DLNR on Larsens Beach access

SUBHEAD: After meeting with the people of Kauai on the Superferry, Chairperson Laura Thielen may be shy about selling us another bad idea.
  
Image above: Lingle appointed DLNR Chair Laura Thielen works tirelessly for private interests. Photo by Brad Parsons from (http://www.flickr.com/photos/21400600@N03/2267570210/)  

By Richard Spacer on 27 January 2010 in Island Breath -
(http://islandbreath.blogspot.com/2010/01/dlnr-on-access-to-larsens-beach.html)

DLNR Chair Laura Thielen tells our senator Gary Hooser there is no money for site visits or public hearings on Kauai for the Larsen's Beach issue, yet in 2009-2010 there were 3 that I know of. DLNR had meetings on Kauai to discuss Ke'e Beach in Haena State Park, Koke'e, and most recently on January 21st, Kalalau. The January 21st meeting was at Hanalei School. One of the press releases from DLNR says "providing safe public access to recreational areas is a priority for DLNR and is a cornerstone of the department's Recreational Renaissance Initiative."

Apparently that cornerstone does not apply to Larsen's Beach where the safe access is the gentle, lateral trail that is proposed to be fenced off! How can Thielen say there is no money for a public hearing on the Larsen's issue but there was for these other 3 Kauai issues? T

o read a PDF file of two recent letters from DLNR Chairperson Laura Thielen to Kauai's Hawaii State Senator Gary Hooser concerning Larsen's Beach blocking click here: www.islandbreath.org/2010Year/01/100128ThielenHooser.pdf The text of the first letter follows.

DEC - 11- 2009 Dear Senator Hooser: SUBJECT: Conservation District Use Application (CDUA) KA-3525 for Brush/Pasture Management & Fence Replacement Located at Lepeuli, Hanalei, island of Kauai, TMK: (4) 5-1-003.003 Thank you for your correspondence dated December 2, 2009, regarding your requests to hold an informational hearing on Kauai and to have the Board of Land and Natural Resources review the subject CDUA. According to your information. you are very concerned that it appears the proposed cattle fence replacement will block a lateral existing trail and impact public use at Larsen's Beach. Departmental staff has been working closely with the County of Kauai, as the County owns a public access way to the beach in the same vicinity. According to landowner, Waioli Corp., this defined public access way was an agreement between Waioli Corp. and Kauai County that includes an access road, parking lot and a winding trail from the parking lot to the beach. The winding trail was to provide beach access that also protected the beach by intentionally creating a not so easily traversed path from the parking lot to the beach. The intent was to minimize numbers of people and their impacts as this is an isolated beach with no facilities or lifeguard where several drownings have occurred and there are many known resources that exist and utilize the area (seals, turtle, kaakaniu reef white sandy beach, & birds).While access is provided, it is not encouraged. The public has been traversing a much gentler slope to the beach across Waioli Corp.'s private land. Should the CDUA be approved, this access across Waioli Corp.'s proper-ty will cease, as the fence replacement will prevent individuals from going down this private pathway. However, access to the beach will continue to be through the County designated pathway. Public access to Lepeuli (Larsen's) Beach shall be maintained by the County of Kauai. As you are aware, due to fiscal constraints, neither the Board northe Department shall be able to hold an informational hearing on Kauai. Regarding this Conservation District Use Application, I will carefully reviewstaff 's analysis and recommendation in my decision-making. Tentatively,a decision on this particular CDUA is proposed to be forthcoming later this month. Should you have any questions regarding this matter, feel free to contact Tiger Mills of our Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands at (808) 587-0382. Sincerely, Laura Thielen, Chairperson Department of Land and Natural Resources cc: Kauai Planning Dept.

The text of the second letter follows.
[Publisher's Note: Thielen has a typo on her January letter. It says JAN - 7 - 2009. We corrected to JAN - 7- 2010.]

JAN - 7- 2010 The Honorable Gary L. Hooser Majority Leader State Capitol, Room 214 SUBJECT: Conservation District Use Application (CDUA) KA-3525 for Brush/Pasture Management & Fence Replacement Located at Lepeuli, Hanalei, island of Kauai, TMK: (4) 5-1-003:003 Dear Senator Hooser: The Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands (OCCL) is in receipt of your correspondence requesting a briefing and site visit prior to any approval of the subject CDUA. I will contact your office to schedule a meeting. In regards to a site inspection, as I have explained before in the attached correspondence, due to fiscal constraints, we are unable to afford travel expenses as our Department's budget has been reduced by approximately a third in the past few years. However, we have had on-island staff conduct a site visit, have discussed the matter with our Kauai Land Board member and with the Mayor of Kauai. All parties agreed there is alternative beach access available and that the landowner's efforts have had a positive effect in eliminating significant trash and undesirable behavior in the area. Please feel free to contact Tiger Mills of the Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands regarding any questions that you may have regarding the subject application or this correspondence at (808) 587-0382. Sincerely, Laura Thielen cc: County of Kauai, Planning Department.