Miloli‘i Beach Park given OK for ADA improvements

The Leeward Planning Commission approved a pair of permits Thursday for a County project to make accessibility improvements to Miloli‘i Beach Park.

The project, initiated by the county Department of Parks and Recreation, would make various improvements throughout the Captain Cook park in order to put the facility in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

A county resident previously sued the county in 1997 for having several facilities that did not adhere to ADA guidelines; Miloli‘i is one of the last remaining county facilities to be upgraded following that lawsuit.

The project’s work will make improvements to the park’s paved surfaces, including its parking lot, sidewalks and ball courts, replace its restroom facilities, replace and relocate its pavilion, and install a new wastewater system.

Parks and Recreation planner James Komata told the commission Thursday that, in addition to being out of compliance with ADA guidelines, the park is generally in rough shape. The bathrooms have been shut down for more than a year — “the underground piping is basically gone, deteriorated to the point where they can’t be used,” he said — while the ball courts have crumbling surfaces and the roof of the pavilion rusts.

“To bring the park into compliance with the ADA is marrying well with the need to address a lot of the deferred maintenance and repairs needed to bring the park back to a functional state,” Komata said.

At the same time, Komata said the layout of the park will not substantially change, following feedback from Miloli‘i community members.

The commission approved requests by Parks and Recreation for a special management area use permit and a shoreline setback variance after brief discussion.