Asphalt Graves

"They paved paradise and put up a parking lot" 

There once was a grove of 103 coconut trees, planted, coincidentally, 103 years ago.  A century of war, flooding, fires, and hurricanes; yet the trees survived.  

The hundred foot palms stood silently as their brothers were cut down for what is now the Marriott Courtyard.  They witnessed the rise and fall of the Coconut marketplace: aptly named for the trees that it displaced.  From their very top, it was just possible to see the derelict Cocopalms hotel to the south.  As trees do, they watched without complaint as the Coconut Coast transitioned to resorts and asphalt.   

Shortly after statehood, in order to incentivize infrastructure construction, Hawaiʻi adopted a “highest and best use” policy of land taxation.  Meaning that land would be taxed based on a bureaucrats idea of its "best use," regardless of whether it was vacant or a skyscraper. With that, the tax designation for the coconut grove changed to resort; effectively ensuring the trees' eventual destruction.  For forty-one years the land holders (descendants of the man who planted the trees) had been paying the highest possible tax rate for a grove of coconut trees that generated zero income.  

"They took all the trees, and put em in a tree museum"

The trees were deemed "Exceptional Trees" under State law Act 105, which mandates that the counties "review" any effort to "endanger" them.  However, coconut trees, which have evolved over the millenia to grow in nutrient deficient sand, withstand high winds, fight off disease, and float across the pacific are completely defenseless against the forces of capitalism.  And, act 105 wasn't enough.

"And they charged the people a dollar and a half to see them"

CVS, which owns Longs Drugs (and 6,700 other stores) is the 12th largest company in the world.  And they have a policy to pursue “stand-alone” stores.  That simple policy, based off of years of brand analysis and market research, deemed their current 20,000 square foot store inadequate for maximum profitability. So, they set their sights on abandoning their location in order to build a new and improved 23,000 sq ft store and 66,000 sq ft parking lot in the 2 acre coconut grove 400 yards away.  The only problem being that the trees were protected under Act 105.  Luckily, they knew the magic words.  According to their spokesperson,* CVS Longs Drugs “wants to preserve the grove-like atmosphere by integrating the project into the site by maintaining, re-planting and relocating some of the trees in order to keep the same number of trees that exist today."  

Approval was granted, the land sold, 72% of the land cleared, and the "tropical" themed store is now nearing completion.  

"Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone"

When the black dust fences come down, the sudden unveiling effectively erases our memory of the coconut grove that used to stand before.  As the sadness and anger fade, we complete the story with our complicity.  The next time I need new $3 slippers, I will park my truck on the asphalt grave of "exceptional trees," walk into the cold fluorescence and barely audible music of the polynesian themed CVS Longs Drugs, and retroactively sign the death warrant of 54 coconut trees as I hand the teller my money.

This is the first of two parts on development on Kaua'i with a focus on the CVS Longs Drugs in Kapa'a.




*Quoted from the Minutes of the 09/26/13 County of Kauaʻi Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Fund Commission