The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) announces a temporary closure of the Kailua Pier beginning on Wednesday July 28, daily from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. During the closure, entering the pier will be prohibited. People violating the closure can be cited, fined or arrested.
In April, the DNLR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) requested community comment after receiving a large number of complaints about conduct on the pier.
More than 90% of the comments supported the temporary measure. Reducing illegal conduct will help restore the pier as the unique historic and cultural resource it has represented for generations of residents and visitors.
Since May DOBOR staff have made daily inspections and continued to assess comments and complaints. While less restrictive measures were considered, there have been increasing complaints about vandalism and other illegal activity. This has led to repeated bathrooms closures during the day.
DOBOR management decided the temporary closure of the pier is in the best interests of both the resource and the preservation of State-owned amenities it provides for people.