COM 0468.000 2014-2016 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Dru Kanuha, Council Chair and Members of the County Council Page 3 • Create incentives for landowners to retain and re-establish forest cover in upland watershed areas with emphasis on native forest species. Among the most significant of the island's natural resources are upland forests that provide the essential groundwater recharge areas. All groundwater sources in North and South Kona ultimately depend upon recharge that primarily occurs in a band between the 1,500 and 5,500-foot elevations. In the lower part of this band, rainfall dominates from approximately the 1,500 to 3,000-foot elevation. In the upper part of this band, above the 3,000-foot elevation, fog that collects on trees and drips to the ground is a major contributor to the aquifer. In recognition of the importance of the mauka Kona area for watershed and other environmental values, the County Council established a policy in Resolution No. 330-96 (1996)that no lands in North or South Kona above 2,500 feet in elevation (except in the existing Kaloko Mauka Subdivision) should be rezoned to lot sizes less than 20 acres, without a corresponding reduction in density on contiguous lands. In Kaloko Mauka, the Council found that the concerns could be mitigated by specific rezoning conditions which would require that at least 80 per cent of the property be kept in forest cover, in the area above 3,000 feet in elevation (Resolution No. 58-97). One of the conditions included in Resolution No. 58-97 was to restrict the number of dwellings to one per lot. A condition of approval will be included to void the `Ohana Dwelling Permits that were issued for this property but never built in order to conform to this restriction. The subject property is presently heavily forested with a relatively closed canopy of`ohi`a and a dense understory of hapu'u ferns and other native and non-native trees and shrubs. Wildlife on the property consists of feral cats,pigs, mongoose,turkey, and other common introduced birds. Common native Hawaiian birds inhabiting the property include the `amakihi, `apapane and `elepaio. The federally endangered Hawaiian Hawk inhabits the general Kaloko mauka area. The federally endangered Hawaiian Crow disappeared from the area in the 1970-1980's, although the area remains to be potential habitat for future species recovery efforts. The Hawaiian Forest Bird Recovery Plan (1983) identified the upper slopes of Hualalai, above the 3,000 foot elevation, as "essential habitat" for the endangered `akepa and Hawaiian creeper. These bird species feed from `ohi`a lehua and koa. The proposed development has the potential to alter the mixture of plant life,however, the low density of the proposed development and conditions of approval consistent with Resolution No. 58-97 will assure the continuation of habitat for existing wildlife. The Kona Community Development Plan (CDP) includes