2026-03-09 - Minutes DRAFT 1 - Laserfiche WebLink

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clarified that the uncertainty involved what price the landowner would be willing to accept and stated that he had not received any verbal acceptance that the owner would agree to fair market or appraised value. Cmr. Lawson asked whether there had been any updates regarding U.S. Fish and Wildlife funding. Mr. Crysdale stated that an application had been submitted to receive U.S. Fish and Wildlife Recovery Land Funds in February of the prior year, but their contact had indicated that nothing was likely to come from that application and no funds were awarded. He added that the nominators had discussed resubmitting this year, but had not received any indication whether funding would be more likely. Chr. Chang asked whether there were any known historic trails on the property. Mr. Crysdale stated that there is a trail coming up from the coast along the bank of Hīlea Gulch on the Pāhala side and that it formerly continued along the tail of Makanao to access the top of Makanao and Kohaikalani Heiau. He stated that part of that route had been cut by development of the old Cane Haul Road and that he did not know whether the trail remains in use. He added that he had not seen it on a map and that his understanding came from information previously shared with him. V. Chr. Britt asked whether cattle grazing would continue if the property were acquired. Mr. Crysdale responded that it would. He stated that one of the strengths of the application was that each of the three ranches had indicated support for the nomination and had no interest in making an offer of their own. He explained that the intent would be to continue managing the former sugar lands with cattle grazing to reduce invasive weed tree introduction into the forest reserve and lessen wildfire fuel loads during the dry season. Chr. Chang asked for more information about the three water sources referenced in the nomination. Mr. Crysdale stated that one spring is recognized and numbered by the Commission on Water Resource Management (CWRM) and that improvements had been made to the floor of the water tunnel within the last ten years. He stated that a second source is also registered and numbered, while the third appears to be an old spring that does not show up in the documentation they had located. He further explained that the property also comes with a stated ownership interest in 50 percent of the output of an old plantation spring tunnel located on The Nature Conservancy’s Kaiholena parcel upslope in Hīlea. He noted that, although water is a public trust, the title refers to ownership of 50 percent of the output of that spring. Cmr. Rosam asked about other interested parties. Mr. Crysdale stated that they had been told by contacts leasing the property that one interested individual had other lands on the island and ties to the cattle meat processing industry. He also stated that the landowner’s representative had advised them of interest from a development entity based in Colorado that has a history of purchasing properties capable of further subdivision and that the entity had obtained an appraisal of the property. Cmr. Rosam commented that, although she understood why Mr. Crysdale did not want to disclose the appraised prices, the existence of that interest showed a level of urgency regarding the property. Chr. Chang added that the Commission does not require that information, but that the availability of matching funds, such as those from the Legacy Land Fund, DRAFT v.1 BS - Minutes of March 9, 2026 Page 12