HomeMy WebLinkAboutNR04-20-17
C O U NT Y O F KAU A‘I
BERNARD P. CARVALHO JR.
Mayor
WALLACE G. REZENTES JR.
Managing Director
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
News Release
April 20, 2017
MICHAEL DAHILIG, DIRECTOR
Tel (808) 241-4050
Fax (808) 241-6699
Judge affirms county shutdown of illegal vacation rental
LĪHU‘E – Fifth Circuit Judge Kathleen Watanabe yesterday ruled in favor of the county’s
shutdown of an illegal vacation rental in Kīlauea.
Watanabe’s ruling in the case of Rene Campos v. County of Kaua‘i, et al affirms the
Planning Commission’s decision on an administrative appeal last year.
Kaua‘i attorney Jonathan Chun had attempted to persuade the judge that the planning
director was wrong in not considering his client’s conversion of a guest house to a single family
vacation rental as grandfathered, and supposedly entitling his client to a certificate that allows
the continued vacation rental usage.
“We are pleased with the judge’s ruling,” said Planning Director Michael Dahilig. “I
would like to acknowledge our legal team in defending our enforcement actions to stop those
wishing to cheat our land use laws because they are tempted by the large sums of money these
vacation rentals can yield. Illegal vacation rentals like these take valuable housing out of the
long-term housing market for our local residents, and is precisely why our vacation rental laws
need to be respected.”