Castle & Cooke To Proceed with Koa Ridge Development Project

Developer Castle & Cooke Hawaii has announced that they still plan to proceed with the Koa Ridge project that will provide 3,500 new homes in central Oahu.  This affirmation by Castle & Cooke comes after the Hawaii Supreme Court rule on December 23, 2013, that a 2010 Land Use Commission approval was invalid.  However, representatives of Castle & Cooke noted that in 2012, the Land Use Commission voted again to reclassify the land from agricultural to urban use.  Castle & Cooke issued a statement saying, "The (Supreme Court) ruling does not prevent us from proceeding with Koa Ridge. A 2012 LUC approval remains in effect, and last month, Bill 48 (Ordinance 13-38) was signed into law by Mayor Kirk Caldwell that completes the city's rezoning process.  The merits of Castle & Cooke's Koa Ridge project were never in question and we remain committed to moving forward with the project. We have heard from many of you and are overwhelmed by the positive responses and inquiries from families who hope to call Koa Ridge home."

According to Castle & Cooke, ground breaking should begin in 2015 and the first homes should be built in 2016.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 12-31-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
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Honolulu Mayor Approves Koa Ridge Project

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell has signed a bill allowing Castle & Cooke Hawaii to start work on their Koa Ridge project which will provide 3,500 new homes in the central Oahu community. Caldwell stated, "The only way we're going to deal with our skyrocketing housing prices is by building more products and more units. The more that go on the market, that's going to control the increase in price. I'm 100 percent on board with trying to figure out ways to make housing more affordable." Opponents of the Koa Ridge project are still concerned that the new development would destroy important agricultural land in the region and also create even worse traffic problems along the H-2 freeway corridor.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 11-28-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
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Koa Ridge Update - Honolulu City Council to Have Final Vote Today

The Honolulu City Council is scheduled to vote today on Bill 48, which would allow 576 acres of agricultural land located between Waipio and Mililani in Central Oahu to be developed into commercial, residential and industrial areas.  If the Bill is passed, developer Castle & Cooke plans to build Koa Ridge, which would provide an additional 3,500 homes in the area.  The Koa Ridge project has brought about a lot of heated debate from members of the Central Oahu community. Some have argued that there is a significant need for new homes in the area, and the Koa Ridge development would also provide thousands of construction jobs in the coming years. Opponents of the project are worried about increased traffic and the significant loss of agricultural land.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 11-13-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
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Koa Ridge Project Needs Just One Final Approval

The Koa Ridge Project has received approval from the City Council's Zoning and Planning Committee and would now just need approval from the entire Honolulu City Council before construction work could begin.  The 576-acre project is being developed by Castle & Cooke Hawaii, who is pleased by the news.  Koa Ridge will be built on the land located between the Waipio and Mililani communities in Central Oahu.  A total of 30 percent of the homes built would have to be "affordable" and made available to families earning no more than 140 percent of the area's median income for a family of four.

There are still two pending court cases against the Koa Ridge project that have been submitted by the Sierra Club Hawaii Chapter.  One is currently being reviewed by the Hawaii Supreme Court while the second is before the state Intermediate Court of Appeals.  Director of the Sierra Club Hawaii Chapter, Robert Harris, commented, "The City Council should act carefully because if the Supreme Court reverses the Land Use Commission decision, the project could be changed entirely or not be allowed to move forward at all."

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 11-2-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
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Koa Ridge Project Given Preliminary Approval

The Honolulu City Council's Planning Committee has given preliminary approval to rezone 576 acres of agricultural land in Waipio to create the new Koa Ridge development.  Developer Castle & Cooke plans to build 3,500 residential units as well as a commercial center, hospital, school, hotel and several other buildings.  A second phase, not part of this consideration, may be proposed at a later date.  The second phase would have an additional 1,500 homes. The proposal will now go before the full City Council for a vote.

Opponents of the Koa Ridge project are concerned about the reduction of agricultural land and about the traffic problems that a new development would create. Critics argue that the traffic report being submitted by the developer was conducted in 2009, and should be updated.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 9-14-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
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Koa Ridge Project Being Reviewed By Zoning and Planning Committee

The Honolulu City Council's Zoning and Planning Committee will be meeting to discuss the Koa Ridge Project, which is being proposed by developer Castle & Cooke Homes.  The large residential project has asked to rezone 576 acres of agricultural land in Waipio, just north of Ka Uka Boulevard.  If approved, Castle & Cooke hopes to build 3,500 residential homes, a new medical facility, a commercial center, an elementary school, several parks and a small business hotel.  As part of the proposal, the Koa Ridge Project will spend $100 million in traffic improvements for the neighborhood, including build a new H-2 freeway interchange at Pineapple Road.

The project has been heavily criticized by the Sierra Club Oahu Group and other organizations who feel that this would destroy one fertile agricultural land.  There is also concern about traffic that the Koa Ridge development would cause in the neighborhood.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 9-10-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
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Honolulu Planning Commission Endorses Zoning Change for Koa Ridge Project

In a 5-0 decision, the Honolulu Planning Commission has decided to endorse the zoning change for the Koa Ridge project, bringing the proposed community in Central Oahu one step closer to development.  Developer Castle & Cooke Homes Hawaii had asked for a zoning change to turn 576 acres of agricultural land located between Mililani and Waipio into urban zoning.  This would allow the project to start construction of their initial phase of 3,500 house. Koa Ridge would also have a new medical facility, a commercial center, an elementary school, parks and possibly a hotel.  Supporters of the project are delighted about the news and are happy that there will be additional construction jobs and homes in the neighborhood. Opponents of the project protested that there would be additional traffic problems and prime agricultural farmland will be lost to the redevelopment.

Castle & Cooke hopes to build a second phase of Koa Ridge sometime in the future on a separate 192 acre area located nearby.  The plan would be to build 1,500 homes and an elementary school in that location, but a separate zoning change would be needed for that project.  If both projects are approved, it is estimated that the combined cost would be $2.2 billion and take about 10 years to complete.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-11-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
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Koa Ridge Development Given Approval

The State of Hawaii’s Land Use Commission has given their approval for the Koa Ridge Development in a 7-0 vote.  The development will be located in Central Oahu between Mililani and Waipio and will include 5,000 homes as well as a hospital and a commercial center.  Castle & Cooke, the developer, hopes to start construction of the $2.2 billion project within a year and have the first somes completed in late 2014.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 6-8-2012, www.staradvertiser.com

Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, Realtor®

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Koa Ridge Debate Rages On

The State of Hawaii’s Land Use Commission will continue its hearings this week between the Castle & Cooke developer and those who oppose the Koa Ridge project.  Castle & Cooke hopes to create approximately 5,000 new homes on 768 acres of farmland located between Mililani and Waipio.  The project will cost approximately $2.2 billion, and will include the building of a hospital, two hotels and a commercial center.  Most recently, the state Department of Agriculture, the Office of Planning and the Department of Transportation have all stated that they support the Koa Ridge proposal and believe that the Land Use Commission should grant the zoning change needed to start the project.

However, there are several strong opponents of the project who have been very vocal in the debate.  Led by the Sierra Club Hawaii Chapter, state Senator Clayton Hee and Neighborhood Board Chairman Richard Poirier, the opposition is arguing that the Koa Ridge development would destroy prime farmland and increase traffic problems.

The Land Use Commission will make a decision on the Koa Ridge project later this year.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 4-6-2012 www.staradvertiser.com

Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, Realtor

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Land Use Commission Hears Testimonals for Koa Ridge Project

The Koa Ridge project, proposed by developer Castle & Cooke, would build a total of 5,000 homes, two elementary schools, a small hotel, a small hospital, parks and 500,000 sq ft of retail and office spaces on the 768 acres adjacent to Waipio and Mililani on the island of Oahu.  However, prior to start the $2.2 billion development, the state of Hawaii’s Land Use Commission must give its approval.  Opponents of the project hope to keep the land agricultural and are concerned about the increased traffic problems that the development would create.  The Land Use Commission will continue to hear testimonals from both sides over the next few days. 

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 2-3-2012, www.staradvertiser.com

Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, Realtor

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