Lanai Tourist Project, Housing,
Proposed For Pineapple Isle

BY BUCK QUAYLE

Lanai Tourist Project

The Lanai Co. has proposed a low density residential and tourist area for the pineapple island of Lanai.

The company is a division of Oceanic Properties, Inc., a subsidiary of Castle & Cooke, Inc., which owns most of the island.

Donald Rietow, Lanai Co. president, said Dole Co.'s 15,600-acre pineapple plantation would not be affected. Dole is another subsidiary of Castle & Cooke.

About 15,000 of the island's 74,800 acres of non-pineapple land would be residential acreage under the plan.

Of those areas designated residential, 13,500 acres would be agricultural-residential, 900 would be rural, 500 would be urban, and 100 would be hotel and resort.

The plan provides for growth from the present population of 2,200 to a maximum of 12,500.

This figure includes the tourist population, for which 1,000 to 2,000 rooms would be provided. A 12-room hotel in Lanai City currently offers the only tourist facilities.

Most of the tourist developments would be situated at Hulopoe and sites between Shipwreck Beach and Naha. There would also be a lodge at Koele, near Lanai City.

The present 150 acres of beach and park areas would be increased to 1,000 acres and a small boat harbor would be build at Makaiwa.

According to Rietow, geologists say there is enough domestic water for the proposal.

County Planning Director Howard Nakamura said the proposal will be studied by the Planning Dept. staff and a public hearing will be called for early next year.