Headline Unique to Hawaii

Headlines can be alarming, but sometimes one just has to read the story (illegal sandbags?) out of curiosity. [bold added]

State officials are once again trying to crack down on the dozens of sandbag barriers, known as burritos, that have come to litter Hawaii’s beaches. This time they are pushing legislation that would require beachfront property owners who have installed the structures illegally or under temporary permits to disclose the structures and any fines or enforcement actions they may be facing to prospective buyers when they seek to sell their homes...

State laws largely forbid private-property owners from erecting shoreline hardening structures, which have caused beach loss throughout the state. As waves push up against the barriers that protect private homes and businesses, they claw away at the sand and prevent beaches from being re-nourished.

But property owners have found various ways to exploit loopholes in state and county laws over the years to harden the shorelines in front of their homes, including installing burritos and mounds of sandbags under temporary emergency permits and then not removing them once they expire.

The burritos, which typically cost tens of thousands of dollars, include long, heavy sandbags, which are often attached to black tarps.

North Shore homes with black tarp (msn photo)

Beach erosion is a serious issue, and given the exorbitant price of land in Hawaii, it's understandable why homeowners want to protect their property. However, it looks like the environmentalists once again have the upper hand in the legislature, and homeowners' net worth will be washed away.

Note: students of newswriting will note that it's obvious where the reporter stands. "Prevent beaches from being re-nourished" could easily be rephrased "slow property erosion" or even "prevent beaches from being replenished with sand". "Re-nourished": another bow to Mother Gaia.