why ora-16032 when in NOARCHIVELOG mode ?

Init Params:
log_archive_dest_1 location=/u570/oradata/hdb/arch mandatory reopen=5
log_archive_start FALSE

SQL> archive log list
Database log mode No Archive Mode
Automatic archival Disabled
Archive destination ?/dbs/arch
Oldest online log sequence 1585
Current log sequence 1587

SQL> select log_mode from v$database;
LOG_MODE
------------
NOARCHIVELOG

Question:
Why would I get this error at startup time ?
ORA-16032: parameter LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_1 destination string cannot be translated
ORA-07286: sksagdi: cannot obtain device information.

I know the device does not exist, but why is it checking, when it is not going to arhieve there ?
Do I need to set the "log_archive_dest_1" parameter to BLANK ? to get rid of this error ?

This has nothing to do with archiving. You simply have invalid syntax in your init.ora file, it just happens to be on your log_archive_dest_1 parameter. Comment this line out or remove it all together.

log_archive_dest or
log_archive_dest_n, where n >= 2

"Supposed to" not use log_archive_dest_1 by itself; use log_archive_dest if there is only one destination. If more than one, the other format is appropriate.