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Home My WebLink AboutRES 710 Draft 01 2018-2020 FC-39 September 1, 2020 Comm. 1040: REQUESTS A DISCUSSION WITH THE ADMINISTRATION REGARDING HAWAII COUNTY'S BUDGET OUTLOOK From Council Members Susan L. K. Lee Loy and Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, dated August 13, 2020. FILED: Ayes: Committee Members Chung, Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Lee Loy, Poindexter, Richards, Villegas, and Chair David—8. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Member Eoff— 1. Excused: None. ORDER OF RESOLUTIONS Res. 710-20: AUTHORIZES THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE TO ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE ACQUISITION OF LAND OR A CONSERVATION EASEMENT FOR ALL OR A PORTION OF THE PROPERTY IDENTIFIED AS TAX MAP KEY: 9-5-010:026 IN THE AHUPUA'A OF KAWALA, DISTRICT OF KA`U, PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 2, ARTICLE 42, HAWAII COUNTY CODE 1983 (2016 EDITION, AS AMENDED) The County seeks to acquire the Manaka`a Fishing Village Property in whole or conservation easement to conserve precious cultural, natural, and agricultural resources. The parcel was listed as the number one highest priority for purchase in the 2019 Annual Report of the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Commission. Reference: Comm. 1035 Intr. by: Ms. David POSTPONED TO THE CALL OF THE CHAIR: Ayes: Committee Members Chung, Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Lee Loy, Poindexter, Richards, Villegas, and Chair David—8. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Member Eoff— 1. Excused: None. Page 3 %)t. .14 OF N,' .4 COUNTY OF HAWAII • �==�•4�* - STATE OF HAWAII •.••1rE.OF.............. RESOLUTION NO. 710 20 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE TO ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE ACQUISITION OF LAND OR A CONSERVATION EASEMENT FOR ALL OR A PORTION OF THE PROPERTY IDENTIFIED AS TAX MAP KEY (3) 9-5-010:026 IN THE AHUPUA'A OF KAWALA, DISTRICT OF KA`U, PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 2, ARTICLE 42, HAWAII COUNTY CODE 1983 (2016 EDITION, AS AMENDED). WHEREAS, LLC Kawala owns the property identified as Tax Map Key: (3)9-5- 010:026, which comprises approximately 348 acres in the Ahupua'a of Kawala, District of Ka`u, which is located makai (oceanside) of Na`alehu Town and includes the historic fishing village of Manaka`a, hereinafter referred to as the "The Manaka`a Fishing Village Property" or the "Property"; and WHEREAS, Chapter 2, Article 42, Hawai`i County Code 1983 (2016 Edition, as amended) provides for a Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Fund; and WHEREAS, Section 2-215, Hawai`i County Code 1983 (2016 Edition, as amended), established the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Commission (hereinafter "Commission"); and WHEREAS, Section 2-217, Hawai`i County Code 1983 (2016 Edition, as amended), provides, in pertinent part, that the Commission's first duty and responsibility is, "No develop and submit to the mayor an initial island-wide prioritized list of qualifying lands worthy of preservation ..." and for the priorities to be "...listed on an island-wide rather than district basis..."; and WHEREAS, the 2019 Annual Report of the Commission assigned the Manaka`a Fishing Village Property the number one ranking, the highest priority for acquisition of any property listed in the 2019 Annual Report; and WHEREAS, Communication No. 67.1 from the Mayor, dated January 16, 2020, recommended that the Council accept the prioritized list presented in the 2019 Annual Report of the Commission, pursuant to Section 2-218(a) of the Hawai`i County Code; and WHEREAS, The Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Commission not only conserves precious cultural, natural, and agricultural resources, but helps diversify our economy, making Hawai`i Island more resilient in future economic downturns; and WHEREAS, the Manaka`a Fishing Village Property has exceptional cultural, environmental, natural significance and value as it contains: 1.2 miles of sea cliffs known as the Maniania Pali as well as the ancient Alaloa footpath which once encircled the island, also known as the Alanui or the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail; and WHEREAS, there are 22 documented cultural sites on the Manaka`a Fishing Village Property in addition to the coastal Alaloa, including heiau, burials, lava tube habitation sites, water collection caves with underground springs, ahu (altar), papamu (stone for the game konane), and two mauka-makai trails, one that connects Waikapuna's shores with the foothills of Na`alehu and the other that connects Na`alehu with the only path descending the pali to the shoreline below; and WHEREAS, the Property provides some of the best grazing lands in Ka`u with over 200 acres of deep Pahala Ash soil; Kuahiwi Ranch leases the property for cattle grazing and specializes in local grass fed beef, marketing about 450,000 lbs of meat annually, contributing to our local food security and Hawai`i Island's economic recovery and long term resiliency; and WHEREAS, the bluffs along the Maniania Pali provide a protected habitat for native coastal vegetation including nohu, nehe, `ilima papa, pa`u o hi`iaka, and kauna`oa; native seabirds nest along the cliffs; and the nearshore area is home to endangered Hawaiian Hawksbill and threatened green sea turtles, whales, endangered Hawaiian monk seals, diverse fish, limu (seaweed), and crustacean and urchin populations; and WHEREAS, preserving the Manaka`a Fishing Village Property will ensure a pristine marine environment at the base of Maniania Pali and proper management will minimize soil erosion, sedimentation, and runoff into the sea of Manaka`a; and WHEREAS, it is the Ka`u community's longstanding dream to permanently preserve its beloved coast to honor Ka`u's ancestors and allow all current and future generations to be nourished by these coastal lands; and WHEREAS, the nonprofits The Trust for Public Land and Ala Kahakai Trail Association are in the process of raising funds to purchase, preserve, and protect the Manaka`a Fishing Village Property, Ala Kahakai Trail Association is committed to community-based management and stewardship, and Ala Kahakai Trail Association desires to grant a conservation easement to the County of Hawaii in order to complete the conservation purchase, permanently protect the Property, and provide public benefits; and WHEREAS, in the interests of 1) preserving cultural and natural resources, 2) facilitating managed public access and preserving portions of the Alaloa(Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail), 3) protecting important agricultural lands, 4) protecting open space, and 5) maintaining Ka`u's rural lifestyle and historical character, the County desires to acquire a property interest in all or a portion of the Manaka`a Fishing Village Property, such as a conservation easement; now, therefore, 2 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII that the Director of Finance is authorized to enter into negotiations for the acquisition of land or a conservation easement in all or a portion of the Manaka`a Fishing Village Property as described above, pursuant to the terms of this resolution. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Finance is authorized to initiate any funding mechanisms required for the acquisition of land or a conservation easement in all or a portion of the Manaka`a Fishing Village Property, in accordance with Chapter 2, Article 42, Hawai`i County Code, relating to the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Fund and Commission, and may utilize any other funds from any other sources, private or governmental, as said funding is available. BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the County Clerk shall forward a copy of this resolution to the Honorable Mayor Harry Kim, the Director of Finance, the Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, the State of Hawai`i Department of Land and Natural Resources, the State of Hawaii Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and the Hawai`i County Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Commission. Dated at , Hawai`i, this day of , 20 INTRODUCED BY: 44110 .-4 .44Wira COUN I ' - ' "•LINTY OF HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL ROLL CALL VOTE County of Hawaii AYES NOES ABS EX Hilo, Hawai`i CHUNG DAVID I hereby certify that the foregoing RESOLUTION was by EOFF the vote indicated to the right hereof adopted by the COUNCIL of the KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER County of Hawai`i on KIERKIEWICZ LEE LOY ATTEST: POINDEXTER RICHARDS VILLEGAS C-1035/FC Reference: COUNTY CLERK CHAIRPERSON&PRESIDING OFFICER RESOLUTION NO. /r� 10 20 3