HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 499 Draft 01 2006-2008 rr or
COUNTY OF HAWAII STATE OF HAWAII
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RESOLUTION NO. 499 OS
A RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING THE COMMERCIAL EUCALYPTUS FORESTRY
INDUSTRY AND THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO
WORK TOGETHER TO PROMOTE BETTER MANAGEMENT PRACTICES BY
IMPLEMENTING SETBACKS AND/OR BUFFER ZONES WHERE EUCALYPTUS
TREES BORDER RESIDENTIAL HOMES, STATE HIGHWAYS, AND COUNTY
ROADS.
WHEREAS, in 1994 Kamehameha Schools Bishop Estate (KSBE) purchased
approximately 30,500 acres of former Hamakua Sugar lands along the Hamakua Coast; and
WHEREAS, in 1996 KSBE leased approximately 24,000 acres of former sugaz land to
Prudential Timber Investments Ina (PruTimber) for the purpose of planting eucalyptus trees to
be hazvested either for export or to supply local processing facilities; and
WHEREAS, PruTimber planted trees mauka and makai of State Highway 19 throughout
the Districts of Hamakua, North Hilo, and Rural South Hilo, where sugar cane once flourished;
and
WHEREAS, many of the trees were planted at the edge of KSBE property lines that
border residential homes, State highways and County roadways; and
WHEREAS, the trees planted in 1996 have reached average heights of 100-120 feet and
aze ready for harvest; and
WHEREAS, due to the proximity of the highly-combustible eucalyptus trees,
homeowners have expressed concerns relating to the threat of forests fires, structure fires, and
constant falling of leaves and branches onto private property that creates maintenance
requirements; and
WHEREAS, many of our County roadways are lined with commercial eucalyptus trees
on one side or in some cases both sides of the roadway, causing concern for residents that would
need to exit their homes through these County roadways during a forest fire emergency; and
WHEREAS, similaz concerns have been raised about the eucalyptus trees that have been
planted close to State highways, which in some cases have limited viewing plains to the
mountain and the ocean, and caused concerns of damage to power lines as well as the threat of
road closure from fallen trees during strong winds; and
WHEREAS, these concerns could be mitigated if residential homes, State highways, and
County roadways are buffered by implementing a setback of 120 feet from property lines and
roadways during reforestation; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and
Wildlife (DOFAW) encourages Best Management Practices through its Forest Stewardship
program, which provides technical advice and financial assistance on a cost-share basis to
promote the stewardship, enhancement, conservation, and restoration of Hawai`i's forests; and
WHEREAS, all Forest Stewazdship Program participants must adhere to current
DOFAW Best Management practices, which states in pazt that, "the first and foremost concern is
to prevent harm and damage to people and property. Fireline best management practices should
incorporate minimum impact strategies, which meet land and resource management objectives.";
and
WHEREAS, on October 9, 2007, a meeting was held with representatives from KSBE,
Forest Solutions, Hawaii Fire Depaztment, and DOFAW whereby concerns from the community
were raised and discussed by Hawaii County Council Member Dominic Yagong; and
WHEREAS, the harvesting of these mature commercial eucalyptus trees is inevitable,
and it would be in the best interest of the public to have the commercial eucalyptus industry
work with DOFAW and the community to identify specific areas to voluntarily implement
setback and/or buffer zones and delineate these safety zones and defensible space for fighting
forest fires in a reforestation plan; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII, that the
Hawaii County Council recommends that the commercial eucalyptus forestry industry work
with DOFAW to complete a reforestation plan that delineates specific setbacks and/or buffer
zones of 120 feet from residential homes, State highways, and County roadways; and
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BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the County Clerk shall forward a copy of this
resolution to the Honorable Mayor Harry Kim, Department of Public Works, State Highways
Division of the Department of Transportation, and also forward a courtesy copy to Mr. Roger
Imoto, Hawaii Branch Manager, Department Of Forestry And Wildlife, 19 East Kawili Street,
Hilo, Hawaii 96720; Mr. Peter Simmons, Kamehemeha Schools Bishop Estates, P. O. Box 495,
Pa`auilo, Hawaii 96776; and Forest Solutions, Inc., P. O. Box 474, Pa`auilo, Hawaii 96776.
Dated at Kona , Hawaii, this 21st day of February , 2008.
INT DUCED BY:
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COUNCIL MEMB C OF HAWAII
COUNTY COUNCIL ROLL CALL VOTE
County of Hawaii AYES NOES ABS EX
Hilo, Hawaii FORD X
HIGA X
I hereby certify that the foregoing RESOLUTION was by HOFFMANN X
the vote indicated to the right hereof adopted by the COUNCIL of the IKEDA
County ofHawai`ion February 21, 2008 X
JACOBSON X
NAEOLE X
ATTEST: PILAGO X
YAGONG X
YOSHIMOTO X
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~ Reference: C-945/PC - ( g
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COE'IN CLERK MA PRESID GOFFICER SOLUTION NO. 499 O8
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