Who is Keep The North Shore Country?
Keep the North Shore Country is a non-profit organization working to preserve, protect and enhance the heritage and rural character of the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, in partnership with communities from Kaena Point to Kahaluu.
Keep the North Shore Country (KNSC) was organized on May 19, 2006 by four area residents concerned about the proposed Turtle Bay Resort (TBR) expansion from 500 resort units to 4000 units for which the developers claimed a 1985 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was adequate to understand and mitigate potential environmental impacts two decades later.
Four years later, on April 8, 2010, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled in favor of KNSC and Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter, in the landmark Unite Here! Local 5 case. The Court ruled the City and County of Honolulu had erred in accepting a 1985 EIS for the 2005 development application and that Kuilima Resort Company must produce a Supplemental EIS before proceeding.
In late 2013, the City and County of Honolulu accepted, against objections of improper methodology and results from Keep the North Shore Country, an SEIS from the successor development company, Turtle Bay Resort, LLC. Another legal proceeding followed.
In 2015, KNSC negotiated a settlement with TBR, whereby the resort would complete the conservation agreement, provide $200,000 over five years to NSCLT for conservation projects at Kahuku Point and allow KNSC first right to conservation of other valuable shoreline lands owned by the resort.
Today, Turtle Bay Resort consists of 500 resort units, and the owners retain the option to develop an additional 725 units, instead of 3500 units. Nearly 79 percent of the resort lands are now protected from development. Fifty-five acres around Kawela Bay is preserved for perpetual public recreation as state and city park lands. Another 562 acres of resort land have a conservation easement overlay that prevents development. Likewise,the resort placed a conservation easement over 468 acres of active agricultural lands.
Keep the North Shore Country is interested in protecting more beachfront land near Kahuku Point from development, supporting additional bike ways around the North Shore and continuing its advocacy for environmental protection.
Since 2017, the organization is involved in a contested case hearing regarding the Habitat Conservation Plan for the proposed Na Pua Makani wind project near Kahuku.
The Directors of Keep the North Shore Country are Gil Riviere, Lucky Cole, Laura Moritz, Kathleen Pahinui and Mike Takahashi, all area residents.