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GET IN & GET OUT
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015
WESTHAWAIITODAY.COM 75¢
Planning director doesn’t want to be HOVE road police BY NANCY COOK LAUER WEST HAWAII TODAY
[email protected]
Cinder mining operations will likely be expanded in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates without the county being forced to regulate assessments on private roads there, if the Windward Planning Commission follows through on planning director recommendations following a protracted contested case hearing that wrapped up Thursday.
“The fact is, the county has no legal role to …. referee or define or come to a decision where enforcement or compliance Kanuha of private covenants is involved,” Planning Director Duane Kanuha said. Kanuha’s recommendation to a Planning Commission panel is that the special permits
be approved, with certain other conditions. HOVE Road Maintenance Corp. is charged with collecting assessments from property owners and maintaining 157 miles of private roads in the subdivision. It can also assess heavy trucks annually to traverse the roadways. But the road company has been unable to strike an agreement on increased activities with mining companies Arrow
of Oregon and David and Laura Rodrigues, which are mining in two separate areas, primarily along Lurline Lane, Kailua Boulevard and Liliana Lane. Mining has gone on in the area since the late 1950s. Arrow is trying to expand its permit by an additional 8 acres, bringing the total mined to 13 acres. The Rodrigues company is seeking a special use permit to mine 5 acres, after it was shut down last October
for operating without a zoning permit. The RMC tried to take advantage of the special use permit applications to get language inserted to make sure the mining companies pay their road assessments. At the same time, RMC has hiked an assessment on Arrow from $3,900 to $259,000, the company’s attorney said. SEE PERMITS PAGE 4A
HARNESS THE WIND
ENERGY KITE SET TO LAUNCH EARLY NEXT YEAR
A massive energy [email protected] kite being developed in California could be deployed for testing near Waimea by early next year. Before the experimental devise can begin spinning 1,100 feet above the ground, the Google-owned development company behind the initiative must receive clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration and a building permit from Hawaii County. Following a year of flight and testing, representatives of the R&D company Makani are hopeful that they’ll be closer to having a commercially viable product that is up to 50 percent more efficient at generating electricity than a conventional wind turbine. “Our goal is to demonstrate safe and reliable operation,” project manager Alden Woodrow said. The 85-foot airfoil with eight wind generation rotors — and the 50-foot tower from which it will be launched and controlled — is essentially finished, Woodrow said. Makani had been hopeful it could launch the kite this past summer, but a team of researchers are still fine-tuning the technology. BY BRET YAGER
WEST HAWAII TODAY
Makani’s 600-kilowatt energy kite and ground station tower undergo initial testing near Alameda. MAKANI-ANDREA DUNLOP/SPECIAL TO WEST HAWAII TODAY
Meantime, a team here has done preliminary grading at the test site located five miles south of the Waimea Airport and has made improvements to an access road to the site. The device loops in the sky at the end of a tether in a motion that allows the kite to mimic the most energy efficient part of a conventional wind turbine blade — the tip — without the need for the massive windmill of concrete, steel and fiberglass infrastructure of a conventional windmill. The energy generated will feed down the 1,400-foot carbon fiber tether, which will be attached to a giant drum used to reel the kite in an out. The top of the kite’s loop will reach twice the height of a conventional turbine. When the winds die, electricity can be reversed back up the tether to the rotors, which will then spin to control the craft’s descent, Woodrow said. The Makani research team located in Alameda has developing the kite system for the past year in hopes of generating 600 killowatts of electricity, enough to power 300 homes. Research that included testing of SEE KITE PAGE 4A
Storytellers accelerate toward success BY GRAHAM MILLDRUM WEST HAWAII TODAY
[email protected]
The seven companies striving to bring a more Hawaiian feel to international media have pitched into development of their projects. The companies are involved in the GVS Accelerator, a program to develop financially
INDEX
viable media properties in Hawaii, using the culture of the islands, said David Bruce, the group’s director of marketing. The program is a partnership between Global Virtual Studios and public money to “launch original transmedia franchises,” according to the group’s website. That means the
Annie’s Mailbox . . . . . . .5B
HI
90 LO 77
projects need to be viable and look outside one type of media, said Bruce, such as a movie adaptation of a book. The five companies participating last year all graduated and included novels, feature films and a mobile application. The accelerator is trying to develop a local arts community, much like
Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7B
what happened to New Zealand after the filming of Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” movies. One of the stories is “Native,” a coming of age tale about a young man who becomes involved in mixed martial arts. It’s a collaboration of Joel Angyl and Mike
Joel Angyl, author of the developing screenplay “Native,” poses at the announcement of the seven companies producing projects through the GVS Accelerator program Tuesday night at the Global Virtual Studios Office. SUBMITTED PHOTO
SEE ACCELERATOR PAGE 4A
Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6B
Nation & World . . . . . . . . .3A
2015
ALL FOR AS LOW AS ALL WEATHER FLOOR MATS FRONT & REAR MUD GUARDS RAIN GUARDS • SPARE TIRE KIT TINTED WINDOWS
Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1B
VOL. 47, NO. 275 40 PAGES
WEATHER, PAGE 8A
CRUISE THE ISLAND IN A BRAND NEW
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Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6A
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WITH NO MONEY DOWN*
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Michelle Llanes
Kahealani Kaho‘okaulana
960-0355
238-3831
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Finance Manager
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640-9412
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BASE MANUAL
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75-5645 Kuakini Hwy. | Corner of Palani & Kuakini across from Kona Seaside Hotel
*Payments are based on a selling price of $17,495.00 Plus a $1,495 pro pack added to every new soul. 75 Months no money down based on 1.99% Oac. Price is plus tax, 245 doc. Fee, lic fee and safety check fee. Price is before a $500 current official rebate. Exclusive to stock number 753132 pictures are examples only. Good until April 30, 2015
WHEN YOU’RE READY TO MOVE, CALL McCOURT! Real Property Solutions for Kona Buyers and SellersSM
INSIDE
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015
WESTHAWAIITODAY.COM 75¢
Planning director doesn’t want to be HOVE road police BY NANCY COOK LAUER WEST HAWAII TODAY
[email protected]
Cinder mining operations will likely be expanded in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates without the county being forced to regulate assessments on private roads there, if the Windward Planning Commission follows through on planning director recommendations following a protracted contested case hearing that wrapped up Thursday.
“The fact is, the county has no legal role to …. referee or define or come to a decision where enforcement or compliance Kanuha of private covenants is involved,” Planning Director Duane Kanuha said. Kanuha’s recommendation to a Planning Commission panel is that the special permits
be approved, with certain other conditions. HOVE Road Maintenance Corp. is charged with collecting assessments from property owners and maintaining 157 miles of private roads in the subdivision. It can also assess heavy trucks annually to traverse the roadways. But the road company has been unable to strike an agreement on increased activities with mining companies Arrow
of Oregon and David and Laura Rodrigues, which are mining in two separate areas, primarily along Lurline Lane, Kailua Boulevard and Liliana Lane. Mining has gone on in the area since the late 1950s. Arrow is trying to expand its permit by an additional 8 acres, bringing the total mined to 13 acres. The Rodrigues company is seeking a special use permit to mine 5 acres, after it was shut down last October
for operating without a zoning permit. The RMC tried to take advantage of the special use permit applications to get language inserted to make sure the mining companies pay their road assessments. At the same time, RMC has hiked an assessment on Arrow from $3,900 to $259,000, the company’s attorney said. SEE PERMITS PAGE 4A
HARNESS THE WIND
ENERGY KITE SET TO LAUNCH EARLY NEXT YEAR
A massive energy [email protected] kite being developed in California could be deployed for testing near Waimea by early next year. Before the experimental devise can begin spinning 1,100 feet above the ground, the Google-owned development company behind the initiative must receive clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration and a building permit from Hawaii County. Following a year of flight and testing, representatives of the R&D company Makani are hopeful that they’ll be closer to having a commercially viable product that is up to 50 percent more efficient at generating electricity than a conventional wind turbine. “Our goal is to demonstrate safe and reliable operation,” project manager Alden Woodrow said. The 85-foot airfoil with eight wind generation rotors — and the 50-foot tower from which it will be launched and controlled — is essentially finished, Woodrow said. Makani had been hopeful it could launch the kite this past summer, but a team of researchers are still fine-tuning the technology. BY BRET YAGER
WEST HAWAII TODAY
Makani’s 600-kilowatt energy kite and ground station tower undergo initial testing near Alameda. MAKANI-ANDREA DUNLOP/SPECIAL TO WEST HAWAII TODAY
Meantime, a team here has done preliminary grading at the test site located five miles south of the Waimea Airport and has made improvements to an access road to the site. The device loops in the sky at the end of a tether in a motion that allows the kite to mimic the most energy efficient part of a conventional wind turbine blade — the tip — without the need for the massive windmill of concrete, steel and fiberglass infrastructure of a conventional windmill. The energy generated will feed down the 1,400-foot carbon fiber tether, which will be attached to a giant drum used to reel the kite in an out. The top of the kite’s loop will reach twice the height of a conventional turbine. When the winds die, electricity can be reversed back up the tether to the rotors, which will then spin to control the craft’s descent, Woodrow said. The Makani research team located in Alameda has developing the kite system for the past year in hopes of generating 600 killowatts of electricity, enough to power 300 homes. Research that included testing of SEE KITE PAGE 4A
Storytellers accelerate toward success BY GRAHAM MILLDRUM WEST HAWAII TODAY
[email protected]
The seven companies striving to bring a more Hawaiian feel to international media have pitched into development of their projects. The companies are involved in the GVS Accelerator, a program to develop financially
INDEX
viable media properties in Hawaii, using the culture of the islands, said David Bruce, the group’s director of marketing. The program is a partnership between Global Virtual Studios and public money to “launch original transmedia franchises,” according to the group’s website. That means the
Annie’s Mailbox . . . . . . .5B
HI
90 LO 77
projects need to be viable and look outside one type of media, said Bruce, such as a movie adaptation of a book. The five companies participating last year all graduated and included novels, feature films and a mobile application. The accelerator is trying to develop a local arts community, much like
Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7B
what happened to New Zealand after the filming of Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” movies. One of the stories is “Native,” a coming of age tale about a young man who becomes involved in mixed martial arts. It’s a collaboration of Joel Angyl and Mike
Joel Angyl, author of the developing screenplay “Native,” poses at the announcement of the seven companies producing projects through the GVS Accelerator program Tuesday night at the Global Virtual Studios Office. SUBMITTED PHOTO
SEE ACCELERATOR PAGE 4A
Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6B
Nation & World . . . . . . . . .3A
2015
ALL FOR AS LOW AS ALL WEATHER FLOOR MATS FRONT & REAR MUD GUARDS RAIN GUARDS • SPARE TIRE KIT TINTED WINDOWS
Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1B
VOL. 47, NO. 275 40 PAGES
WEATHER, PAGE 8A
CRUISE THE ISLAND IN A BRAND NEW
• • • •
Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6A
$279/month
WITH NO MONEY DOWN*
Allan Jose
Michelle Llanes
Kahealani Kaho‘okaulana
960-0355
238-3831
238-3831
General Manager
Admin Assistant
Finance Manager
George Carter
Sr. Sales & Leasing Specialist
640-9412
Phil Graham
Sales & Leasing Specialist
747-1199
BASE MANUAL
STOP IN TO SAY HELLO TO SIR COOPER, OFFICIAL DOOR GREETER
808-217-8574 AlohaKIAKONA.com
75-5645 Kuakini Hwy. | Corner of Palani & Kuakini across from Kona Seaside Hotel
*Payments are based on a selling price of $17,495.00 Plus a $1,495 pro pack added to every new soul. 75 Months no money down based on 1.99% Oac. Price is plus tax, 245 doc. Fee, lic fee and safety check fee. Price is before a $500 current official rebate. Exclusive to stock number 753132 pictures are examples only. Good until April 30, 2015
