Previously this month, Hawai‘i County Councilwoman Sue Lee Loy, who represents the Banyan Push place, introduced Resolution No. 199 to inquire Gov. Josh Eco-friendly for assistance to deal with community basic safety concerns at the abandoned and dilapidated assets that previously was the iconic Uncle Billy’s Hilo Bay Resort by issuing an crisis proclamation
“This is a ask for by the community to get a thing finished at Banyan Drive — Uncle Billy’s has attained a crescendo,” the Councilwoman reported. “Drastic and swift motion has to be taken.”
On Tuesday, Environmentally friendly did. He issued an crisis proclamation for the condition-owned house, which mandates the condition to urgently:
- Create a perimeter fence to secure the property
- Demolish and take away the 148-area hotel’s structures and harmful resources, “as repair service was decided to be infeasible in an architectural assessment completed for the residence, and in any occasion cannot be completed in time to cut down the community health and fitness and security risks”
- Restore the internet site, like hazard abatement to the extent permitted by the readily available cash.
The as soon as flourishing and popular resort was a fixture on Banyan Push for extra than 50 many years and a favored for kamaʻāina and site visitors alike. But it has turn into just about anything but accommodating considering that its long term closure in 2017.
It has extended been condemned and is dilapidated to the place where by most of the rooms are uncovered to the things and particles is strewn through the structure.
The previous hotel, less than the jurisdiction of the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Pure Means, is now a resource of problems and hazard.
The proclamation claimed the condition of the residence and hotel has attracted trespassers,
enabled drug use, fighting and other illegal pursuits, and has professional numerous fires.
In data furnished in the county resolution, from September 2018 to April 2023, Hawaiʻi Island police responded to 157 incidents at 87 Banyan Travel (previous Uncle Billyʻs) and from May perhaps 2018 to May well 2023, the Hawaiʻi Hearth Department responded to 28 phone calls at the property.
The proclamation states: “Despite normal protection presence, the lack of repairs, servicing, and functions has contributed to unsafe, unhealthy and dangerous situations at the house and abandoned resort. These include things like overall structural decay, unabated hazardous resources, fire harm, water intrusion, slipping ceilings, uncovered rebar, overflowing sewage, mildew and mildew. These unsafe and harmful conditions endanger the lives of customers of the general public, adjoining hotel patrons and trespassers, as perfectly as regulation enforcement officers and other very first responders who have responded routinely to company/incident calls to the assets.”
The State Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement has also performed several sweeps and enforcement steps at the house from 2018 to 2023. But the trespassers and illegal exercise retain returning.
