COM 0840.000 2018-2020 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Aaron S.Y. Chung, Council Chair and Members of the County Council Page 5 The request is not contrary to Chapter 205A, Hawaii Revised Statues, relating to Coastal Zone Management. The property is not located in the Special Management Area. The site is located over five (5) miles mauka of the shoreline and therefore will not be impacted by coastal hazard and beach erosion. There are no identified recreational resources, public access to the shoreline or mountain areas, scenic and open space preserves, coastal ecosystems, or marine resources on the subject property. The property does contain significant natural resources in that it is heavily forested with native species that provide a food source to several native and endangered bird species. In view of the Hawaii State Supreme Court's "PASH" and "Ka Pa'akai 0 KaAina decisions,the issue relative to native Hawaiian gathering and fishing rights must be addressed in terms of the cultural,historical,and natural resources and the associated traditional and customary practices of the site: Investigation of valued resources: The property is located within the boundaries of a pre- contact age upland agricultural system known as the Kona Field System,which is listed in the State Inventory of Historic Places. The area was the subject of a reconnaissance survey and test excavations in 1970 and 1971 by Hu'ehu'e Ranch, the developers of the Kaloko Mauka Subdivision. In addition, the National Park Service published a report in 1991 entitled, "An Ahupua'a Study: The 1971 Archaeological Work at Kaloko Ahupua'a,North Kona." This study also identified remains of an agricultural field system up to the 3,500-foot elevation at certain locations. At the request of the Leeward Planning Commission, the applicant commissioned an Archeological Reconnaissance Survey (ARS) of the subject Parcel. The ARS was conducted by Glenn Escott, et. al. of Scientific Consultant Services, Inc. and submitted to the Planning Department on February 7,2020.According to the ARS,there were no archaeological sites and no historic properties identified on the subject property. A copy of the application was sent to the State Historic Preservation Division with a request for comments, but no comments have been received as of the date of this writing. The Planning Department has no record of any cultural or historic resources on the property.The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has conducted studies of the general area over the years and have identified numerous endangered and native bird species in the native forest in the subdivision. The valued cultural, historical, and natural resources found in the rezoning area: Per the previously mentioned ARS,there were no archaeological sites and no historic properties identified on the subject property. Furthermore, according to the applicant, there is no evidence of any traditional and customary Native Hawaiian rights being practiced on the property.The property is covered in native forest. Possible adverse effect or impairment of valued resources:Native plants may be destroyed by construction or ground alteration. There is no evidence that the flora in the area are particularly