and lesions, respiratory and nervous-system effects, and mental-health consequences such as trauma and ongoing anxiety about water safety. The program also provides continuing education about fuel exposure to medical providers and has worked with the John A. Burns School of Medicine while seeking greater engagement with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Although the original funding came from the Department of Defense, Ray said UH operates the registry independently and that the DOD may intervene only if UH can no longer continue the project and the data must be transferred. The Navy supplied an email list of roughly 30,000 potentially exposed individuals, but not a complete list of every resident and occupant. Board members argued that the military should provide full housing and occupancy records to improve outreach. The registry asked the board and public to share its information with military families and other people who may have been exposed.
Hawaii Job Corps
Celeste Parker reported that the Hawaii Job Corps remains open despite a federal closure notice issued during the previous summer. The program had begun sending students home and preparing staff for layoffs before an injunction halted the closure, although not all students returned. Job Corps is now rebuilding enrollment, with a residential and nonresidential campus in Waimanalo and another in Makawao, Maui. The Waimanalo campus can serve approximately 211 students, including roughly 186 to 216 residential spaces, while Makawao has capacity for 128. The free, federally funded program generally serves low-income young people ages 16–24 who are U.S. citizens or otherwise properly documented and who have no disqualifying felonies or unresolved court obligations. Participants receive pay, education, housing where applicable, and career training, with programs generally lasting about one to two years.
Job Corps Training and Employment
The Waimanalo Job Corps campus offers high school diplomas through Penn Foster and vocational certifications in culinary arts, automotive work, painting, landscaping, office administration, security, and health care. Health-track partnerships include CVS, Windward Community College, a Kalihi training center for certified nursing assistant licensing, veterinary technician training, and mental-health technician preparation. Parker noted that the first mental-health technician graduate was working for CARE Hawaii while continuing her education. The Maui campus offers office administration, culinary arts, building-construction technology, and hotel and lodging training. Employers seeking workers were encouraged to contact the program’s business and community liaison. Job Corps also has openings for recreation advisers, substitute security staff, and outreach positions. Parker acknowledged that the program is costly because many campuses are residential and that future federal funding may be lower, but said staff intend to continue operating the program.
Committee Referrals and Board Administration
The board added several matters to upcoming committee agendas. The alleged drug activity and fire hazard were referred to the Public Safety, Public Health and Civil Defense Committee; faded crosswalks, bicycle safety, the unresolved Lanikai pothole, and related road concerns were referred to the Transportation and Public Works Committee; and restoration of the Castle Junction memorial was referred to the Community and Government Engagement Committee. No members requested changes to committee assignments. The October 1 meeting minutes were approved without correction, committee reports were accepted as published, and December committee agenda submissions were due Sunday, November 22. The meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m.