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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 1015.006 2004-2006 PAC IC C AST UD 0:9 ® oavo a N 0 t"" 1i6 >9UG 21 j~ r2 August 17, 2006 Councilman Fred Holschuh and Council Members Office of the County Council County of Hawaii 25 Aupuni St. Hilo, Hawaii 96720 RE: Waipi`o Lookout Point property, also known as the "Rice Property. TMK: 3/4-8-4-6 Dear Councilman Holschuh and Members of the Hawaii County Council, As a Realtor and Lister of said property, I feel it may seem self serving for me to speak on this matter. However, as a long time member of the Hamakua community, I feel that I can offer this testimony and speak honestly to the value acquisition of this property by the County could have on our community as a whole. Years ago, Mr. and Mrs. J. Rice now both deceased received an offer to purchase this property for a price higher than presently listed. After much thought and with reluctance they decided not to sell. Mrs. Rice was born in the Waipi`o and had a very strong attachment to the valley. Now the family must sell to settle their parents estate and to provide for a certain family member who will need long term care. When the property was first listed, the Rice's made it quite clear that they would first want the County to purchase the property realizing the importance of this property to the well-being of Waipi'o Valley. They saw the crowd, noise, litter and inconvenience to both valley citizens, top side Comm. No. Ref. To: pi (808) 775-9566 • FAX (808) 775-0866 Ref. Date AUG 2 3 P.O. Box 1634 • Honokaa, Hawaii 96727 homes and the visiting tourists. They understood the need for a place to educate the tourists, satisfy their curiosity. They also felt local citizens needed to understand the importance of Waipi`o Valley and have a place to learn and share that was close to a source. They understood that Waipio Lookout property was ideal for this to take place at. We discussed the possibility of presenting the property to the County and to inform the County that the Rice's would be willing to discount the price should the County be the interested party. Once listed, I thought about how to go about interesting the County in the property. I started and stopped letters to the Mayor several times feeling my pushing the property to the County was so inappropriate. However, good fortune seemed to be on our side, because we read that Mayor Kim was about to appoint a committee to look at access to oceanfront and acquire some of these important access lands. A member of this committee, Mr. Kenneth Kaneshiro lived in our community and having worked with him in other community projects, I approached him with the possibility of presenting this property for consideration by the County. He invited me to write to the committee so they may review and consider it. After submitting the letter, we stepped back and waited for word and it came soon with positive response. The Access Committee had decided that of the many parcels being considered, this one was picked as number two in their assessment of properties that should be purchased by the County. While the Access Committee was reviewing the properties submitted by individuals and picked by the Access committee themselves for consideration, the Rice's to show good faith in their desire to sell to the County, lowered the listing price from $1,500,000 to $1,175,000. Soon after this Mayor Kim made a statement without naming the Waipio Property as having priority, picked other direct ocean access parcels he would give higher priority to. We accepted this and proceeded to market the property vigorously as the Rice's needed to meet time limits they set to settle the estate. Along came a private buyer. After a single visit to the property, he put in an offer which was countered by the sellers . He hesitated on accepting the Counter Offer. During this hesitation, a meeting was held by the Waipi`o Ranger Program Committee and during this meeting member's asked Councilman Holschuh to ask me about the condition of the sale of the Waipi`o Lookout property. He called me the next day and I said that there was an offer in progress, but that no meeting of the minds had occurred as of that moment. He informed me that he would act quickly to inform the County of their need to perform quickly if they wanted a chance at the property. He came back with timely and positive feedback and an explanation of the process necessary to consider the property, which I verbally presented to the Rice's. The Rice's decided to give the County a chance at submitting an offer on their property as their initial desire was for the County to purchase it. After the Rice's verbally acknowledged the County's interest and their willingness to cooperate with the County to reach a meeting of the minds to me, I contacted Councilman Holschuh and told him of this. While this was happening, a new offer was presented to the Rice's from the initial buyer. The Rice's asked me to kindly respond to the Buyer and tell him that the County would be given first rights to purchase their property because they feel it will have a greater value to more people both tourists and locals alike. The Rice's have indicated to me that they will lower the price to the County to $1,100,000. I am committed to this project and I will give one third of my commissions on this sale toward the amount that may be necessary to raise above the appraised value to meet the sales price . I have attached a copy of the letter sent to the Access Committee to explain how I feel this property will benefit the community. The Waipio Valley community itself has an even better vision. Please give this your most serious consideration for purchase by the County. Sincerely, Paul K.Takamatsu Principal Broker GRI Pacific Coast Properties, Inc. Waipi`o Lookout. February 4, 2006 TO: Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Committee Regarding submission of Waipi`o Valley Point for consideration of your committee. TMK: 3/4-8-4-6, Hamakua District Purpose of suggestion of site for Public Acquisition or oroiect. • Preservation of historic or culturally important land areas and sites • Public outdoor recreation and education • Protection of natural resources, including buffer zones Opportunity: This 1.8 acre parcel sits at the top of Waipi`o Valley. Waipi`o Valley population at early contact was estimated at 1,200 to 1,300 people. Prior to early contact, the population was estimated at least 50% higher. Waipi`o was an active population area. Waipi`o Valley's importance to Hawaiian history is documented in Hamakua & Waipi`o: The Homeland of Hawaii Island's Political System by Ross Cordy (DLNR) 1987. Waipi`o Valley continues today to have significant value to Hawaii culture (i.e. taro growing, maintaining lifestyle) as well as significant visual beauty. An opportunity exists to purchase this small acreage today. Ownership by the County of this property would allow a visitor center to be created at what is considered the second most visited spot on the island, which would not physically impinge on the existing visitor gathering site . Obtaining this site would allow the present site to retain its undeveloped status, thus preserving the view plane into the Valley and the coastal pali. It would insure that future building or visitor accommodations to the present site will not be necessary as tourist visits to the area increases. Subject site would have enough space for additional parking and a visitor center. It has on its premises old growth vegetation and trees that would lend itself well to landscaping thereby creating an area where visitors can experience the lushness of the valley without actually entering the valley. It would provide sufficient "experience " for most visitors and in doing so have a positive effect on helping to preserve the valley itself. There is interest within the Waipi`o/ Kukuihaele community to create another Hawaiian experience a short distance away from the Valley in Kukuihaele where a comprehensive cultural experience may be had. The visitor center at the top of the valley could funnel the visitors to this comprehensive site thereby further preventing excessive visits into the valley itself. If a visitor must experience the Valley, the cultural center and the visitor center could work in tandem to educate the visitor before they make the trek into the valley. Very similar to Hanauma Bay on Oahu see: www hawaiiweb com/html/hanauma bav beach.html Visitors to Hanauma Bay are required to sit through a video prior to entering the park. Although it may be counter to wishes of many who live in Waipi`o Valley and environs, visitors to the area will increase. With more visitors, there will eventually have to be policing of the area for visitor protection as well as protecting the County against liability. A Problem would arise should a private individual obtain this property, the most likely use will be for a home and this would remove any chance for the County to take a proactive stance in improving the Waipi `o Valley experience without impinging on the valley itself. Crowds will continue to increase, more crime, increased liability and indignant visitors will rise. There presently is limited parking. Additionally, this property is backed by large tracts of land owned by Kamehameha Schools (KSBE). It may be possible to work with KSBE and acquire more land behind this property for additional parking removing the need for visitors to park at he present site, allowing it to become a park rather than parking. The owners of the property have indicated they would assist the County in obtaining this property. They are willing to negotiate with the County to allow County to make this acquisition. County's purchase of this property would assist the owners in settling inheritance issues. Because I am the listor of this property, I was reluctant to present this property to the appointed commission. However after sincere thought on the property, I came to the conclusion that this is a great fit for both the County, the owners of the property and the people who reside in Waipi`o Valley and environs. I remember years ago, I use to stop at the Laupahoehoe Lookout Point. I would sit on the wall and experience the vast view of Laupahoehoe Point that was there. I remember other town's people sitting on the wall and sharing that experience as well. It was a great lookout point. One day, I saw the beginning of construction just below the wall, I investigated and saw that a building was going up. I called the County at that time and they told me that there was no way to protect that view and that the owner had rights to build that home. Today the view is still there, but impeded and not as wonderful. As you stand at the lookout, you are looking at the roof of a home. This wouldn't happen at Waipi`o point as the property is above the lookout, however, the idea of loss opportunity is evident at Waipi`o today as it was at Laupahoehoe in the past. If we had the funds to purchase the lot just below the point in the past, that spectacular view would have been preserved to the benefit of all. We have an opportunity here. Please give this your most serious consideration. Sincerely, Paul K.Takamatsu President Pacific Coast Properties, Inc. Honokaa