Communication No. 2019-17- Flaherty Alii Parkway Testimony

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Communication No. 2019-17 From: Chuck Flaherty To: Plunkett, Kamuela ; Bartlett, Heather Subject: Testimony regarding proposed Ali"i Parkway Date: Tuesday, June 11, 2019 7:49:18 PM Aloha Mr. Chair and members of the Kona Community Development Plan Action Committee, I am writing in opposition to any further consideration or advancement of plans to build an Ali'i Parkway from Keauhou to Hualalai and Queen Kaahumanu Highways. I began attending Hawai'i Island Burial Council (HIBC) meetings at the request of kumu kupuna in 2000. On several occasions during that time, the county attempted to advance plans to build what was then called the Ali'i Highway. Their requests for approval were voted down. The reason was simple. There were too many burials and other constitutionally-protected cultural and historic sites in the right-of-way, an area designated in the 1960s when little to no consideration was given to iwi kupuna when designing developments. The kupuna of numerous 'ohana testified with knowledge and passion this highway should never be built. Several of the members of this committee witnessed these testimonies yourselves. Some on this committee also testified the highway will never be built because of burials not yet disclosed to the public. In the early 2000s, I watched as real estate development special interests, including the county and state, incrementally undermined the authority, guidance, and integrity of the HIBC. This effort finally paid off in 2007 after several kupuna opposing the highway had passed and been replaced by more developer-friendly HIBC members. However, the approval was conditional. The HIBC required an additional archaeological survey to identify and address representations by numerous testifiers that existing burial maps did not include all burials known to 'ohana. It is tragic the Kona Community Development Plan Action Committee has come to believe it is now suddenly a-OK to proceed with the Ali'i Highway, especially since many of the individuals involved in this effort are kanaka maoli and kama'aina who once opposed this project and grew up with the kupuna who are no longer with us, but also once opposed construction of this highway. I strongly urge the Chair and members of this committee recall the wishes of their kupuna and then honor and respect those wishes. Please disband the Ali'i Highway subcommittee and remove construction of this roadway from the Kona Community Development Plan. Mahalo nui loa, Charles Flaherty Haumana of Ruby McDonald, Moana Kahele, and Keola Hanoa on this cultural issue. Wednesday, September 15, 2004 Hawaii County appeals