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encouraging farmers to sell their land; and 2) a lack of younger generations wanting to take over their family's farm. The cattle ranching industry utilizes most of the land area within the district with pastures situated on the higher slopes of the mountains and extendir}g down to the sea. Pazker Ranch, one of the largest privately owned ranches in the world, has its headquarters in Waimea. The Ranch has approximately 230,000 acres of grazing land that supports 45,000 to 50,000 head of cattle. (Waikoloa Highlands EIS, 2006) Feedlots once allowed ranchers to raise cattle from birth to full maturity. The closing of all feedlots within the County has resulted in the export of 90 per cent of all cattle to mainland feedlots. The Canada-France Hawaii Telescope on Mauna Kea has its base facility in Waimea. The base has a staff of 51 and an annual operating budget of $6,200,000. As several planned telescopes are built on Mauna Kea, additional base facilities may choose to locate in Waimea. Waimea is also home to the headquarters of the W.M. Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea, the lazgest optical and infrared telescope in the world. The headquarters employs about 80 people and has an annual operating budget of $10,000,000. (County of Hawaii General Plan, 2005) The educational sector includes Hawaii Preparatory Academy (HPA) with a current total enrollment of 600 students in grades K through 12, which includes 175 boarders from grades 6 through 12. In addition, Parker School is a day school with an enrollment of 300 students. Waimea Elementary School had an enrollment of 650 and Waimea Middle Public Conversion Charter School had an enrollment of 400 students in 2008. Kanu O Ka aina Public Charter School in Waimea has an enrollment of approximately 150 students. Waimea has three performing arts venues: Kahilu Theatre, Gates Performing Arts Center at HPA, and Pazker School Auditorium. In Waikoloa Village, Waikoloa Elementary and Middle School is the lazgest employer with an enrollment of 625 students in 2008 and 75 employees. The North Hawaii Community Hospital is the 14`h lazgest single employer in the County with 269 employees. (County of Hawaii Data Book) The hospital opened in May 1996 and serves approximately 30,000 residents and visitors of the northern region of the Big Island which includes the districts of South Kohala, North Kohala and parts of Hamakua and North Kona. The hospital is anon-profit entity that is community owned. (www.northHawaiicommunityhospital.org) In addition to the North Hawaii Community ' Hospital's efforts to become a "total body wellness center", there are numerous holistic and alternative health practitioners in this District. Likewise, the resort hotels market wellness and therapeutic vacation packages. Housing During the period 2002-2005, Hawaii's housing market was red hot. However, from 2007, the housing market began to slow across the State, due in part to the nation-wide "sub-prime loans" problems. While more recent data was not available during the writing of the CDP that is South Kohala specific, it is important to note that the housing market nationally has slowed considerably. Hawaii's housing market has also shown signs of slowing down. By mid 2007, home prices inmost areas of the State were flat or slightly lower than their 2006 highs. While home prices have not risen as rapidly as earlier in the decade, many residents still consider the price of homes to be high.