RES 263 Draft 01 2022-2024 - Laserfiche WebLink

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COUNTY OF HAWAII STATE OF HAWAII ' �Ta'oF'M►�- RESOLUTION NO. 263 23 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE TO ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE ACQUISITION OF ALL OR A PORTION OF THE PROPERTY IDENTIFIED AS TAX MAP KEY (3) 2-8-008:100, SITUATED IN THE 'ILI OF PEPE`EKEO, AHUPUA'A OF MAKAHANALOA, DISTRICT OF HILO, UTILIZING THE PUBLIC ACCESS, OPEN SPACE,AND NATURAL RESOURCES PRESERVATION FUND. WHEREAS, Section 10-15 of the Hawai`i County Charter establishes a Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Fund; and WHEREAS, Section 10-15(c) of the Hawai`i County Charter establishes that monies in this fund may be used to purchase or otherwise acquire lands and easements for public outdoor recreation and education; and WHEREAS, Section 2-215 of the Hawai`i County Code (hereinafter"the Code") establishes the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Commission (hereinafter "the Commission"), a duty and responsibility of which includes developing and submitting to the Mayor a prioritized list of qualifying lands worthy of preservation; and WHEREAS, the property, identified by Tax Map Key (3) 2-8-008:100, which includes shoreline of the `Ili of Pepeekeo, and consists of approximately 38.25 acres, is ranked the eighth highest priority for acquisition in the Commission's 2021 Annual Report to the Mayor dated December 10, 2021 (see "Exhibit A" attached hereto); and WHEREAS, Section 2-218(a) of the Code provides that: "The council shall, by resolution, select the land or lands to be preserved", and"Where there are multiple lands under consideration at any one time, priority shall be given to coastal lands"; and WHEREAS, the shoreline of the `Ili of Pepe`ekeo property is currently for sale and the landowner is willing to negotiate with the County of Hawai`i in good faith; and WHEREAS, the acquisition of title and conservation of the shoreline of the `Ili of Pepeekeo property would be significantly beneficial to the County of Hawaii and our island community in the following ways: (1) protecting cultural and natural resources at the shoreline of Kukuilaumania, including a former ku`ula(fishing shrine); (2)preserving and planting native coastal plants to help control coastal erosion; (3) protecting fresh water springs, and streams, such as Waim 'au'au and Lonoka`eho, which are important freshwater resources; (4) reviving important agricultural lands as agroforest to feed the community; (5) facilitating responsible managed public access for critical fishing and gathering sites;