$26.5M?

[jerry]

The Tuesday Hilo paper had this article about a mega mansion on the Hamakua coast
http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/news/do-...-auctioned

There was also an article several months ago. The developers are trying to make this a model for development on the Hamakua coast.

Driving by I watched this go up. The property used to be mac nuts. Now its a fancy mansion for someone who may only use it one week a year. Not my idea of progress. I hope it does not sell.

Jerry

[missydog1]

It will sell guaranteed, because it is a No Reserve auction. I was going to post something about empty out your piggybanks and try your luck. [:p]

This specific contractor who build this on spec has been a thorn in the side of Planning and Building and has been fined more than once, but he does not seem to care. He maintained that was not a helo pad on the roof while building, but after the fact he advertises it as such.

I am fine if he loses his shirt on this one.
This is the same guy who shut down the PepeÔekeo Point public access and destroyed the historical artifacts there even though he had been told to present an inventory of them before proceeding.

What he is doing at PepeÔekeo Point is pretty obscene. The public will need to squeeze by between the pali and the walls of the PepeÔekeo Palace (his name for it, not mine). He said he was leaving the foundation of a historic structure alone and putting a small tennis court in it, and then proceeded to turn the whole area into a massive pool that was not in the plans. And so on ...

The Hamakua coast is fighting this model in so far as opposing rezoning, but if a project is compatible with the existing zoning it is not possible to do much other than watch for violations, which are common enough.

[lavalava]

The Californization of the Big Island is in full swing folks...

[Midnight Rambler]

It's a singularly ugly house. It looks like he skimped on hiring an architect.

[Wao nahele kane]

It's the gangster rappers ultimate party crib! Featuring an apartment complex style tennis court with the must have banksters style helicopter pad a water park to scope the biatches and one sick a$$ air elevator.

[Wao nahele kane]

I wonder if it comes with a free case of cold Colt 45?

[kalakoa]

This eyesore proves what I've long suspected: zoning/planning/building will approve anything if the money is right.

[peteadams]

kalakoa: "This eyesore proves what I've long suspected: zoning/planning/building will approve anything if the money is right."

KathyH: "The Hamakua coast is fighting this model in so far as opposing rezoning, but if a project is compatible with the existing zoning it is not possible to do much other than watch for violations, which are common enough."

Them that's got gets. What's the mystery?

[Kapohocat]

I guess they didnt get the memo that said BIG House are so yesterday.

TINY houses are in.

[missydog1]

quote:

---

Originally posted by kalakoa

This eyesore proves what I've long suspected: zoning/planning/building will approve anything if the money is right.

---

ItÔs actually not fair to the Planning Dept. staff to say this. I had a chance to meet and work with the planners who are dealing with this contractor. IÔm not going to repeat stuff they told me in a forum, but basically their hands were tied in the way I said above: if the laws permit an owner to do something, he can do it. They canÔt say no simply because his project appalls them.

It is not fair to them to think they welcomed this building project, and they certainly did not benefit financially from the process. The downside of their civil servant job is they have to follow the laws.

Money does help people like Watson get by because he can afford an attorney who will sue the County, which he has done, or individuals in the County, which he has also done (see the article). For each lawsuit filed, there is another that was not filed but was held over the County as a threat if they did not negotiate a settlement.

The corporation counselÔs office has to analyze the risks to the County in terms of litigation costs and the cost of losing, and paying for the loss out of a fund that is made up of our taxes.

Most of us donÔt have the money to put a $300 an hour attorney on retainer and have them seek out weak points in the setback agreements, the planning process, the general plan, the zoning code. The rich have that and use it. And more, because Planning approval and disapproval here is often ruled by precedent, so if they can find a precedent for what they want, the County cannot say no or it will be sued for dealing unfairly. The burden is then on the County to distinguish the current case from the precedent, in order to deny.

Christian Kay is a really good guy. Talk to him if you want straight answers.

fri, when a builder contests a ruling by Planning, which did happen in this case, the Appeal is a public hearing and the public is welcome to testify. If the public gets involved and goes to hearings, it can make a difference.