Beach Access Victory at Kahala Beach

The Kahala Hotel & Resort sought a controversial easement of state beach lands on its property on the South Shore of Honolulu to expand its outdoor wedding ceremonies and basically cut off access for local residents. But the plan was not well received by the community.  Surfrider's Oahu Chapter joined the Waialae-Kahala Neighborhood Board, the Sierra Club and a handful of Oahu residents to mount protests to the hotel’s proposal. Critics said it would set a dangerous precedent by favoring commercial interests over public beach access, which is a hard-won right in Hawaii.  In the face of mounting opposition, the Kahala Hotel & Resort ended up withdrawing its controversial request to obtain the easement for an acre of public shoreline for commercial enterprises.  They also promised to keep access open to this pristine beach area.