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Murashige, Laura
From: toni withington <sundownertoni@yahoo.com>
Sent: Sunday, November 15, 2015 10:33 PM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Resolution 327-15 Authorizing negotiations for Hapu'u to Kapanaia Cultural Corridor
Attachments: North Coast - TW testimony to Reso 327 H to K 11-15.doc; Kula Iwi O Kamehameha
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County Council Clerk, Here is my testimony and map for the Finance Committee
meeting Tuesday, Nov. 17.
mahalo, Toni Withington
OOMft No. 541.10,
Ref. To:
Ref. DateV i 7 2015
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OOMft No. 541.10,
Ref. To:
Ref. DateV i 7 2015
1
To: Hawaii County Council Finance Committee
Subject: Resolution 327-15 Authorizing Negotiations for the purchase of
Hapu'u to Kapanaia Cultural Corridor
Written testimony of Toni Withington
Good afternoon, Council members.
My name is Toni Withington, I have lived in Kohala for 45 years and am speaking
for Kamakani O Kohala Ohana - Kako'o, a coastal preservation group that has been
around for 27 years. I also serve as spokesperson for the four other community
groups that have nominated North Kohala coastal lands to the County priority list
for Open Space purchases since the fund was created in 2006. The groups are:
• Malama Na Wahi Pana O Kohala
• Maika'i Kamakani O Kohala
• Kohala Historic and Cultural Preservation Group
• Malama Kohala Kahakai
• Kamakani O Kohala Ohana - Kako'o
These groups have worked with many other organizations to procure $18.3
million to preserve 318 acres of coastal lands over the past 5 years. Besides the
Open Space Fund, we have received funds through the State Legacy Land
Preservation Fund, federal land grant programs and local fundraising with the help
of the Trust for Public Land, the Hawaiian Islands Land Trust, the Ala Kahakai Trail
Association and many Kohala community groups.
Our focus now is in on the Kula Iwi O Kamehameha, the lands along almost
four miles of our north coast that are related to Kamehameha's homeland and
activities surrounding his unification of the islands. (see attached map) These lands
were deemed important to the people of Kohala even before the successful court
case brought by kupuna and Hui Mamalahoa which legalized in 1982 what had been
generations of access to this area. The North Kohala Community Development Plan
(Ord. 08-151) defines this area as having the highest priority for public access. The
lands began being listed high on the County's PONC in 2010 and have stayed there
since.
Others will speak to the historical, cultural, environmental and recreational
values of these lands. I will speak to the history of the land itself and its ranking by
the County PONC annual priority list.
Testimony specific to Hapu'u Kapanaia Cultural Corridor
Having remained together as one parcel of land up until 2004, the land was.
first cut into 4 coastal parcels in 2000 with a consolidation/re-subdivision. In 2010
the one of the parcels was further subdivided into three parcels by consolidation/re-
subdivision. The Planning Department recently approved the 8 -lot subdivision of
Pacific Plains LLC which includes two parcels listed here, making a total of seven
parcels makai of the vehicular public access road. The four owners of the lots are
Pacific Plains LLC, Misty Kai LLC, the Hon Family Trust and EMW Enterprises with
Charles and Lisa Anderson. All of the owners have submitted testimony for
Resolution 327-15.
Hapu'u to Kapanaia Cultural Corridor was named Priority #4 in 2010, the first
year it was nominated. In 2011 it was named Priority #2. In 2012 it was Priority
#6. In 2013 and in 2014 it was #2. The report to the Mayor from PONC this year
ranks the lands Priority #1.
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