COM 1444.000 2006-2008 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

The improvements are proposed on the portion of the subject property that is zoned CN-7.5. Museums, offices and retail establishments are a permitted use in this zoning designation. The visitor education center is being developed on the 1.718-acre subject property recently acquired by the Museum for this purpose. The remainder of the Garden is located on approximately 13 acres adjacent to the project site, donated to the Bishop Museum by the late Amy Greenwell in 1974 for an ethnobotanical garden. Phase 1 of the project includes development of a single-story building of approximately 1,600 squaze feet that will include exhibit space, offices, and restrooms; landscape improvements; and an approximately 15' space parking lot with accessible stalls. The Museum is seeking funding for a second phase to include program space and a possible expansion of the parking lot to approximately 50 spaces. The Garden, which is open to the public on weekdays, supports Hawaiian cultural traditions of plant use by on-site and outreach educational programs, school visits and activities, workshops, plant sales, and conservation. The Garden is devoted to the study of Hawaiian people and their plants. The Garden displays more than 200 species of plants that grew in the traditional farms and native forests of Kona before Captain James Cook arrived in the late 18th century. These endemic, indigenous, and Polynesian-introduced plants include the most important plants in Hawaiian culture, such as taro and kukui, and scores of raze and endangered native species, including the native hibiscus, koki'o. The Garden landscape reflects four biogeographical zones of a typical Kona ahupua `a, or traditional land division: coastal, dry forest, agricultural, and upland forest. The plants on the upper five acres of the Garden grow within a preserved archaeological site that is a portion of the celebrated Kona Field System, a 50 square mile network of farms and gazdens that dominated the landscape in the time before, foreign contact. Visits to the gazden typically consist of half-hour, self-guided tours. Panels azound a short looping trail at the center of the garden provide guidance, and plants throughout the garden have labels that explore their traditional uses. The Garden also provides on-site and outreach educational programs, school visits and activities, workshops, plant sales, and endangered species research and conservation. Amy Greenwell Gazden has a staff of four and offers a range of educational opportunities for adults and children ahke, including self-guided and guided tours, workshops, internships, outreach programs, and special events, all of which reach nearly 14,000 people per year. In addition, the Garden has an active program of growing and distributing native plants, and takes part in habitat restoration programs, plant sales, and plant conservation. Over 5,000 plants from Garden nursery were distributed throughout the community through these means in 2007. The owners ask that you give careful consideration to their request to eliminate Condition "A" and grant a time extension for Condition "B" of Ordinance No. 79-465. Should you or your staff require any additional information, please contact me. I am an agent for the owners. Sincerely, ego ooers President