COM 0964.021 2004-2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mr. Leningrad Elarionoff November 21, 2003 - 03A-618 Page 3 The text of the draft General Plan update sets forth criteria for lands to be classified as "Important Agricultural Lands." The draft update states that lands to be classified as "Important Agricultural Lands" have "better potential for sustained high agricultural yields." The criteria set forth in the draft update is shown in Exhibit B, which is attached. That same criteria has been used by Belt Collins Hawaii and the respective landowners to evaluate the Lower Honalo lands. Our evaluation, which is attached as Exhibit C, divides the Lower Honalo lands into four areas beginning at the shoreline and moving mauka as follows: Area 1 - Lower Honalo land makai of the new bypass road down to the shoreline. Area 2 - Lower Honalo land between the new bypass road and the old railroad right-of-way. Area 3 - Lower Honalo land mauka of the old railroad right-of-way up to about the 1,000-foot elevation. Area 4 - Lower Honalo land mauka of the 1,000-foot elevation. You will note that our evaluation shows that the Lower Honalo lands within Areas 1, 2, and 3 do not meet the criteria for "Important Agricultural Lands." It is obvious from our evaluation, using the draft update criteria, that these lands belong in the "Extensive Agriculture" classification, which is defined as "Lands not classified as Important Agricultural Land. Includes lands that are not capable of producing sustained, high agricultural yields without the intensive application of modern farming methods and technologies due to certain physical constraints such as soil composition, slope, machine tillability and climate. Other less intensive agricultural uses such as grazing and pasture may be included in the Extensive Agricultural land category." Our evaluation shows that only some of the land in Area 4, land mauka of the 1,000-foot elevation, belongs in the "Important Agricultural Lands" classification. These are the Coffee Belt lands with Honuaulu soils and adequate rainfall. In addition, irrigation water may be made available from existing mauka water systems to these lands, but such water would be inadequate for the very dry, stony lands below the 1,000-foot elevation. On behalf of our clients, we respectfully request that draft LUPAG Map 4, North Kona, be modified to reflect our Exhibit A, which is attached. Exhibit A shows the proper location for "Important Agricultural Lands" and "Extensive Agriculture" designations on the Lower Honalo lands based on criteria of the draft General Plan update.