Manoa Banyan Court
"PRESERVE & PROTECT MANOA CEMETERY"
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT
LYC is proposing a large development project which does not fit the character of Manoa Valley. LYC states various reasons for wanting to build this development project. I personally do not agree with their reasons and motives.
For information on the development, read the Environmental Assessment.
Draft Environmental Assessment
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT DRAFT
ERRORS & OMISSIONS
I read the EA in full and have the following comments:
Section A Proposed Development
EA Errors and Omissions
Summary- Proposed action will demolish the two existing small houses and storage structure. There are actually four existing houses. One built without a permit and one that is connected to a failed cesspool. Three old houses were previously demolished in preparation for the new housing development.
Page 26. Two photos have generic caption Old Two Story House. Top photo is one house which is one story. (Why are there no addresses of houses for reference?)
Page 62. Land is unsuitable for burials due to Dept of Health restriction due to proximity to any drainage channel. Not exactly true. There is a required setback from the drainage stream, but the entire property is not unsuitable as there is abundant acreage for thousands more burial plots and/or niches. (see images)
Sewer connection application lists: Existing units 0. Units to be demolished 0. This information conflicts with the information in the EA.
In my opinion, if the development is built, there will be no room for any more graves after the existing say 200 plots are filled. Where are the rest of the families going to be buried? Manoa Cemetery has been poorly managed all these years. On the EA, why were the closest affected Groups not notified of the development. No notice was given to Malama Manoa, The Manoa Neighborhood Board, the neighbors and residents of Manoa, and all the families who have relatives buried in the cemetery.
Did LYC reach out to the over 100 Chinese Societies, Associations etc. listed in the USC red book to ask whether or not they support the development? I know that LYC reached out to the Chinese Societies to solicit donations for repairs. And to date approximately $44K was collected.
DEA RESPONSE
DEA CMI
DEA Homecheck
DEA Lance Luke
DEA Lance Luke 2
MANOA CEMETERY FACTS AND HARD DATA
THE FOLLOWING FACTS HAVE BEEN FACT CHECKED BY OVER EIGHT INDEPENDENT INDIVIDUALS, RESEARCHERS AND SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS.
NO DEVELOPMENT PROJECT CAN BE APPROVED DUE TO THE FOLLOWING REASONS
The original LYC By Laws state that the land is be used for cemetery purposes only. Reference BY LAWS OF LIN YEE CHUNG filed October 27, 1964 received by Department of Regulatory Agencies, State of Hawaii. And except from the official document is stated as follows: Article II PURPOSES AND POWERS. The purposes and powers of this corporation are: (a) To acquire, develop, maintain and operate burial grounds and cemeteries for persons of Chinese descent within the State of Hawaii in a manner which will benefit the Chinese community and be of public service to the people of the State of Hawaii.
The state DCCA regulates cemetery use and has not approved uses other than a cemetery for the property. Reference HRS 441 CEMETERY.
The IRS regulates non-profit entities and non-cemetery use of the land violates the non-profit eleemosynary status of LYC which only has 501c13 approval. 501c13 is strictly for cemeteries and not for any real estate development project, or for any other non-cemetery business.
The state HRS 501H provisions do not allow a development project to be built on cemetery land.
MISSION OF THE LIN YEE CHUNG ASSOCIATION
To facilitate the honoring of ancestors by providing traditional Chinese burial and memorial services, and to promote time-tested mortuary culture among descendant generations.
THE LYC MISSION IS FOR A CEMETERY AND NOT FOR ANY OTHER UNRELATED USE
READ THE STATEMENTS FROM CHARLES WONG, PRESIDENT OF LIN YEE CHUNG ASSOCIATION
Charles Wong states “People say they’re more interested in helping the living, not the dead. Chinese people should feel pride in their own heritage, their culture, their ancestors”.
“The Lin Yee Chung Association has always shown compassion by providing families, many of them indigent, with a well-kept place for their loved ones to be buried”.
“The cemetery deserves preservation because it’s a repository of the Chinese people in Hawaii and their history”
Statements made by Charles Wong as published November 28, 2021 Honolulu Star Advertiser.
Charles Wong states “The Manoa Chinese Cemetery very much represents the history of our people in Hawaii, and that’s why it needs to be protected and preserved as a historical and cultural gem”
Statement made by Charles Wong as published March 23, 2022 Spectrum News Hawaii.
If these statements were true, then why is Mr. Wong proceeding with the Manoa Banyan Court project?
Lance Luke
503 Lawelawe St
Honolulu, Hawaii 96821-1913
United States of America
