House being built over Native Hawaiian burials

Developer Joseph Brescia is going ahead with plans to build a house over identified burials at a beachfront lot at Wainiha, Kauai. Opponents to the project are pressing the burial council to reject the developer's plans to build over the ancient remains.

Kaua‘i-Ni‘ihau Isle Burial Council Revisits Wainiha Decision

The Kaua‘i-Ni‘ihau Island Burial Council met October 2 to revisit their April 4 decision for the remains to be "preserved in place." Property owner Joseph Brescia took the ruling and a subsequent Historic Preservation Division approval of a preservation plan to mean that construction of his house at Wainiha over the burial site could proceed. A ruling by 5th Circuit Court Judge Kathleen Watanabe returned the matter back to the island burial council after she concluded that the division had failed to follow the law.

Purchase proposed for Kaua‘i burial site

A Wainiha, Kaua‘i, lot with 30 Native Hawaiian burials would be purchased under a plan outlined by Malama Kaua‘i, a nonprofit sustainability group. The group has received a pledge for $75,000 and has a fundraising effort in the works. Property owner Joseph Brescia claims that he has $1 million invested in the beachfront location.