HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0189.012 2020-2022 Written and Oral Testimony for Res. 83-21: KE ALA KAKOU (Holualoa Community Forest
TMK 76-004-003, Land Acreage: 2.488 acres COUNTY CLERK
COUNTY OF HAWAII
To: counciltestimony�a hawaiicounty.gov • RECEIVED
Time 11:51401. By do'
Subject: Testimony for Parcel TMK 76-004-003, Res. 83-21, KeAla I�l u APR 1 9 2021 ,
Dear County Committee, Commissioner and County Council Members,
My name is Eileen Kiyoko Morinoue Nanrii, born and raised in Holualoa Village, Kona, Hawaii,
year 1946.
My early years in Holualoa Village began as a child of local coffee farmers, my mother and all
my siblings also having attended Holualoa Elementary School.
When the PONC properties, Ke Ala Kakou, aka, Holualoa Community Forest, were brought to
my attention, I immediately felt a need to make a testimony for the county to make possible the
purchase of this parcel of land. It is a rather small land parcel, but its value cannot be measured
in the initial dollars the County would be spending. Rather, please consider the valuable impact
you will make with this land purchase.
Let me digress to the major points I feel you would benefit from, which I sincerely hope can
greatly influence your decision. Firstly, Holualoa village is just 2.5 miles, as the crow flies, from
the ocean. Rainfall can be very heavy from the mountain to the ocean, and Holualoa village is
on the slopes of Mt. Hualalai, and this small parcel of community forest land, Ke Ala Kakou, is
affected by the torrential rains as it is located in the hazardous FEMA Flood zone. If safely
guarded by the county and its community, it will continue to provide ease to the fast flowing flood
waters or heavy rain flow, which, as we know, eventually goes all the way to the ocean. It also
will alleviate surface water and the forest could bring the water down into our aquifer system, so
vital to the ecosystem, especially as groundwater often ends up in the ocean, our ocean.
Secondly, and equally important is that part of this PONC property would connect two significant
spaces/establishments, The Kona IMIN Community Center and Holualoa Elementary School
with a continuous walking path, that will cross through Ke Ala Kakou, Holualoa Community
Forest.These two essential spaces bolster community connection, create and maintain
community programming while connecting keiki, teens and adult activities, so healthy and
uplifting for the community, very often participated by individuals from neighboring communities,
even from makai side, the ocean side, as these 2 spaces have provided successful cultural
events and classes, such as hula, lauhala weaving, martial arts, Bon Dance, Children's Festival,
Kona Coffee Cultural events, and of recent years, Music and Lights Festival and The Arts.
So, I hope you can visualize the importance of saving PONC property, Ke Ala Kakou, Holualoa
Community Forest green space, to benefit the local community which by proof of past years,
Comm. No. `VI•11
Ref.To: Vc/
Ref. Date 2 0 2021.
has also been very frequently visited by other communities on the island, even from outer island
and of course, tourists.
Furthermore, your action to purchase this small but valuable property is not just for the benefit of
today or tomorrow, but for future generations of the people of our land, by helping to ensure that
our local culture and traditions are not further put to a loss, by big business enterprises or
individual owners, who have little or no concern for all that I have ascertained of vital
importance. •
Purchase decisions lay in your hand, and I know it is not always an easy decision, however, I
feel very strongly, that we could very well lose our chance if action is delayed, as Holualoa
village properties are easily scooped up by investors or"snow bird" residents.
I want to thank you for reading my entire testimony, that has now spanned 2 pages, but
Holualoa Village is very dear to my heart, and its future, in the most advantageous manner for
local kupuna, adults, teens and keikis rings ever so deeply within my soul.
Mahalo nui loa,
Ms. Eileen Kiyoko Morinoue Nanni