They Paved Paradise And Put Up A Parking Lot. 'Bettejo Dux' (Classic Wednesday)

Bettejo Dux  one of Kauai's true gems, Today she 

guest-blogs about the question of progress, some think it's development  Many on 

Kaua'i believe it is open space, what is your view?  Think! Enjoy...

www.bettejodux.com

Recently, in The Garden Island News,  the headline, LUC convert one-third of  Grove Farm Lands into IAL, appeared in the business section.

LUC, the state Land Use Commission, approved the petition from Grove Farm converting a total of 11,048 acres to Important Agricultural Lands. That's a big hunk of land, but many of us wonder what the trade-off was. More suburban sprawl? Obviously there's a dollar factor involved here, we're not a communist state, private ownership of land is allowed-and that's a good thing. I own land. Lots of peasants own land, but Steve Case, who owns Grove Farm, is not a peasant. We can be sure he will be allowed to sell the other two-thirds.

Does this mean more suburban sprawl? More highways, roads, over crowding? Probably. I sincerely doubt Mr. Case plans on creating a vast estate in all the emptiness.

Mr.Case, Grove Farm executives, Kauai Planning Department, Mayor Carvalho, what if we think outside the box? What if we finally accept the fact the old ways don't work? We need open space. We need food. We need clean air. And, because we all know Kauai is such a special place, why don't we do something special with it? We can. It'll be beautiful, profitable and enhance the scenic wonder of this fabulous island. Attract tourists. Praise. A win win win.

Imagine: a high-rise -maybe several think  IlIkais (Hotels)- set at the foot of those magnificent cliffs. Designed to blend in. Small towns, under one roof. Penthouses for the rich, studios for the poor, one and two and three bedroom apartments for the middle and upper.

Theater, restaurants, bars, offices, a post office, a clinic, a school, shops, markets, stores, funeral parlors, churches- eeek-all within walking or quietly elevatoring distance. Solar power or windmills on  the roof. Plenty water underground. Parking and garages and gas stations under ground. Surrounded by open land. One twisty/turning beautiful little two lane tree lined road winding its way through orange groves. fragrant veggie and flower stands, parks, golf courses, tennis courts, swimming pools, baseball, football, soccer fields, walk ways, bike ways, jogger ways.  Pastures. Goats, sheep cows, cattle, free roaming chicken, delightful clean smelling piggeries. Bridle paths. Horses. Dogs. A very worldly, human, planet wise habitat.

This isn't a dream. A utopia. It's happening elsewhere and it can certainly happen here.

We're open to it. We deserve it.

Architects and visitors from all over the world would flock to see it. To be involved in designing it. Hey, we could give China a run for her money. Sun City, hah! How about Sun Town Kauai!!

Open your minds, guys. Use your imagination,  your bucks, you power.Sell it. Let's see it. Have fun.  Work hard, play hard, enjoy, while making a lot of people happy . The island and the planet healthier. Build a road to profit that's a pleasure instead of a pain.

For goodness sake Mr. Case don't hand us another made in China ticky-tacky mess like the one you've planned for Koloa.


Kimo's comment,
"They paved Paradise and put up a parking lot, with a big Hotel, Motel and a swinging hot spot! Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you got till it's gone, they paved paradise and put a parking lot."  Joni Mitchel

I wouldn't mind moderate development on Kauai, with the increased population and tourism at an all time high, it's time to  at least build more roads.. Sorry Bettejo.