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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0493.125 2000-2002BeltCollins August 12, 2002 02A-391 Ms. Bobby Jean Leithead-Todd Chairperson Planning Committee County Council County of Hawaii 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Dear Ms. Leithead-Todd and Ladies and Gentlemen: Proposed Revision to LUPAG Map 4 North Kona, Hawaii This testimony regarding the proposed changes to the Hawaii County General Plan is being presented on behalf of the following North Kona landowners: Landowner TMK Acreage 1) Kona Trust 7-9-05: 9 163.467 Subtotal 163.467 2) William Paris Sr. Trust 7-9-05:4 0.777 7-9-05: 14 225.804 7-9-07: 13 12.500 Subtotal 239.081 3) Agnes P. Smith Trust 7-9-05: 5 112.804 7-9-05: 15 _0.499 Subtotal 113.303 4) Agnes K. P. Smith Trust 7-9-06: 5 _41.88 Subtotal 41.88 5) William J. Paris, Jr. 7-9-05: 6 i 33.409 7-9-05: 7 = 0.648 7-9-05: 60 22.403 7-9-05: 75 0.907 7-9-06: 3 115.635 7-9-06:4 37.253 7-9-06: 13 3.45 7-9-06: 14 _2.75 Subtotal 216.455 6) Margaret Schattauer 7-9-05: 2 30.80 7-9-05: 3 16.357 Subtotal 47.157 TOTAL 821.343 Belt Collins Hawaii Ltd. 2153 North King Street, Suite 200 ■ Honolulu. Hawaii 96819 USA T/808 521 5361 ■ F/808 538 7819 ■ honolulu@beltcollins.com ■ www.beltcollins.com Belt Collins Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Employer d Ms. Bobby Jean County Council August 12, 2002 Page 2 Leithead-Todd - 02A-391 The lands owned by these landowners, all of whom have owned their land here for many years, are located generally between Keauhou Resort and Hokulia and between the shoreline and area below the Kuakini and Mamalahoa Highways in North Kona. These lands, which are referred to herein as the Lower Honalo lands, are vacant or in very low -carrying capacity cattle ranching. The cattle are placed on the land primarily to keep scrub vegetation down to mitigate fire hazard. In general, the Lower Honalo lands are steep, stony, and rocky Aa and Pahoehoe lava with little or no soil cover. These are the same soils as underlay Hokulia and Keauhou Resort. There is no irrigation on these lands. As a County condition for the development of Hokulia, a bypass roadway for Mamalahoa Highway is currently under construction across these Lower Honalo lands. No provision is being made for the bringing of irrigation or domestic water to these lands in the building of the bypass. The draft General Plan update proposes to replace the current "Orchards" and "Extensive Agricultural" designations for these Lower Honalo lands with a new classification called "Important Agricultural Lands." The text of the draft General Plan update sets forth criteria for lands to be classified as "Important Agricultural Lands." The draft update states that lands to be classified as "Important Agricultural Lands" have "better potential for sustained high agricultural yields." The criteria set forth in the draft update is shown in Exhibit B, which is attached. That same criteria has been used by Belt Collins Hawaii and the respective landowners to evaluate the Lower Honalo lands. Our evaluation, which is attached as Exhibit C, divides the Lower Honalo lands into four areas beginning at the shoreline and moving mauka as follows: Area 1 - Lower Honalo land makai of the new bypass road down to the shoreline. Area 2 - Lower Honalo land between the new bypass road and the old railroad right-of-way. Area 3 — Lower Honalo land mauka of the old railroad right-of-way up to about the 1,000 -foot elevation. Area 4 — Lower Honalo land mauka of the 1,000 -foot elevation. You will note that our evaluation shows that the Lower Honalo lands within Areas 1, 2, and 3 do not meet the criteria for "Important Agricultural Lands." It is obvious from our evaluation, using the draft update criteria, that these lands belong in the "Extensive Agriculture" classification, which is defined as "Lands not classified as Important Ms. Bobby Jean Leithead-Todd County Council August 12, 2002 - 02A-391 Page 3 Agricultural Land. Includes lands that are not capable of producing sustained, high agricultural yields without the intensive application of modern farming methods and technologies due to certain physical constraints such as soil composition, slope, machine tillability and climate. Other less intensive agricultural uses such as grazing and pasture may be included in the Extensive Agricultural land category." Our evaluation shows that only some of the land in Area 4, land mauka of the 1,000 -foot elevation, belongs in the "Important Agricultural Lands" classification. These are the Coffee Belt lands with Honuaulu soils and adequate rainfall. In addition, irrigation water may be made available from existing mauka water systems to these lands, but such water would be inadequate for the very dry, stony lands below the 1,000 -foot elevation. On behalf of our clients, we respectfully request that draft LUPAG Map 4, North Kona, be modified to reflect our Exhibit A, which is attached. Exhibit A shows the proper location for "Important Agricultural Lands" and "Extensive Agriculture" designations on the Lower Honalo lands based on criteria of the draft General Plan update. If you have any questions, we would be pleased to answer them, and we hope for your favorable consideration of this request. Sincerely yours, BELT COLLINS HAWAII LTD. (W�mes R. Bell JRB:gk cc: Christopher Yuen/Norman Hayashi John Michael White Landowners Enclosures EXHIBIT B Current Proposed Criteria in General Plan Draft Agriculture Designations - Draft General Plan Update 2002 (Intensive Agriculture: Sugar, orchard, diversified agriculture, and floriculture. High: Fertile soil. Low: Less fertile soil. Extensive Agriculture: Pasturage and range lands. Orchard: Those agricultural lands which, though rocky in character and content, support productive macadamia nuts, papaya, citrus and other similar agricultural products). Important Agricultural Land: Important agricultural lands are those with better potential for sustained high agricultural yields because of soil type, climate, topography, or other factors. Important agricultural lands were determined by including the following lands: • Lands identified as "Intensive Agriculture" on the 1989 General Plan Land Use Pattern Allocation Guide maps. • Lands identified in the Agricultural Lands of Importance to the State of Hawaii (ALISH) classification system as "Prime" or "Unique." • Lands classified by the Land Study Bureau's Soil Survey Report as Class B "Good" soils. (There are no Class A lands on the island of Hawaii. • Lands classified as at least "fair" for two or more crops, on an irrigated basis, by the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service's study of suitability for various crops. • In North and South Kona, the "coffee belt," a continuous band defined by elevation, according to input from area farmers. • State agricultural parks. Some areas that meet the criteria for important agricultural lands on an irrigated basis only were included in the "Extensive Agricultural Land" category due to their remoteness from potential sources of irrigation. Certain areas that could have been classified as Important Agricultural lands have been placed within urban land use categories. Generally, these are adjacent to existing urban areas. This represents a decision that the orderly development of those urban areas justifies the eventual conversion of those lands to urban use. Because of the scale of the Land Use Pattern Allocation Guide maps used to designate Important Agricultural Land, the location of these lands should be verified by more detailed mapping when considering specific land use decisions. EXHIBIT C EVALUATION OF LOWER HONALO LANDS Belt Collins Hawaii (See Attached Map Exhibits C-1, C-2, C-3, and C-4) Important Agricultural Land Criteria used in draft General Plan Update: Agricultural land with better potential for sustained high agricultural yields because of: a. Soil type. b. Climate. See attached Map C-1. C. Topography or other factors. d. Land identified as "Intensive Agriculture" on 1989 LUPAG maps. See attached Map C-2. e. Land identified in ALISH as "Prime" or "Unique." See attached Map C-3. f. Land Classified as "B" in the UH Land Study Bureau report. See attached Map C-4. g. Land classified as "fair" for two or more crops (coffee, macadamia nut, banana, papaya, and cut flowers) with irrigation by USDA. h. Coffee Belt defined by elevation. Area 1. Land Makai of the New Bypass Highway Down to the Shoreline: a. SolI types: (i) 230 Waiaha - stony and unsuited for machine tilling. (ii) 233 Waiaha - rocky with frequent outcrops of pahoehoe and unsuited for machine tilling. (iii) 289 Pahoehoe - no soil and unsuited for machine tilling. (iv) 292 Almost Bare Pahoehoe - no soil and very poorly suited for machine tilling. (v) 319 Bare Aa - no soil and unsuited for machine tilling. b. Climate - hot and seasonally dry - less than 40" of rain. C. Topography or other - steep and rocky, now partially in cattle ranching. d. Intensive Ag. 1989 GP - no land designated Intensive Ag. e. ALISH - no land designated Prime or Unique. f. UH - no land classified as B. g. USDA - no irrigation available. h. Coffee Belt - no coffee growing. Area 2. Land Between New Bypass Highway and Old RR Right -of -Way: a. Soil types: (i) 72 Kainakiu - shallow soil unsuited for machine tilling. (ii) 230 Waiaha - stony and unsuited for machine tilling. (iii) 289 Pahoehoe - no soil and unsuited for machine tilling. (iv) 262 Aa - no soil and unsuited for machine tilling. b. Climate - hot and seasonally dry with rainfall above 40". C. Topography and other - steep and rocky, now partially in cattle ranching. d. Intensive Ag. 1989 GP - no land designated Intensive Ag. e. ALISH - no land designated Prime or Unique. f. UH - no land classified as B. g. USDA - no irrigation available. h. Coffee Belt - no coffee growing. Area 3. Land Mauka of Old RR Right -of -Way up to the 1,000' Elevation: a. Soil types: (i) 71 Kainaliu - deep soil, rocky and unsuited for machine tilling. (ii) 72 Kainaliu - shallow soil, rocky and unsuited for machine tilling. (iii) 262 Aa - no soil and unsuited for machine tilling. (iv) 292 Almost Bare Aa - no soil and very poorly suited for machine tilling. b. Climate - hot and seasonally rainy with 40" to 60" of rain. Exhibit C -2- August 12, 2002 c. Topography and other - steep with 11 to 20 percent slope, partially used for cattle grazing. d. Intensive Ag. 1989 GP - no land classified Intensive Ag. e. ALISH - no land classified as Prime or Unique. f. UH - no land classified as B. g. USDA - no irrigation available. h. Coffee Belt - no coffee growing. Area 4. Land Mauka of the 1,000' elevation up to Kuakini and Marnalahoa Highways: a. Soil types: (i) 51 Honuaulu - moderately deep to deep soil, stony and poorly suited for machine tilling. (ii) 52 Honuaulu - moderately deep to deep soil, rocky and unsuited to machine tilling. (iii) 53 Honuaulu - (iv) 292 Almost Bare Aa - no soil and very poorly suited for machine tilling. b. Climate - moderately humid and cloudy, 40" to 50" of rain C. Topography and other - steep undulating terrain. d. Intensive Ag. 1989 GP - no land classified Intensive Ag. e. ALISH - some land classified as Unique. f. UH - land within 51 Honuaulu soils is rated B. Land within 52 and 53 Honuaulu is rated C. g. USDA - there is no irrigation available. h. Coffee Belt - land with Honuaulu soils are within the Coffee Belt. Exhibit C -3- August 12, 2002 ) 2 a EoOX s m \ k § 2 Iaf (L \ { L - / �� f $� ) -� me low Iq U) W. 0 a) 80 M M 0 EQ O7 0 r - z yj I L 11 1 11 -� me low Iq U) LL 11 I IIA ••r•.:r?:?•r? •••w: �11 •r.:.v::.•. 10 ...... .... (8 LJ z 0 Eo >' 0 m 0, LLJ a- 0 'a .0 -8 m CO) 8 In a LU z z vj eltCollins August 19, 2002 02A-398 Ms. Bobby Jean Leithead-Todd Chairperson Planning Committee County of Hawaii 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Dear Ms Leithead-Todd: Proposed Revision to LUPAG Map 4 North Kona, Hawaii This letter is to advise you that the TMK numbers shown in my letter of August 12, 2002 and on Exhibits A and C-1 of that letter have just been revised to the numbers shown in the enclosed table. This revision results from the subdivision of many of the TMKs listed in the August 12, 2002 letter to provide the right-of-way for the bypass roadway for Mamalahoa Highway. There has been no change in ownership of the parcels except that the right-of-way is being acquired by Hokulia and will be dedicated to the County of Hawaii after the bypass roadway has been constructed. As an example, the Kona Trust parcel, TMK 7-9-05:9 of 163.467 acres, is now 7-9-05:9 of 49.67 acres and 7-9-05:76 of 108.55 acres with the remaining 5 plus acres being the bypass road right-of-way. If you have any questions, please call me at 521-5361. Sincerely yours, BELT COLLINS HAWAII LTD. es R. Bell Enclosure Belt Collins Hawaii Ltd. 2153 North King Street, Suite 200 ■ Honolulu, Hawaii 96819 USA T/808 521 5361 ■ FI808 538 7819 ■ honolulu@beltcollins.com ■ www.beitcollins.com Belt Collins Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Employer NOn O.'JIU Alt" alfa a,„ k -o V'I ys:a ::,,aFore �,3ildn0 Proposed Revision to LUPAG Map 4 North Kona, Hawaii Landowner TMK Acreage New New I TMK I Acreage ------------..... 1) Kona Trust _---..... - - 7-9-05: 9 _.------------ ..._. 163.467 7-9-05: 9 49.67 Subtotal 163.467 7-9-05:76 108.55 158.22 2) William Paris Sr. Trust 7-9-05: 4 0.777 7-9-05: 4 0.777 7-9-05:14 225.804 7-9-05: 14 59.40 7-9-07:13 12.500 7-9-05: 78 161.50 Subtotal 239.081 7-9-07: 13 12.500 234.177 3) Agnes P. Smith Trust 7-9-05: 5 112.804 7-9-05: 05 16.80 7-9-05:15 0.499 7-9-05:79 94.50 Subtotal 113.303 7-9-05: 15 0.439 111.739 4) Agnes K. P. Smith Trust 7-9-06: 5 41.88 7-9-06: 5 12.0 Subtotal 41.88 7-9-06:37 29.0 41.0 5) William J. Paris, Jr. 7-9-05: 6 33.409 7-9-05: 6 11.70 7-9-05:7 0.648 7-9-05: 77 20.70 7-9-05:60 22.403 7-9-05:7 0.643 7-9-05:75 0.907 7-9-05:60 22.403 7-9-06:3 115.635 7-9-05:75 0.987 7-9-06:4 37.253 7-9-06:3 46.5 7-9-06: 13 3.45 7-9-06:36 66.5 7-9-06: 14 2.75 7-9-06:4 18.0 Subtotal 216.455 7-9-06:35 18.0 7-9-06: 13 3.45 7-9-06: 14 2.75 211.633 6) Margaret Schattauer 7-9-05: 2 30.80 7-9-05: 2 30.80 7-9-05:3 16.357 7-9-05:3 16.357 Subtotal 47.157 47.157 TOTAL 821.343 803.926 August 19, 2002