Honolulu County, HI Historic Preservation: Historic-Cultural Monuments (2026)

2(a) lets the director establish a program for designating cultural sites located in Honolulu's public parks. The eligible category is wide: buildings, structures, objects, areas, or sites, so a designation can attach to a whole area of a park, not only a single monument. What qualifies them is their connection to a living community's cultural practices, plus a paper trail: the site must be included in a city development plan or recommended by a neighborhood board. That second requirement roots each designation in Honolulu's existing planning framework rather than leaving it entirely to individual judgment.

The process is open to the public. Any interested person may recommend a cultural site to the director for approval, so a designation can start with a resident, a cultural practitioner, or a community group rather than with the department itself. 2(c) directs the department to erect, install, or place a marker informing the public of the designated cultural site. The cost structure is the practical catch for sponsors: the person who recommended the site must reimburse the department for the marker along with its installation and maintenance, so a proposal carries an ongoing financial commitment, not just a one-time filing. The program is voluntary and honorific in structure; it recognizes and interprets sites for park visitors rather than restricting anyone's conduct.