HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 1218.001 2006-2008
Murashige, Laura
From: Gail Byrne [gailbyrne@hawaii.rr.com]
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 8:30 PM
To: counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: Testimony support Reso 644-08 1008 JUN 3 8 02
Attachments: June 2 Res 644-08 Kaiholena support testimony.pdf; ATT00028.txt
Cof 1,
June 2 Res 644-08 ATT00028.bct (63
Kaiholena su... B)
Aloha,
Attached is testimony from six Kohala nonprofits and organizations in support of
resolution 644-08 that authorizes the County to negotiate for the purchase of Kaiholena on
the North Kohala coast.
If you don't mind, can you please distribute to the County Council before testimony
begins.
Thank you!
Gail Byrne
808-938-8880
Ref. To= 3 2n»
i Ref. Date
Preserving the North Kohala Coast
Hawaii County Council
101 Pauahi St., Suite 3
Hilo, HI 96720-3043
June 2, 2008
Re: Support for Purchase of Kaiholena, North Kohala; Support for Resolution 644-08
Aloha,
The six North Kohala nonprofit organizations and groups signing this letter represent nearly 400 families
in North Kohala. We urge you to support Resolution 644-08.
The North Kohala community has been working for over 30 years to preserve this coastline free of
development. Please see the attached outline summarizing the various petitions, plans, and actions to
preserve the coast.
North Kohala has the most numerous, intact pre-contact archeological sites in the State and Kaiholena has
one of the highest concentrations of sites along this coast.
During the two-year community readiness program (2006-2207) for the community development
planning process, preserving this coastline was identified as one of the highest priorities for North Kohala.
And, preserving this particular parcel is an action in the draft North Kohala Community Development
Plan.
Members of the community have been in conversation with the landowners' agents for several months
regarding a purchase to preserve the area. We are actively pursuing potential funding sources and the
landowners' agents are aware of this. This resolution will send a strong message of support, which will
strengthen our chances of securing the needed funding.
We urge you to pass Resolution 644-08.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Aloha,
Stephanie Naihe Laxton Mike Isaacs
Maika'i Kamakani'O Kohala Kohala Historic and Cultural Preservation Group
Kanoa Withington Fred Cachola
Kamakani 'O Kohala Ohana Malama Na Wahi Pana O Kohala
Gail Byrne Toni Withington
Malama Kohala Kahakai Hui Lihikai
Preserving the North Kohala Coast
Preserving the North Kohala Coast has over a 30 year documented history of community support for and
work to preserve this incredible coastline in open space and keep it free of any development makai of
Akoni Pule Highway. The 30 years worth of petitions, government resolutions, letters, and plans are
summarized below.
For decades, four of Kohala's most beloved kupuna and community leaders have worked to preserve the
Kohala Coastline in open space. Their names and signatures are on many of the documents, petitions,
and letters summarized below. These kupuna are: Marie Solomon, William Akau, Armstrong
Yamamoto, Clyde Sproat
In 2008, the HAWAII COUNTY'S PUBLIC ACCESS, OPEN SPACE AND NATURAL RESOURCES
COMMISSION identified the four North Kohala coastal parcels as the top four priorities for permanent
protection by the County. These properties are: Pao'o, Kukuipahu-Haena, Mahukona, and Kaiholena.
In 2006, the HAWAII COUNTY'S PUBLIC ACCESS, OPEN SPACE AND NATURAL RESOURCES
COMMISSION identified the three private in-holding in Lapakahi as a high priority for purchase for
permanent protection. The Commission also identified Mahukona, Kamano, Kou, Hihiu, and Kamona
ahupua'a along the Kohala Coast as priorities for purchase
In 2006, THIRTY (30) KOHALA BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS signed a letter requesting
Mayor Kim to prioritize the North Kohala Coast for permanent protection
In 2001, SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 146, S.D. 1, passed both houses of the State
Legislature, urging the retention and preservation of open space and view planes, historic sites, and
traditional access along the coastline of the North Kohala District and again called for collaboration to
discourage subdivision and building development
In 2001, CHAIRPERSON of the STATE BOARD OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES, Mr. Gilbert
Coloma-Agaran, testified before the State Senate Committee of Water, Land, Energy and Environment,
in support of SR 146 and pledged DLNR's support to coordinate with the residents of Kohala and County
of Hawaii. His testimony also recognized the importance of the numerous natural, scenic, historic and
cultural resources abounding in Kohala and its coast.
In 2001, the ASSOCIATION OF HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUBS (representatives of all Civic Clubs) passed a
resolution urging the Hawaii County Council to redesignate the North Kohala Coastline to
Conservation/Open. The resolution recognized a long history of community support for preserving the
Kohala Coast and that the North Kohala coastline is historically and culturally very important to all people
of Hawaii, but particularly to Native Hawaiians.
In 2001, the KOHALA HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB, KOHALA FILIPINA COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION,
KOHALA PUERTO RICAN SOCIAL CLUB, KOHALA HISTORIC AND CULTURAL PRESERVATION
GROUP AND REVERED KUPUNA WILLIAM AKAU requested the Hawaii County Council to place a
moratorium on all subdividing and development makai of Akoni Pule Highway from Kawaihae to Pololu
Valley.
In 2001 and then again in 2002, the KOHALA COMMUNITY REPRESENTED BY REVERED KUPUNA
and community members signed and sent a letter to the County documenting Kohala's 30+ years of work
to protect the Kohala Coast. This letter recognized that people from all over the Island (Ka'u, Hilo, Puna,
Hamakua, Kona) still come to Kohala with their families to fish and camp.
In 2002, the KOHALA HISTORIC AND PRESERVATION COMMITTEE submitted a petition with more
Support for Resolution 644-08 - Purchase of Kaiholena, North Kohala
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than 1,000 signatures requesting the County protect and preserve the Kohala Coastline
In 2002, the COUNTY OF HAWAII PLANNING COMMISSION with the agreement of the HAWAII
COUNTY PLANNING DIRECTOR recognized the significance of the feeling of open space that is so
important to North Kohala and incorporated SR 146 into the Hawaii County General Plan
In 2000, the KOHALA HISTORIC AND PRESERVATION COMMITTEE collected well over six
hundred signatures from Kohala residents and submitted them as part of a community response to
the update of the Hawaii County Comprehensive Plan, urging the preservation and protection of the
region from Kawaihae to Pololu Valley
In 1994, SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 116 called on the Department of Land and Natural
Resources to consider public acquisition of the Kohala Coast prior to construction of any additional
infrastructure
In 1994, SENATE RESOLUTION 85 urged DNLR to consider Kohala Coastal acquisitions
In 1993, HAWI TOWN CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS identified the "undeveloped coastline" as a
defining element of the town character
In 1992, SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 211 called on the County and State to develop a plan
to protect the open space and historic sites makai of Akoni Pule Highway and to promote non-exclusive
public enjoyment of the area AND that the County and State should discourage any subdividing and
building until such a plan is in place.
In 1992, THE NORTHWEST HAWAII OPEN SPACE AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN, calls
for a comprehensive effort to protect valuable North Kohala coastal areas as open space for public use
and enjoyment
In 1991, THE GOVENOR CALLED FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE NORTH KOHALA COAST IN HIS
ANNUAL ADDRESS.
In 1990, LOCAL RESIDENTS PRODUCED A VIDEO FEATURING CLYDE SPROAT AND WILLIAM
AKAU (revered kupuna) documenting the community's desire to protect the Kohala Coast
In 1990, the HAWAII STATE DEMOCRATIC PARTY and the HAWAII COUNTY DEMOCRATIC
PARTY both adopted resolutions at their conventions calling for the State and County to develop and
implement a plan to protect the open nature of the coast, preserve its valuable historic sites and promote
nonexclusive enjoyment of it by residents and visitor alike."
In 1990, DECISION - ACTION 90's, a report to Hawaii County, calls on the State and County to "quickly
and clearly establish areas in the County that are never to be developed" and cites Kohala as an
example where development should be discouraged
In 1990 COASTLINE CONFERENCE - recommendations to form a special area designation for the
coast such as scenic heritages or historic corridor
In 1989, the HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE passed a resolution calling for
protection of the coastline from development and calling for a survey of the coast. The resolution
was passed unanimously
In 1989, the WEST HAWAII REGIONAL PLAN says the State and County have already over-committed
West Hawaii in resort and resort-residential development and shows no resort-residential development in
Support for Resolution 644-08 - Purchase of Kaiholena, North Kohala
Page 3 of 4
North Kohala. The plan identifies the cliffs and valleys of Kohala Mountain and the panoramic coastal
views from Kohala Mountain as highest on its list of "important scenic heritage resources"
In 1988, almost 6,000 HAWAII ISLAND SIGNATURES WERE COLLECTED FOR A PETITION
CALLING FOR A BUILDING MORATORIUM makai of Akoni Pule Highway. The signature were
collected by the Citizens for the Protection of the North Kohala Coast and over half of the signatures
were from Kohala
In 1988, SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 179 passed both houses of the State Legislature and
called on governments to work together to ensure public view and open space along the coast and to
discourage development makai of Akoni Pule Highway
In 1988, DLNR commissioned the study "NORTH KOHALA: PERCEPTIONS OF A CHANGING
COMMUNITY", which indicated the intent of past state administrations and DLNR staff to preserve and
protect the North Kohala Coast. This study also stated that the North Kohala Coast has the most
numerous and intact, pre-contact archeological and cultural sites in the state
In 1983, THE NORTH KOHALA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN, adopted by resolution by the
County Planning Commission, which implements the General Plan for the North Kohala District,
recommended for OPEN classification the entire length of the North Kohala Coast
In 1972, the DLNR study entitled "NORTH KOHALA, PRESERVATION OF ISTORICAL
RESOURCES" indicated the intent of past state administrations and DLNR staff to preserve and protect
the North Kohala Coast.
Early 1970's newspaper articles discuss the need to preserve the coast
In 1963, the KOHALA-HAMAKUA REGIONAL GENERAL PLAN stated that development and resorts
should be concentrated in South Kohala and away from existing residential areas such as Hawi. No
resort zoning was identified along the North Kohala Coast.
Additionally, many important community organizations have continually offered their support to preserve
the North Kohala Coast and have signed and supported the above petitions and letters and resolutions.
These organizations include:
• Kohala Kupuna Council
• Kohala Filipina Association
• Kohala Hawaiian Civic Club
• Kohala Puerto Rican Club
• Kohala Historic and Preservation Group
• Long time local merchants
Support for Resolution 644-08 - Purchase of Kaiholena, North Kohala
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