HALE'IWA — The city has begun the process of inviting public comment that could lead to changes to planning documents that guide development in Ko'olauloa and the North Shore.

An undercurrent to the discussions is Kuilima Resort Co.'s proposed development at Turtle Bay that could add as many as five hotels at the border of the two communities, prompting concern by some residents of increased stress on transportation capacity and natural resources.

About 220 people attended a meeting last week for the Ko'olauloa plan — which covers the area from Ka'a'awa to Kawela — and about 60 showed up at the North Shore document review Wednesday night.

Pickets prior to both meetings called for keeping the country country and chastised city Department of Planning and Permitting Director Henry Eng for not curtailing development at Turtle Bay.

"There were a lot of good things said, but I'm pessimistic about what is going to be implemented," said resident Karen Gallagher after the North Shore meeting. "I want to believe this can happen, but I'm realistic."

The consulting firm Helber Hastert & Fee will discuss meeting comments with a community Planning Advisory Committee and develop possible changes to the plans.

The two plans share some "vision elements," such as establishing rural community, agriculture and preservation boundaries; encouraging diversified agriculture; and enhancing recreational resources.

The North Shore plan also calls for providing adequate public infrastructure, facilities and services.

Ko'olauloa's plan calls for establishing rural area development standards.

Both groups discussed affordable housing, development pressure, retaining rural qualities, infrastructure needs and agriculture.

Development in Ko'olauloa has some residents worried about losing important agriculture land, said Dawn Wasson, a Ko'olauloa Neighborhood Board member, La'ie kupuna and seventh-generation resident.

The Kahuku area is facing plans to build 800 or more new homes and the Turtle Bay expansion, Wasson said, adding that the community has no idea what that means in terms of changing lifestyle, loss of natural resources and pollution.

But Kuilima's proposed expansion is already a part of the plan.

Nathan Hokama, Kuilima Resort Co. spokesman, said company representatives were at the meeting to discuss concerns relating to the entire area and not to focus on the Turtle Bay expansion plans.

"The major topic of concern for the local community residents was affordable housing," Hokama said. "We believe Kuilima Resort Co.'s proposed expansion plans can help address affordable housing and job creation."

Wasson said she had hoped that the meeting would have opened dialogue about the resort and affordable housing impacts, but it didn't.

"They already telling us we only have three more meetings and we're done," Wasson said. "The community is not having their say."

Cathleen Mattoon of Punalu'u, who was involved in creating the first Ko'olauloa plan, said the meeting got off to a poor start and continued to have problems throughout.

Some of the points made in her group were not written down, and it is from these notes that the consultant will generate a list of suggested changes to the community plan, Mattoon said, calling the data "tainted."

At the beginning of the Ko'olauloa meeting, residents were told the Turtle Bay development was not to be discussed even though the project is part of the plan. But it came up in discussions in the breakout groups, said Bob Nakata, who attended both meetings.

Eng, director for the city planning department, said a pending legal issue was the reason.

"That's still under litigation or appeal, and that's the reason we did not want to engage in a discussion," Eng said.

Turtle Bay also came up at the North Shore meeting, with some calling for no new development there. Nakata, with Defend Oahu Coalition, warned that a development that size would price local residents out of their communities. He said his group wants a strong, enforceable plan to make sure it protects the rural community.

"I really believe that most of the North Shore and Ko'olauloa population, a generation from now, will be gone," Nakata said. "Property values will drive them out. It's a process that's already going on, and Turtle Bay will boost it tremendously."

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com.