Is It Really The Wild West......?

[ericlp]

Damn YurtGirl... That about sums it up.

Talking to the neighbors is probably one of the best idea's. Talk story and ask a lot of questions ... better yet bring some beer, chips and fish. Soon you'll know if it's for you or not!

[Midnight Rambler]

Keep in mind that in many of these subdivisions there's actually not a whole lot of space between you and your neighbors - the lots are 2-3 acres but they're long, narrow "spaghetti lots" built to minimize the number of roads needed while keeping them above the size required for ag zoning. In Hawaiian Acres, that means they're about 1000' long and 100' wide. More than on Oahu, but when your neighbor has a dog that barks all the time, or 50 fighting cocks in the yard, or runs a generator for power, it feels pretty close! I don't know if I would call it "wild west" exactly, but there are definitely many people who feel that this is a place they can do whatever they like an no one should be able to complain about it.

A corollary to that is that you might think a good place is a house in an undeveloped section, but unless you buy a block of lots remember that your neighbor could come in tomorrow and bulldoze their lot pin-to-pin (which mine did). So you might be better off with a place where the neighbors are already built in but left the trees intact, so you're less likely to get unexpected surprises.

If you're serious about growing stuff, you might also want to consider the former sugar land north of the subdivisions (mostly north of the highway). It's much more expensive, and if you don't maintain it it'll come up with guinea grass and other weeds even faster, but you'll be able to grow anything there. Sometimes houses with ~1 acre come up for sale at reasonable prices on that side.

For a look at albizzia, take a drive on the H-2; it's the tall, spreading, flat-topped tree in the big gulches you cross before Mililani.

[OverOahu]

Sounds like we'll need a Yurt with holes to stick the shotgun out of!!!

[bananahead]

You can change the structures, but you cant change the amount of land, its best to get the amount of land you want... IMO 3+ acres in upper Puna (Orchidland on up) is the best deal going... heck $7K an acre (football field) is super cheap, and if you dont buy striped land full of elephant grass, the endemic ohia and ferns will stay the same and not swallow everything like introduced rubbish plants. I got my place in HA (cabin on 3 acres) for the price of a new SUV, and many who have visited it 5 years later think its worth $200K plus, especially since I now have about 1/2 mile of cindered trails woven through the now botanical garden like park in back..... not many can say they live in their own park... mine is 871' by 150' and has a seasonal river, 3 vegetation zones, 3 campsites that will be smaller cabins, 100+' high Ohias (yes they say dont grow that tall, mine are), etc.
...or for same $$ you can buy a 5th of an acre lot on pavement (Seaview, Ainaloa, BlackSand, Vacationland, Nanawali, etc) where your water catchment tank, home, and driveway may take up 50+% of your "land" .... if you can call it that...

PS if I could do it all over again NOW... I would buy 2-3 lots side by side (871' by 300' or 450' 6 or 9 acres) in the Ainaloa area of Hawaiian Acres, the south east corner, the trees are old and pristine there, and there is no waiwi in some spots (a big+) lots of wide Ohias (unlike my tall thin redwood-like Ohias), and there is also an understory of Kopiko there, a scarce tree in the coffee family. Its older land too so more soil, but its also prob the most expensive of the cheap land in HA because of the nice paved roads of Ainaloa Blvd and Rd 8 being close by. Its also only 750'-800' elv there so most everything will grow good (Im at 1,275').

save our indigenous and endemic Hawaiian Plants... learn about them, grow them, and plant them on your property, ....instead of all that invasive non-native garbage I see in most yards... aloha

[bananahead]

to correct past posts on sizes of lots, HA's lots ARE NOT 1000' long, that Orchidland, HA's lots are like 3 football field end to end (871' X 150'), not a spaghetti lot like Orchidland which has lots the shape of a ruler 12X1

save our indigenous and endemic Hawaiian Plants... learn about them, grow them, and plant them on your property, ....instead of all that invasive non-native garbage I see in most yards... aloha

[rainyjim]

I think orchid land is 1148 x 125

Cheers

rainyjim

[purplefireweed]

The nice thing about this area if you want to learn how to grow food is that there are SO MANY helpful folks that can advise and share tricks, tips and helpful hints. Plus there are always ongoing, affordable and often free workshops about home food production. A wonderful and empowering book by local garden writer Barbara Fahs, "The Super Simple Guide to Creating Hawaiian Gardens" is a great place to start. Barb makes growing beautiful food and medicine plants out of bare lava a piece of cake. Be sure to visit her at Hi`iaka's Garden (find her on FB or at her website) to get a sense of what's possible. Best wishes for your upcoming transition!

[YurtGirl]

Yes, correct on the Hawaiian Acres dimensions. Hawaiian Acres is somewhat better at 150' wide, not like Fern Forest that averages 100x1000.

Yeah, Eric, sorry. :O I've had to get real lately about my love/hate relationship with Fern Forest. Love (mostly) the area/land/temperature, Do NOT Love the thoughtless, jobless, drunk, junk, unethical people who always live in these areas, even though they often aren't even land owners here... They make it very difficult to struggle through with a good attitude. Pardon my reality check I always liked Orchidland. If I had to buy somewhere in the HPP/Ainaloa/Orchidland/HA/Fern Acres/Fern Forest area, it would be Orchidland. Hawaiian Acres was pretty cool too, but it's gotten worse over the years and most of the roads are just ridiculous (I mean it... sometimes I have to pull over and laugh driving in there , although they do pose an obstacle to dumpers... They also make the area ripe for illegal dumping.


Melissa Fletcher
___________________________
"Make yurts, not war" Bill Coperthwaite, 1973

[ericlp]

Actually the best way to get around the Spaghetti lots is to go in with a few friends. Buy up 2 or 3 lots... Than have someone take the front half and the other take the back half (flag) lot. That way you can get a lot more of a squarish type lot.

I use to own 2 lots in Orchidland. They are 125' wide so, 250' wide by about 1100' so... each person would get 250'W X 550'L ... Sadly even with Six Acres... Sound travels.

Learned a few things... If you do have a noisy neighbor you don't want to be down wind. So best bet is to find the worst neighbor the one that likes to play music loud or has dogs/roosters/ you name it... and build as far away as you can.

Best bet would be to find neighbors that already built semi close to the road on either side so you can build in the 8-900' back of your lot! Just hope your lot is flat enough to not do too much drive way maintenance.

That all being said... I'm the most happiest where I am now in beaches sub-division. Yes, there are dogs in the hood. And yes there are some rentals around where they are playing loud music ... But there are a few lots from me! Whew... Anyway. I like having .3 of an acre because I am not chained to a weed eater or a lawn mower... I don't have to worry about road's or road maintenance fee's because all the roads are paved... Having piped water and a mail box that's 35' from my house is tops not to mention road runner with 15 megs down and 2 megs up. I have tons of papaya, banana, star fruit, avocado, etc...etc... trees and still room for some vegetables and pineapple. So... I'm good!

[kalakoa]

Note that many subdivisions have some kind of market, often similar to a "farmers' market" but not called by that name. Find out when/where, and drop by, these are a good cross-section, and tend to indicate the "flavor" of their subdivision.

If there's any kind of "neighborhood watch" meeting, drop in on those too, listen carefully when the HPD officer gives crime statistics for the month.