LYCA President Charles Wong claims LYCA is Manoa Chinese Cemetery is running out of burial plots, and cannot add burial plots to the P-2 zoned preservation land (where Manoa Banyan Court would be built) due to Dept of Health regulations. Below is a recent email exchange Manoa resident Brett Kurashige had with Mr. Peter Oshiro at State of Hawaii Department of Health regarding Manoa Chinese Cemetery :
-----Original Message----- From: Brett Kurashige Sent: Tuesday, April 5, 2022 1:01 PM To: Oshiro, Peter S. <[email protected]> Subject: [EXTERNAL] Questions for State Department of Health related to Manoa Chinese Cemetery Mr. Oshiro, 1. I received a copy of the attached flyer from Lin Yee Chung Association (LYCA) President Charles Wong which states LYCA plans to develop a large 201H affordable housing rental condominium development called "Manoa Banyan Court" on the grounds of Manoa Chinese Cemetery, on 8 acres of undeveloped land contained within their 14.6 acre parcel (TMK: (1) 2-9-043:002), which is zoned P-2: Preservation. 2. At the 02 Feb 2022 Manoa Neighborhood Board meeting (https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://olelo.granicus.com/player/clip/82248?view_id=20&redirect=true__;!!LIYSdFfckKA!kVmHWVRCmtknd6Ai0fX85FKubZAt20g2zJT02ulBN0cyWyj1DsuYsacHrNTtV5lVxpvJe0np$ ), starting at time mark 1 hr, 23min), Charles Wong claimed State Department of Health regulations prevent LYCA from increasing/expanding the number of cemetery burial plots within the cemetery’s 14.6 acre parcel. At the meeting, Mr. Wong claimed that Dept of Health regulations prevent LYCA from creating more burial plots within 200 feet of Woodlawn Ditch which runs through their 14.6 acre cemetery parcel. 3. Charles Wong blames Manoa Chinese Cemetery's declining operational revenue on its inability to expand the number of burial plots at the cemetery. Paragraph 1.1 of LYCA's Draft Environmental Assessment for the Manoa Banyan Court development states: "With the remaining area available for burial plot sales gradually diminishing, and maintenance costs gradually increasing, the Association proposes to develop an eight-acre portion of their property adjacent to the cemetery as affordable rental apartments serving Honolulu’s seniors." 5. With reference to HRS 11-22-5 (https://health.hawaii.gov/opppd/files/2015/06/11-22.pdf), I would appreciate if you would you please confirm the following: (a) Whether the Director had received a request from LYCA to expand the number of cemetery burial plots at TMK: (1) 2-9 -043:002, (b) If so, was LYCA's request approved or disapproved, (c) If disapproved, what the Director's reason for disapproval of LCYA's request, (d) Whether Dept of Health regulations would prevent LYCA from expanding the number of burial plots at TMK: (1) 2-9-043:002 so long as new burial plots were over 200 feet away from the Woodlawn Ditch, (e) Whether the Director has reviewed/approved LYCA's Manoa Banyan Court development construction plans at Manoa Chinese Cemetery. 6. Thank you very much for your consideration of this matter. Mahalo, Brett Kurashige =============== MANOA BANYAN COURT DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (submitted by LYCA to City Dept of Planning/Permitting on 04 Mar 2022): Draft EA, section 1 of 5: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WaHCCWOVG7GKOn0tYIDftAUufYyCQ6bh/view?usp=sharing__;!!LIYSdFfckKA!kVmHWVRCmtknd6Ai0fX85FKubZAt20g2zJT02ulBN0cyWyj1DsuYsacHrNTtV5lVxsCOpODv$ Draft EA, section 2 of 5: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://drive.google.com/file/d/11iCaS4L_ukONs885bI5AwIytqpDWMtsj/view?usp=sharing__;!!LIYSdFfckKA!kVmHWVRCmtknd6Ai0fX85FKubZAt20g2zJT02ulBN0cyWyj1DsuYsacHrNTtV5lVxqI2ibWA$ Draft EA, section 3 of 5: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fbkQDUnNhkCHY006LlQUWokZ6jGlof3c/view?usp=sharing__;!!LIYSdFfckKA!kVmHWVRCmtknd6Ai0fX85FKubZAt20g2zJT02ulBN0cyWyj1DsuYsacHrNTtV5lVxrsKQdlc$ Draft EA, section 4 of 5: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ppzDVKDri5q2QgsTcHyfnJ2uKD5OXAH7/view?usp=sharing__;!!LIYSdFfckKA!kVmHWVRCmtknd6Ai0fX85FKubZAt20g2zJT02ulBN0cyWyj1DsuYsacHrNTtV5lVxnwzN8CY$ Draft EA, section 5 of 5: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bSm7OU7MEvCU0wneWc2PuVp-TsrOFoj1/view?usp=sharing__;!!LIYSdFfckKA!kVmHWVRCmtknd6Ai0fX85FKubZAt20g2zJT02ulBN0cyWyj1DsuYsacHrNTtV5lVxtQMiy4b$ ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: Oshiro, Peter S. <[email protected]> To: Brett Kurashige Cc: Miyasaki, Erin Villanueva <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, April 6, 2022, 08:29:57 AM HST Subject: RE: [EXTERNAL] Questions for State Department of Health related to Manoa Chinese Cemetery Aloha Brett, Mahalo for the inquiry regarding Manoa Chinese Cemetery. In reference to your questions: 5. (a): The Food Safety Branch (formerly Sanitation Branch), which does have jurisdiction over HAR 11-22, Mortuaries, Cemeteries, etc., and has not received any requests from the Manoa Chinese Cemetery to expand their facility for the purpose of adding additional cemetery plots. 5. (d) - At this time I do not have any information regarding any proposal, so I would not be able to comment on whether or not such a proposal would be approved or denied. Since my tenure as a program specialist and program manager with Food Safety Branch for the past 16 years or so, the DOH has not done any reviews of proposed cemetery expansions. The current rule is over 40 years old (adopted 1981) and may not address current thought on proper distance required from any stream, ditch or bodies of water which may affect the integrity of the existing or any proposed burial plots in the future. 5. (e) We do not have any record of approval or review for Manoa Banyan Court development for new cemetery burial plots. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance in this matter. Mahalo Peter Oshiro Environmental Health Program Manager Food Safety Branch Phone (808) 586-8000 -----Original Message----- From: Brett Kurashige Sent: Friday, April 8, 2022 10:39 AM To: Oshiro, Peter S. <[email protected]> Cc: Miyasaki, Erin Villanueva <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [EXTERNAL] Questions for State Department of Health related to Manoa Chinese Cemetery Mr. Oshiro, Again, thank you for your reply earlier. Just wanted to clarify something you said in response to my 5(d) question: "The current rule is over 40 years old (adopted 1981) and may not address current thought on proper distance required from any stream, ditch or bodies of water which may affect the integrity of the existing or any proposed burial plots in the future." By that, did you mean to say Mr. Charles Wong's claim that Dept of Health regulations would prevent LYCA from creating more burial plots within 200 feet of Woodlawn Ditch is not exactly correct? In other words, would it be correct to say Dept of Health regulations do not specifically prohibit LYCA from adding more burial plots within 200 feet of Woodlawn Ditch on their 14.6 acre parcel (TMK: (1) 2-9-043:002? Also, does Dept of Health have a more current thought on what would be the "proper distance" required from any stream, ditch or bodies of water which may affect the integrity of the existing or any proposed burial plots? If so, is that cited in some other DOH regulation (other than HRS 11-22-5)? Mahalo, Brett Kurashige ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: Oshiro, Peter S. <[email protected]> To: Brett Kurashige Cc: Miyasaki, Erin Villanueva <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, April 8, 2022, 12:12:54 PM HST Subject: RE: [EXTERNAL] Questions for State Department of Health related to Manoa Chinese Cemetery Aloha Brett, There is nothing in our current rules HAR 11-22 that has any setback distances for burial plots from any other entity. Other gov’t agencies that regulate bodies of water (DLNR or C&C ) may have setbacks, but Har 11-22 has none. The rule is very broad and just states any new or renovated cemetery must meet DOH approval with no specifics mentioned. You may want to check with the Clean Water Branch 586-4309 or DLNR (burials) 692-8015 if there are any such set-backs. Peter Oshiro Environmental Health Program Manager Food Safety Branch Phone (808) 586-8000
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