Judge Clears Way For North Shore Hotel Expansion

HONOLULU -- A circuit court judge on Monday ruled that Kuilima Resort Co. did not have to conduct another environmental impact statement in order to move forward on expanding the Turtle Bay Resort.

The resort project would build up to 3,500 units in the area stretching from Kawela Bay to Kuilima Bay. Kuilima Resort representatives said that it would add an undetermined number of hotels.

A community group calling itself Keep the North Shore Country filed a lawsuit to require a new EIS.

The initial EIS was done 20 years ago. The group argued that EIS does not include newer traffic estimates and environmental data.

Judge Sabrina McKenna ruled that the project that was approved 20 years ago is the same project that Kuilima is moving forward with now.

Kuilima officials said they are happy with the ruling and will work toward building the expansion project.

Members of Keep the North Shore Country said it is weighing whether to file an appeal. However, they said it appeared that the judge's ruling was decisive.