2025-01-16 Chuck Flaherty, Moku Loa Group, Sierra Group

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412. Support the development of a Rails to Trails type program to facilitate the conversion of old railway segments to a public trail network. 413. Seek private-public partnerships to manage and maintain public access to the shoreline, public trails, hunting areas, scenic places and vistas, and significant historic sites, buildings, and objects of public interest. [Public Access] 414. Explore options and collaborate with community groups to increase access to former sugar cane roads to be used as non-motorized trails where feasible and appropriate. ACTION 4.49 Amend code to require bicycle and walking path easements be developed in urban areas to increase walkability and multimodal transportation options. [Code] 4.50 Work with the State and adjacent landowners in establishing old railroad right-of- ways as pedestrian and bicycle trails. 4.51 Identify by GPS coordinates all existing historic trail alignments that(a) have been recommended for preservation by SHPD, (b) appear on historic maps and/or are known by oral tradition, and incorporate these into the County GIS database. 4.52 Actively implement the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail Memorandum of Understanding. 4.53 Appropriate, finance, allot, and encumber Capital Improvement Projects in support of trail development as part of a regional trail system. 4.54 Add public access requirements as listed in Hawaii County Code Chapter 34 Public Access to apply to Chapter 23 Subdivision Code, SMA review, zoning code, special permits, etc. [Code] 4.55 Develop and implement a public-private program to establish and manage specific access points and trails. SUSTAINABILITY OBJECTIVE Develop and maintain a public access program that integrates recreation, subsistence, and cultural access priorities. POLICY 415. Integrate Public Access into County department priorities in the following ways: a) Incorporate public access and development into a program overseen by the Planning Department as per Chapter 34. b) Integrate PONC property management and maintenance into the Parks and Recreation code in Chapter 2: Article 11 and Chapter 15: Parks and Recreation. c) Develop adequate staff to carry out the provisions of Chapter 2 Article 42,relating to the PONC maintenance fund (as per: Section 2-214.2 (b). Pursuant to section 10-16(c) of the Charter, the maintenance fund shall be administered and managed by the department of parks and recreation. Adequate staff to carry out the provisions of this article and section 10-16 of the Charter shall be provided in the department of parks and recreation. [Rationale: Based on identified gaps in addressing or applying public access regulations and procedures consistently between the various County Departments. The County lacks capacity to fulfill its existing public access objectives without increasing staff