Take Action! Hearing for Coco Palms Hotel Status Planning Dept 9/28/21

The future of Wailuanuiahoʻāno and the former ‘Coco Palms Hotel’ property is again being discussed by the Kaua`i Planning Commission at a status update hearing on Tuesday, Sept 28th at 9am.

Please submit testimony opposing a hotel! Email: planningdepartment@kauai.gov

This hearing will consist of the current owners/developers updating the Kauaʻi Planning Commission on the status of their continued attempt to build a hotel on this site. This is an opportunity for the community to show their strong opposition to a hotel here and to throw their support around the collective effort to restore this site to a place of culture, education and conservation.

This property is one of the most significant places on Kaua`i for Hawaiian history, legend, culture and for the future of our sustainability. Many important moʻolelo and oli have Wailua origins, with other legends and chants also referencing this sacred site. With its major spiritual and religious significance in old Hawaiʻi it is arguably one of the most sacred areas in the archipelago to Hawaiians. Still today Wailua remains an extremely sacred site to Hawaiian cultural practitioners and Kānaka Maoli everywhere.

The time has passed for a hotel to be redeveloped here. This site is not a suitable location for a hotel. It has been almost exactly 29 years since the hotel was destroyed in hurricane ʻIniki and we believe the site has proven to no longer be a viable location for a hotel, or further development of that nature.

It is time for this special property to be revitalized and transitioned into the hands of our community. This property has the potential to provide a place of gathering, education, food production, cultural grounding and green space for our community.

Wailuanuiahoʻāno needs to be returned to the people in the form of a park, cultural and educational center and place for `aina based learning and experiences. This area should be developed into a thriving place for families to enjoy and learn about Hawaiian history, culture, land management and more!

The I Ola Wailuanui working group has been working for the last 16 months to help shape an inclusive vision that can facilitate the transition of this sacred land into the hands of the community in perpetuity for this purpose. For more information about this go to wailuanui.org

Together we can honor this place, honor the culture and environment, and create a unique opportunity for enrichment in cultural and environmental education.

Please take action! Send testimony this week against a hotel and in support of the former Coco Palms Hotel property being instead transitioned to such that it honors this sacred place and provides education and cultural enrichment for our people. Emails should be sent before, or at the latest, Monday morning Sept 27th.