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Letters for Friday, June 14, 2019

Marriage not off to a good start

I would just like to say a few things to the couple who got married at Black Pot Beach recently. I live on the Westside and don’t get out north very often, but I do read and am aware of the recovery efforts going on in Hanalei, Haena, and areas in between.

The residents of our island have been waiting patiently for the repair and recovery efforts to be complete. As in any other recovery effort, it always takes longer than people think, and nobody is ever happy with the progress.

The fact that you have been able to keep your names and your wedding planner’s name out of the paper or social media tells me you have some clout with someone in government, media, or possibly law enforcement.

Nevertheless, when a member of your wedding party sees fit to assault our taro farmers, I have to say “enough.” When this thug decided to elbow the father of Lyndsey Haraguchi-Nakayama, he or she committed a felony on private property, and I would expect to see his or her name in the police blotter.

I guess what I am trying to say is, do you really think this marriage has started off in the right direction? This is supposed to be a lifelong commitment.

Allan B White, Hanapepe

Kudos for sticking up for our communities

I am so happy that Kauai is bucking the norm of what has happened on Oahu and Maui.

It is true that the internet is primarily responsible for helping visitors find accommodations outside the VDA (Visitor Destination Areas). The same thing happened in Kailua, Oahu and, over time, local residents left, and multi-million-dollar homes were built.

Vacation rentals spread like wild fire, and Kailua — much of Kailua — was no longer a residential community. Just because the visitors are trying to find a place on Kauai cheaper than the hotels doesn’t mean the island has to re-zone its residential communities to VDA.

Just because many of our residential neighborhoods are already infiltrated with illegal vacation rentals doesn’t mean we have to change the ordinances to accommodate the illegal activity.

It took me 20 years to save up a down payment on my home, and I intentionally selected a home away from vacation rentals.

It now takes a family almost 40 years to save up a down payment, according to a recent article in Hawaii Business. If the homeowner is interested in doing vacation rentals, they should buy a home in a VDA.

I am for protecting residential neighborhoods to try and keep our communities as affordable as possible, and especially keep areas around schools and playgrounds separate from vacationing visitors.

Ordinances were set up to manage growth, and residential and ag areas are two of the most important ordinance to protect. The answer to increased visitors coming to Kauai is not to spread vacation rentals all over the island.

Take a look at what is happening all over the state and in other states. Investors are buying homes in residential areas intending to rent them out short-term.

Kudos to the mayor and the Planning Commission for sticking up for us!

We are the people who sustain the visitor industry, and we don’t want vacation rentals in our residential neighborhoods.

M. Martin, Poipu
Source: The Garden Island

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