When the firm of Helber Hastert & Fee released its initial plans for the Kawainui-Hamakua Marsh Complex, it included buildings, parking lots, restrooms and trails as part of a plan to achieve a nebulous set of objectives:

» "Need for continued restoration efforts.

» "Integrate cultural practices within Kawainui Marsh.

» "Increase and manage public access.

» "Integrate passive outdoor recreational opportunities.

» "Increase educational opportunities.

» "Increase educational opportunities, programs and partnerships.

» "Sensitivity to increased use and access.

» "Resource management and stewardship opportunities."

The Kailua Neighborhood Board therefore recommended that the state departments of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and Forestry and Wildlife (DFAW) convene a group of community stakeholders such as Alele, LaniKailua the Outdoor Circle, Hawaii’s Thousand Friends, Ahahui Malama I ka Lokahi, Kailua Hawaiian Civic Club, the Audubon Society, the planning firm and the neighborhood board itself and task them with the following:

» Define a set of objectives for the restoration of Kawainui Marsh.

» Prioritize those objectives.

» Find common ground on the concerns over the size and nature of the footprint of structures, parking lots and pathways based on how they align with the agreed upon objectives.

As a starting point, the neighborhood board recommended the following objectives:

» Improve the water quality coming into Kawainui-Hamakua and entering into Kailua Bay.

» Restore the marsh by eliminating invasive plants, planting native flora, enhancing nesting areas, and excluding feral animals.

» Restore and preserve the marsh’s natural capacity for flood mitigation.

» Protect and preserve cultural and archaeological sites.

» Integrate cultural practices that have a minimal impact on the natural beauty and function of the marsh.

» Permit only educational programs with minimal impact, as otherwise there will eventually be nothing left to educate people about.

» Ensure that any structures have minimal visual and environmental impacts on the marsh, including sewage and runoff; designs that align with cultural norms; maximum possible life spans; and funded maintenance plans.

Despite the neighborhood board’s proposal, and substantial community opposition to the development aspects of the proposed plan, the planner failed to adopt any of the recommendations. It did reword its May 2014 revision of the draft master plan by listing the "objectives of the DFAW and the Department of State Parks":

» Manage and protect watersheds, ecosystems, and natural and cultural resources.

» Provide passive outdoor recreational opportunities and facilities as appropriate.

» Facilitate partnerships, community involvement and education.

» Manage park sites having outdoor, recreational, natural, cultural and scenic values.

» Promote natural cultural and scenic values through educational and interpretive programs.

» Provide public access.

» Promote science and research.

Unfortunately, Helber Hastert & Fee did not alter the plan to align with these objectives.

It is also instructive to note that these objectives were in a section called "Support Agency Mission Objectives," which was one of seven "Planning Framework Themes."

Thus, at present the fate of the Kawainui-Hamakua complex remains unclear. A re-examination and prioritization of objectives is needed so that actions resulting from them will ensure a healthy and functioning wetland for future generations.

As the Kailua Neighborhood Board recommended at its September meeting, the draft master plan process should be put on hold until the new administration can facilitate a transparent and inclusive discussion of objectives.

If the goal is to ensure a healthy and functioning wetland for future generations, objectives focused on improving the ecosystem should be given the highest priority. In the long run, all of Hawaii will benefit from this scientific approach.