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<br /> URGING TIDE IIA~'VAI'I COUNTY +COUNCIL TO AIVIEND TIE ;EIAWAI°I ISLANII
<br /> GENERAL PLAN IN REDESIGNATING TI~IE NORTH KOIIALA COASTLINE 1FR~19~I
<br /> I~AWAII-IAE TO POLOLU VALLEY' TO CONSERVATION/OPEN DESIGNATION
<br /> WHEREAS, the Constitution of the State of Hawaii, in its Preamble states "We reserve the
<br /> right to control our destiny, to nurture the integrity of our people and culture, and to preserve the
<br /> quality of life that we desire; and
<br /> Wl-IEREAS, "the legislature states that it is in the public interest to engage in a comprehensive
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<br /> program of historic preservation at all levels>of government to promote the use and conservation of
<br /> such property for the education, inspiration, pleasure, and enrichment of its citizens" (HRS 6E-1); and
<br /> WHEREAS, the legislature further declares that it shall be the public policy of this State to
<br /> provide leadership in preserving, restoring, and maintaining historic and cultural property; and
<br /> WHEREAS, in 1988, both the Senate and the House adopted S.C.R. 179 HD1 which urged the
<br /> retention of view and open space makai of Kawaihae-Mahukona-Rawl Road from Kawaihae to Upolu
<br /> Point, Hawaii; and
<br /> WHEREAS, this area contains Lapakahi State Park, an ancient Hawaiian coastal settlement,
<br /> Mo'okini Heiau State Monument, the birthplace of Kamehameha the Great, as well as many more
<br /> numerous other unprotected historical and sacred sites; and
<br /> WHEREAS, in March of 2001, the A~ohala Historic and Cultural Preservation Group, and the
<br /> residents of Kohala submitted a petition to the Hawaii County Planning Commission urging the
<br /> Commission to "preserve and protect the historical, traditional, and sacred sites and places of Kohala,
<br /> which extend from Kawaihae to Pololu Valley and beyond, including especially the pristine valleys
<br /> from Pololu to Waipi' o"; and
<br /> WHEREAS, in May of 2001, the North Kohala Community, which included many kupuna as
<br /> well as community organizations, petitioned the Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim, Senator Lorraine
<br /> Inouye, and Hawaii County Planning Director, Chris Yuen, and the Hawaii County Council to put a
<br /> moratorium on subdividing and building development on all land from Kawaihae to Pololu Valley,
<br /> makai of the Akoni Pule Highway; and
<br /> WHEREAS, in June of 2001, the Kohala community petitioned the Hawaii County Planning
<br /> Commission and its Planning Director to preserve the North Kohala coastline by changing the zoning
<br /> of this coastline to conservation and open designation; and
<br /> WHEREAS, in this same petition, the Kohala community submitted documents which included
<br /> maps of the North Kohala coastline showing the location of numerous ancient pre-contact sites
<br /> between Hono'ipu Landing and Kapa'a Eeach Park, where ail Ali'i Nui, including Alapa'i,
<br /> Kalaniopu'u, and Kamehameha the Great, ~~tilized the North Kohala coastline to provision and train
<br /> warriors; and
<br /> WHEREAS, in 2001, the State Legislature recognized the importance of preserving this area by
<br /> passing S.C.R. 146, S.D.1, which urged the retention and preservation of open space and view planes,
<br /> historic sites, and traditional access along tho coastline of the North Kohala district; and
<br /> WHEREAS, the North Kohala Coastline is historically and culturally very important to all
<br /> people of Hawaii, but particularly to the Native Hawaiian; and
<br /> WHEREAS, the Hawaii County General Plan, updated by the Hawaii County Council once
<br /> every ten years, is in the process now of finalizing land designations;
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