2016-25 Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Puna Connectivity 9.14.16 (2)

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APPENDIX - D Report on the Upper Puna Connectivity Driving Field Study October 30, 2015 8:00 — 10:40 am Present: Ad-hoc Committee on Puna Connectivity Members present: Greggor Ilagan, Danny Paleka, Marlene Hapai, Patti Pinto Warren Lee, Department of Public Works; Ben Ishii, Department of Public Works; Hans Santiago, Planning Department; Robert Taira, State Department of Transportation; Peter Sur, County District 4 staff, Nadia Malloe, County District 5 staff. The purpose of the driving tour was to familiarize Ad-hoc Committee members and County personnel with the real terrain involved in the proposed prioritized Upper Puna connectivity locations (CLs). Two exploratory field trips were done before today's drive and it was determined that to visit all of the proposed CLs would be too time consuming, some of the roads are not in good condition, and some of the CLs are difficult to see from the ground. An abbreviated tour was designed so that we could get a grasp of the distances and conditions involved. Using two County Vans, we traveled up Highway 11 to South Kopua Road where we drove down to Kahikopele, turned right and drove along the top of Kopua Farmlots and Eden Roc Estates and turned left and proceeded down Ohia Avenue to Punahele. From this intersection we could see the Eden Roc side of CL that would connect Kaleponi Drive in Fern Forest to Punahele in Eden Roc. We could see that the section had been cleared at one time, but was returning to forest. We left Eden Roc, passing on our way the second CL that would create a connection between Eden Roc and Kopua Farmlots between Punahele and Apele. We paused briefly at the intersection of Kahikopele and Kopua Road to point out the possible CL between Kahikopele and Puhala in Fern Acres. Our second "loop" was a trip down South Lauko Road as far as it was possible to drive towards Fern Acres. We stopped the vans at the point where the road crosses the first stream bed. We observed a great deal of erosion damage to the road bed and discussed possible solutions to the stream crossing. Our third and final "loop" for this trip was to travel down South Kulani to Puhala in Fern Acres. We paused on Puhala to look across the survey clearing towards South Lauko Road. We took a brief pause at the corner of Puhala and Pikake to point out the possible CL that would connect Fern Acres and Kopua Road, then proceeded down Pikake to the intersection with Orchid. Fern Acres Community Association has ownership of the road lots at the end of Orchid, the CL would then require a right of way across private property in Kopua Farmlots of about 1000 feet. We spoke with Robert, a Fern Acres resident at the corner of Orchid and Pikake. He said he would favor greater connectivity between Fern Acres and the neighboring subdivisions because it would provide more options in the event of an emergency. Traveling down the length of Orchid brought us to our final CL of today, the intersection of Orchid and Plumeria in Fern Acres. Again, Fern Acres Community Association owns the road lot, the purchase of a privately owned lot in Hawaiian Acres would be necessary to complete the CL which would connect with 1 Road in Hawaiian Acres. The CLs between Hawaiian Acres and its neighbors on both sides were not visited today due to difficult road conditions and time constraints, but they will be included in our ongoing work towards greater