http://www.theoutdoorcircle.com/ en Copyright 2010 http://www.outdoorcircle.org/blog/u.-h.-student-fighting-to-save-campus-tree/ http://www.outdoorcircle.org/blog/u.-h.-student-fighting-to-save-campus-tree/#When:20:35:06Z A University of Hawaii student, Adam Williams, is asking for your support in his effort to save a rare tree that is targeted for removal from the Manoa campus to make way for a new student recreation center. Here is a link that will enable you to sign a petition calling for UH to save the tree. http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/savetree/?e The Outdoor Circle urges its supporters to visit the website and sign the petition. To learn the full details of The Outdoor Circle’s position on this issue please read my letter to U.H. Manoa Chancellor, Virginia Hinshaw. For further information, below are two articles about the issue. The first is a story that was published in the August 2009 issue of The Outdoor Circle Newsletter, Greenleaf. The second is a link to an article from a blog by KGMB news reporter Jim Mendoza and published on the KGMB website in October 2009. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about this issue. Thank you for your continued support. Mary Stenier CEO U.H. Trees Face Chopping Block From Greenleaf, August 2009 TOC is fighting the removal of numerous trees including an extremely rare variety of Banyan are planned to be removed from the Campus of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. The trees are in the way of a planned student recreation center adjacent to the UH Campus Center. TOC has urged Manoa Chancellor Virgina Hinshaw to move the project to a better location on the opposite side of the Campus Center. TOC says the building is being “shoehorned” into a space that is too close to other buildings and would require the “tragic removal” of the Banyan. The important “heritage tree” is believed to have been planted by the reknowned Botonist Dr. Joseph Rock and might be the only Banyan of its type in Hawai‘i. TOC believes the Campus Center administration wants construction to start before the project’s funding lapses. TOC told Hinshaw that rationale will result in rushing the project into the wrong site, for the wrong reasons. UH Manoa Tree At Root Of Controversy By Jim Mendoza, KGMB 9 News http://blogs.hawaiinewsnow.com/main/content/view/22189/40/ 2009-11-20T20:35:06+00:00 http://www.outdoorcircle.org/blog/honolulu-transit-back-to-the-drawing-board/ http://www.outdoorcircle.org/blog/honolulu-transit-back-to-the-drawing-board/#When:20:27:48Z From the day the City announced its plan for an above ground fixed guide way transit system, The Outdoor Circle (TOC) has been under pressure from its members and the community to take a position on the project. But our Board of Directors insisted that we participate in the process so that we could form an opinion based on facts and not just a knee-jerk reaction. In the ensuing three-plus years we have participated in scoping efforts, public presentations, meetings with consultants, briefings from project opponents, membership on the Mayor’s Transit Advisory Committee, and public hearings. We have studied the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and the exhaustive technical reports where the nitty-gritty of the project is revealed. In the end we are left with the conclusion that in its nearly 100 year history, The Outdoor Circle has seen no other proposal that holds the potential to degrade the landscape of O‘ahu and change the character of our communities as greatly as the Honolulu transit project. We believe it is destined to become the most visually disruptive project in the history of Hawai‘i. While its ability to ease traffic problems on O‘ahu is debatable, its negative impact on the visual environment of this island cannot be denied. To our disappointment the DEIS fails to adequately describe the cumulative impacts of the project or how those impacts will be mitigated with respect to view planes, street trees, landscaping, utility lines and overall intrusiveness in our communities. The document states that from the Ewa Plain through Pearl City and the airport region the fixed guide way and multiple above ground stations will intrude upon the undeveloped character of open space, block views of parks and historic sites and become the dominant feature in the view planes of every community. Once it reaches Chinatown it will disrupt the character of the pedestrian oriented environment. In the central business district, the fixed guide way and the proposed Downtown Station will block makai views, become the dominant features on Nimitz Highway and spoil the pedestrian character of the streetscape. From downtown to Ala Moana Center the project will intrude upon homes and offices and block protected mauka-makai views of the Ko‘olau and Waianae Mountains; the ocean and Honolulu Harbor and Diamond Head, Punchbowl and Aliamanu craters. Of equal concern is the fate of more than 800 street trees. Perhaps 500 trees will be transplanted to unspecified areas leaving a possible deficit of more than 300 trees. The DEIS states that to mitigate the damage a contractor “would” prepare new planting plans and that additional trees “could” be planted. We believe the public needs an accurate accounting of what will happen to these trees. Of great distress is the proposal to eliminate “notable” trees—19 Kamani Trees on Dillingham Boulevard and 23 Monkey pod Trees on Kapiolani Boulevard near University Avenue. There are no plans included to protect trees adjacent to the construction. This could result in predictable damage and the potential loss of hundreds of additional trees. The DEIS does not explain how the city will mitigate the harsh presence of hundreds of support columns and more than two dozen transit stations. The DEIS also is silent regarding commercial signage in, around or on any part of the project—including all transit oriented development. Such signage might violate existing state and/or county sign laws. The DEIS should forbid any exterior commercial advertising on the train, transit stations or any portion of the transit infrastructure. This project also offers an opportunity to remove a persistent eyesore from our communities—the overbearing presence of utility poles and lines. Relocating all utility lines along the transit route and placing them underground or beneath the fixed guide way will enhance the view planes and provide mitigation for the visual damage created by the project. The combined visual burden of the fixed guide way in addition to the overhead utility lines is completely unacceptable and has not been evaluated in the document. In conclusion, the Board of Directors of The Outdoor Circle believes the City has substantially downplayed the visual impacts the project will have on our communities and on our quality of life. Nor does it offer acceptable mitigation throughout the DEIS for the harm this project will inflict. We believe the final EIS must acknowledge the mountain of negative impacts that will be caused by the project and present effective mitigation plans. If this is not done we believe the City should abandon the above ground fixed guide way and replace it with an alternative system that will not be as destructive and divisive as the current proposal. 2009-04-13T20:27:48+00:00 http://www.outdoorcircle.org/blog/tocs-signs-brochure/ http://www.outdoorcircle.org/blog/tocs-signs-brochure/#When:14:53:00Z Oahu Signs Brochure We’ve all seen signs that don’t look quite right. Most O‘ahu residents know that billboards are illegal in Hawai‘i and about Honolulu’s strict signage codes. But the laws are confusing and applying them even more so. The Outdoor Circle’s Signs Committee decided to help. The committee developed a brochure which attempts to decipher the ordinances so that most of us can more easily understand the rules. Link to the PDF file below and let us know if you have any questions. Better yet, if you see what you think may be an illegal sign don’t hesitate to report it to either the city or the state. Remember, you always must have an address where the sign is located and a detailed description of the sign in question. Oahu Signs Brochure 2008-07-22T14:53:00+00:00 http://www.outdoorcircle.org/blog/a-sorry-sign-of-the-times/ http://www.outdoorcircle.org/blog/a-sorry-sign-of-the-times/#When:15:04:00Z In my fifteen plus years with The Outdoor Circle I have never experienced what happened to House Bill 1832 Relating to Outdoor Advertising. The bill, introduced at the urging of The Outdoor Circle, was written to limit the posting of political signs on residential properties by restricting the size and number of signs allowed. We were excited when the bill passed Conference Committee and was scheduled for a full vote by both the House and Senate on Tuesday April 27. Both statewide newspapers, the Advertiser and Star Bulletin, supported the bill and ran editorials strongly in favor of controlling campaign signs. At what was scheduled to be the Senate’s final floor vote, HB 1832 CD1 was passed 18-6. The legislators then recessed, caucused amongst themselves, went back into session, and voted again. Instead of passing HB 1832 they voted to send the bill back to committee, thus killing it. Later in the day the House members followed suit. Hundreds of hours were spent working with our elected officials to make sure they understood the legislation. Sadly, our legislators decided to put their own self interests ahead of the beauty of these islands. We continue to discuss the best way to proceed. One way you can help if you feel as strongly as we do is by writing a letter to the editors of both papers stating your support for limiting campaign signs and showing disgust at how the bill was killed. Needless to say we’re very disappointed. If you have any insights or thoughts as to how we should proceed please use this forum to let us know. HB 1832 can be found at: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2008/bills/HB1832_CD1_.htm The section of the article in the Advertiser pertaining to HB 1832 reads as follows: “Lawmakers in both chambers voted to shelve a bill that would have restricted political campaign signs on residential property to 4-by-2 feet and a total of 16 square feet for all signs. The bill was important to The Outdoor Circle and cleared a House and Senate conference committee last week. But support for the bill fell apart in private caucus. The Senate at first voted to pass the bill yesterday but then reconsidered. State Senate Majority Leader Gary Hooser, D-7th (Kaua’i, Ni’ihau), explained that the bill would have applied to other signs, such as advertisements for chicken sales or fan support for University of Hawai’i sports, and would have interfered with county home rule. Hooser made a personal commitment to work with Outdoor Circle and others before next session on a new draft.” 2008-05-01T15:04:00+00:00 http://www.outdoorcircle.org/blog/tell-us-what-you-think-about-honolulus-proposed-transit-system/ http://www.outdoorcircle.org/blog/tell-us-what-you-think-about-honolulus-proposed-transit-system/#When:19:10:00Z The Honolulu High Capacity Transit Corridor Project is one of the most important public projects in O‘ahu history. As proposed, it also will be a visible fixture on O‘ahu’s landscape. The train’s fixed guideway will rise from about 20 feet above grade to a maximum of about 80 feet as it traverses the 20 mile route from East Kapolei to Ala Moana Center. The project also will include 19 transit stations and accompanying commercial development. The City estimates the cost of the current proposal at approximately $3.8 billion—$5 to $6 billion if the route is extended to the University of Hawaii and Waikiki. Others claim the costs will be one-third higher. A great debate is being waged in Honolulu and within The Outdoor Circle over the monetary and aesthetic costs of the project versus its potential benefits. For more than two years TOC has attended public meetings and hearings, become involved in the Mayor’s Transit Advisory Committee and carefully observed the community reaction to the transit proposal. We received multiple briefings from the City’s transit contractors as well as from opponents of the City’s transit plans. And we have extensively toured the likely transit route. The following resolution was adopted by The Outdoor Circle’s Board of Directors: Whereas, The Outdoor Circle recognizes the benefits of public transportation, and Whereas, The Outdoor Circle has concerns about the currently proposed transit fixed guide way system, and Whereas, The Outdoor Circle considers it essential that protecting the visual environment to be a priority in the planning, construction and operation of any transit system, Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Board of Directors of The Outdoor Circle urges the City and County of Honolulu to adopt policies and practices to ensure a clean, green and beautiful island of O‘ahu. A Statement Supporting Transit By Kathy Whitmire, Board Advisor, TOC Honolulu’s traffic congestion speaks for itself! We must move forward now with the creation of a new transit system. The City chose a fixed guideway system because it has greater passenger capacity, lower operating costs and results in less traffic congestion than any alternative. Transit oriented development will help stem urban sprawl across Oahu’s agricultural and open lands, encourage the development of livable, walkable communities around transit stations and increase transit ridership. Honolulu’s transit plan includes protection of view corridors and street trees and a design that embodies Hawaii’s rich cultural heritage. TOC must take an active part in the planning and design phase to ensure that these principles are followed and that scenic beauty is not sacrificed but enhanced. We must also make sure that • there is no relaxation of Oahu’s strong sign control regulations • transit-oriented developments include open space such as pocket parks and plazas • utility lines are placed underground as part of the project • landscaping is well designed and maintained throughout the system. With strong participation by TOC, Honolulu can have a transit system that enhances the visual environment while conserving energy, reducing air pollution and avoiding the need for more highways. A Statement Opposing Transit By Jane Morris, Public Affairs Co-Chair, Lani-Kailua Outdoor Circle I favor transit that allows more mobility for our citizens, reduces traffic congestion and is cost efficient. The City’s proposal will not meet these tests. Nor will it meet the goals that guide The Outdoor Circle: CLEAN We must maintain our communities and protect our view planes. Our parks and roadways are overgrown with weeds. Will there be money to clean these and other eyesores after we pay for Transit? The City says $1.2 Billion will be Federal money. The Feds say only $500 Million. The City increased the excise tax but will Transit costs cause city maintenance and other programs such as recycling to slide even further? GREEN How many of our beautiful, mature trees will be removed to construct the elevated guideway? Will this plan use less fossil fuel, show a net energy saving and be less polluting than the alternatives? BEAUTIFUL The elevated train and its 19 huge transit stations will be an ever-present eyesore as it snakes through communities; skirts along the waterfront; plows through downtown, Kakaako, Moiliili and ultimately over the H-1 freeway to the University. The Outdoor Circle must protect Honolulu from the visual blight and the many unintended consequences of Transit. Help shape public opinion. Tell us what you think by posting your opinion to this blog. 2008-03-17T19:10:00+00:00 http://www.outdoorcircle.org/blog/trees-removed-for-retail/ http://www.outdoorcircle.org/blog/trees-removed-for-retail/#When:16:20:01Z Seventeen of 30 Monkeypod trees were removed in Koloa town on Kauai. After months of community protests and vigils aimed at saving the trees the developer started the removal process early last week. The Kauai Outdoor Circle and the Koloa Community Association worked in tandem to save the trees. Both organizations are saddened by the outcome. The trees came down to make way for a new shopping center. And more stores are not what the community wanted. The developer refused to meet with community representatives to discuss plans prior to the removals. A court order requires Monkeypod trees be replanted within the development. However, it will take another 40-60 years for new trees to become what the others were…large, stately and beautiful. The Outdoor Circle and the Kauai Outdoor Circle will continue to watch this development closely to ensure that the newly planted trees are cared for and given the opportunity to survive. 2008-03-10T16:20:01+00:00 http://www.outdoorcircle.org/blog/save-old-koloas-trees/ http://www.outdoorcircle.org/blog/save-old-koloas-trees/#When:12:00:00Z Due to a loophole in Kauai’s permitting process, developer Nelson Co. sued the County of Kauai and was able to get a judgment allowing them to build what is now known as “The Shops at Koloa Town”. This is about a 76,000 sq. ft. mall that will go in on the corner of Maluhia and Koloa Roads, right in the heart of Koloa Town. The current design calls for the removal of 23 Monkey pod trees, some of which are 50-plus years old. These magnificent trees will be replaced with 12” diameter field stock. The replacement trees will have to be cut back to stubs in order to be transported from the nursery to the site. This is not acceptable to the Kauai Outdoor Circle. We are working hard here on Kauai to save the Monkey pod Trees. Our President, Maureen Murphy, is a certified Arborist. She is assessing the value of the trees so the developer can fully understand the value of what he is about to destroy. As for me, I am a sign waver and runner, distributing hundreds of flyers and postcards pre-addressed to the developer. Using these cards shoppers can easily let the developer know how they feel about losing the trees. We are working along with the Koloa Community Association and Malama Mahalepu to bring all the attention we can to the plight of the trees. Please e-mail or write a letter asking the developer to save these trees. He can be reached at: Mr David Nelson Nelson Co. 6060 Orchard Lake Rd, Suite 200 West Bloomfield, MI 48322 drnelson @ nelsoncos.com In your letter also request that he meet with the Koloa Community Association and The Kauai Outdoor Circle to discuss how we can incorporate more of the trees into his plans for the shopping mall. After all, most developers want instant landscaping. This one already has it. Kauai, Tree Protection 2008-01-08T12:00:00+00:00 http://www.outdoorcircle.org/blog/save-historic-trees-in-koloa-town/ http://www.outdoorcircle.org/blog/save-historic-trees-in-koloa-town/#When:14:58:00Z IMUA – TAKE A STAND! Monday January 7, 2008 10am – 10pm Save the Trees Block Party! Make signs under the Monkey pod trees Candlelight Vigil at Sunset Old Koloa Town = Old Koloa Trees Developer David Nelson will be on Kauai the week of January 7 Design around the trees, let them live! Check back for more information Kauai, Tree Protection 2008-01-03T14:58:00+00:00 http://www.outdoorcircle.org/blog/lani-kailua-outdoor-circle-tree-planting/ http://www.outdoorcircle.org/blog/lani-kailua-outdoor-circle-tree-planting/#When:16:46:00Z On a recent Saturday morning a crowd gathered at Aikahi Triangle Park in Kailua to bless the 21 Nara and Monkey pod trees planted in the median of Mokapu Boulevard. The event also was a celebration of the partnership between the Lani-Kailua Outdoor Circle and the City Department of Parks and Recreation, Division of Urban Forestry. Mayor Mufi Hannemann, City Council Chair Barbara Marshall, Parks Director Lester Chang and LKOC President, Sharon Geary, as well as most of the LKOC Board members were in attendance. The 21 trees were supplied by the City and LKOC Board paid the planting costs of more than $15,000. The trees were planted to replace the dead Wiliwili trees which had fallen prey to the state-wide blight. Beach Walks with Rox #529 – Outdoor Circle Tree Blessing Beautification, Oahu 2007-12-10T16:46:00+00:00 http://www.outdoorcircle.org/blog/flyers-on-utility-poles-degrade-communities1/ http://www.outdoorcircle.org/blog/flyers-on-utility-poles-degrade-communities1/#When:16:53:00Z Once again greedy concert promoters have decided that our communities are a good place for them to illegally advertise their events. Last week hundreds of ugly yellow flyers were posted on utility poles in various places across O‘ahu, most notably on the beautiful Windward side. From Makapu‘u Lookout to the Waimanalo business district dozens of utility poles were wallpapered with flyers creating an unforgivable eyesore along one of the most scenic roadways on the planet. The flyers were strategically concentrated in the areas where people tend to congregate—near pubic parks, in front of schools, close to commercial businesses and in residential neighborhoods. The same flyers also have been posted on numerous utility poles elsewhere on the island as well. The event advertised on the posters is a reggae concert scheduled for Kualoa Ranch. But of course Kualoa denied any knowledge of the dastardly deed, as did the concert’s promoter. That’s par for the course. The utility poles on all of our islands frequently become the target of event promoters who obviously believe that their desire to make money supersedes the peoples’ right to live and play in an environment free of illegal advertising. And make no mistake about it, posting any type of sign on a utility pole, whether a concert flyer or garage sale notice, is not only a civil violation that can result in fines, but also a criminal act for which violators can be sentenced to community service and even time in jail. In this instance The Outdoor Circle would like to extend a huge mahalo to the State Department of Transportation for its extremely quick action in dispatching a highway crew to remove the flyers along Kalanianaole Highway in the Waimanalo area. The removal work obviously was done at taxpayer expense. Even so, hundreds of flyers for the Kualoa event remain on utility poles elsewhere on O‘ahu and we encourage anyone who finds this illegal activity offensive to call Kualoa Ranch and register a complaint. Kualoa might not be responsible for posting the flyers, but it and other event venues should communicate a clear message in their contracts with promoters that illegally advertising their events will result in stiff financial penalties and result in losing their ability to stage future events. That’s the type of action that might make event promoters obey the law and prevent the unconscionable littering of our communities with illegal advertising. In the meantime, if you see illegal flyers on utility poles anyplace on O‘ahu, please call The Outdoor Circle. Billboards and Signs, Oahu 2007-12-03T16:53:00+00:00