Communication No. 2018-07- 2017 Annunal NKCDP Report from Chair Winter Final

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forward to a much better working relationship with them. The NKCDP will also be up for revision in a year or two: a chance to reemphasize our values and reconsider our way forward. Most of the actual work is accomplished by our community partner groups (previously called subcommittees). Their mandates in the NKCDP, their 2017 progress, and 2018 goals follow. North Kohala Community Access Group (CA) The NKCAG works in partnership with the North Kohala CDP Action Committee to insure implementation of the "Strategies" of the Plan relating to open access to coastal and mountain resources and places of recreation, including officially opening access trails granted by County action, but not legally located. As it states first in the preamble to the NKCDP, North Kohala's Vision: We are a community that respects, preserves and honors our history, our land, and our diverse culture. We value access to our shores, our forests, and our streams. Section 4.2 of the NKCDP is dedicated to this important issue. When Hawaiian land ceased to be entirely public and fell into private hands, many buyers were/are "off -shore" entities, so fences, locked gates and "No Trespassing" signs have become common. Today, only a few roads and paths in Kohala provide public access to the shore or to the mountains. The Goal and Strategies for public access in the NKCDP may be summarized as follows: GOAL: PROVIDE FOR ADEQUATE DRIVABLE (MAUKA-MAKAI) (4 wheel vehicles) PUBLIC ACCESS TO COASTAL (ALONG THE TOPS OF CLIFFS) AND MOUNTAIN AREAS IN NORTH KOHALA, INCLUDING PROVISION OF: A continuous coastal path from Pololu to Kawaihae Harbor, Adequate mauka-makai access easements between the coastal path and Akoni Pule Highway o Adequate mauka-makai access easements from Akoni Pule Highway and the Kohala Mountain Road into the Kohala mountains, and o A lateral mountain road (Wylie Blvd) from Pololu to Taga Pond. The NKCAG also partners with other Kohala community organizations to implement: Strategy 1.2: Acquire coastal lands that should be preserved as open space. NKCAG this year worked with community groups to nominate six coastal projects to the Mayor's PONC priority list for Open Space purchase. All six were named on the 2017 list and purchase of one parcel at Hapu'u is underway. The group also added input to discussions for purchase of lands at Honoipu (Parker Ranch) and Kaupalaoa (Kaupalaoa Ranch). In cooperation with Kohala Lihikai, the group has applied for stewardship of previously purchased open space lands at Pao'o and Kaiholena through the County's Maintenance Fund grant program. Strategy 2.1: Provide for substantive community input to the County Planning Department and the County Council in order to finalize and accept priority shoreline access easements. (Page 41 of the NKCDP states: Community spokespersons have been adamant in their desire to amend and implement specific public accesses that have been agreed to by land owners or court-ordered, but for various reasons were never finalized). The Group helped the Planning Department shepherd two Grants of Public Access Easements through the County Council (for trails and roads at Ainakea and Halaula). The group also worked with land owners on three other pending easements despite the lack of help from Planning Department (Halelua, Pahoa Beach and Upolu East). Strategy 2.4: Encourage increased cooperation and coordination among federal, state, and county agencies and departments regarding public access to coastal and mauka lands. The group worked on two new trail locations by participating in the Environmental Assessment review of new residential development at Kohala Shoreline near Kohala Ranch, and worked with Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail in creating conservation easement to preserve the Ala Loa and coastal trail at Kohala Kai near Kohala Estates. It worked with Na Ala Hele Trail staff, DLNR, to move ahead with relocating the coastal trail at Puakea Bay Ranch, which has been closed due to erosion. It also worked with a National Parks Service planner to answer questions about possible government rights to Mahukona to Niuli'i Railroad easements. In partnership with Kohala Lihikai, the group succeeded in obtaining a Rivers, Trails, Conservation Assistance grant for trail maintenance and educational programs at Kohala High School. Strategy 2.5: Encourage and increase cooperation and coordination between the community and private land owners regarding public access to coastal and mauka lands. NKCAG worked with Hawaiian Islands Land Trust and Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail to seek opening of the Parker Ranch coastal land at Honoipu for public use.