HONOLULU (KHON2) — The proposed Kamananui agribusiness and gondola project on the North Shore — which is strongly opposed by the community — is now receiving pushback from the Honolulu City Council as they request the Department of Planning and Permitting to revoke the project’s permit.
“Six years after this permit was issued, there has been little meaningful evidence that agricultural goals have been met,” said Council Chair Tommy Waters.
Waters and Esther Kiaʻāina, who is Council Floor Leader and chairs the zoning and planning committee, introduced Resolution 25-305: questioning the project’s compliance with the original minor conditional use permit from 2019.
I cannot fathom the thought of this project marring the character and landscape of this rural community.
Esther Kiaʻāina
“We stand with the community in calling for the Department of Planning and Permitting to uphold accountability and ensure our lands that are intended for agriculture are actually used for agriculture,” Waters said.
Agribusiness v. Agritourism
In September 2025, the city redefined “agribusiness” as “agritourism,” with Ordinance 25-02.
This means permit uses must be “educational or recreational experiences, not large-scale commercial attractions,” the council said.
Resolution 25-305 is concerned about “significant changes to land-use laws and community impacts that have emerged since [the permit’s] approval.”
The council said the modifications recently requested by Kaukonahua Ranch — gondola rides, retail and food sales and event facilities — would expand tourism instead of agricultural production.
“It’s concerning to me that the proponents of this project are prioritizing tourism-related activities over agricultural activities, which is not the intent of the city’s Land Use Ordinance,” Kiaʻāina said. “I cannot fathom the thought of this project marring the character and landscape of this rural community.”
What the resolution means
Resolution 25-305 highlights the project’s issues in the council’s press release, including the following:
- Failure to dedicate at least half of the 2,320-acre project site to active agriculture.
- Incomplete water and wildfire mitigation plans.
- Questionable environmental safeguards related to wastewater and endangered species habitats.
The resolution requests DPP Director Dawn Takeuchi Apuna to void the 2019 conditional use permit.
For more information on Resolution 25-305, visit the Honolulu Legislative Documents.
For more information on the legislation, visit their website.
The resolution will be heard at the Wednesday, Nov. 5, Full Council hearing for discussion and public testimony.