No 27 North Shore Neighborhood Board Regular Meeting September 2026
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27 North Shore Neighborhood Board Meeting – September 23, 2026
Hybrid Meeting Format and Board Elections
The board convened under a hybrid format that allows community members to participate online while requiring board members and presenters to attend in person. Unlike some neighborhood boards, this board may continue its meeting if the internet connection fails, ensuring that scheduled presentations can proceed. Amy was elected secretary without opposition or abstention. Later in the meeting, Raquel Achoo, who had been nominated previously, was elected vice chair without opposition or abstention. The board did not report any conflicts of interest involving agenda items. The Honolulu Fire Department and Ocean Safety were not present to provide reports.
Police Activity and Online Reporting
Lieutenant Scott Vieira, the Wahiawā Police Station night watch commander, reported statistics covering the broader district of Mililani, Wahiawā, and the North Shore. During the reporting period, police recorded five assaults, no robberies, two burglaries, three unauthorized entries into motor vehicles, and 26 motor vehicle collisions. Officers issued 53 criminal citations, 116 parking citations, and 652 traffic citations, and the district received 706 calls for service. Lieutenant Vieira explained that HPD cannot readily separate the statistics by neighborhood because its reporting system retrieves data by officer rather than by district subdivision. He encouraged residents to use the nonemergency online reporting tools at honolulupd.org, while stressing that incidents involving a present suspect or evidence requiring immediate attention should be reported through 911. Residents raised concerns about minors riding e-bikes and mopeds dangerously, including performing wheelies, but HPD had not separated traffic citations by age. The board also noted that vehicle break-ins were substantially lower than in previous years. HPD attributed some improvement to crime-reduction and plainclothes operations, while cautioning that vehicle crime often increases during surf season when more visitors are present.
Water Main Repairs and Customer Assistance
The Board of Water Supply announced an “Imagine a Day Without Water” event scheduled for Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Waiʻanae Mall, with interactive exhibits and participation by city and state agencies. The agency also reported an August 1 break involving a 16-inch water main at 66-260 Waialua Beach Road. A resident asked when the temporary pavement patch on Pūpūkea Road would be permanently repaired, explaining that drivers were crossing into the opposite lane to avoid the uneven surface. The representative said the repair remained on the work list but had been delayed by wet weather, which prevents proper paving, and that follow-up calls were being made about every two weeks. The agency also reiterated that it granted more than $82,000 in billing adjustments to over 700 customers who sustained damage during the Kona Low, describing the adjustments as part of its effort to help affected residents.
Hawaiian Tel Interisland Fiber-Optic Network
Hawaiian Tel and its consultants presented the proposed Kunoa/Punoa North fiber-optic project, an $87 million “middle-mile” network intended to strengthen connections among the islands and improve Hawaiʻi’s links to the wider telecommunications system. Of the total cost, $37 million would come from the federal government through a partnership with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. The presenters distinguished the international “first mile,” the interisland and islandwide “middle mile,” and the “last mile” connecting substations to individual homes and businesses. Hawaiian Tel estimated that last-mile fiber already reaches approximately 90% of the North Shore area. The proposed northern interisland route would connect Kauaʻi’s North Shore with Haleʻiwa, with additional segments connecting Kāneʻohe to Wailuku and Hāna to the Hawaiʻi Island area. Because most existing submarine cables follow southern routes, the northern alignment is intended to add redundancy in case submarine landslides, line cuts, or other failures disrupt multiple southern cables.
Fiber Benefits, Competition, and Power Resilience
Hawaiian Tel said the fiber system would provide greater bandwidth, faster speeds, lower latency, fewer service interruptions, and enough capacity to accommodate future demand without repeated major upgrades. The system would be an open network, meaning competing telecommunications companies could obtain access, potentially increasing consumer choice and encouraging better service and lower prices. Fiber transmits information through light rather than electrical current, uses less power, and does not emit the electromagnetic radiation associated with electrical transmission. In response to questions about outages, Hawaiian Tel explained that its communications hubs have backup generators and secondary battery systems. Service can therefore continue during commercial power outages if the fiber itself is intact and customers also have backup power at their homes or businesses.
Proposed Haleʻiwa Beach Park Landing and Surveys
The possible landing site is near Pūʻena/Haleʻiwa Beach Park, with the cable expected to travel underground from an onshore manhole and emerge offshore through horizontal directional drilling. The underground bore would be approximately seven or eight inches in diameter and could pass 50 to 200 feet beneath portions of the surface before emerging in a sandy-bottom area offshore. The team said the finished land area would look essentially as it did before construction except for a manhole cover. Archaeological, cultural, biological, landscape, nearshore, and shallow-water route surveys have already been completed, while a deep-water marine survey is planned and would not physically disturb the seafloor. Three geotechnical borings, approximately four inches in diameter and 10, 20, and 50 feet deep, are proposed to collect soil samples and determine whether the site is suitable for drilling. The work would take roughly two to three days, would include full-time archaeological monitoring, and was tentatively targeted for October 2026 after remaining approvals. The Department of Parks and Recreation has granted right of entry. If the location is selected and permitting proceeds successfully, construction is targeted for late 2027 and service for 2029.
Cultural, Coastal, and Public-Access Concerns
The project team acknowledged the cultural importance of the area, including known and unknown iwi kūpuna, wahi pana, daily cultural practices, subsistence activities, nearby fishponds such as Loko Ea, historic freshwater flows, and locations including Hakakaokanaka and Māʻaea. Residents asked whether underground waterways or lava tubes might be present, noting discolored water offshore that could indicate a subterranean discharge. The team said geotechnical boring and directional-drilling equipment may identify voids or subsurface water features, but cultural and archaeological monitoring would remain necessary. Kamehameha Schools is reviewing older and potentially imprecise boundary maps, although the team currently believes the proposed route lies outside its property. Coastal specialists also warned that offshore sand deposits may be beach-compatible material that could later be needed for erosion mitigation at Haleʻiwa Beach Park; the project team was asked to consult local experts so the cable would not obstruct future sand recovery or dredging. Residents questioned whether the proposed offshore route crosses reefs, a surf lineup, or an area exposed to large waves, and suggested examining a more westerly sandy alignment. Other comments addressed the possibility of a manhole being periodically inundated, the vulnerability of overhead telecommunications lines to vegetation and storms, and the need to coordinate broader utility improvements rather than strengthening only the submarine segment. Hawaiian Tel agreed to consider these issues.
Fiber Project Signage and Continued Consultation
Board members requested clear on-site signage before geotechnical work begins, including parking restrictions, a description of the project, contact information, and possibly a QR code for updates. The project team said warning and parking-closure signs were already planned and agreed to develop additional public-information signage. The boring activity was described as relatively quiet and short-term, with two borings in the parking area expected to be completed in one day and the shoreline-side boring in another. Community engagement consultants distributed comment cards and offered to place residents on an update list. The team committed to return to the neighborhood board at least once more and was asked to notify the community whether or not the Haleʻiwa site is ultimately selected.
Meeting Relocation to Waialua High School
The board announced that the September meeting would be its final meeting at Waialua Elementary School. Beginning with the October 2026 meeting, regular meetings will be held at Waialua High School near Farrington Highway at the same time and will retain the hybrid participation option. Board members and presenters will still be required to attend physically, while members of the public may join online. Vice Chair Raquel Achoo was thanked for helping arrange the new venue.
Waialua Mill Camp Housing Proposal
Mark Development presented an updated plan to redevelop approximately 70 acres at Waialua Mill Camp, property acquired from Dole in July 2022 with the intention of providing a mixture of affordable, moderately priced, and market housing. The developer said the former plantation camp once contained about 350 single-family homes and described the proposal as an effort to restore a residential community while reflecting Waialua’s plantation history. Mark Development, founded in 1977, has developed more than 2,000 subdivision, single-family, and multifamily units. Hawaii Assisted Housing, a nonprofit partner, owns the first two condominium property regime areas, while Mill Camp Development Group owns the third. As a condition of the Dole transaction, the owners assumed the obligation to provide lifetime housing for approximately 25 retired plantation workers. The design goals include plantation-style architecture, a mix of rentals and ownership opportunities, housing at several price levels, and continued accommodation of eligible retirees.
Mill Camp Unit Mix and Affordability
The current concept contains 373 homes, of which 206, or roughly 55%, would be restricted as affordable and processed through Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes Chapter 201H. The presentation initially referenced affordability at 120% of area median income, but the developer corrected that figure to a maximum of 140% AMI, while stating that it hopes some ownership units can be offered at or below 120%. The remaining 167 units would be unrestricted, though the developer characterized them as moderate local-market housing rather than luxury or beachfront homes. CPR 1 would contain 160 garden-style multifamily units, most of them affordable; CPR 2 would include 111 single-family lots; and CPR 3 would include 56 single-family lots in R-5 and R-7-style configurations plus a cluster of approximately 46 two-bedroom tiny homes. Other options under consideration include multifamily rentals, attached ownership units, detached homes, completed houses, and finished lots that residents could purchase and improve themselves. Board members welcomed the mixed housing format but repeatedly questioned whether 140% AMI can reasonably be described as affordable for North Shore residents.
Existing Mill Camp Residents and Relocation
Approximately 50 occupied homes remain at Mill Camp, some containing large multigenerational households of 10 to 12 people. None of the current residents owns the house or land. The developer said the existing structures are 75 to 100 years old, have numerous unpermitted additions, cannot readily be repaired or rebuilt under the property’s current agricultural zoning and single tax-map-key configuration, and could be severely damaged in a major windstorm. Before subdivision infrastructure can be installed, residents would have to move out of the existing homes. The proposed 20-to-46-unit tiny-home development in CPR 3 is intended to create an initial relocation option without relying on competitive low-income housing tax-credit financing. Retired Dole workers paying fixed rents of approximately $50 to $75 per month would receive first priority under the developer’s contractual obligations. Other residents would be offered opportunities to rent or buy in the redeveloped community, but their current rents would not necessarily continue, and the developer acknowledged that the tiny-home phase could not accommodate every household without some families separating into smaller units or temporarily leaving the area.
Resident Protections and Community Priority
Board members expressed serious concern that longtime plantation families could be displaced or priced out of the community they helped establish. They asked Mark Development to communicate with residents early, account for language barriers, and support independent representation so households understand their rights and options. Vice Chair Achoo said the current proposal appeared substantially different from earlier presentations and objected to longtime residents being placed in tiny homes while replacement housing is later rented or sold at higher prices. The developer responded that the principal change was the sequencing of construction: an affordable multifamily project had originally been expected first, but the necessary roads and infrastructure must now precede it, and tax-credit funding could take several application cycles. Tax-credit rentals would generally serve households at or below 60% AMI, while workforce units could serve the underserved 80%-to-120% range. The board repeatedly emphasized that Waialua and North Shore residents, particularly young local families, should have meaningful access to the homes. Mark Development said federal and state fair-housing requirements limit explicit local preferences, although it may be able to structure outreach and application procedures to help the community participate. Potential resale controls, including buyback periods of 10 to 30 years, are being considered to prevent affordable ownership units from being quickly resold at market prices.
Mill Camp Roads, Utilities, and Open Space
The project would require two access points for each development phase, with Keāloha Nui as the primary entrance and Pūʻiki Street as another connection to Farrington Highway. Both would be upgraded to subdivision standards, while the developer would discuss temporary access and additional requirements with the city. The former cane-haul road is currently envisioned as a community amenity and utility corridor with walking and bicycling trails rather than as a vehicle or emergency-access route. The board nevertheless asked the developer to consider additional emergency access and to avoid concentrating traffic on Goodale Avenue, Keāloha Nui, and Pūʻiki Street. Current plans call for sidewalks, wider local roads with parking on both sides, and no parking on the principal Pūʻiki and Keāloha Nui routes. The development would have a homeowners association, design guidelines, and declarations, covenants, conditions, and restrictions governing alterations and preserving architectural character. Owners could modify homes if they comply with those standards. Mark Development was invited to consult residents about what plantation-style architecture means in the local context.
Mill Camp Sewer, Water, Drainage, and Environment
Rather than connecting to an ocean outfall, the development would use a private modular wastewater treatment system that could expand as demand increases. A force main would likely serve CPRs 2 and 3, while the lower multifamily area in CPR 1 might be gravity-fed. The system is intended to produce R-1 recycled water that could be sold to farmers for irrigation. Domestic water would come from Waialua Water, a nonprofit association serving several users, rather than the Honolulu Board of Water Supply. New storm drains, detention basins, utilities, and other infrastructure would be built to subdivision standards, including a proposed detention basin near the Hongwanji property. Residents warned that existing agricultural drainage and irrigation systems around Pūʻiki Street and Farrington Highway have failed during recent Kona Low events, sending city stormwater onto farmland and lower housing areas. The developer said the Mill Camp property is on comparatively high ground and that drainage improvements would account for mountain runoff, neighboring agricultural parcels, and legacy drainage channels. Questions were also raised about pesticide or chemical residues from Dole’s former agricultural operations. Mark Development said its environmental assessment found no significant impacts and that future work would comply with required monitoring and remediation procedures.
Mill Camp Timeline and Community Facilities
The developer anticipates submitting its Chapter 201H application to the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corporation by the end of 2026, seeking City Council approval in the second quarter of 2027, obtaining a Land Use Commission district-boundary amendment in the fourth quarter of 2027, and securing subdivision approval in 2028. Infrastructure work is tentatively scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2029, with first-phase housing construction in the first quarter of 2031. The board asked the developer to assess how 373 homes would affect school enrollment, classroom sizes, roads, emergency response, and public services. Mark Development said it would notify the school district so capacity planning could begin. The possible future of the nearby Hongwanji property was also discussed; it is not part of the project, but the developer hopes it can remain or become a community focal point surrounded by open space. No final decision has been made about dedicated kūpuna housing, though one-bedroom units could serve older residents. The board thanked the development team for returning and speaking candidly but made clear that major concerns remain about affordability, relocation, community priority, and the project’s evolving design.
Papailoa Road Special Management Area Proposal
Planning Solutions presented a proposed Special Management Area major permit for 61-715 Papailoa Road, TMK 6-1-004:070, involving an existing shoreline residence north of Haleʻiwa. The proposal includes a new garage with a dwelling unit above it, a roof over an existing roof deck, a small pool, spa and sauna area, a sports court, driveway and access modifications, trash-storage improvements, and replacement of the existing individual wastewater system with one permitted under current Department of Health standards. The lot’s shoreline setback is approximately 60 feet. Although the existing residence lies partly within the current setback, all proposed additions would be on the mauka side outside the shoreline setback. The consultant said the property is not in an identified active-erosion area and that the project generally complies with the Land Use Ordinance. The application would be submitted to the Department of Planning and Permitting, followed by a DPP public hearing and City Council review.
Papailoa Permitting and Short-Term Rental Concerns
Board members strongly challenged the presentation because major construction has reportedly been underway at the property for more than a year. The consultant said an earlier SMA permit was approved in 2022 and associated building permits were being implemented, but acknowledged that he had been retained only a few months earlier and did not know the full extent of the ongoing work until shortly before the meeting. Vice Chair Achoo cited a history of short-term rental violations between 2006 and 2024, several notices and orders, closed permits, potentially understated project valuations, and the absence of a completed archaeological inventory survey before excavation and concrete work. The consultant said the owner represented that the property would not be used as a short-term rental and had been advised to retain an archaeologist and coordinate with the State Historic Preservation Division. Board members nevertheless questioned whether the project had been improperly divided or undervalued to qualify for prior minor permits, whether construction exceeded the $500,000 threshold for a major shoreline-area permit, and whether cultural resources, shoreline impacts, and environmental requirements had been adequately addressed. DPP requires a third-party valuation, and projects undertaken within 10 years may have their values combined when determining whether an SMA major permit is required.
Board Opposition to Papailoa Application
Vice Chair Achoo moved to oppose the Papailoa SMA application and to send DPP and relevant elected officials a letter documenting severe concerns about past violations, unclear or closed permits, ongoing construction, missing information, and work that may already have been completed before proper review. Board members also criticized the consultant for not fully investigating the property’s permit and enforcement history before appearing before the community. The board adopted the motion by a roll-call vote of 13 in favor, none opposed, and no abstentions. The board will transmit a formal letter incorporating the concerns raised during the meeting.
Community Listening Session and Legislative Priorities
State Representative Amy Perruso announced a joint community listening session with Councilmember Matt Weyer for October 9 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Waialua High School, with dinner provided. The session will solicit residents’ vision and priorities for the area, provide information about proactive Kona Low response planning, and potentially include an update from the HARP group. A community survey will also be distributed through the representative’s email list, and the board agreed to post the survey and event materials online. Representatives from Senator Brenton Awa’s and Representative Sean Quinlan’s offices were not present.
Lake Wilson, Energy Reliability, and Dam Repairs
A board member asked why Lake Wilson’s water level was extremely low, whether wastewater-treatment effluent was still being discharged there, and whether current irrigation demand could be met with substantially less stored water. Representative Perruso explained that the reservoir had been deliberately drawn down so dam repairs could proceed and that water was being actively removed while rainfall and stream inflows continued. No shortage affecting farmers had been reported. A separately funded project to drill beneath Lake Wilson and carry R-1 recycled water to Agribusiness Development Corporation land has not yet been completed, so wastewater effluent likely continues under the existing arrangement. The board plans a North Shore dam-education meeting near the end of October, after the repair package is finalized, with State Dam Safety personnel and local hydrology expertise. A board member also noted that Hawaiian Electric’s planned Oʻahu listening sessions did not appear to include the North Shore, despite the area’s wind generation, utility-scale solar, extensive rooftop solar, and past interconnection difficulties. Representative Perruso agreed to request a local session and said the Legislature’s Energy and Environmental Protection Committee expects to hold an informational briefing with Hawaiian Electric in early November on system reliability, resilience, storm readiness, and corporate accountability.
Flood Recovery, Streams, and Coastal Debris
Residents asked for updates on dredging Kaiaka Bay, assisting farms, and completing unfinished Kona Low recovery work. Representative Perruso said no new funding proposal had emerged for additional dredging and that state agencies were also responding to extensive storm damage elsewhere. She argued that long-term stream maintenance should become an explicit state responsibility rather than remaining primarily with private property owners along waterways, and said a House working group on stream and waterway management continues to meet. Smaller volunteer organizations may be unable to manage the North Shore’s large and complex watershed systems. A resident also asked agencies to survey Kaiaka and Waialua bays for cars, trucks, shipping containers, and other debris carried downstream during floods, noting that one person reportedly lost three containers that had not been found. The board further discussed the need for updated instream-flow standards, which could establish objective water-volume targets for maintaining stream function and preparing for heavy rainfall. The Commission on Water Resource Management had previously discussed standards for Kiʻikiʻi Stream but had not returned with an update. Representative Perruso plans to work with Representative Quinlan on legislation to strengthen the commission.
Waialua School Storm Repairs
Representative Perruso reported that repairs at Waialua High and Intermediate School had resumed on the day of the meeting and were expected to be completed within five weeks. Board members were angry that the school’s damaged media center, library functions, computer facilities, and classrooms remained unusable well into the school year following the Kona Low. They said work had not merely been delayed but had effectively failed to begin, except for three classrooms repaired rapidly after community pressure; those rooms were then delayed again because the water connection had not been restored. Members questioned how the Department of Education prioritizes repairs and contrasted Waialua’s experience with faster work at other schools. The board and Representative Perruso agreed to pursue the issue with the Board of Education and discussed appearing publicly to demand accountability and an investigation.
City Storm Assistance and Small-Business Preparedness
Councilmember Matt Weyer’s office reported that residents and businesses with storm damage should submit information through oneoahu.org. The reports do not replace insurance claims or disaster-assistance applications, but they help the city determine eligibility for federal aid. DPP permits emergency repairs to begin without prior building-permit approval, provided an application is submitted on the next working day after construction begins. Property owners may also be eligible for real-property-tax relief for storm damage, with a June 30, 2027 application deadline; the relief does not cover vehicles, equipment, or other personal property. The city’s free “Stay Open Oʻahu” program for small-business emergency preparation and recovery was scheduled for September 29 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Waialua Community Association Center.
Streetlights, Roads, Parks, and Waste Services
The council office reported that most streetlights along Kaukonahua Road, from the honey farm to the triangle, had been restored after the city and Hawaiian Electric approved a secondary power source. Crews were continuing work on remaining outages farther along Farrington Highway. Residents also reported illegal corner parking near Matsumoto Shave Ice and Liliʻuokalani Church on Emerson Road, where pavement markings may appear to authorize parking, as well as potholes and deteriorated road edges extending toward Spaghettini that create hazards for pedestrians and people using wheelchairs or mobility devices. The city confirmed that Haleʻiwa Beach Park already had formal closure hours from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., although signs had been missing until recently. The Kawailoa Transfer Station’s green-waste acceptance days have changed from Thursday and Saturday to Saturday and Sunday, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Landscaping and mowing at Waialua District Park and Sunset Neighborhood Park were reported as completed in late July.
Park Rangers and Recreation-Facility Repairs
The Department of Parks and Recreation said its park-ranger pilot program has entered a “compliance by education” phase. Rangers may approach vendors conducting unauthorized commercial activity, explain applicable rules and permit requirements, and collect data for the department. DPR declined a request to allow community members to accompany ranger site visits at Pūpūkea/Pūʻena-area parks, explaining that public participation is not part of the ranger process. Residents witnessing violations may also request HPD enforcement. Board members continued seeking a meeting with the ranger-program supervisor to clarify procedures and address site-specific concerns. DPR also issued a work order to replace 12 burned-out sports-court lights near the Sunset Beach Fire Station and reset the digital timer, although a completion date was not yet available.
Emergency Review and First Responders Center
The Department of Emergency Management said its after-action review of the Kona Low response remains underway with assistance from contractors and community organizations. DEM acknowledged the board’s request to formally incorporate local knowledge before the report is finalized and said it is considering ways to return the review and analysis to the community. Board members found the answer insufficiently definite and requested either a public meeting or an accessible online process for community review and comment. The mayor’s representative also reported that the proposed North Shore First Responders Center continues to move forward, though additional details were still being requested from the Department of Design and Construction or other responsible agencies.
Laniākea, Historic Burials, and Traffic Projects
The board asked why work appeared to have stopped at the Laniākea construction site. Members were informed that the state project had been suspended after nine sets of iwi kūpuna were found during excavation. Work will remain affected while cultural protocols, consultation, and reinterment issues are resolved. The discussion underscored continuing concerns about archaeological review and culturally sensitive construction along the North Shore.
Weed Circle and Community Beautification
Residents requested an update on Weed Circle after fill or soil from another project was placed there and damaged or disrupted the landscaped area. The North Shore Outdoor Circle is working with Representative Quinlan’s office on a remediation plan, with the goal of restoring trees planted in memory of community members. Participants suggested that city urban-forestry or parks personnel may be able to assist even though the land is under state jurisdiction. The board chair also contacted the Department of Transportation about Weed Circle and a smaller traffic circle near Farrington Highway and Goodale Avenue that has also deteriorated. Members asked that the broader Waialua community be included in planning and that the Pang family memorial remain undisturbed.
Other Community Announcements
The Army and HPD planned an Army Beach cleanup for Saturday, with participants cautioned about potentially dangerous dogs in the area. The North Shore Chamber announced that its annual December event is scheduled for December 11, with online registration opening November 1; questions may be directed to Erica at 808-271-4142 or the chamber office. A community stakeholder meeting and workday was also announced for October 3. The first portion will gather input from organizations and residents about stream-restoration needs, and the second will involve hands-on work. Information collected will help guide where restoration funding is directed over the next several years.