Kaneohe residents are calling it a victory over big brother, but they know the fight isn't over yet.
Nearly three years ago, Kaneohe residents took on the challenge of stopping the nation's largest single provider of funeral, cremation and cemetery services from expanding in their backyard.
"There were a lot of historic sites there so they wanted to preserve the historic sites, there were native Hawaiian animals and plants there so they wanted to save that," said Kaneohe resident Grant Yoshimori.
The owner of Hawaiian Memorial Park wanted to expand the cemetery and provide thousands of additional plots and several mausoleums. To do so Hawaiian Memorial Life Plan Ltd., petitioned the state to rezone about 56 acres of conservation land into Urban Land Use.
In February, the state Land Use Commission took a tour of the area to get a clear picture of the proposal. Kaneohe residents rallied against the project holding sign waving and petition drive campaigns.
"Even the hearing itself, we had so many people there that they couldn't fit in the room so they were all standing outside," said Yoshimori.
On October 22nd, the LUC voted 7-to-nothing denying the petition to rezone the land.
"We were so ecstatic when we heard the ruling because its been a long community effort, the community banded together and it just goes to show that a small can band together and we can fight a multi-national corporation," said Yoshimori.
"The corporation actually came from Texas and I think when they came to talk to us as a community, they felt it was like sleepy Kaneohe town -- there wasn't going to be that much of a confrontation but the community really did stand up and stood behind us -- and we won," said Kaneohe resident Julianne McCreedy.
Hawaiian Memorial Life Plan has since filed for a reconsideration hearing. Vice President Jay Morford said in a statement: "We hope if granted a reconsideration hearing to convey to the LUC the importance of this project, not only for the future of our company and the future employment of our employees, but most importantly the future of choice to the Hawaii families."
Residents know the battle isn't over.
"This could be an inspiration to other communities because we did band together and a small voice made a difference," said McCreedy.
In the meantime, they'll celebrate Sunday.
"We're going to have a small block party -- just the neighbors getting together and we're just going to have some pupus and food there and one of the hauls is coming to dance and they'll be performing so it's going to be nice it will be a good celebration for us," said Yoshimori.
