We, the people of the State of Hawai‘i, hereby petition the City
& County of Honolulu to halt plans to remove the Ha‘ikū
Stairs.
The City’s plan to spend $1.3 million to remove the stairs is ill-considered
and premature. The City should not spend taxpayer money to destroy this
historic monument without further consideration of the implications and
alternatives.
Ripping a staircase off the side of a steep, rain-soaked mountain is not
a simple task. The true costs of removal will likely far exceed the budgeted
amount. By contrast, left intact, the stairs could generate substantial
revenues without costing the City a single penny.
Removing the stairs would also inflict serious environmental harms to
a critical habitat. Doing so would jeopardize endangered species, trigger
landslides that threaten lives and property, and spawn costly lawsuits
that drain City resources and delay a final resolution. Moreover, the City’s
current plan to remove the stairs superstructure, leaving the foundation
and platforms in place, would fail to solve the problem. The stairs’
remnants would continue to pose an attractive nuisance that entices thrillseekers,
risks lives, and disturbs homeowners.
The City’s rush for removal makes no sense. Instead, the City should
allow valley stakeholders time to develop a responsible, managed access
solution. Such a win-win solution would incorporate the Ha‘ikū
Stairs into a holistic, sustainable plan for the entire Ha‘ikū
valley. This approach would generate positive revenues for the City. It
would fully protect taxpayers against liability and rescue costs. And it
offers the best way to stop trespassing and disturbances to valley residents
without burdening the City with needless security expenses.