KNSA Report from the Turtle Bay "Plussing" Workshop
March 27, 2011

Aloha Ko'olauloa North Shore Alliance Supporter -
As we reported in our March 8, 2011 email, Drew Stotesbury from Replay Resorts (hired to oversee the ongoing management of hotel and golf operations as well as the real estate development program at Turtle Bay), invited KNSA to send four representatives to a "plussing" workshop held March 8 - 10 at the Turtle Bay Resort. "Plussing" was defined by Replay as: "to take an idea, a plan or a project and as a group to collaboratively make it better." KNSA appreciated this unique opportunity to engage in direct and in-depth discussions with Replay, its consulting team, other community members and the resort owners. On the last afternoon of the workshop a revised "straw" master plan for the development of the resort was presented by Replay.

Disappointingly, after two days of otherwise very positive discussions, Replay rolled out only a slightly rearranged version of (former Turtle Bay Resort owner) Oaktree Capital's massive development plan, including four big hotels, three large condo units, commercial centers, and development still projected to be spread from Kawela Bay to Kahuku Point. KNSA representatives and others expressed concerns that the plan was "way too much." As reported in Mr. Stotesbury's email to workshop participants on March 17, 2011 (see here), already, due to the deep concerns expressed by KNSA and others about this first "straw plan," Replay is revising (and, we hope, significantly downsizing) that plan. We are pleased to hear that their first version is already history.

The meeting ended amicably but with KNSA and other workshop participants expressing the view that this conceptual plan was still "way too many units" and not a sustainable solution for Turtle Bay Resort or the surrounding communities. In general, however, the discussions were interesting and very different from any held with previous owners. Therefore, KSNA believes the workshop was valuable and continues to present opportunities for positive community dialogue with Replay and the new ownership group. The Alliance will continue to monitor the revisions to the plan and act as a conduit for community concerns. KNSA is also engaging Drew Stotesbury in parallel discussion about creative "no build" options for sustaining the Turtle Bay lands. We continue to believe that significant development of this area is not sustainable either for the resort or our local communities, especially given pressures already being placed on Ko'olauloa and the North Shore by "Envision Laie" and other large-scale development proposals.

To continue in the spirit of the "plussing" conversation, KNSA is planning our own "Talk Story 3," the latest in a series of community discussions involving the future of Turtle Bay Resort. This forum will allow you to ask questions of Resort representatives, elected officials, and various experts as well as present your own ideas for alternatives to development of rural lands. The Talk Story will also serve to inform the community as to how the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement process works and how residents and visitors can comment on the draft document (anticipated to be released in early Summer) and find areas for improvement.

We will keep you posted on further developments and hope to see you in late April/early May, at the Sunset Beach
Elementary School Cafeteria for Talk Story 3!

Sincerely,
Ko'olauloa North Shore Alliance