More than a year ago – September 2024 – the state Supreme Court issued a ruling on the question of whether short-term vacation rentals are allowed on land in the state Agricultural District. The answer was a resounding no. The … Continued
Trail Contract: After a jury found in April 2014 that the state — not Haleakala Ranch Company — owns the historic Haleakalā bridle trail, plaintiff David Brown, the executive director of Public Access Trails Hawaiʻi, stated,“We have a moral obligation … Continued
Land Board Calls For Two Appraisals To Determine Rent for Maui Wind Farm At its September 26 meeting, the state Board of Land and Natural Resources did something unusual. It directed its appraiser to prepare two appraisals for a proposed … Continued
Should the Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting’s delay in acting on an agricultural subdivision permit for lands result in an automatic approval? And is there a process by which a landowner can appeal a determination by the DPP that … Continued
At the July 15 meeting of the Commission on Water Resource Management, commissioner Aurora Kagawa-Viviani was puzzled by a staff proposal to have the commission give its approval to proceed with development of a “first-generation” adaptive management plan for the … Continued
At the July 15 meeting of the Commission on Water Resource Management, director Ciara Kahahane provided a description of the funds available to support development of an Adaptive Management Plan for the Keauhou Aquifer Sector Area. There was an unspecified … Continued
Mala Wharf Remand: On July 28, the Intermediate Court of Appeals issued an order remanding to the 2nd Circuit Court a case involving the Board of Land and Natural Resources’ denial of a contested case hearing to groups and individuals … Continued
On March 25, the U.S. Air Force published a notice that it intended to prepare an environmental assessment in anticipation of building two landing pads at Johnston Atoll. The pads would be part of the Air Force’s “Rocket Cargo Vanguard … Continued
The federal criminal trial of three men accused of conspiring with a Hawaiʻi County employee to defraud the county by abusing affordable housing agreements has been in the news lately. However, that is not the only litigation that has been … Continued
In the weeks leading up to the trial of three men accused of defrauding the County of Hawaiʻi by scheming to acquire and then resell affordable housing credits, the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaiʻi has seen a … Continued