Question: Regarding new rules at community gardens (808ne.ws/3BSivCy), I have some questions as I am one who could be considered in violation although I do have good reasons for neglecting my plot (ill health). Will there be a grace period in terms of cutting back overgrowth and removing trees that are no longer allowed? Also, why are they saying no trees? Last, will they enforce against the feeding of feral cats?
Answer: To be clear, the proposed new rules have not yet taken effect — they were drafted after years of outreach and are the subject of an upcoming public hearing before being finalized (more on that later).
Getting to your questions, yes, if the new rules are adopted, there will be a one-year grace period before formal monitoring begins and gardeners risk losing their plots for failing to follow the new rules, according to a letter distributed to plot-holders and posted on the city website. Enforcement of existing rules is ongoing.
As for trees, the updated rules would still allow them (with some exceptions), but in pots, not directly in the ground. The draft rules say in Section 19-12-12(a), “No planting of trees and woody plants, including any type of fruit tree in the ground. Any tree or woody plant shall be planted in a pot with an impermeable barrier such as concrete block or bricks underneath the pot to ensure that tree roots do not penetrate the soil.” Some woody plants, such as cassava and ti, could be planted in the ground as exceptions to the general rule, the draft says.
Problems associated with trees planted in the ground in community gardens outweigh their benefits, including “safety issues with falling branches, unsanctioned pruning when trees get big, turning over plots that are root-bound, shading out plot neighbors, reducing visibility (and therefore security of garden plots), and roots damaging pipes and other structures,” the city says in an FAQ explaining the proposed changes.
Finally, the proposed rules do address feral cats, saying in Section 19-12-14(c) that “no animals are allowed in the garden except for service animals,” and in Section 19-12-14(d) that “feeding of feral animals is not allowed where signs are posted.”
The city Department of Parks and Recreation has dedicated a web page to the effort to update rules for Honolulu’s Recreational Community Gardening Program, which were last revised in 1984. You can find links there to the existing rules, the proposed updates, the FAQ and other information. See bit.ly/hrcgp-rule-revision.
As for the public hearing, it is scheduled for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 28 in the Conservatory Classroom at Foster Botanical Garden, 180 N. Vineyard Blvd. The meeting can be attended in person or accessed virtually via a Zoom link posted on the aforementioned website.
Oahu has 11 community gardens with a total of about 1,238 garden plots; about 300 people are wait-listed for a plot, according to the city.
Q: People planning to walk the Makapuu lighthouse trail for the first sunrise of 2025 should know there won’t be room on the summit platform. We were surprised at how crowded it was when we did it a few years ago. The sunrise was beautiful, but we didn’t see it from the top.
A: That’s true; cultural performers will be stationed on the summit platform, which will be closed before and during sunrise to “provide space for the pu, oli and the taiko drummers,” the state Department of Land Natural Resources said in a news release about the annual First Day Hike at the Makapu‘u Point Lighthouse Trail in East Oahu, where about 800 hikers are expected to converge for Wednesday’s sunrise.
The news release offered tips for those planning to attend:
>> Gates to the trailhead will open at 5:30 a.m. to provide ample time to get to the top and in position along the route for the 7:09 a.m. sunrise.
>> The paved footpath is 1 mile each way.
>> Flashlights, blankets and warm clothes are encouraged.
>> Parking is limited at the trailhead. Carpooling is encouraged.
>> Overflow vehicles must park along the highway. Exercise extreme caution when crossing the highway.
>> There are no permanent restrooms at Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline, which includes this trail, but for this event there will be portable toilets at the trailhead.
>> Leashes and waste bags are required for dogs.
>> Carry out all rubbish.
Auwe
To our so-called trusted neighbors in our secured building, who took packages that were delivered to our doors. Unbelievable! — A reader
Mahalo
Mahalo to all the children who shared their Christmas visions and their talent in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser contest. I loved seeing the daily artwork at the top of the front page. Thank goodness I did not have to pick a winner as every one of the drawings was wonderful. Thank you, young artists, for sharing your talent and your holiday spirit. — Leslie M.
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
