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Febmary 1, 2005 To The County of Hawaii From Sarah Moon, 121 Lokoaka St. Hilo/ HI 96720 phonne: 935-34/7/5 Dear CONn~ (ONNG~ I C DyY1l~'!/~JP~ OGj ~~Al~l'1/N!f' I, Sarah Moon am a 40 year res~\\\id////ent of the Leleiwi section of Keaukaha, Hilo, a trained Sierra Club Outings leader, and an enthusiastic wilderness hiker. About a yeaz ago I was shown the Pepeckeo "High Bank" area and the proposed public accesses. Since then I have returned many times to this unique coastal azea with three different fellow hikers. Using the developers' map of Subdivision Number 7644-revised(2), I have been making notes of remarkable features, natural resources in the form of scenic views, streams, rocky points, remazkable trees and stony beaches. I have tried out every public access as provided by the developer and noted their condition. This place draws me back again and again, the sweeping views, high rocky cliffs and outcroppings with waves crashing, the trade winds blowing, and great whale watching. I see it across the bay from my familiaz coastal azea of 4 mile Beach and Richazdson's Ocean Park. I see the curve of the shield of Mauna Kea as it curves down to the cliffs and the lighthouse. In the Atlas of Hawaii, page 43, it shows that Pepeekeo is right on the line of the east rift zone of Mauna Kea, dormant yes, but on page 69 it shows evidence of magnitude 6.0-7.5 earthquakes happen there, so you know there's some action going on down there. I see the numerous rocky points jutting out of this area, 10 are south of the point alone. The ones north of the point are really remazkable and show evidence of long use for ulua fishing. I believe this part of the coast is unique, different than the rest of Hamakua Coast. To have it behind a gated community with no public pazk and recreation azea would be a great loss. The Pepeekeo Point Subdivision has in place locked gates and one electronic gate, so none of the general public has access by caz to the coast. There are six points of access by foot, the furthest walk would be about a half mile one way, most aze about a quarter mile one way. The incline is considerable, like a staircase. From the locked gates and the pedestrian opening they aze mowed as is the coastal trail along the top of the cliffs. There aze some exceptions where the coastal trail is not mowed. Two caz accesses to trails aze not passable by 2WD vehicles: 1) Along Kapehu stream at the northern boundary of the subdivision and 2) Maonana Street (also spelled Moanana), the first right off of Old Railroad Street, is steep and loose gravel may cause spin outs. Most parts of the coastal trail aze mowed except where streams and gullies cut into the cliffs. Most of these streams that enter the sea can be forded after climbing down to stream level. A notable exception would be Makea Stream, it has a wide small-boulder and pebble beach with a wide pool inland. Lot #1 virtually has the only access to this coastal azea. The sides of the wide mouth of Makea Gully aze eroded and steep and the cliff to its north and south aze not mowed. Just to the north of it is an unusual man made feature, a double stairs going down and then up, on the coast, a narrow stream in the V between the stairs. And then just south of these double stairs, before Makea Gulch, is an eroded gulley with no coastal trail to continue. See my photos for reference. The north side of Alia Stream is not mowed and pushing through the tall grass the unwary could come out to an undercut cliff edge. I and my hiking buddy found a bulldozed azea on the north side of this azea, bulldozed right up to the cliff edge and within the SMA. This is fronting the azea of Lots # 36 and 37. The 2 public access roads south of the Power Plant aze mowed as is the coastal trail, except downhill and downstream of the Coal Ash Pile. We ran into a maze of gullies and cow pasture is this azea. I am very concerned about the toxicity of the run-off from the Coal Ash Pile. How much of it runs into the ocean? Is it safe to hike neaz it? I would like to see a public pazk in the azea of the old historic site of Pepeekeo Plantation town and/or the Pepeekeo lighthouse. There should be some part of this coast that is accessible by caz for the public. The developer should be required to improve and mow public access roads, provide parking lots at trail heads, blaze a coastal trail into and out of Makea Gully, and to continue mowing the coastal trail. This is the least they should do to insure the publics' right of way to the shore. Comm. Na Z Mahalo, Ref. ?o: preeeMtee Sarah Moon~G~~~ ~ >J~~~EB 1