RES 351 Draft 01 2012-2014 - Laserfiche WebLink

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WHEREAS, Communication No. 168, dated February 21, 2013, from Mayor William P. Kenoi, transmitted the 2012 Annual Report of the Commission, pursuant to Section 2-218(a) of the Hawai`i County Code; and WHEREAS, the 2012 Annual Report of the Commission cited the purchase of the Kaunamano properties as a key priority, ranking this property as the number four priority for acquisition; and WHEREAS, the Hawai`i County General Plan, Section 8.2,Natural Resources and Shoreline, states, in pertinent part: "(a) Protect and conserve the natural resources from undue exploitation, encroachment and damage. (b) Provide opportunities for recreational, economic, and educational needs without despoiling or endangering natural resources. (c) Protect and promote the prudent use of Hawaii's unique, fragile, and significant environmental and natural resources. (e) Protect and effectively manage Hawaii's open space, watersheds, shoreline, and natural areas."; and WHEREAS, the Hawai`i County General Plan, Section 8.3, Policies, states, in pertinent part: "(i) Encourage an overall conservation ethic in the use of Hawaii's resources by protecting, preserving, and conserving the critical and significant natural resources of the County of Hawaii. (j) Encourage the protection of watersheds, forest, brush, and grassland from destructive agents and uses. (p) Encourage the use of native plants for screening and landscaping. (r) Ensure public access is provided to the shoreline, public trails and hunting areas, including free public parking where appropriate. (s) Establish a system of pedestrian access trails to places of scenic, historic, cultural, natural, or recreational values."; and WHEREAS,the Kaunamano properties, which are makai of the Mamalahoa Highway to the coastline, contain four miles of coastline mostly used by campers, fishermen, and opihi pickers for recreational and subsistence purposes. Additional resources include lua and moa. Native plants include `akuikuli (sea purslane) and `ilima near the shoreline; and WHEREAS,the windy coastline has almost constant breezes and has been considered a prime area for electricity production from windmills and the Kaunamano area is used by recreational kite fliers on a regular basis; and WHEREAS,the northern-most portion of the properties abuts Honu'apo Bay; and 2