HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0164.011 2024-2026/
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Legislative Approval and Acquisitions Committee
Resolution #Q5 -25 -- Acquisition of propertiesdedgneted 8SKaVVaiOUi M8k8 -SU000d
Tawn Keeney MD
Thank you for allowing the opportunity to reflect my thoughts regarding the properties
comprising 80 acres makai of the '6-ton bridge' over the Kawainui ('Big Water') Stream on the
Old Mamalahoa Highway between Pepeekeo and Papaikou in the Hamakua district of the Big
|G|uDd.
Myname iGTavvn Keeney. ihave lived inHOVoh8afor the past 48years. For the first 36of
those years | was physician vvorkingforHu[nokUoSUgarand,afte[fheP|antationiSc|oaure.ad
the HunmakUaHealth Center. | arrived inHonokooafter growing upinKansas, and then after
medical school, serving aDInternship aLQueens Hospital iDHonolulu. | have been owner mf
the 525 seat Honokaa People's Theatre, showing movies 5 nights/week, with occasional
concerts, since 19S1. | have been operato ufthe theatre since myretirement from practice Cf
medicine in 2013. | have served on the 8 rngrnber ||a0ekUa district CunOUnVnitv [)exa|op[noOt
Plan Action Committee x5years, and recently a8Chair.
In that capacity | listened with interest as []vvightTakanNiOe. venerated State Legislator from
Hamakua, described his long time vision of revitalization of the Old Mamalahoa Highway from
Hilo to HoOokaa. Following that inspiration I surveyed the map of its windings up the coast
and was struck byseeing 8large estuary, which I had not previously noticed,between
Pepeekeo and Papaikou. Seeing that the properties on either side were owned by a Botanical
Garden on Kauai, I called the Manager, thinking that perhaps the Botanical Garden might be
intending on expanding its operations to the Big Island. I learned that the Kawainui Stream
ravine, about 1/3 of the two 40 acre properties, was in Conservation easement, and the
uplands 2/3 had been planted in teak and mahogany 20+ years ago. The teak and mahogany
plantation had not been appropriately managed with thinning and Silviculture and thus its value
had not been maximized. The owner of the Botanical Garden and Kawainui property had died
the year before, and the property had been for sale for two years in the recent past, without
SUCC9Ss. It was indicated that it might come again to the market, which has now been the
case over the past 8months.
| and my 'team' (my daughter, Phagthmn, and son in law, KaODn\were given permission to
access the property and K8VVaiOUiStream conservation area. There has been 'informna|'access
tOthe area under the botanical garden's ownership due to lack Dffences and absence of
'keep -out' aigns, though there are gates on the jeep trail passageways through the thick palm
roadside barrier.
Accessing the ravine from the south side of the stream DD 8 V8gU8 foot tF8i|' OUrt83rD\s
initial arrival was at the likely seldom visited mid |BY8| between the two large waterfalls Dnthe
property (though accessible without rope, rope assistance allows an easier route to this level).
The experience was one ofexhilaration, looking upstream adavery tall waterfall, pumping
vigorously even though it was |8te-GU[OFOe[/KavVaiOUi tr@OS|8t8s as'Big Water' | believe). Of
oourae, at the bottom of the falls is a large pool. And proximate to that, stand eight (four on
each side of the stream) 10 ft. high old concrete pylons which were foundations for the sugar
p|8Ot8tiOD f|UDl8 oCnogG the KaVV8iDUi gulch. And then, from this VGDt8g8 OO the 'lip' of the
lower waterfall, one turns toward the ocean to see the majestic estuary below in it's ravine of
Alexander Po|rna: breath -taking.
Easier access tDKaN8iDUi08k8ii8found bvbypassing this mid -level and following the
vague trail ondown tuthe lower level and estuary. Here vVepass byseveral impressive
remnants nfold rock walls next tothe trail. Here mOthe banks ufthe estuary, which | vvmu|d
guess may stretch 100 yards up to the pool below the lower waterfall, one sees the tidal
character that defines the estuary as being a body of water, contiguous with the ocean, in
which the wave action changes the downward flow Ofstream water into the back and forth
motion with the incoming waves. This ioaserene, beautiful, indeed magnificent place. The
rock foundations in this l8V8|'S SD18|| plateau in the r8ViD8 might reflect 8 SnU8|| communit
COMITA,
Ref.
Ref. no�ie
several families who would launch their canoes into the estuary to easily access fishing sites
and other communities such g8at{]Dorne8'the estuary 81HoDqJiiand Hilo. Upwards from the
small pebble beach on the north side shoreline there is found another stone foundation
structure. However this north side access is significantly more difficult than either the mid- or
lower level access onthe south side and demands arope for safe access.
| was completely entranced bythe beauty here. However | wish foadd aperspective
emphasized byBobby Niahi[noto'35year veteran ofDLNRiOthe AquaticsDivision and fellow
CDPActiun Committee member who fishes this coastline ragU|ar|\L He emphasizes that, yea
this is8very beautiful estuary and ravine, but its real importance is that it is one of the very few,
and one mfthe largest, estuaries that serve the spawning groundf the fish on the
Hamakua Coastline. It is here in these spawning grounds that the generations of Hamakua
coastal fish for sustenance are propagated. And he emphasizes that these fishing stocks are
dwindling to almost become endangered. He thus stresses with all the emphasis of his
expertise, the natural and ecological, rather than aesthetic, importance of this place.
As Kanoa, Phaethon and I drove home after visiting Kawainui for the first time, the question
arose of access to this area (which is currently under Conservation zoning) under County or
State authority, and how would it be controlled, and how would the area be utilized. Kanoa's
mother, Toni Withington, has been at the forefront of efforts in North Kohala toward County
acquisition, easement and preservation of many miles of oceanfront properties). My comment
was that, in any other place on the planet, an area of this great beauty and ease of access
would be made into a public park. Again, my roots are in Kansas. Both Kanoa and Phaethon
expressed reluctance. The numbers of visitors to Hawaii island, even if well controlled, might
make the 'Park' concept impractical, if not ruin the aesthetic value and ecological balance of
this place.
In returning home m/ewere directed to Blake W4oNaUghtoD' a leader ofthe Makahana|oa
Fishing Association, ofthe PepeekeVand Papaikoucommunities. Our small family group
which enlarged toino|ude Blake and Bobby NiGhiOnutO and Ed Johnston, submitted m
nomination for Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Commission endorsement
VfCounty acquisition Ofthe properties. Among the ten P{]KjCacquisition nominations for this
year, XaYV8iOUi M2k8i was ranked 2Od' superseded only by an important coastal property
adjacent to Anoahoo[na|u E]a\\ just south of the hotels. We concurred as a group with the
management responsibilities being assumed primarilybythe fishing association ifthe County
were toachieve acquisition. However, recently VVehave received notice that arepresentative of
a Kunokao|e hU|o ha|aU' a venerated ha|aU from the Hilo area, had avievvinQ of the property
with the real estate agent, but did not have resources tOproceed further. VVahave put out
'feelers' to that group to ascertain interest in participating in management should the {|OUDf
besuccessful inpurchase. Also the PepeekeoCommunity Association has been contacted
and reportedly will bHsupportive Ofthe project.
All this underscores the overriding importance 0fdetermining, "What would bedone with
the property?"Aosupport ofthe fisheries ecosystem, ofVvhiohthe estuaries are foundational,
may be the most important o8pmm1 of County or State management of this area, | o[n in
wholehearted agreement that Makahanaloa Fishing Association should have a key role the
hands Dnmanagement here.
In asking this question of Kanoa, his response was that because of the property's unique
and important characteristics it was most appropriate that this property |d be under the
direction and authority cfState orCounty government. However, the current 'b8OeVV|ent'
ownership bVthe Kauai botanical garden would beanother desirable model iDthat those
wishing toaccess the unsurpassed beauty o[the fishing grounds here have not been
discouraged by fences or No Trespassing signs. Though there ioovague foot -trail oDthe
south side into the Conservation Area ravine, OOOOr7visits there | have not seen another
person, and { believe it is primarily fishermen, or perhaps pig hunters, who access the [8ViOe
(the fishermen primarily from the north side). There are fire ants, though | received bites on
only one occasion.
Blake McNaughton,iOhis writing for PONC testimony, and perhaps reflecting the vision of
the MakahanaloaFishing Assn,described that it may be wise to put ufence around the
property to control the pig population. Also it must be acknowledged that by the very nature of
its being uravine, there iahazard here. Undoubtedly, there are 'flash Uoods'. This would again
raise the question nfaccess.
Let rOedigress for 8moment. Over the past decade | have come tobelieve that the
fundamental impulse driving human intention is to be in the presence of beauty. Tbnnethis
supersedes the will topower urprocreation nrother motivations. |ti8understood that beauty
is wholly subjective experience. |therefomy react with some uneasiness oterection of barriers
that might dioo||mvv the public to have an experience similar to my ovvO on accessing this rnid-
|eV8| stream [8ViD8. | believe that it VVDUld be [8n2 in Hawaii to find a vantage from which,
looking DlaUkaframes 3beautiful, tall (?7ft.) waterfall, and the historic pylons 8stribute LOthe
plantation era, then turning makai one sees this gorgeous, placid sandy bottom estuary in it's
palm lined ravine, and beyond - the ocean and sky. Thaccess this spot through the forest of
towering Alexander Palms adds tnthe transcendent experience.
I therefore would have you consider that that this access be made available to the public,
but only }fit can be done in aG8fe and minimally intrusive way. | VVOVld have you visualize that
the model of access to the viewing area of Akaka Falls could be re -envisioned here. This
would be8walking corridor several feet in width enclosed with railings. Leaving the corridor
VVOUld be prohibited. There could be steps down into this mid -level ravine, possibly following 8
Z-trail d8SC8Dt. A little above the Stn3aCO l8V8| /niV8D that there will be iDt8[rnitt8Ot high-water
flow and flash flooding) amodest oreven large viewing Ofthe waterfall and estuary (again
enclosed byrailings) could b*built securely. The public would have nmaccess tothe stream or
pool below the waterfall, and there would be no access to the public to the lower level with its
proximity tothe estuary d ancient rockstructures. These and the stream itself would
stream OOthis property, consideration may wishtmbe given to how b|icould
become available consistent with the designs of PONC supported acquisition and
Conservation zoning regulation.
/t is worth /mtmy that two weeks ago aQermemnan from Colorado was directed to our group
by the realtor for the properties, thinking we might be able to work together toward purchase.
Seemingly, he and his 'family' had been prepared to proceed. Hahad envisioned that the
properties could be subdivided into four rather than the current two, and each of those could
be available to a primary home and three accessory dwelling units as 'farm dwellings' caring
for the teak and mahogany planted forest, along with some new plantings. After speaking with
US. he g[GciOUS|V H|8CL8d to VY8\t UpOD the OU1CODlS of the potential public acquisition by the
County.
| thank you for your consideration ofthe above comments and make request that the Hawaii
County Council authorize negotiations toward public acquisition of the properties under
consideration in the KGVV8iOui nlekai area of the Big Island.
Respectfully submitted as testimony to the Hawaii County Council,
Tawn Keeney MID