Ouli Farms bridge application withdrawn after commissioners, residents raise water, cultural and segmentation concerns

The Commission on Water Resource Management on March 18, 2025 heard a prolonged public and commissioner review of a stream channel alteration permit (SCAP) for a proposed bridge at Ouli Farms (Wailaula Stream, phase 1). The applicant withdrew the application during the meeting after commissioners and numerous public speakers urged a fuller record addressing environmental review, water availability, and cultural resources.

Why it mattered: The Ouli Farms proposal — a bridge spanning a wide channel as part of a larger subdivision — raised questions about whether the single permit before the commission was being considered in isolation from a much larger, phased development on roughly 847 acres, and whether that segmentation avoided a required environmental assessment under HRS chapter 343. Commissioners repeatedly asked for more context about the project’s full scope and water needs before taking action on the channel‑alteration request.

What happened at the meeting - Project and scope: Dean Eno of the Commission’s Stream Protection and Management Branch described the request as a SCAP for a bridge for phase 1 of the Ouli Farms subdivision. The bridge design presented was a broad crossing that staff said would accommodate a 100‑year flood and included wing walls and abutments. - Commissioner concerns: Commissioners pressed staff and the applicant about whether the bridge permit was part of a larger phased project large enough to require an environmental assessment (HRS chapter 343). Commissioners flagged potential segmentation (approving a single construction permit without consideration of the larger subdivision), the absence of an EA in the publicly posted record, and the need for fuller archaeological and cultural consultation documentation. - Public…