2024-10-28 Kūpuna for the Moʻopuna Testimony GP 2045

Home

- was being amended. At every level, our voices were dismissed. Now, with this same flagrant dismissiveness towards our Hawaiian Homes Commission Act authority, the county refused to include comments and documents in the GP 2045 Draft as requested by the HHCA Chair. Here are two examples of the HHCA Chair's comments / documents (Attachments 1-3) that the county refused to include: • The MOU between the County and DHHL was created almost a quarter century ago and while DHHL knows that current County Planning Department staff are aware of the MOU and the unique status of the Hawaiian Homes Commission's land use authority over DHHL lands, DHHL wants to further ensure that future County staff future elected officials, and future members of the public continue to have an institutional memory of the relationship between DHHL and the County. Incorporating a reference to this document in the 2045 County General Plan Update will better guarantee that this institutional memory is perpetuated in future generations [emphasis added]. The 2002 MOU is enclosed for your convenience and reference. • • Likewise, DHHL requests that its 2022 DHHL General Plan Update be referenced and / or included in the 2045 County General Plan Update either as an appendices or other appropriate section of the County General Plan [emphasis added]. The 2022 DHHL General Plan Update identifies land use designations that the HHC may apply to Hawaiian Home Lands. The DHHL General Plan should be a reference to the County. While the county verbally acknowledges the HHCA's authority over DHHL lands, the county refused to commit this to writing in the GP 2045 Draft, which will be to the detriment of HHCA beneficiaries forced to expend time, energy, and resources to ensure and protect the well being of the people and the land. Again, we ask that the Windward Planning Commission require the above changes to the GP 2045 Draft consistent with the purpose of the General Plan pursuant to Section 3-15 of the Hawaii County Charter to "... promote the general welfare, health, and prosperity of its people." Mahalo, Kupuna for the Mo `opuna Pana`ewa, Hawaii Attachments (3): (1) DHHL Comments on the County of Hawaii 2045 General Plan - February 28, 2024 (4 pages) (2) Memorandum of Agreement Between the County of Hawai`i and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands - December 27, 2002 (5 pages)