Dowsett Highlands

From dKosopedia

Categories: Honolulu, City and County | Planning in Hawaii | City and County of Honolulu planning

Dowsett Highlands, is a small residential area that hugs a portion of the eastern wall of Nuuanu Valley mauka, toward the mountains, of downtown Honolulu.

Laumaka LLC, is creating a new subdivision of nine homes, some on steep slope. The residents living on lower parcels surrounding the new subdivision, which is in the process of active grading with buldozers, claim that they will be exposed to greater risk of floods, landslides and rockfalls. This disagreement has evolved into a courtroom battle. Laumaka counters that the wealthy neighbors have a heavy case of NIMBYism

The residents are trying to grasp how the City Planning department came to allow the subdivision in the first place, why it accepted a "consultant's study commissioned by Laumaka. The 10-page report by the engineering firm of Masa Fujioka & Associates concluded that the slopes are stable enough to allow development with minimal risk of landslides or rock falls." [1]

External Links

• Yerton, Stewart. Nuuanu development battle escalates -- A dispute between residents and a developer is getting unusually acrimonious Honolulu Star-Bulletin, May 11, 2006.
• Yerton, Stewart. Judge denies bid to halt Nuuanu subdivision -- An attorney says the nearby residents will still press their case Honolulu Star-Bulletin, May 16, 2006.
• Nuuanu development moves forward Honolulu Star-Bulletin, December 9, 2006.
• Lum, Curtis. City orders halt to hillside work where boulder hit Nuuanu home, Honolulu Advertiser, January 8, 2009.
• Nuuanu/Punchbowl Neighborhood Board - January 20, 2009 Minutes
• Nuuanu/Punchbowl Neighborhood Board - February 17, 2009 Minutes