Council discusses donor offer of 13 parcels; staff recommends accepting two for drainage and trailhead

The Diamond Head City Council spent an extended portion of its April 7 meeting discussing a donor offer of 13 parcels from Anne and Ken Reaver.

Staff and the city engineer reviewed the parcels on behalf of the city. A staff member said the engineer visited the lots and recommended accepting two parcels: one identified as useful for drainage and another adjacent to the planned Montjoy Creek trailhead. The staff member also said most of the other lots offered would not meet a clear city need, could create maintenance liabilities and would be removed from the tax rolls if accepted.

A staff member explained the practical tradeoffs: accepting parcels the city does not need could impose long‑term maintenance responsibilities, and surplus and disposition procedures for city‑owned property require administrative steps. Council members discussed potential future rezoning, the possibility of using some lots for overflow parking tied to commercial development, and the effect on the city’s tax base if parcels are taken off tax rolls.

Council did not vote to accept the properties on April 7. Instead, members asked staff to prepare a formal recommendation for the next meeting that would identify which parcels the city should accept, which to decline, and any conditions tied to acceptance or surplus. “John has looked and made a determination that his recommendation would be only to accept… 2 of the total properties,” a staff member said during the discussion. The council thanked the donors for their generosity and directed staff to return with options and a recommendation.