HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0549.001 2006-2008
Dominic Yagong Phone: (808) 961-8538
Council Member FAX: (808) 961-8912
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HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL
County oJHawai'i
Hawaii County Building
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
July 31, 2007
MEMORANDUM
TO: Pete Hoffman, Council Chair
And Council Members
FROM: poi- Dominic Yagong, Council Member District 1
SUBJECT: Proposed Amendment to Resolution 273-07
Please note below for your consideration an amendment to Resolution 273-07, relating to the
leasing of 120 acres of County land in Pa`auilo for biofuel crop experimentation.
1. A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND THE DIRECTOR OF
FINANCE TO NEGOTIATE A FIVE-YEAR LEASE AGREEMENT
WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT HILO, COLLEGE OF
AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY, AND NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT FOR
THE USE OF 120 ACRES OF COUNTY LAND AT KOHOLALELE (TMK 4-2-5:001)
IN PA`AUILO, HAWAII TO CONDUCT BIOFUEL CROP EXPERIMENTATION.
2. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII that the
Mayor and the Director of Finance are authorized to enter into a [tlxee-year] five-yeaz lease
agreement for a nominal fee with the University of Hawaii at Hilo; and
3. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this lease agreement will contain an option fora [tom
] three-veaz extension. Any additional extensions beyond the [€rve-3rear] eisht-yeaz
period shall be approved by the Hawaii County Council by resolution; and
Thank you for your consideration of these proposed amendments. A draft resolution with these
amendments incorporated via ramseyering is attached to this transmittal.
comm. No. S,
DY/so #~f• To: FC _
k@f, Uate AUG 120-07
Hawaii County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE
TO NEGOTIATE A [~E~AR] FIVE-YEAR LEASE AGREEMENT WITH THE
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT HILO, COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY,
AND NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT FOR THE USE OF 120 ACRES OF
COUNTY LAND AT KOHOLALELE (TMK 4-2-5:001) IN PA`AUILO, HAWAII TO
CONDUCT BIOFUEL CROP EXPERIMENTATION.
WHEREAS, the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as amended), chapter 2,
article 19, section 2-120(a)(2) provides that the Council of the County of Hawaii may, by
resolution approved by a majority of its members, direct the finance director to negotiate the
lease of real property to governments or governmental agencies at such rentals and on such terms
and conditions as deemed proper; and
WHEREAS, the County of Hawaii owns the 1,040 acre parcel bordering Koholalele
Gulch in Pa`auilo, Hawaii (TMK 4-2-5:001); and
WHEREAS, on April 17, 2007 Dr. William Steiner, Dean of the University of Hawaii
at Hilo College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resources gave a presentation to the
Human Services and Economic Development Committee, chaired by Council Member Emily I.
Naeole, regarding research into the feasibility of growing various tropical plants and trees for
biofuel production in Hawaii County; and
WHEREAS, the University of Hawaii at Hilo, College of Agriculture, Forestry, and
Natural Resource Management is prepared to plant various biofuel crops to determine which
crops will produce the highest yields in various elevations and soil types on Hawaii Island; and
WHEREAS, the University of Hawaii at Hilo College of Agriculture, Forestry, and
Natural Resources has identified 120 acres located within the Koholalele property that would be
ideal for the planting of these test crops; and
WHEREAS, the University of Hawaii at Hilo, College of Agriculture, Forestry, and
Natural Resource Management have agreed that there will be no planting of genetically modified
organisms (GMO's) on this property; and
WHEREAS, the development of a strong biofuel crop would provide an opportunity to
utilize the now fallow former sugar cane land in the County of Hawaii for agricultural
production; and
WHEREAS, this new agricultural venture would allow Hawaii Island to expand its
agricultural roots while stimulating the economy and allowing Hawaii to become self-sustaining
in meeting its energy needs; and
WHEREAS, the Hawaii County Council has approved infrastructure upgrades for the
Pu`uanahulu landfill which allows for composting and biofuel production facilities to be
constructed; and ,
WHEREAS, used vegetable oil, green waste and oil plants will be collected and then
used to produce biofuel at the Pu`uanahulu landfill; and
WHEREAS, the development of biofuel industry could result in a drastic decrease in the
amount of fossil fuel sources that are imported to the Hawaiian Islands to meet the states energy
needs; and
WHEREAS, Hawaii Electric Light Company (HELLO) has announced plans to use
biodiesel fuels in its generators located in the County of Hawaii currently burning fossil fuels;
and
WHEREAS, Hawaii Electric Company (HECO) and Maui Electric Company (MECO)
both have plans underway to run their new electricity generators on 100 percent renewable
biofuel if they are able to locate a fuel source capable to meeting their consumption demands;
and
WHEREAS, the Hawaii County Council would like to take the lead in the State of
Hawaii to help put an end to our State's dependency on fossil fuels that are costly and must be
imported from the continental United States while at the same time encouraging the creation of a
biofuel industry that could be financially feasible for local farmers in Hawaii County; now
therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII that the
Mayor and the Director of Finance are authorized to enter into a [three--year] five-veaz lease
agreement for a nominal fee with the University of Hawaii at Hilo; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this lease agreement will contain an option for a
[twe-year] three-year extension. Any additional extensions beyond the [€rve-3~eae] eight-year
period shall be approved by the Hawaii County Council by resolution; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the County Clerk shall forward a copy of this
resolution to the Honorable Mayor Hazry Kim, Finance Director William Takaba, and the
University of Hawaii at Hilo, College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource
Management.
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