Community Impacts of Vacation Rentals

Time to end Non-conforming Vacation Rentals outside the Visitor Destination Area (VDA) in Kaua'i.

The largest concentration of Transient Vacation Rentals (TVR) operating outside of the Visitor Destination Area (VDA) on Kaua'i is in the flood and tsunami evacuation zone on the island’s North Shore. The continuation of TVR uses in this area is a health, welfare, and safety risk for residents and tourists.

The largest concentration of Transient Vacation Rentals (TVR) operating outside of the Visitor Destination Area (VDA) on Kaua'i is in the residential, flood and tsunami evacuation zones on the island’s North Shore. Access to the Hanalei District is limited by seven historic one lane bridges traversing the Historic Route #560 corridor through high hazard areas experiencing coastal erosion, inundation and vulnerable to severe storm events. The flood events of April 2018 resulted in eighteen (18) landslides, isolating neighborhoods and residents and dramatically demonstrating the designation of these areas as “hazardous”. Four hundred and seventy-three (473) visitors from the Wainiha / Hā'ena area were evacuated by helicopter. An unknown number were evacuated by boats operated by citizens and the Hawaii National Guard. The expansion of the VDA in contravention of Kauai’s zoning laws in this area puts residents, tourists and rescuers in harm’s way. Residents and first responders were uninformed and ill prepared to assist the number of visitors during this evacuation, risking their own safety.

The continuation of TVR uses in this area is a health, welfare and safety risk for residents and tourists and comes at great financial burden to the county when an emergency occurs. Amortization and other remedies could reduce the numbers of TVRs operating outside of the VDA.

The following critical factors should be considered:

• Safety and welfare of residents and visitors

• Recurring coastal hazards

• Overlapping coastal hazards

• Flood hazards

• Tsunami hazards

• Lack of evacuation routes

• Lack of infrastructure

• Lack of essential emergency services, fire, police, ambulance

• Lack of food and water services

• Lack of capacity

• Lack of disclosure warnings and associated liability

• Lack of wastewater capacity

• Lack of adequate setbacks to fast rising rivers and associated hazards

• Lack of adequate setback along dynamic shores especially in non-conforming structures

• Resort units in residential areas without the infrastructure, capacity and zoning are a public nuisance

North Shore TVR map that shows the hazards: flooding, high waves and tsunamis!

Wainiha / Hā'ena Hazards Map with TVR locations.