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Voters Service ViewsLast month your Voters Service Committee reported on the Master Plan dispute in reference to the Steiner property (next to the Surfrider). The question of whether or not a hotel should be built on this site, designated as public beach in the Master Plan seems to have been taken out of the hands of the Board of Supervisors by Legislative action. Senate Bill 426 which provides for the deletion from the Master Plan of that tract of land between the Surfrider Hotel and Kuhio Beach Park was introduced by Senator Itagaki. The bill as passed by the Senate included the Steiner property. On its third reading the House voted to amend the bill to also include Queen's Surf and the Cleghorn properties. The amended bill was returned to the Senate and was accepted as amended. It now has been sent to the Governor for signing or veto by him. Another object of controversy at City Hall over retention of beach frontage in the Master Plan is the McInerny Foundation property. Mr. Shigeo Shigenaga, who leases the McInerny property immediately Diamond Head of the Natatorium applied for a permit to build in December 1950. The permit was issued to Mr. Shigenaga but was rescinded by letter from the Supt. of Buildings when Mr. Shigenaga failed to start the work in the sixty day period allowed for commencing work under a building permit. Since March 1951 Mr. Shigenaga has waited for another permit to be issued. In March 1953 the City Planning Commission was asked for its views regarding Mr. Shigenaga's request to erect a $65,000 hotel-apartment building on the Kalakaua Avenue frontage of the property leaving the beach frontage unobstructed for the present. The City Planning Commission went on record to retain the Master Plan and made a request to the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors to make available funds to purchase or to condemn this land for a beach area. Mr. Shigenaga has now brought court action to force the issuance of a permit by the Building Department. Of interest to those who have followed the changes in the Master Plan is a major change which the City Planning Commission has conceived. This change affects the land in the strip between the Natatorium and Poni Moi Road. Mr. Shi.genaga's leased land lies within this strip. The amendment to the Master Plan provides for the re-routing of Kalakaua Avenue from Monsarrat Avenue to Poni Moi Road. It is planned that Kalakaua Avenue will be shifted mauka, eliminating the routing of Kalakaua Avenue traffic through Poni Moi Road, and connecting Kalakaua directly with Diamond Head Road. Shifting of this portion of Kalakaua Avenue mauka would provide for hotel building and the retention of beach frontage for public use. This change involves the use of a small portion of Kapiolani Park. The Parks Board has not endorsed the Amendment. A Resolution to adopt this Amendment was submitted to the Board of Supervisors at their current Board Meeting. The matter was deferred pending the outcome of
Senate Bill 426.
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