Kaneohe Neighborhood Board Supports Bus Stop

The Kaneohe Neighborhood Board has voted to support adding a bus stop for residents near busy Mokapu Saddle Road. The 13-0 vote came during the Board’s November 19 meeting.

A petition from the residents said the new stop is needed for safety reasons. Resident Fred Blake told the board that the closest existing stop is 3-tenths of a mile away on a road that is busy and poorly lighted. Mr. Blake said the new stop should be placed at or near Kahinani Way and the Saddle Road.

Acting on a motion from Board Secretary Jonathan Hanks, the group voted to send a notice of support to city transportation officials, with a request that they assess and proceed with the project.

In other developments at the meeting: 

New sewer project

The Board learned that a sewer upgrade project in the neighborhood around Mikiola Drive and Kaimalu Place could last up to 500 days. Representatives of the Kaneohe Sewer Project said they hope to start work by early December, after they receive a city variance that will allow construction noise in the area. They said the noise primarily will occur 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays but also will occur 24 hours a day over several days while drilling work is done.

The project will include the replacement or rehabilitation of approximately 250 feet of pipes and improvements to a pump station. The work is designed to reduce pollution in Kaneohe Bay.

Responding to a question from Board Vice Chair Bill Sager, project representatives said they expect to send official notices to neighbors as soon as they have all the permits they need to start work. Additional information is on the web at www.kaneohesewer.com.  

Proposed adult day care home

The Board learned that a proposed adult day care home at 46-329 Kumoo Loop could serve up to 25 people a day. Lance Mizumoto and Ayumi Mizumoto-Kumaki told the Board that they expect to serve an average of 10 people a day and that none will stay overnight. They said they plan to convert an existing home into the center.

The couple said the facility is designed to address a growing need and shortage of services for short-term care for the elderly. The couple said that they have discussed their proposal with the neighbors adjacent to the house and that they support the idea. 

Haiku Valley contamination

Former Coast Guard Omega Station.

The Board learned that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to sample soil around a contaminated former landfill in Haiku Valley in December. Project representatives said they expect to take samples from a 20-acre site in December and to report the results several months later.

The landfill was part of a now abandoned Coast Guard station, most of which has been returned to the state. A study in the 1990’s found PCB contamination at the site. Responding to a question from Board member Mahealnai Cypher, project representatives said they will take samples from downhill portions of the site to determine whether contamination is spreading underground.

Eventually, the Corps plans to clean the site and return it to the state.

State Hospital expansion

The Board learned that a request for information about expansion plans for the Hawaii State Hospital is still being developed. During the October meeting, the president of Windward Community College questioned whether the Hospital has the permits it needs to proceed with its plans. The hospital and college would like to expand on the same parcel of land.

What's Next: Next up for the Kaneohe Neighborhood Board will be its monthly planning meeting, Tuesday, December 1, at 7 p.m. at the Kaneohe Community and Senior Center, 45-613 Puohala Street. The Board will hold its next regular meeting on Thursday, December 17, at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria of Benjamin Parker Elementary School, 45-259 Waikalua Road, Kaneohe. 

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