Coastal access

Sand bags line of the shore out front of a Maui hotel, to help protect the property from coastal erosion

Coastal Erosion on Maui

In this episode, we're looking at eroding beaches of West Maui, where large condos are being threatened by loss of sand and sea-level rise with Hawai’i Sea Grant Coastal Hazards Expert Tara Owens and Maui County planner, Jim Buika. Watch ...
white plains beach on the west side of oahu

Shoreline Access on Military Property

Public access onto beaches that are within military reservations are controlled by national/homeland security laws that preempt the state laws. Various beaches throughout the State of Hawaiʻi are restricted by the federal government’s preemption by way of the Supremacy Clause ...
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County and State Contact Information

City and County OAHU DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING Department of Planning & Permitting 650 So. King St Honolulu, HI, USA 96813 Fax: (808) 527-6743 E-mail: info@honoluludpp.org(link sends e-mail) KAUAI DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING Public Access, Open Space & Natural Resources Preservation Fund Commission ...
white plains beach on the west side of oahu

Shoreline Access on Military Property

Public access onto beaches that are within military reservations are controlled by national/homeland security laws that preempt the state laws. Various beaches throughout the State of Hawaiʻi are restricted by the federal government’s preemption by way of the Supremacy Clause ...
shoreline jurisdiction diagram stating where state, federal and county lines are

Common Law and Statutes

HRS Chpt.115 PUBLIC ACCESS TO COASTAL AND INLAND RECREATIONAL AREAS HRS 205A- COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT HRS CZM 205A-1 DEFINITION OF SHORELINE "Shoreline" means the upper reaches of the wash of the waves, other than storm and seismic waves, at high ...
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Traditional Gathering Rights

Q: What rights do native Hawaiians have with respect to beach and shoreline access to practice traditional gathering rights? A:  Native Hawaiian gathering rights are addressed in HRS §§1-1 and 7-1, and in Article 12 §7 of the Constitution of the State of Hawaiʻi.  In ...
Typical Hawaiian coastal dune vegetation conceptual cartoon

Private Landowner Information

Q:  Where is the boundary along beaches from public land to private land? A:  The Hawaiʻi Supreme Court ruled in 2006 that the shoreline should be determined by the high wash of the waves, and not just the vegetation line because ...
public right of way to the beach sign

Public Access Rights

Q: What are the rights of the public to access Hawaiʻi’s beaches? A: The public has a right of access along the beaches and shorelines in the State situated below the "upper reaches of the wash of the waves." (HRS §§ 115-4, 115-5, Revised ...
Oahu armored shoreline

Coastal Access In Hawai’i

In recent years, intensifying public controversy in Hawaii has focused on the ongoing loss of beaches and public access statewide. One of the leading concerns is the decreasing number of public access routes to the shoreline  as well as lateral ...