Historic Hawai‘i Foundation
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Photo by David Cornwell, Courtesy of Honolulu Magazine
What is it?
Ahh, Koke‘e, an idyllic 4,345 acres of mountainous Kaua‘i state park. It’s also home to 114 secluded recreational cabins—92 of them more than 50 years old—which have been caught in the middle of a preservation battle. The 20-year leases on the rustic cabins are set to expire at the end of this year, and the state plans to put them up for open auction, sparking heated protests from the current lessees, who want the option to extend their leases, or, failing that, be compensated for any additions and improvements they’ve made. (Under the current lease terms, all improvements revert to the state at the end of the leases.)
HISTORIC HAWAI‘I FOUNDATION
What threatens it?
It depends on who you ask. The Koke‘e Leaseholders Association contends that an open auction will jeopardize historic cab-ins by opening them up to newcomers who care little for Kokee’s unique heritage.“Our desire is for the state to see the light and negotiate directly with the people who are preserving their property, who have created this community,” says David Koch, who has been a cabin owner since the last auction in 1985. Peter Young, director of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, points out that about 40 of the current leaseholders have applied for conservation-district use permits that would allow them to demolish or move their cab-ins. “It’s an interesting mindset, when we’ve heard hours of testimony on the importance of protecting and preserving the place, and at the same time, people are stepping forward with applications for permits to destroy the very thing they’ve been testifying in defense of,” Young says.
What can be done?
Everything is on hold right now, while a lawsuit brought by the Koke‘e Leaseholders Association over compensation plays out in court. Young says that, whatever happens, any new leases will include restrictions appropriate to the preservation of historic structures. A proposal is also in the works to designate Koke‘e as a historic district, which would give further legal protection to the cabins.
Koke‘e State Park
Kauai
Story by
Michael Keany, Honolulu Magazine
Most Endangered Historic Sites
in Hawaii
View Most Endangered Historic Sites in Hawaii in a larger map
