On October 21, U.S. District Judge Jill A. Otake granted the motion for summary judgment brought by the City & County of Honolulu and Department of Planning and Permitting Director Dawn Apuna in a case brought two years ago by … Continued
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
Meetings of the state Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity usually fly under the radar. Typical agendas include approval of low-interest loans of last resort for farmers, leases of land in state agricultural parks, and votes on recommendations by the department’s … Continued
Court Rebuke for BLNR: The Hawaiʻi Supreme Court has issued its ruling in the challenge brought by several Kauaʻi groups to the state Board of Land and Natural Resources’ issuance of a revocable permit to the seed company Syngenta Hawaiʻi, … 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
Above photo: A stream diversion in East Maui. CREDIT: SIERRA CLUB OF HAWAI‘I. Last month, the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court granted applications for a writ of certiorari from both sides of a case involving the state Board of Land and Natural Resources’ renewal … 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
The 2025 Keiki Construction Zone event is a go after a one-year hiatus. The inaugural one-day event was held in December 2023 on state agricultural land in Whitmore Village controlled by Scott Wong of Ohana Hui Ventures, LLC, under a … Continued
Since December 12, 2023, Launiupoko Water Company, Inc., has been involved in a case before the state Public Utilities Commission, seeking approval for increased rates for its sale of potable water to its customers on agricultural lands in West Maui … Continued
In Memoriam: On March 5, Jonathan Starr passed away in Woodstock, New York. He will be remembered in Hawaiʻi for his advocacy for clean water and clean government. He chaired the Maui County Planning Commission and the Democratic Party, served … Continued