BREAKING NEWS!

Posted 6/30/2026

Aloha,

1. Old Koloa Mill Update:

As you may recall, many of us, including FOM and Save Koloa, objected to Hawaii Planing Mill’s (HPM) occupancy and use of the Koloa Sugar Mill for a building supply operation, building trusses and modular walls. The land occupied by HPM is Ag land. Hawaii revised statute 205-4.25 states that Ag land may only be used for “specific” agricultural and “Ag related” operations. If a use is not “specifically permitted” by State law, the Statute says it is “prohibited”.  Our Planning Commission granted HPM’s request for a Special Use Permit. That Decision was Appealed and Judge Kathleen Watanabe struck their permits. HPM filed a Notice with the County that they would not be appealing the Judge’s Ruling invalidating their permits. For the next three years, however, they have illegally continued their operation at the mill. FOM lodged complaints with the County Council and the Planning Director. Our current administration refused to enforce the law and abide by the Judges’ ruling.

We finally appealed to Grove Farm and the new President and CEO Don Horner. We asked if we would have to file yet another lawsuit. Mr Horner assured us that that would not be necessary. True to his word, Grove Farm identified another property where the HPM operation would be legal, a true industrial commercial site. They relocated some tenants to find sufficient space and the good news is, HPM is moving out of the old mill. It has been a long struggle. HPM’s lumber loaded trucks coming and going through the tree tunnel and Koloa Town will no longer be an issue. The community of Koloa will be safer. Thank you for your support which helps us resolve these issues for the good of our community.

2. Koloa – Serpa SK Investors Update

On March 11, 2026, FOM and Save Koloa Appealed the Kauai County Planning Commission’s Decision to grant Serpa and SK Investors a Project Development Use Permit for the construction of 148 units on 9.4386 acres of land. His plan violates the zoning ordinance that applies in density, set backs, and type of housing to be constructed. The proposed project would contain one, two and three bedroom units with limited parking, limited road access, the proposed density of which would threaten the safety of any Koloa residential bike or pedestrian traffic. Nearly 200 people turned out at the neighborhood center to voice their objection for a plan certain to undermine the historic and rural nature of Hawaii’s first commercial sugar cane town. A large number also appeared and testified before the Planning Commission, who were eager to have housing and were thus willing to ignore the fact that a Project Development Use Permit allows for special deviations from zoning only when State and Federal funding are involved for the development of workforce housing.

Serpa and SK Investors are building what they have termed as “GAP housing”. It is a commercial development without any government regulation, with homes that will sell at a price point selected by the developer. The 148 units, per the developers current projected retail price, will result in nearly $100,000,000 in gross revenue. There will be no parks, no yards, no gardens. Rather, people will be packed into dense units, at least 16 housing units per acre. This is not Kauai.

Many of us thought the 60 unit complex built by Serpa behind Koloa Village was complete. For those who travel through Koloa Town, it was only a little over half built when he applied to the Planning Commission to add another 148 units across the street. Currently, parking is almost non existent in Koloa because our current government administration allowed Serpa to meet his parking needs for the Koloa Village development by using street parking that is intended for the public. He only provides one parking place per unit and most housing units on Kauai have at least two cars. Now with all of Koloa’s street parking used for Koloa Village owner’s second car, there is not only a dire shortage in the planned parking for the 148 units but no residual parking in Koloa for the 200 plus cars those 148 units are certain to add to Koloa Town.

Our Appeal will be heard August 12, 2026 at 1:30 pm, by the Fifth Circuit Judge Stephanie R.S. Char. She replaces Judge Watanabe who recently retired.

On May 4, 2026, we filed a Motion to Stay (See Appendix C) any construction on the new 148 unit complex until the Court can hear our challenge to what we believe is an unlawful Project Development Use Permit issued by the Kauai County Planning Commission February 24, 2026. On June 12, 2026, the Planning Commission and the Planning Director filed a Notice stating they had no Objection to our request for a Stay of construction. Serpa and SK Investors did object. Links for our Motion for Stay (See Appendix C) and the Serpa Opposition are here. A hearing will be held tomorrow before Judge Char who will rule on whether to Stay project development pending our Appeal of the Planning Commission Decision. If you want to watch the Judges’ ruling, you can join and hear her Decision at the following link tomorrow at 1:30 pm:

Zoom Appearance before the Honorable Judge Stephanie R.S. Char, 1:30 pm  6/30/2026 As always, your support of our work and our excellent legal team are invaluable to our efforts to protect the environment and our quality of life here on Kauai.

Mahalo nui loa, Bridget Hammerquist, President
Friends of Maha`ulepu, a 501(c)(3)
Kia`i Wai o Wai`ale`ale, Co-founder
PO Box 1654
Koloa, HI 96756
Donate
friendsofmahaulepu.org
friendsofmahaulepu@hawaiiantel.net
(808) 742-1037 home
(808) 346-1973 cell

Posted 4/11/2026

Aloha friends,

Hawaii Supreme Court grants Review of another case

Good news! FOM and Save Koloa challenged the County Approval of Gary Pinkston’s Drainage Plan. As a condition of development, Pinkston and his company, Meridian Pacific were suppose to have a Master Drainage Plan that included consideration of the impact of increased storm water runoff from his 280 unit luxury condo development at 5425 Pau A Laka and Kiahuna Plantation Drive. Prior to clearing the vegetation from his 28 acre parcel, his property had, for years, served as the sponge for storm water runoff from Kiahuna Golf Village, the golf course and Wainani subdivision. The increased drainage caused by covering 28 acres with hardscape and buildings was to be assessed and the County Ordinance to be followed states that the storm water runoff post-development could not exceed the runoff from the property pre-development. Kauaʻi County Code, Title VIII, Chapter 22, Article 16 

Rather than prepare a Master Drainage Plan as required, Pinkston asked the County Planning Department to allow him to file a Modified Drainage Plan. The County did not agree and Pinkston sued the County asking our Circuit Judge Watanabe to approve the filing of a Modified Drainage Plan. Pinkston only wanted to consider the impact/effect of storm water run off from his development on Kiahuna Plantation Drive up to Poipu Road. FOM and Save Koloa had asked the Planning Department for a Hearing so we could put on evidence by a civil engineer as to the likely impact south of Poipu Road, to include the National and State recognized Heritage site, Kaneiolouma. When Judge Watanabe learned that we had been granted a hearing by the Planning Commission and the hearing had not occurred, she dismissed Pinkston’s lawsuit as premature. e been invaluable and have made our gains a reality.