On usually sleepy Papu Circle in Kahala, a neighborhood dust-up is brewing over Shangri La, the Doris Duke Foundation’s oceanfront museum of Islamic art. The museum has applied to significantly expand its evening programming, asking to jump from seven nighttime events a year to about 30 and to hold a few gatherings with as many as 200 guests, where current permits keep attendance near 97. Neighbors fear the move could upend the quiet, residential feel of the street and bring more traffic and noise to the cul-de-sac. The Department of Planning and Permitting will now take up the request through its regular hearings and administrative review.
According to Hawaii News Now, residents including Catherine Fuller and Bill Johnson say they have long gotten along with Shangri La but are alarmed by the size of the proposed changes. “It’s a really quiet neighborhood,” Fuller told reporters, while Johnson warned the increase “is going to create way more detriment to this peaceful neighborhood.” The outlet reports that the museum’s request would increase evening events from seven to 30 and allow attendance at some gatherings to rise to 200 people instead of the current 97. Hawaii News Now also notes that the Department of Planning and Permitting plans to discuss the application and that the department has until Jan. 12 to make a decision.
Permit Filing And Public Notice
A public notice filed with the city lists the request as CUP-2025-27, a Conditional Use Permit minor for a major modification to the meeting facility previously authorized under CUP No. 2000/CUP-88. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser notice identifies the owner as the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art and the applicant as Planning Solutions, Inc., with the site at 4055 Papu Circle in Waialae-Kahala. The filing lays out where residents can examine maps and application materials at the Department of Planning and Permitting and explains how to submit written testimony on the proposal.
Museum Says It Will Limit Impacts
Shangri La representatives told reporters that they already lean on shuttle transportation for visitors, monitor sound levels during events and have shortened event end times to cut down on disruption in the area, as reported by Hawaii News Now. “We work hard to mitigate any impact to the neighborhood,” associate director Navid Najafi said, adding that evening programs covered by the request would wrap up by 9:30 p.m. instead of 10:30 p.m. The museum says most events would stay relatively small and that only a handful would use the higher 200-person cap.
How Tours And Events Operate
Visits to Shangri La are handled through scheduled tours that include round-trip shuttle transportation from the Honolulu Museum of Art, a system HoMA notes is designed to manage traffic and access to the property. The Honolulu Museum of Art’s visitor information explains that tours include shuttle service and a 75-minute visit to the grounds and galleries. Even with that setup, some Papu Circle residents worry that a jump in evening events, especially those drawing larger crowds, would still translate into more vehicles on their street and louder activity on warm nights.
What’s Next
The public can review the application and submit testimony to the Department of Planning and Permitting by emailing [email protected] or attending hearings at the Frank F. Fasi Municipal Building. Neighbors say they plan to use these options to formally air their concerns during the department’s review period. DPP has until Jan. 12 to issue a decision on the requested modification, and city staff along with the applicant will consider both written and in-person testimony before making a determination.
