Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi says he expects to decide next week on a controversial measure banning most commercial activity at several windward Oʻahu beaches.
Bill 38 was passed in a 7-2 vote earlier this month by the Honolulu City Council.
Opponents such as wedding photographers say the bill will hurt their businesses and is unfair as it does not restrict commercial filming approved by the Hawaiʻi Film Office.
Supporters of the bill say many beaches have been overrun by commercial activity, preventing local families from enjoying them.
Kapua Medeiros of the Waimānalo Neighborhood Board supports the measure and joined others at a rally Thursday at Honolulu Hale to urge the mayor to sign it.
"Even though we’re going to limit our own community members from being able to hire professional photographers and professional wedding officiants, we’re willing to do that because our shores are inundated with over-commercialism and over-tourism," she said.
Joseph Esser, president of the Oʻahu Wedding Association, suggests limiting the number of permits or choosing specific days and times that beaches can be used for commercial activity. He says that's a better compromise than banning commercial activity entirely.
"This is very heavy-handed legislation that really would ban a huge swath of the entire windward coast," Esser said.
At a press conference Thursday, Blangiardi did not tip his hand as to which way he was leaning, only saying that he will decide shortly.
The mayor has three choices: he can sign the bill, allow it to become law without his signature, or veto it.
