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Ka‘ū Community Development Plan
Appendix 8A: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
October 2017
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 1
Section 1: Introduction
1.1 Why “community-based, collaborative action”?
Though a CDP is adopted by ordinance and thereby establishes County policy, not all Community
Objectives can be achieved through policy. Policy that guides decision-making is by definition reactive –
it is only applied in reaction to an application (e.g., rezone, subdivision, etc.) to prevent things from
being done that are inconsistent with Community Objectives.
To truly achieve many Community Objectives, considerable proactive initiative is necessary. Because
nobody owns those objectives like the people of Ka‘ū, most of that action has to be led locally. Hence,
the need for “community-based action.”
At the same time, most of the Community Objectives speak to complex issues. For example, natural and
cultural resources typically fall under several different jurisdictions, so effective resource planning
requires high levels of collaboration and coordination. Likewise, the strength of a local economy is a
function of the actions of many different public and private entities. Hence, the need for “community-
based, collaborative action.” INTRODUCTION
2 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 3
1.2 Table of Contents
SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 WHY “COMMUNITY-BASED, COLLABORATIVE ACTION”? ............................................................................................ 1
1.2 TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................................................................... 3
SECTION 2: STRENGTHENING THE NETWORK ......................................................................................................... 5
2.1 NETWORKS IN KA‘Ū ........................................................................................................................................... 5
2.2 NETWORK LEADERSHIP ..................................................................................................................................... 19
2.2.1 Local Leadership..................................................................................................................................... 19
2.2.2 Allies ....................................................................................................................................................... 19
2.2.3 “Weaving” Networks ............................................................................................................................. 20
2.2.4 Resources for Strengthening Collaboration and Networks .................................................................... 20
2.3 BEST PRACTICES .............................................................................................................................................. 22
SECTION 3: SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE .................................................................................... 23
3.1 KA‘Ū CDP ACTION COMMITTEE ......................................................................................................................... 23
3.1.1 The Community-County Bridge .............................................................................................................. 23
3.1.2 Proactive Steward of CDP Implementation ............................................................................................ 23
3.1.3 A Facilitative Role................................................................................................................................... 23
3.1.4 Community Advocate ............................................................................................................................. 23
3.1.5 Coordinate County Infrastructure Projects ............................................................................................ 23
3.2 OTHER POTENTIAL ORGANIZATIONAL NEEDS ........................................................................................................ 24
3.2.1 Tax Exempt Status.................................................................................................................................. 24
3.2.2 Dedicated Staff ...................................................................................................................................... 24
3.2.3 AmeriCorps ............................................................................................................................................ 24
3.2.4 Organizational and Leadership Development ........................................................................................ 24
3.3 ORGANIZATIONAL MODELS ............................................................................................................................... 26
3.3.1 North Kohala Community Resource Center ........................................................................................... 26
3.3.2 Great Southwest Development Corporation .......................................................................................... 26
SECTION 4: FOCUSED INITIATIVES ........................................................................................................................ 27
4.1 ADVANCE PREFERRED CONSERVATION AND SETTLEMENT PATTERNS ......................................................................... 27
Community Action 1 : Develop and implement community-specific strategies to create safe, sustainable,
and connected communities. ........................................................................................................................ 27
4.2 EXPAND THE LOCAL SYSTEM OF PRESERVES .......................................................................................................... 29
Community Action 2 : Secure in public trust (fee simple or by easement) priority land that achieves one or
more of the Community Objectives. ............................................................................................................. 29
Community Action 3 : Encourage the use of agriculture, ranch, and forestry land preservation programs. 30
4.3 PRESERVE SCENIC AREAS .................................................................................................................................. 31
Community Action 4 : Advance development of scenic routes. ................................................................... 31
4.4 PROTECT AND ENHANCE ECOSYSTEMS ................................................................................................................. 33
Community Action 5 : Develop and implement site-specific and watershed-specific management plans for high-priority areas and resources. ................................................................................................................ 33 Community Action 6 : Promote soil and water conservation best practices................................................ 36
4.5 PROTECT AND ENHANCE CULTURAL ASSETS .......................................................................................................... 37
Community Action 7 : Develop and implement a regional plan for managing cultural and historic
resources. ...................................................................................................................................................... 37
Community Action 8 : Develop and implement site-specific cultural resource management plans for high
priority areas and resources. ........................................................................................................................ 39 Community Action 9 : Restore the Nāʻālehu Theater. .................................................................................. 40 TABLE OF CONTENTS
4 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Community Action 10 : Develop and implement place-based strategies to retain village and town
character. ...................................................................................................................................................... 41
Community Action 11 : Document, maintain, and share the mo‘olelo of Ka‘ū through oral, written, and/or
video histories. .............................................................................................................................................. 43
Community Action 12 : Establish a Ka‘ū Cultural Network. .......................................................................... 45
4.6 ESTABLISH A REGIONAL SYSTEM OF ACCESS, TRAILS, AND SUPPORTING FACILITIES ....................................................... 47
Community Action 13 : Develop and implement plans to establish and manage specific access points and
trail segments. .............................................................................................................................................. 47
Community Action 14 : Support facilities development and management at access points and along trail
corridors. ....................................................................................................................................................... 51
4.7 STRENGTHEN INFRASTRUCTURE, FACILITIES, AND SERVICES...................................................................................... 53
Community Action 15 : Actively advocate for CIP appropriations, financing, allotments, and encumbrances
that support implementation of the CDP...................................................................................................... 53
Community Action 16 : In Mark Twain and Green Sands subdivisions, establish a community development
corporation (CDC) to develop and maintain roads and Green Sands Park. .................................................. 54
Community Action 17 : Grow existing Neighborhood Watch and CERT teams, and develop new ones. ..... 55
Community Action 18 : Establish a charter school in Ocean View. .............................................................. 56
Community Action 19 : Collaborate with the County Department of Parks and Recreation to develop and
manage an ATV track/ course in an area of no ecological or cultural value. ................................................ 57
Community Action 20 : Collaborate with the County Department of Parks and Recreation to develop and
manage skate parks in Nāʻālehu and Ocean View. ....................................................................................... 58
4.8 COORDINATE REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT .............................................................................................. 59
Community Action 21 : Coordinate regional, cross-sectoral economic development strategies. ................ 59 Community Action 22 : Develop a high-tech, high-touch regional education, enterprise development, and
research network. ......................................................................................................................................... 62
Community Action 23 : Coordinate regional strategies to increase “buying local.” .................................... 66
4.9 ADVANCE HIGH-POTENTIAL ECONOMIC SECTORS .................................................................................................. 69
Community Action 24 : Strengthen the local agriculture value chain. ......................................................... 69 Community Action 25 : Develop local, renewable, distributed energy networks. ....................................... 72 Community Action 26 : Pilot a program to secure community payments for ecosystem services (PES). .... 74 Community Action 27 : Establish a comprehensive network of health and wellness services..................... 76 Community Action 28 : Develop a regional hoʻokipa network – a place-based approach to community tourism. ......................................................................................................................................................... 77 4.10 PURSUE POTENTIAL SYNERGISTIC PROJECTS ......................................................................................................... 79 Community Action 29 : Develop and implement plans for Punaluʻu. .......................................................... 79
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 5
Section 2: Strengthening the Network
2.1 Networks in Ka‘ū
As noted in Appendices V4A and C, a networked approach to community-based, collaborative action can
be most effective and efficient. In contrast to centralized, hierarchical, bureaucratic organization,
networks are more informal, flexible, and decentralized. Efficiency is enhanced through distributed
power and problem-solving, and effectiveness is improved through autonomous but coordinated action.
Networks are not about control – they are about value-added coordination and communication.
Networks are nothing new in Ka‘ū. In fact, they are a well-established and abundant, and in many cases,
they are the default approach to organizing people. ʻOhana, friends, farmers, hunters, churches, and
many other groups of people who share common interests have extensive, inter-connected networks.
They are typically established and grown through talk story – informal conversations that illuminate
connections, strengthen relationships, and highlight opportunities for action.
As demonstrated in Table 1: Existing and Potential Network Nodes in Ka‘ū, Ka‘ū’s cultural and natural
resource management network is extensive. Each of these “nodes” is actively working to improve Ka‘ū,
often on multiple fronts. Using a networked approach, existing activity can continue but be enhanced
through better communication and collaboration among the many network members. STRENGTHENING THE NETWORK
6 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 7
Table 1: Existing and Potential Network Nodes in Ka‘ū
Nodes Cultural Mauka
Forest
Coastal
Areas
Agricultural
Lands
Public
Access &
Trails
Infrastructure,
Facilities, &
Services
Economic
Development
Community Nodes
Kupuna x x x x x x x
Native Hawaiians,
kama‘aina, or others with
historic kinship with or
knowledge of the land
x x x x x x x
Landowners & Managers x x x x x x
Hawaiian Civic Clubs x x x x
Ka ‘Ohana O Honu‘apo x x x x x
Hoʻomalu Ka‘ū x x x x x
O Ka‘ū Kakou x x x
Ka‘ū Preservation x x
Hunters x x
Farmers & Ranchers x x x x x x
Fishermen x x x
Ka‘ū Soil and Water
Conservation District x x x
8 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Nodes Cultural Mauka
Forest
Coastal
Areas
Agricultural
Lands
Public
Access &
Trails
Infrastructure,
Facilities, &
Services
Economic
Development
Ka‘ū Agricultural Water
Cooperative District x x x
Ka‘ū Coffee Cooperative x x
Farm Bureau x x
Farmers’ Union x x
Discovery Harbour
Community Association x
Green Sands Community
Association x
Ocean View Community
Association x
Ocean View Community
Development Corporation
(OVCDC)
x x
Road Corporations x
Community Emergency
Response Teams (CERT) &
Neighborhood Watch
x
Ka‘ū Rural Health
Community Association x x
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 9
Nodes Cultural Mauka
Forest
Coastal
Areas
Agricultural
Lands
Public
Access &
Trails
Infrastructure,
Facilities, &
Services
Economic
Development
Ka‘ū Chamber of Commerce x
Ka‘ū MainStreet x
Other community
organizations x x x x x x x
Other Nonprofit/ University
Nodes
The Nature Conservancy x x x x x x
Land Trusts x x x x
Kamehameha Schools x x x x x
The Olson Trust x x x x x x
Peoples Advocacy for Trails
Hawai‘i (PATH) x x x x x
The Kohala Center x x x x x
KUA: Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo
(formerly the Hawai‘i
Community Stewardship
Network)
x x x
Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes
National Park x x x
10 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Nodes Cultural Mauka
Forest
Coastal
Areas
Agricultural
Lands
Public
Access &
Trails
Infrastructure,
Facilities, &
Services
Economic
Development
Ka Mauli Hou – Hawai‘i
Restoration and
Conservation Initiative
x x x
Historic Hawai‘i Foundation x
UH Center for Oral History x
Three Mountain Alliance x x x x
Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund x x
Pacific Fisheries Coalition x
Malama Kai Foundation x
UH Sea Grant x
Hawai‘i Island Hawksbill
Turtle Recovery Project x
Ala Kahakai Trail Association x x
Big Island RC&D x
Big Island Invasive Species
Council x x
UH CTAHR x
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 11
Nodes Cultural Mauka
Forest
Coastal
Areas
Agricultural
Lands
Public
Access &
Trails
Infrastructure,
Facilities, &
Services
Economic
Development
Respected Access x x x x
The Conservation Fund x x x x
Queen Liliʻuokalani
Children’s Center x
National Trust for Historic
Preservation x x x
Project for Public Spaces &
ArtPlace x x x
Citizens’ Institute on Rural
Design x x
Rural Community Assistance
Corporation (RCAC) x
University of Hawai‘i - Hilo x x x x x x
Hilo Community College x
CU Hawai‘i Federal Credit
Union x
Bank of Hawai‘i x
12 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Nodes Cultural Mauka
Forest
Coastal
Areas
Agricultural
Lands
Public
Access &
Trails
Infrastructure,
Facilities, &
Services
Economic
Development
Hawai‘i Alliance for
Community-Based Economic
Development (HACBED)
x
Small Business Development
Center x
SCORE x
Hawai‘i Investment Ready x
Pacific Business Center
Program (PBCP) x
Agribusiness Incubator
Program (AIP) x
Center for Rural
Entrepreneurship (CRE) x
Kupu x x x
LEI (Lead, Expose, Inspire) x x
Hawai’i Procurement
Technical Assistance Center
(HI-PTAC)
x
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 13
Nodes Cultural Mauka
Forest
Coastal
Areas
Agricultural
Lands
Public
Access &
Trails
Infrastructure,
Facilities, &
Services
Economic
Development
Hawai‘i Island School Garden
Network (HISGN)
x
x
Community Power Network x
Forest Trends x
Hawai‘i Alliance for a Local
Economy (HALE) x
American Independent
Business Alliance (AMIBA) x
Business Alliance of Local
Living Economies (BALLE) x
Pacific Worlds x x
Ka Welina Network x x
Hawai‘i Ecotourism
Association (HEA) x
Hawai‘i Agritourism
Association (HATA) x
14 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Nodes Cultural Mauka
Forest
Coastal
Areas
Agricultural
Lands
Public
Access &
Trails
Infrastructure,
Facilities, &
Services
Economic
Development
National Geographic
Society’s Center for
Sustainable Destinations
x
National Association of
Gateway Communities x
Transition Town x x
County Nodes
Planning x x x x x x x
PONC x x x x x x
Cultural Resources
Commission x x
Parks & Recreation x x x x
Research & Development x x
Public Works x x
Game Management
Advisory Commision x x x
Water Supply x
Environmental Management x x
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 15
Nodes Cultural Mauka
Forest
Coastal
Areas
Agricultural
Lands
Public
Access &
Trails
Infrastructure,
Facilities, &
Services
Economic
Development
Civil Defense x
Fire x
Police x
Mass Transit x
State Nodes
DOCARE x x x x
Nā Ala Hele x x x x
State Parks x x x
DHHL x x x x x
SHPD x x x x
DOFAW x x x x x
DAR x
OCCL x
DOBOR x
DOH Clean Water Branch x x
16 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Nodes Cultural Mauka
Forest
Coastal
Areas
Agricultural
Lands
Public
Access &
Trails
Infrastructure,
Facilities, &
Services
Economic
Development
DOH Polluted Runoff Control
(PRC) program x x
Office of Planning x
DBEDT x
Department of Agriculture x x x
‘Aha Moku Advisory
Committee x x x x x
Office of Hawaiian Affairs x x x
Scenic Byways x x x x
Department of Education x x
Public Charter School
Commission (PCSC) x
Hawai‘i Tourism Authority
and Big Island Visitors
Bureau
x
Federal Nodes
Hawai‘i Volcanoes National
Park x x x x x
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 17
Nodes Cultural Mauka
Forest
Coastal
Areas
Agricultural
Lands
Public
Access &
Trails
Infrastructure,
Facilities, &
Services
Economic
Development
US Fish and Wildlife x x x
Ala Kahakai National Historic
Trail x x x
NOAA x x
NRCS x x
Farm Service Agency x x
USDA Rural Development x x
Air National Guard x
Small Business
Administration, including
HUBZone
x
Economic Development
Administration (EDA) x x
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Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 19
2.2 Network Leadership
2.2.1 Local Leadership
Effective networks require strong leadership on many levels and in a range of settings. Fundamentally,
any community-based, collaborative action in Ka‘ū will require leadership from within the community.
Luckily, Ka‘ū enjoys a “deep bench” of leadership from both individuals and organizations, as
demonstrated by the lengthy list of “community nodes” in Table 1: Existing and Potential Network
Nodes in Ka‘ū.
2.2.2 Allies
Ka‘ū is also lucky to have many “allies” with strong roots in the area. Notable examples include:
Public schools in Ka‘ū are central to community life and are an economic engine, providing jobs and
purchasing power. They are also in a Zone of Innovation, which creates the opportunity to use local
schools as a platform for a range of community-based initiatives.
Ka‘ū Hospital and Rural Health Clinic is also a major area employer and provider of critical
community services.
Kamehameha Schools educates many of the children in Ka‘ū and is a major owner of conservation
and agricultural land in Ka‘ū.
The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands owns homesteads, agricultural land, and significant
cultural sites in Ka‘ū.
The Olson Trust also provides many jobs, is a major landowner, invests in a range of agricultural
enterprises, leases farm land, and donates to a variety of community initiatives.
The Nature Conservancy owns significant conservation lands and has staff in Ka‘ū and elsewhere on
Hawai‘i Island who provide support for community-based resource management efforts.
The Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) in the State Department of Land and Natural
Resources (DLNR) has two full-time outreach coordinators on Hawai‘i Island who work closely with
community groups interested in forest stewardship, including some in Ka‘ū. DOFAW has also an
Access and Acquisitions Program Coordinator to work on access issues, including access for hunting.
UH Sea Grant has extension agents on Hawai‘i Island who provide a range of community education,
outreach, and facilitation supports for community-based coastal initiatives, including Makai Watch
and Reef Watchers programs.
The National Park Service is a major landowner and employer in Ka‘ū as well as the impetus for
much of the visitor traffic in the area.
The Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail staff are available to support community-based groups with
the management of trail corridors in Ka‘ū.
The Kohala Center focuses on many of the high priority issues in Ka‘ū – coastal management, food
systems, renewable energy, and rural business development. The Kohala Center’s Laulima Center
for Rural Cooperative Business Development actively supports coops and other businesses in the
area. STRENGTHENING THE NETWORK
20 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
2.2.3 “Weaving” Networks
Leadership within a network often looks different than within conventional, hierarchical organizations.
As noted in Appendix V4A, resilient community networks typically emerge through four stages:
First, small, autonomous clusters emerge, often without any guidance, among individuals and
organizations with shared interests, values, and goals. In Ka‘ū, many of these clusters already exist, both
formally and informally.
In the second and more intentional stage of network weaving, “translational” leaders create a hub and
spoke model, with themselves as the initial hub, connecting many different kinds of constituencies. In
Ka‘ū, such leaders actively make connections among environment, social, and other community-minded
groups.
In the third phase, translational leaders begin to extend connections among different constituencies for
whom they are the sole bridge. This starts to create a multihub social network. Due to the number of
relationships involved at this point, the best network weavers don’t just connect – they teach those they
connect how to become connectors themselves and begin to assume a role as facilitator of network
building. There are also many examples of the multihub network in Ka‘ū, best exemplified by the series
of annual celebrations that bring diverse groups together for parades, ho‘olaule‘a, and the like.
The final stage, and its ultimate aim, is called a core/periphery social network. In this highly stable yet
resilient social arrangement, which usually emerges after years of effort, a core of strongly affiliated
hubs at the center of the social system is connected to a constellation of people and resources on the
periphery. This allows for an efficient and natural division of labor: The periphery monitors the
environment, while the core implements what is discovered and deemed useful.
2.2.4 Resources for Strengthening Collaboration and Networks
In recent years, foundations and nonprofits have looked to networks as a way to facilitate and
accelerate change. The Nonprofit Quarterly has compiled some network “best practices,” including
references to many additional resources.1
Collaborative, networked leadership and organization are challenging but doable. Leaders in Hawai‘i
with extensive experience in community-based work have developed a website – the Collaborative
Leaders Network – to capture some of the most valuable lessons learned
(http://collaborativeleadersnetwork.org/). Examples of resources that might support community-based,
collaborative, networked approaches to achieving community objectives in Ka‘ū include:
A Collaborative Strategy Grounded in Polynesian Values, which is designed to develop a spirit of
collaboration
Community Transformation, which enables groups to meet their stated objectives in a way that also
strengthens the people in them, so they can build on the collaborative experience and bring about
lasting change in their communities
1 https://nonprofitquarterly.org/governancevoice/23438-a-network-way-of-working-a-compilation-of-
considerations-about-effectiveness-in-networks.html
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 21
Collaborative Problem Solving, which systematically builds toward consensus by having participants
analyze the issue, hear from experts, generate and evaluate options, review draft documents, and
revisit group agreements at every stage
A Collaboration Incubator, which is designed to launch collaborative initiatives that will help
communities resolve challenges and find a permanent home for each of the projects that is
incubated.
The Transition Movement is an example of network leadership used to fuel community development. It
is a network of vibrant, grassroots community initiatives that seek to build community resilience in the
face of environmental and economic challenges. Transition Initiatives differentiate themselves by
seeking to mitigate these converging global crises by engaging their communities in home-grown,
citizen-led education, action, and multi-stakeholder planning to increase local self-reliance and
resilience. Their premise is: “If we wait for the governments, it'll be too little, too late. If we act as
individuals, it'll be too little. But if we act as communities, it might just be enough, just in time.”
Transition United States offers a range of resources to people interested in starting a Transition Town
initiative, including a directory of Transition Towns, online and live training, online networking, and a
knowledge hub of material related to awareness raising, organizing, and projects.
The Collaborative Leaders Network and the Transition Movement are just two of many sets of available
resources to support community-based collaboration and networks. STRENGTHENING THE NETWORK
22 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
2.3 Best Practices
Appendices V4A and C summarized “best practices” for network-based, collaborative action. These
basic steps are summarized here as a guide to initiatives inspired by the CDP or coordinated by the CDP
Action Committee:
1. Focus – clarify vision, goals, and priorities within the larger community context
2. Get organized for planning
a. Establish structure and leadership
b. Engage community
c. Build collaborative ties
3. Summarize baseline conditions
4. Craft a plan
5. Restructure for implementation
a. Re-organize
b. Build capacity
c. Promote and educate
6. Implement
Using the detail provided in Appendix V4A and other resources, each initiative should develop more
detailed steps for accomplishing priority actions.
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 23
Section 3: Supporting Organizational Structure
3.1 Ka‘ū CDP Action Committee
3.1.1 The Community-County Bridge
After the CDP is adopted, a new, nine-member County advisory committee – the Action Committee –
will be appointed to lead implementation of the CDP. As with the Steering Committee, Action
Committee members will be nominated by the Mayor and appointed by Council. It will be important
that the Action Committee’s membership be representative of the diverse communities in Ka‘ū.
Also like the Steering Committee, Action Committee meetings will be open to the public. The Action
Committee may also choose to form subcommittees, and the subcommittees can include members of
the public.
3.1.2 Proactive Steward of CDP Implementation
Chapter 16 of the Hawai‘i County Code outlines the purpose, membership, and responsibilities of the
Action Committee. Its purpose is “to be a proactive, community-based steward of the plan’s
implementation….” In other words, the Action Committee leads CDP implementation.
3.1.3 A Facilitative Role
A principal responsibility of the Action Committee is to “build partnerships…with governmental and
community-based organizations to implement CDP policies and actions.”
Given the scope of activity in Ka‘ū, it would be impossible to “manage” it all in a conventional,
structured way. Instead, the CDP Action Committee can recognize the networks that already exist, help
new ones form when needed, and facilitate connections within and among networks.
Each network and sub-network could operate in an independent but connected way, providing
leadership, organizing key stakeholders and existing partnerships, and solving problems. With the help
of the Action Committee, networks could collaborate when appropriate to address policy change, secure
financial and other resources, and pursue other shared goals.
3.1.4 Community Advocate
As the primary group responsible for CDP implementation, the Action Committee also provides “ongoing
guidance and advocacy to advance implementation of the CDP goals, objectives, policies, and actions.”
In other words, the Action Committee can coordinate efforts to advance the advocacy platform outlined
in each section of the CDP.
3.1.5 Coordinate County Infrastructure Projects
Similarly, the Action Committee also provides “timely recommendations to the County on priorities
relating to the...CIP budget and program….” Each year, the Action Committee will use CIP priorities
identified in the CDP to recommend priorities for the County’s infrastructure projects. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
24 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
3.2 Other Potential Organizational Needs
3.2.1 Tax Exempt Status
Implementation of the Ka‘ū CDP will require financial resources, and many funding sources require that
a tax-exempt, nonprofit corporation (aka 501(c)(3) organizations) serve as the fiscal agent. It can be
cumbersome and expensive to obtain and maintain tax-exempt status, so it may be wise to use existing
organizations when possible.
However, there may come a point where more sophisticated, community-managed organizations are
needed. As outlined in Appendix V4C, cooperatives, community development corporations (CDCs), non-
profit social enterprises, and community land trusts are tools that communities can use to lead and
manage their own community improvement efforts.
3.2.2 Dedicated Staff
Most community-based initiatives in Ka‘ū are lead and run by volunteers. There are many benefits to
that approach, so it should be continued to the extent possible.
However, many community organizations struggle because volunteer members lack time or skills. There
may be a point at which it makes sense to rely on paid staff to play critical leadership roles related to
securing financial assistance, managing contracts and finances, and provide other administrative
support.
3.2.3 AmeriCorps
Many community-based groups use the AmeriCorps2 program to bridge the transition from volunteer-
led to staff-managed organizational structure. AmeriCorps volunteers typically serve full-time for a
small stipend. Hawai‘i currently offers four types of programs:
AmeriCorps*VISTA: to create and expand programs that build capacity and ultimately bring low-
income individuals and communities out of poverty
AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC): teams of 18-24 year olds to address critical
community needs related to environmental conservation & stewardship; infrastructure; energy
conservation; urban & rural development; and natural & other disasters (preparedness, mitigation,
recovery, response).
AmeriCorps*State: to assist youth achieve educational success
Senior Corps: for individuals 55 or older to help the elderly live independently.
3.2.4 Organizational and Leadership Development
Networks and organizations of all sizes benefit from strengthened leadership and improvements to their
structure and administration. The following resources are available to assist in this respect:
The Hawai‘i Community Foundation
o FLEX Grants
o West Hawai‘i Fund
o East Hawai‘i Fund
2 http://americorpshawaii.org/ ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 25
Hawai‘i Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations (HANO) capacity building training and consulting services
Office of Hawaiian Affairs capacity building programs
Department of Hawaiian Homelands capacity building programs
Hawai‘i Agricultural Leadership Foundation programs
Ulumau: The Hawai‘i Island Leadership Series
Hawai‘i Community College Not-for-Profit Management Certificate program
Kapiʻolani Community College Nonproift Management Certificate program.
26 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
3.3 Organizational Models
3.3.1 North Kohala Community Resource Center
The North Kohala Community Resource Center (NKCRC – http://www.northkohala.org/) was
incorporated as a tax-exempt nonprofit organization in 2002 to provide development support and fiscal
sponsorship for projects that benefit the North Kohala community. More specifically, the NKCRC
relieves community leaders of the administrative burden so that they can focus on the community work
that needs doing. It does this by:
Helping project coordinators write good proposals for well-planned projects that will be successful
in being funded
Helping them find the right funders who will give them money
Submitting their proposals to funders
Give the money to the projects.
Prepare reports to the funders.
Since 2003, the NKCRC has submitted 226 proposals for projects and has been awarded 128 grants
totaling over $5,900,000.
3.3.2 Great Southwest Development Corporation
The Greater Southwest Development Corporation (GSDC)3 is a place-based nonprofit neighborhood CDC
working on the southwest side of Chicago. Since its founding in 1976, its goal has been to revitalize a
neighborhood, including good schools, retail vitality, decent housing, safety, employment and
entrepreneurship, nutritious food choices, and opportunities for youth. It takes a “comprehensive
community development (CCD)” approach, which recognizes that in a complex community environment,
simultaneous and connected work in all of the disciplines and program areas that are important to a
community’s quality of life is critical. The GSDC identifies and creates a strategic set of program
approaches, planned by local leadership, to be carried out by an array of partners that, when achieved,
yield results beyond what these programs can achieve by themselves. In other words, it facilitates
network leadership while also maintaining the organizational infrastructure to support a broad range of
community initiatives.
3 http://www.shelterforce.org/article/3344/can_successful_community_development_be_anything_but_comprehensive/
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 27
Section 4: Focused Initiatives
4.1 Advance Preferred Conservation and Settlement Patterns
Community Action 1: Develop and implement community-specific strategies to create safe,
sustainable, and connected communities.
Need: In Ka‘ū and many other communities Countywide, subdivisions, villages, and towns face
challenges and opportunities related to the protection of agricultural land and open space, the
appropriate mix of land uses, preservation of rural character, public infrastructure and facilities, and
economic development. Local groups can take the lead in developing and implementing a
comprehensive, coordinated set of strategies for each community.
Potential Community Lead: Community associations and corporations
Potential Community Partners: Ka‘ū MainStreet, road corporations, Ka‘ū Chamber of Commerce, O Ka‘ū
Kakou, other community organizations, landowners, Queen Liliʻuokalani Children’s Center
Potential Allies: County of Hawai‘i (Planning, Parks & Recreation, Public Works, Water Supply),
Department of Education, National Park Service (HVNP), USDA Rural Development, Hawai‘i Alliance for
Community-Based Economic Development (HACBED), Hawai‘i Alliance for a Local Economy (HALE), Rural
Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC), Project for Public Spaces & ArtPlace, Citizens’ Institute on
Rural Design, American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA), Business Alliance of Local Living
Economies (BALLE), National Geographic Society’s Center for Sustainable Destinations, National
Association of Gateway Communities
Immediate Next Steps:
Coordinate with the implementation of Community Action 10, 15, 16, and 21
Complete a comprehensive SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) or similar
Establish clear goals
For each goal, identify past plans, existing related efforts, tools and resources available, and success
stories from other communities, like capital improvements, special districts, improvement districts,
brownfield redevelopment, land readjustment, and placemaking
Develop a strategic plan with SMART objectives (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and
time-specific) for each goal and specific action steps and milestones
Secure commitments from partners whose assistance is needed
Implement the plan.
Other Resources:
In use for the past 30 years, the four-point Main Street approach has proven effective in revitalizing
and managing neighborhood commercial districts and downtowns across the nation.
The Orton Family Foundation's Field Guide Community Heart and Soul
Hawai‘i Collaborative Leaders Network’s Collaborative Problem Solving Guide FOCUSED INITIATIVES
28 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
For more information about specific communities in Ka‘ū and related redevelopment resources, see
Appendix V4B.
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 29
4.2 Expand the Local System of Preserves
Community Action 2: Secure in public trust (fee simple or by easement) priority land that achieves one
or more of the Community Objectives.
Need: Eleven privately-owned coastal parcels have development potential (see Appendix V4A). In
addition, Pu‘u ‘Enuhe and Makanau, which are prominent elements of mauka viewscapes, are relatively
unprotected from development. These lands can be protected most effectively through conservation
easements or acquisition as public reserves.
Potential Community Lead: Action Committee
Potential Community Partners: Ka ‘Ohana O Honu‘apo, Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund, The Olson Trust,
Kamehameha Schools
Potential Allies: County of Hawai‘i (County Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources
Preservation Commission (PONC), Cultural Resources Commission), DLNR State Historic Preservation
Division (SHPD), National Park Service (HVNP and AKNHT), The Nature Conservancy, Hawaiian Islands
Land Trust, Trust for Public Land, O‘ahu Resource Conservation and Development Council, The
Conservation Fund, Conservation Finance Network
Immediate Next Steps: The Action Committee can provide leadership by:
Affirming priorities (see the related CDP policy) and advocating for them with land owners, public
agencies, and other partners.
Supporting efforts of community-based organizations, the National Park Service, The Nature
Conservancy, and land trusts to acquire lands and easements.
Submitting recommendations and nominations to the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural
Resources Preservation Commission (PONC).
Encouraging landowners to establish conservation easements in coastal areas.
Other Resources: Legacy Lands Conservation Program, Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation
Program, Farm and Ranchland Protection Program, Grassland Reserve Program, Forest Legacy Program,
USFWS Recovery Land Acquisition (RLA) program, USFWS Habitat Conservation Plan Land Acquisition
program, National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant, Community Forest Program
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 52-54 and 111-114 of
Appendix V4A.
FOCUSED INITIATIVES
30 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Community Action 3: Encourage the use of agriculture, ranch, and forestry land preservation
programs.
Need: One of the most effective ways to preserve agricultural land is through agricultural conservation
easements. Agricultural conservation easements are voluntary legal agreements between a landowner
and a land trust or government agency that permanently preserves the land for agricultural uses. The
agreements typically allow landowners to continue to own and use their land, and they can also sell it or
pass it on to heirs. Easements are a viable alternative to development because they can reduce
property and estate taxes and qualify the owner for tax deductions.
Potential Community Lead: Farm Bureau, Farmers’ Union
Potential Community Partners: The Olson Trust, Kamehameha Schools
Potential Allies: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, County Public Access Open Space, and
Natural Resources Preservation Commission (PONC), DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW),
The Nature Conservancy, Hawaiian Islands Land Trust, Trust for Public Land, O‘ahu Resource
Conservation and Development Council, The Conservation Fund
Immediate Next Steps:
Develop and implement an Information and Education (I/E) program focused on tax incentives,
conservation easements, and technical assistance available to establish conservation easements.
Identify priorities for conservation easements in high priority watersheds.
Encourage landowners to establish agricultural conservation easements.
Support efforts of landowners to secure easements.
Submit recommendations and nominations to the PONC.
Other Resources: USDA NRCS Farm and Ranchland Protection and Grassland Reserve Programs, DLNR
DOFAW Legacy Lands Conservation and Forest Legacy Programs, US Fish and Wildlife Service Recovery
Land Acquisition and Habitat Conservation Plan Land Acquisition programs
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 28-33, 145-149 and 160-
161 of Appendix V4A.
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 31
4.3 Preserve Scenic Areas
Community Action 4: Advance development of scenic routes.
Need: Scenic Byways are “roads that tell a special story” and contribute to the legacy of Hawai‘i. Local
byways are sponsored by the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (DOT) and facilitated locally by a
community sponsor that wishes to lead the preservation, protection and/or promotion of the byway
with a Local Advisory Committee and Corridor Management Plan. The Ka‘ū Chamber of Commerce
sponsors Ka‘ū’s byway, which is established as “The Slopes of Mauna Loa.” The byway includes points of
interest along Highway 11 between Manukā and Volcano. Implementation of the Corridor Management
Plan is ongoing but is limited by available financial resources.
Local byway sponsors and committees receive technical assistance and training from the State byways
program and the National Scenic Byway Program. The Federal Highways Administration also has an
Annual Discretionary Grant program corridor management, safety improvements, facilities, access
improvements, resource protection, interpretation, and marketing.
For many of the same reasons that a Scenic Byway was recently established in Ka‘ū, a Scenic Corridor
could also be established, pursuant HCC section 25-6-60. For transportation corridors that require a
comprehensive planning approach, the Hawai‘i County Council may, by ordinance, establish all or
portions of public roadways and an appropriate portion of the adjacent property as a scenic corridor.
Any standards and conditions not included in the underlying zoning related, but not limited, to signage,
lighting, design standards, access management, landscaping, parking, height, historic and cultural
preservation, view planes, and/or setbacks, must be included as part of the scenic corridor management
plan and adopted by scenic corridor enabling ordinance by the Council. The scenic corridor management
plan must demonstrate the need for the adoption of special standards and conditions in order to
preserve, maintain, protect, or enhance the intrinsic character of the corridor.
Potential Community Lead: Ka‘ū Chamber of Commerce
Potential Community Partners: Hoʻomalu Ka‘ū, Ka ‘Ohana O Honu‘apo, landowners
Potential Allies: County of Hawai‘i (Planning, Parks & Recreation, Public Works), Hawai‘i Tourism
Authority and Big Island Visitors Bureau, State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD), Hawai‘i Volcanoes
National Park, Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail, National Association of Gateway Communities,
National Geographic Society’s Center for Sustainable Destinations, Ka Welina Network, Pacific Worlds,
Project for Public Spaces, Peoples Advocacy for Trails Hawai‘i (PATH)
Immediate Next Steps:
Continue to seek technical and financial support implementation of the Corridor Management Plan
from the State byways program, the National Scenic Byway Program, and the Federal Highways
Administration.
Ask the Planning Director or the District Council Member to introduce a resolution to initiate the
establishment of a scenic corridor.
Complete a corridor management plan and enabling ordinance.
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 77 and 90-91 of
Appendix V4B. FOCUSED INITIATIVES
32 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 33
4.4 Protect and Enhance Ecosystems
Community Action 5: Develop and implement site-specific and watershed-specific management plans
for high-priority areas and resources.
Need: Ka‘ū is rich in ecological resources. Many are not under any threat. Others are under stress and
require more site-specific, active management.
Often, resources and landscapes have multiple owners and fall under several different jurisdictions.
Effective resource management, therefore, requires high levels of collaboration and coordination among
a wide range of agencies and organizations.
Likewise, few know the resources like those who use and enjoy them. Local Hawaiian families, cultural
practitioners, hunters, fisherman, hikers, farmers, and ranchers who know and frequent the forests,
agriculture lands, and coastline are well-positioned to play a leadership role in managing them.
Potential Community Lead: Action Committee
Potential Community Partners: residents familiar with local natural resources, owners of shoreline and
agricultural property, Ka ‘Ohana O Honu‘apo, Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund, ‘Aha Moku Advisory Committee,
Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Ka‘ū Soil and Water Conservation District, Three Mountain Alliance, The Nature
Conservancy, Kamehameha Schools, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, surfers, fisherman, hunters,
hikers
Potential Allies: Makai Watch, Reef Check Hawai‘i, Project S.E.A.-Link, UH Sea Grant, NOAA (Office of
Habitat Restoration, Marine Debris Program, Community-based Restoration Program), Hawai‘i Island
Hawksbill Turtle Recovery Project, KUA: Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo, Department of Land and Natural
Resources (DOFAW, OCCL, DAR, DOCARE, Fisheries Enforcement Units), DOH Clean Water Branch,
County of Hawai‘i (Planning, Game Management Advisory Commision), Big Island Invasive Species
Committee, USFWS Pacific Islands Coastal Program, The Kohala Center, Mālama Kai Foundation, Pacific
Fisheries Coalition, Locally-Managed Marine Area (LMMA) Network, Landscape Conservation
Stewardship Program, Public Lands Everyday
Immediate Next Steps:
To make the best use of limited resources, identify regional management priorities
o Consider stakeholder input, feasibility, and potential benefit/impact when establishing
priorities.
o To prioritize watersheds that require protection and/or management, identify major land
covers, land uses, and polluting activities, as recommended by the ORMP (see Appendix
V4A). Given the community concern for Punaluʻu, Honuʻapo, and the shoreline and
wetlands between them, past precedents of flooding and coastal sedimentation, and the
presence of a threatened native species in the Hīlea Gulch, Nīnole Gulch, and Kaunāmano
watersheds, areas in the central region of Ka‘ū between Wood Valley and Honu‘apo will
likely be priorities.
o For coastal areas, information in Appendix V4A about restoration needs suggests the
following preliminary coastal priorities: Manukā, South Point to Green Sands, and Kamilo
Beach. FOCUSED INITIATIVES
34 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Document historical and current conditions in high priority areas using local, place-based knowledge
and the best science available
o Clearly identify resources, their significance, and threats.
o Start with existing documentation and maps in the CDP (including the Community Profile
and Appendix V4A), historic maps, past studies, fishermen, hikers, surfers, local Hawaiian
families with ahupua‘a-specific knowledge, and other existing resources.
o Map popular hunting, fishing, surfing, swimming, and hiking areas. Though they shouldn’t
be publicized, commonly used areas should be identified so that they can be protected and
managed.
o Inventory and map undocumented resources in coastal areas, including coastal fish
populations, estuaries, anchialine pools, tidal wetlands, coral reefs, vegetation, turtle
nesting and feeding sites, and monk seal habitat.
o Take great care to keep information about sensitive resources unpublished and not public in
order to minimize impacts, theft, vandalism, and other breaches in protocol.
Develop site-specific and watershed-specific management plans tailored to high-priority areas and
resources
o Secure assistance with and funding for developing Watershed Management Plans (see
Appendix V4A). Funding sources include the DOH Polluted Runoff Control (PRC) program
and DOFAW’s Watershed Partnership Program.
o Develop Watershed Management Plans for high priority areas (see Appendix V4A).
Watershed management plans are data-driven, technical, and detailed plans for specific
watersheds that identify the sources of pollution and the recommended management
strategies. Analysis that drives the planning includes community goals; hazard risks; unique
social, cultural, economic, and environmental characteristics; mauka-makai connections;
and stakeholder interests and potential for collaboration. As recommended by the ORMP,
the plans may include strategies to:
Address specific land-based pollution threats
Meet total maximum daily load (TMDL) targets
Leverage state, federal, and private sector funding to implement best management
practices
Monitor best management practices.
Implement management plans for priority areas and resources.
Organizational Considerations:
The Action Committee may want to establish one or more subcommittees to spearhead this action.
Likewise, it may want to ask community partners to assume responsibility for some of the steps.
It may also be helpful for groups to focus on specific high-priority sites or areas.
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 35
Other Resources:
Technical guides for developing watershed and other resource management plans (see Appendix
V4A)
Other communities: Kaʻūpūlehu Marine Life Advisory Committee, Kahalu‘u Bay Education Center
(KBEC), Hui Aloha Kīholo, Hui Mālama o Mo‘omomi, Blackfoot Challenge4
Grants and other financial assistance from partners, the Harold K.L. Foundation, the NOAA Marine
Education and Training Mini Grant Program, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, US FWS Partners for Fish
and Wildlife, Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP), Natural Area Partnership Program (NAPP),
Forest Stewardship Program (FSP), Wetlands Conservation Grants, National Coastal Wetlands
Conservation Grant Program, The Conservation Fund, Conservation Finance Network, Public Lands
Everyday, The Conservation Alliance
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 28-51, 90-120, and 126-
149 of Appendix V4A.
4 http://blackfootchallenge.org/ and http://www.npr.org/2014/02/08/273577607/montana-ranchers-learn-ways-
to-live-with-wolves FOCUSED INITIATIVES
36 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Community Action 6: Promote soil and water conservation best practices.
Need: To preserve the quality of agricultural land and shoreline waters, land managers need to practice
soil and water conservation best practices.
Potential Community Lead: Ka‘ū Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD)
Potential Community Partners: Landowners, farmers, ranchers, The Olson Trust, Kamehameha Schools,
Department of Hawaiian Homelands, Three Mountain Alliance, past and current agricultural workers
Potential Allies: State of Hawai‘i Department of Health (Clean Water Branch, Polluted Runoff Control
(PRC) program), Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program, USDA Natural Resource Conservation
Service and Farm Service Agency, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture,
Department of Land and Natural Resources (DOFAW), University of Hawai‘i (CTAHR), County of Hawai‘i
(Research and Development, Planning, Public Works)
Immediate Next Steps: As empowered in HRS Chapter 180, the Ka‘ū SWCD could:
Develop and implement an Information and Education (I/E) program focused on watershed basics,
management measures, best management practices, and technical and financial assistance available
to develop and implement NRCS conservation plans (see Appendix V4A). The I/E program could
include farmer-to-farmer, demonstration, field day, and other components.
Provide for and encourage studies relating to soil and water conservation in Ka‘ū to identify the
highest priority areas
Develop plans for conservation of soil and water resources and control and prevention of erosion
within the district
Demonstrate conservation of soil and water resources on publicly owned lands
Carry out conservation measures on publicly owned lands
Cooperate with and assist land managers carrying out soil and water conservation operations.
Other Resources:
Hawai‘i Watershed Guidance
Best management practices (see Appendix V4A)
USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service programs and funding: Conservation Technical
Assistance, Conservation Plans, Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Agricultural
Management Assistance (AMA), Conservation Resource Enhancement Program (CREP),
Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
USDA Farm Service Agency Conservation Loan Program (CLP)
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 145-149 of Appendix
V4A.
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 37
4.5 Protect and Enhance Cultural Assets
Community Action 7: Develop and implement a regional plan for managing cultural and historic
resources.
Need: Ka‘ū is rich in cultural and historic resources, but many are undocumented, unmanaged, and
vulnerable to abuse.
Potential Community Lead: Hoʻomalu Ka‘ū
Potential Community Partners: kupuna, local residents familiar with Ka‘ū’s history and cultural
resources, owners of land with cultural resources, Hawaiian Civic Clubs, other community organizations,
landowners
Potential Allies: Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Department of Land
and Natural Resources (State Historic Preservation Division, Nā Ala Hele), Department of Hawaiian
Home Lands, County of Hawai‘i (Planning, Cultural Resources Commission, PONC), Kamehameha
Schools, Historic Hawai‘i Foundation, National Trust for Historic Preservation, the University of Hawai‘i,
archaeologists and historians
Immediate Next Steps:
Develop a regional inventory and map of cultural and historic resources, evaluate their significance,
and document threats.
o Start with the list of registered historic sites, SHPD’s Inventory of Historic Places, the CDP
Community Profile and Appendix V4A, the 2004 Strategic Plan for the District of Ka‘ū
prepared by Ho‘omaka Hou, historic maps, oral histories, and other existing resources.
o In addition to archaeological sites and historic buildings, potential resources to map,
inventory, or otherwise document include other special places, art forms, and living culture
in the area, including local cultural traditions and practices.
o Conduct archaeological studies and surveys as necessary to fill critical gaps in knowledge.
Additional archaeological studies will likely be required, particularly along the shoreline and
in coastal waters, which includes fish ponds, heiau, ko‘a (fishing grounds), and other
important cultural resources.
o Distinguish cultural resources that are appropriate for public access from those that are not
(e.g., sacred sites or wahi pana) through consultation with kupuna, cultural practitioners,
archaeologists, historians, and others with site-specific knowledge.
o Map sites by GPS coordinates and in GIS geodatabases, as appropriate, taking great care to
keep information about sensitive resources unpublished and not public in order to minimize
impacts, theft, vandalism, and other breaches in protocol.
o Consider developing an online tool modeled after digitalmoku.net or the Getty Conservation
Institute’s Arches system.
Prioritize threatened areas and other areas of concern, identifying priorities for historic registration,
acquisition, repair, restoration, and enhancement based on community input, feasibility, and
potential benefit/impact. FOCUSED INITIATIVES
38 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Develop and implement a regional plan for managing cultural and historic resources with a focus on
prioritizing and addressing acquisition, protection, restoration, interpretation, and access needs, as
identified in the inventory referenced above, and possibly including:
o Supporting and coordinating the preparation of State and Federal historic site and district as
well as historic landmark nominations for high priority cultural and historic sites and
landscapes.
o Coordinating the acquisition of historic and cultural sites (and/or access to them) for
protection or public use. Acquisition can be supported through SHPD’s Historic Preserves
program and the County’s PONC.
o Coordinating and supporting other initiatives related to historic and cultural resource
management (see other actions in this section).
Other Resources:
To conduct additional research, SHPD can be contracted through its Inter-Agency Archaeological
Services program.
Students from UH Mānoa programs as well as the new UH Hilo Heritage Management could be
enlisted to help.
The Save America’s Treasures (SAT) program provides matching grants for preservation and/or
conservation work on nationally significant intellectual and cultural artifacts and nationally
significant historic structures and sites. Funds may be used for projects resulting in the protection
and preservation of nationally significant historic structures and sites, as well as nationally
significant collections of intellectual and cultural artifacts, documents, sculpture and works of art.
The National Park Service’s Tribal Heritage Grants assist Native Hawaiian organizations in protecting
and promoting their unique cultural heritage and traditions, including oral history and sacred and
historic places.
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 162-173 of Appendix
V4A and pages 48-50 of Appendix V4B.
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 39
Community Action 8: Develop and implement site-specific cultural resource management plans for
high priority areas and resources.
Need: Because of site-specific conditions, many cultural and historic assets require resource-specific
management strategies and protocols related to protection, access, restoration, and interpretation.
Potential Community Lead: Lineal descendants of each site
Potential Community Partners: kupuna, local residents familiar with each site or resource, owners of
land with cultural resources, Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Hoʻomalu Ka‘ū, other community organizations, The
Olson Trust, ‘Aha Moku Advisory Committee
Potential Allies: Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Department of Land
and Natural Resources (State Historic Preservation Division, Nā Ala Hele), Department of Hawaiian
Home Lands, County of Hawai‘i (Planning, Cultural Resources Commission, PONC), Kamehameha
Schools, Historic Hawai‘i Foundation, National Trust for Historic Preservation, the University of Hawai‘i,
archaeologists and historians
Immediate Next Steps:
Summarize historical and current conditions for each site or resource using available information.
As needed, develop archaeological inventory surveys (AIS), preservation plans, and burial treatment
plans for approval by the State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD).
Develop and implement a plan specific to the particular site or resource with a focus on prioritizing
and addressing acquisition, protection, restoration, interpretation, and access needs.
Implementation steps might include:
o Preparation of State and Federal historic site and district nominations for high priority
cultural and historic sites and landscapes.
o Training and supporting curators and caretakers.
Other Resources:
See resources above for regional cultural resource management.
The Legacy Lands Conservation Program (LLCP) provides grants to local organizations and agencies
seeking to acquire land and conservation easements for Hawai‘i’s unique and valuable resources,
including cultural and historical sites.
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 162-173 of Appendix
V4A and pages 48-50 of Appendix V4B. FOCUSED INITIATIVES
40 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Community Action 9: Restore the Nāʻālehu Theater.
Need: The Nāʻālehu Theater was built after World War I by the Hutchinson Sugar Company to provide
entertainment for local residents. Over the years, the theater has been used for a variety of arts and
youth programming and performances. Since 2006, it has stood vacant and has fallen into disrepair and
is in need of improvements, including a new roof. Future plans for this historic building are unclear.
The Historic Hawai‘i Foundation includes the theater on its list of Hawai‘i’s Most Endangered Sites. In
2005, volunteers submitted an application to the State for designation of the Nāʻālehu Theater as a
historic site. The Hawai‘i Office of Historic Preservation was ready to assign historic status to the
theater, but the owner declined, citing property rights issues.
Potential Community Lead: Ka‘ū MainStreet
Potential Community Partners: Hoʻomalu Ka‘ū, Ka‘ū Scenic Byway Local Advisory Committee, The Olson
Trust
Potential Allies: County of Hawai‘i (Planning, Cultural Resources Commission, PONC, Public Works), State
Historic Preservation Division (SHPD), Historic Hawai‘i Foundation, National Trust for Historic
Preservation, National Trust Main Street Center, Project for Public Spaces, ArtPlace, Hawai‘i Tourism
Authority and Big Island Visitors Bureau
Immediate Next Steps:
Approach the owner about interest in selling the property.
Inventory renovation needs and expenses.
Work with allies to prepare and submit funding applications to purchase and rehabilitate the
building and property.
Other Resources:
If a building code complaint is filed, it will trigger a review by SHPD, which will likely petition for
preservation of the building.
Funding sources: Legacy Lands Conservation Program, National Trust Preservation Fund, Hart Family
Fund for Small Towns, Johanna Favrot Fund for Historic Preservation, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Fund
for Historic Interiors, National Endowment for the Arts “Our Town” grants.
The Legacy Lands Conservation Program (LLCP) provides grants to local organizations and agencies
seeking to acquire land and conservation easements for Hawai‘i’s unique and valuable resources,
including cultural and historical sites.
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 162-173 of Appendix
V4A and pages 48-50 and 144-145 of Appendix V4B.
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 41
Community Action 10: Develop and implement place-based strategies to retain village and town
character.
Need: The Ka‘ū community has a strong rural sense of place that is multi-cultural and rooted in historic
tradition. Part of that character is rooted in the local architecture. As buildings are renovated, new
development is planned, and infrastructure is updated, it is possible to incorporate patterns that reflect
timeless aspects of the region’s heritage. However, there is currently no strategy for retaining the
character of historic towns and villages in Ka‘ū.
Potential Community Lead: Ka‘ū MainStreet
Potential Community Partners: Hoʻomalu Ka‘ū, Ka‘ū Scenic Byway Local Advisory Committee, The Olson
Trust
Potential Allies: other communities pursuing similar goals (Kailua Village, Pahoa, Volcano, Waimea),
County of Hawai‘i (Planning, Cultural Resources Commission, Arborist Advisory Committee, PONC), State
Historic Preservation Division (SHPD), Historic Hawai‘i Foundation, National Trust for Historic
Preservation, National Trust Main Street Center, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Hawai‘i Tourism
Authority and Big Island Visitors Bureau, Citizens’ Institute on Rural Design, Project for Public Spaces,
ArtPlace, Sustainable Design Assessment Team, National Geographic Society’s Center for Sustainable
Destinations, National Association of Gateway Communities
Immediate Next Steps:
Coordinate with the implementation of Community Action 1
Identify and assess features of rural villages and town that contribute to the strong sense of place in
Ka‘ū, including local architecture (patterns, colors, and materials of buildings), trees, viewscapes,
streetscapes, signage (street, business, and community), public spaces, and transportation and
other infrastructure.
Consider using a “placemaking” approach to achieve some “quick wins” (see Appendices V4B and
V4C).
Develop and implement a multi-pronged, place-based plan for preserving and enhancing community
character in each community. Elements of each plan might include:
o A “lighter, quicker, cheaper” strategy to making simple, inexpensive, incremental
improvements with big impact (see Appendix V4B).
o Design and install “gateway” treatments where travelers enter each community.
o Enhance public spaces like squares, parks, and streets with landscaping, seating, art, and
other features to make them attractive, engaging, friendly, and welcoming.
o Identify and nominate trees for the County “exceptional tree” designation (se Appendix
V4A).
o Develop, and have adopted by the County as part of a special district as appropriate (see
Appendix V4A), development design standards for streetscapes, lighting, signage, buildings
and other key elements of community character. FOCUSED INITIATIVES
42 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
o Organize an Information and Education (I/E) program to encourage restoration and reuse of
historic buildings and sites through existing tax incentives and other programs. Information
about the Federal and County tax incentives is included in Appendix V.4. SHPD and Historic
Hawai‘i Foundation can also likely assist with information and education initiatives.
o Establish historic districts (see Appendix V4A).
Organizational Considerations: In use for the past 30 years, the four-point Main Street approach has
proven effective in revitalizing and managing neighborhood commercial districts and downtowns across
the nation.
Other Resources:
Past plans: 1978 Urban Design Plan for Pāhala
Other communities’ design guidelines: Kailua Village, Waimea, Pāhoa, Maui County
Tax exemptions: County historic property tax exemption, Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentive
Program
Funding sources: Legacy Lands Conservation Program, National Trust Preservation Fund, Hart Family
Fund for Small Towns, Johanna Favrot Fund for Historic Preservation, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Fund
for Historic Interiors, Brink Leadership Fund, ArtPlace, National Endowment for the Arts “Our Town”
grants.
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 162-173 of Appendix
V4A and pages 48-55 of Appendix V4B
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 43
Community Action 11: Document, maintain, and share the mo‘olelo of Ka‘ū through oral, written,
and/or video histories.
Need: The mo‘olelo of Ka‘ū (i.e., its stories or oral history) articulates the community’s relationship to
place and communicates its authenticity and distinctiveness. Gathering memories and stories of place
can be a powerful tool for capturing what is sacred, honoring the wisdom of the past, and advancing
Ka‘ū’s living culture. In addition to stories, an oral history project could capture languages spoken, food
culture, and customs that are unique to Ka‘ū. The mo‘olelo also helps residents welcome visitors, giving
them insight into the authentic Ka‘ū and tools for demonstrating respect and sensitivity during their
stay.
Oral history projects can also provide a platform for youth to interact with kūpuna; learn about the
significant cultural, historical, and natural sites of the area; and develop their skills to not only gather the
stories but also design an effective system for sharing the stories through technology and social
networking strategies.
Potential Community Lead: Hoʻomalu Ka‘ū, Pāhala Plantation Cottages
Potential Community Partners: kupuna, Hawaiian Civic Clubs, ‘Aha Moku Advisory Committee
Potential Allies: Center for Oral History at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Department of Education,
Kamehameha Schools, Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, Columbia University Oral
History Research Office
Immediate Next Steps:
Investigate other successful oral history projects (see Other Resources below and Appendix V4A).
Research oral history best practices (see Appendix V4A).
Develop clear, achievable goals, including subjects to be investigated, the information to be
collected, how the information will be collected and archived, the target audience for the
information, and what media will be developed to share the information.
Develop an implementable plan for the initiative, including identification of sources of information,
audio/video materials needed, the development of interview protocols, training, partnerships to
develop, etc.
Other Resources:
Pāhala Plantation Cottages collaborated with public school students in Ka‘ū to chronicle Ka‘ū’s
history, in part by recording oral histories. This effort can serve as the foundation for future work.
In the late 1990s, the Center for Oral History at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa conducted life
history interviews with displaced workers of Ka‘ū Agribusiness Company who were surveyed in an
earlier research project assessing the impact of job loss. The interviewees represent two generations
of sugar workers – one generation retired, the other laid off due to the closure of Ka‘ū Agribusiness
Company.
Other oral history projects: Mo‘olelo Aloha ‘Āina, Hula Preservation Society, PhotoVoice, Wisdom of
the Elders, Neighborhood Story Project FOCUSED INITIATIVES
44 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Historian and educator Judith Moyer has developed a thorough guide to collecting and preserving
oral history.
The National Park Service’s Tribal Heritage Grants assist Native Hawaiian organizations in protecting
and promoting their unique cultural heritage and traditions, including oral history and sacred and
historic places.
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 169-170 of Appendix
V4A.
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 45
Community Action 12: Establish a Ka‘ū Cultural Network.
Need: A connected network of cultural sites in Ka‘ū could celebrate the region’s rich history, educate
residents and visitors, perpetuate living culture, serve as the hub of cultural preservation efforts, and
even generate income for the community. The network would complement the scenic byway and other
cultural initiatives (see above), include additional sites not included in the byway (see the map of visitor
attractions in Appendix V4C), and incorporate the living culture in the area, including performances,
festivals, and cultural education programs.
A “high tech and high touch” strategy, a cultural network could be organized on the Internet (including
maps, site-specific information, and audio and video material), accessible on mobile devices, and made
real through access to community cultural events, interpretive signage, and curators or guides available
for tours.
Potential Community Lead: Hoʻomalu Ka‘ū, Ka‘ū Scenic Byway Local Advisory Committee
Potential Community Partners: Hawaiian Civic Clubs, ‘Aha Moku Advisory Committee
Potential Allies: County of Hawai‘i (Research and Development, Cultural Resources Commission), Hawai‘i
Tourism Authority and Big Island Visitors Bureau
Immediate Next Steps:
Develop a “business plan” for developing and maintaining the web page and mobile app. Integrate
lessons learned from other communities (see below).
Seek funding for program development, including grants, local business sponsors, and/or
“crowdfunding” (see Appendix V4C).
Other Resources:
The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) maintains a catalog of mobile
apps used by various States. Apps featuring Hawai‘i included: Official Hawaiian Islands Visitors’
Guide, Festivals of Hawai‘i, and “Royal Footsteps Along the Kona Coast” Scenic Byway (see Appendix
V4C).
“Quick Response” (QR) codes are increasingly being used on interpretive signage that links visitors’
mobile devices to audio and video feeds about sites (see Appendix V4C).
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 162-173 of Appendix
V4A, pages 48-50 of Appendix V4B, and pages 123-130, 136-137, and 175 of Appendix V4C. FOCUSED INITIATIVES
46 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 47
4.6 Establish a Regional System of Access, Trails, and Supporting Facilities
Community Action 13: Develop and implement plans to establish and manage specific access points
and trail segments.
Need: Ka‘ū has extensive “green infrastructure” network of core areas (Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park,
State and private preserves, watersheds, and agricultural areas), hubs (summits, pali, wetlands, heritage
resources), and corridors (access points, trails, Scenic Byway). There is also a federal-state-county MOU
in place to establish and manage the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail, and the Three Mountain
Alliance (TMA) and Ka‘ū Forest Reserve management plans include steps to:
Maintain existing public access roads
Increase public access for hiking and other recreational activities on public lands
Support public hunting on appropriate TMA lands, where compatible with watershed protection
values
Establish access agreements and management partnerships with landowners and local ranchers,
farmers, and hunters
Develop new access routes to increase access in cooperation with neighboring uses, particularly on
existing roads or other alignments just within the Reserve boundary, and across private and State-
leased lands below the Reserve
Develop a mauka access management system, building on lessons learned from the Kapāpala Ranch
access system
Maintain existing trails in the TMA area
Continue to expand the Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a Trail system
Facilitate development of the Mauna Loa Trail
Develop low-impact recreational amenities.
However, existing access points and trail linkages within the regional green infrastructure network are
largely unmanaged. Overharvesting, ranch and farm damage, ecosystem damage from illegal ATV use,
the introduction of destructive invasive species, and unsanitary waste disposal due to lack of rubbish
receptacles and restroom facilities are common. Steps need to be taken to preserve responsible access
for local families and control access by others. Community members are best positioned to develop and
implement those steps, in collaboration with landowners and agencies responsible for mauka and makai
resources.
In addition, many of the linkages that would complete an interconnected regional trail system are
missing. Many potential trails have been proposed and are possible, but community leadership is
needed to establish and manage them.
Potential Community Lead: Action Committee
Potential Community Partners: ‘Aha Moku Advisory Committee, Hoʻomalu Ka‘ū, Ka‘ū Scenic Byway Local
Advisory Committee, Hawaiian Civic Clubs, landowners, hunters, fishermen, farmers & ranchers, hikers FOCUSED INITIATIVES
48 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Potential Allies: Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail, Department of Land and Natural Resources (Nā Ala
Hele, SHPD, DOFAW, Parks), County of Hawai‘i (Planning, Parks and Recreation, Finance (Property
Management), PONC, Cultural Resources Commission, Game Management Advisory Commission),
Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, The Nature Conservancy, Ala Kahakai Trail Association, Peoples
Advocacy for Trails Hawai‘i (PATH), Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Three Mountain Alliance,
American Trails, Respected Access, Partnership for the National Trails System
Immediate Next Steps:
Identify regional access and trail development and management priorities:
o For coastal areas, information in Appendix V4A about shoreline access challenges, lateral
trails, use management, and parks suggests the preliminary coastal priorities summarized in
“Table 2: Coastal Access and Trail Management Needs.”
Table 2: Coastal Access and Trail Management Needs
Coastal Area Shoreline Access Lateral Trail Use Management
Manukā x x
Road to the Sea x x
Pōhue Bay x
Kahakahakea-Kalepe a Moa x
Wai‘o‘ahukini Bay x
Humuhumu Point to South Point x
South Point to Green Sands x x
Ka‘alu‘alu Bay x x
Kamilo Beach
Waikapuna x
Pali Pōhina x x
Kāwā x x
o Appendix V4A also summarizes and maps the current status of shoreline public access in
Ka‘ū.
o Prioritize potential Ala Kahakai trail segments to establish (generally defined by an
ahupua‘a), possibly starting with publicly-owned lands and private lands with established
access. Shoreline trail alignments need to be established between Humuhumu Point and
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 49
South Point, near Ka‘alu‘alu Bay, in areas between Kamilo Point and Whittington, and
possibly in other areas. Appendix V4A identifies the status of each trail segment and which
of three steps need to be taken: confirm government commitment, confirm ancient trail or
government road, or negotiate management agreement.
o Mauka, consider focusing on the Mauna Loa Trail as the only land access into the upper
portion of the District and an opportunity to provide a mauka connection between east and
west portions of the district. Together with the Ala Kahakai, this would create a mauka-
makai loop trail within Ka‘ū.
o Consider the Old Māmalahoa Highway right of way that was abandoned when Highway 11
was realigned and has the potential to be restored as a trail or path. With the exception of
TMK (3) 9-5-017:003, which is owned by the Olson Trust, the State retains ownership of the
right-of-way from Hīlea Road to Honuʻapo.
o Consider establishing the Nāʻālehu Bypass corridor as a trail or path. In the past, the State
Department of Transportation proposed a bypass from the vicinity of the Nāʻālehu police
station beyond South Point Road. Though the bypass remains in the General Plan, DOT is no
longer considering the project. Some have proposed using the alignment as a trail, but the
right of way was never established, and most of the General Plan alignment is privately-
owned.
o In agricultural areas, identify possible mauka-makai connecting trail alignments along
drainage ways or existing trails or roads. Over the ~11 mile stretch between Pāhala and
Nāʻālehu, there is no established mauka-makai route connecting Māmalahoa Highway and
Ka‘alāiki Road. There is at least one legal mauka access from Māmalahoa Highway at Kāwā.
It might also be advantageous to connect existing shoreline access at Honuʻapo and
Punaluʻu to routes mauka of the highway. Private roads already connect Honuʻapo and
Punaluʻu with Hīlea. There are also several gulches, including Honuʻapo, Hīlea, Nīnole,
Punaluʻu, and Moa‘ula, along which trails could be established.
Complete any additional research needed about potential trail corridors and their historical and
current conditions. For example:
o Determine the legal status of trail segments (see Appendix V4A).
o Survey ancient and historical shoreline trail alignments as necessary to fill critical gaps in
knowledge.
o Confirm the ownership status of railroad rights of way from Pāhala to Punaluʻu, Hīlea to
Honuʻapo, and Nāʻālehu to Honuʻapo.
Based on site-specific conditions, distinguish at least three levels of appropriate access: 1) Open
public access, 2) managed public access, and 3) no access (because of sensitivity of resources and/or
on-the-ground capacity to manage the access).
Based on site-specific conditions, distinguish the types of appropriate access and passage:
pedestrian, bicycle, equestrian, and/or vehicular.
Establish accesses and trail segments.
Execute access and trail management agreements, as necessary (see Appendix V4A). FOCUSED INITIATIVES
50 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Form a management group for each access and trail segment, focusing on a core group and
supporters who have interest in or knowledge about the particular site or resource. Potential
members include kupuna, other knowledgeable and concerned Native Hawaiians associated with a
particular ahupua‘a, kama‘aina or persons with historic kinship with or knowledge of the land,
landowners adjacent to the trail segment, volunteer trail groups with an interest in the trail
segment, community-based organizations interested in the trail segment, representatives of
involved government agencies, and other stakeholders as appropriate for each trail segment. Ala
Kahakai Community Planning and Management Teams require interdisciplinary resource specialists.
Develop access and trail management plans for each trail segment and access, with a focus on
prioritizing and addressing acquisition, protection, restoration, interpretation, and management
needs.
o For access control, consider the Public Access with Kuleana (SmartCard) system and systems
in use by The Nature Conservancy, Kapāpala Ranch, and the Ka‘ū Forest Reserve (see
Appendix V4A).
o For trails and paths, consider the Shared Use Path and Equestrian Multi-use Path
thoroughfare standards in Appendix V4B.
Implement access and trail management plans.
Organizational Considerations: The Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail relies on local “Community
Planning and Management Teams” to take the lead on establishing and managing trail segments.
However, it offers assistance to trail segment management groups by offering strategic planning,
organizational capacity building services, resource management and other training in order to assure
and sustain successful implementation of trail management agreements.
Moreover, the Ala Kahakai Trail Association was established to support and organize for the community
management aspects of the Ala Kahakai Trail. Composed of lineal descendants of families along the trail
corridor, the Association can support trail management groups either as fiduciary, as a land trust, with
back office admin support, with communications, or in other ways.
Other Resources:
The American Hiking Society National Trails Fund is a privately funded, national grants program
dedicated solely to building and protecting hiking trails.
American Trails is a national, nonprofit organization working on behalf of all trail interests. It hosts a
comprehensive website for planning, building, designing, funding, managing, enhancing, and
supporting trails, greenways, and blueways.
The USDA NRCS Voluntary Access and Habitat Incentive Program can be used to encourage owners
and operators of privately held farm, ranch, and forest land to voluntarily make that land available
for access by the public for wildlife dependent recreation, including hunting or fishing.
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 21-22, 24-28, 30-32, 57-
65, and 83-87 of Appendix V4A.
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 51
Community Action 14: Support facilities development and management at access points and along
trail corridors.
Need: There are limited remote, small-scale recreational facilities in Ka‘ū, where residents can enjoy the
ocean and forests. Moreover, several are in need of improvements, as was noted during community
review of the Draft CDP.
Potential Community Lead: Action Committee
Potential Community Partners: Ka ‘Ohana O Honu‘apo, hunters, fishermen, hikers
Potential Allies: Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail, Department of Land and Natural Resources (Nā Ala
Hele, Parks, DOFAW), County of Hawai‘i (Planning, Parks and Recreation, Finance (Property
Management), PONC), Three Mountain Alliance, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, The Nature
Conservancy, Ala Kahakai Trail Association, Peoples Advocacy for Trails Hawai‘i (PATH), Friends of
Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Three Mountain Alliance
Immediate Next Steps:
Collaborate with the County of Hawai‘i, the DLNR, the DHHL, and the National Park Service to:
o Improve current facilities, including access roads, stop signs, parking, showers, and camp
sites
o Implement the Honuʻapo Park Resource Management Plan and the Ka‘ū Forest Reserve
Management Plan
o Complete and implement the Kāwā Stewardship Plan
o Support the design, planning, and construction of new coastal and mauka facilities, likely
starting with Kāwā, South Point, Ka‘alu‘alu, and recreational amenities established in the
Ka‘ū Forest Reserve
o Form new “Friends of the Park” organizations and execute cooperative park management
agreements to assist in the management of new facilities.
Organizational Considerations: Both the County and the State have cooperative park management
programs.
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 21-23 and 82-83 of
Appendix V4A.
FOCUSED INITIATIVES
52 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 53
4.7 Strengthen Infrastructure, Facilities, and Services
Community Action 15: Actively advocate for CIP appropriations, financing, allotments, and
encumbrances that support implementation of the CDP.
Need: The CDP identifies capital improvement priorities, but their implementation will be expedited by
community leadership.
Potential Community Lead: Action Committee
Potential Community Partners:
Potential Allies: County agencies, USDA Rural Development, Air National Guard, Rural Community
Assistance Corporation, Economic Development Administration. See Appendix V4B for details about
how they can provide technical, financial, and logistical assistance.
Immediate Next Steps: For each project, the following steps need to be taken:
Complete Financial Impacts Statements (FIS) in collaboration with the responsible agency
Identify funding sources
Advocate for an appropriation
Secure funding (e.g., bond authorization, grant)
Secure an allotment
Encumber the funds.
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 37-39 of Appendix V4B. FOCUSED INITIATIVES
54 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Community Action 16: In Mark Twain and Green Sands subdivisions, establish a community
development corporation (CDC) to develop and maintain roads and Green Sands Park.
Need: Mark Twain and Green Sands roads lack an organized corporation to build and maintain roads,
and there is no formal mechanism for managing Green Sands Park.
At the same time, if infrastructure is improved, it will very likely accelerate build-out of the many vacant
lots, which could significantly impact the area’s open space and rural character.
Potential Community Lead: newly formed Community Development Corporations
Potential Community Partners: Green Sands Community Association
Potential Allies: other road corporations, County of Hawai‘i (Departments of Parks and Recreation,
Public Works), USDA Rural Development, Air National Guard, Rural Community Assistance Corporation.
See Appendix V4B for details about how they can provide technical, financial, and logistical assistance.
Immediate Next Steps:
Clarify community goals for subdivision and infrastructure improvement
Determine the scope of the needed infrastructure, and estimate costs for planning, construction,
and maintenance
Identify the best strategies to achieve goals for subdivision and infrastructure improvement,
including subdivision repair, options for infrastructure funding, financing districts, and funding
sources (see Appendix V4B)
Establish the most appropriate legal organizational structure for implementing those strategies,
including building and maintaining the infrastructure
Initiate strategies.
Organizational Considerations: See Appendix V4B for information about the structure of financing
districts and options created with the Urban Redevelopment Act. See Appendix V4C for the range of
community-based business structures.
Other Resources: Appendix V4B outlines a range of strategies for repairing nonconforming subdivisions,
including land readjustment, land pooling, land swaps, land banks, and conservation easements.
In addition, HRS chapter 53, the Urban Redevelopment Act, empowers the County to create a local
redevelopment agency to make and implement redevelopment plans for urban renewal and blighted
areas. See Appendix V4B for details about designating targeted areas, redevelopment plans, and the
powers of the redevelopment agency to implement the plans.
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 39-43, 59-63, 93-96, and
207-216 of Appendix V4B and pages 151-165 of Appendix V4C.
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 55
Community Action 17: Grow existing Neighborhood Watch and CERT teams, and develop new ones.
Need: Neighborhood Watch groups provide citizens an opportunity to address crime and the fear of
crime that threatens their community’s well-being. Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)
provide residents and businesses with information about how to properly prepare for and respond to an
emergency at home, at work, or in the community.
Potential Community Lead: Ocean View CERT, existing Neighborhood Watch programs
Potential Community Partners: volunteer fire units, community associations
Potential Allies: County of Hawai‘i (Civil Defense, Fire and Police Departments)
Immediate Next Steps:
Discuss with County agencies and the local community policing officers the options for starting and
growing the programs.
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see page 205 of Appendix V4B.
FOCUSED INITIATIVES
56 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Community Action 18: Establish a charter school in Ocean View.
Need: More than half of Ka‘ū’s population resides in Ocean View. Children from Ocean View attend
public schools in Nāʻālehu and Pāhala, and the Department of Education has no plans to build a school in
Ocean View. Charter schools state-legislated, legally independent, outcome-based public schools
operating under contract with the State Public Charter School Commission (PCSC). Communities
interested in starting a charter school must apply to the PCSC.
Potential Community Lead: newly established community-based organization
Potential Community Partners: Ka‘ū Learning Academy, Ocean View Community Association, Ocean
View Community Development Corporation, Kamehameha Schools, Queen Liliʻuokalani Children’s
Center
Potential Allies: PCSC, other charter schools, County of Hawai‘i (it owns lots in HOVE dedicated to school
and park use)
Immediate Next Steps:
Clarify the steps for establishing a charter school with the PCSC
Organize an exploratory group
Other Resources: Community Facilities District (CFD) can be used for school infrastructure.
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 116-118 and 188 of
Appendix V4B.
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 57
Community Action 19: Collaborate with the County Department of Parks and Recreation to develop
and manage an ATV track/ course in an area of no ecological or cultural value.
Need: Illegal ATV use is common at South Point, areas mauka of Ocean View, and elsewhere in Ka‘ū. An
alternative location for recreational ATV users is needed.
Potential Community Lead: recreational ATV owners
Potential Community Partners: ‘Aha Moku Advisory Committee, organizers of the Nāʻālehu ball park
improvements, Ka ‘Ohana O Honu‘apo
Potential Allies: County of Hawai‘i (Planning, Parks and Recreation), Department of Hawaiian Home
Lands, Department of Land and Natural Resources (DOCARE, DOFAW, SHPD, Nā Ala Hele), Hawai‘i
Volcanoes National Park
Immediate Next Steps:
Gauge interest among ATV users
Clarify park site characteristics: size, terrain, accessibility, etc.
Discuss with the Department of Parks and Recreation the requirements for and options related to
park collaborative management agreements
Ask other groups that have collaborated with the County for “lessons learned”
Work with landowners and “allies” to identify potential sites
Organizational Considerations: The County uses three tools to collaborate with community groups in the
management of parks: Friends of the Park Agreements, County Cooperative Agreements, and leases
(see Appendix V4A).
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 18, 22, and 32 of
Appendix V4A. FOCUSED INITIATIVES
58 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Community Action 20: Collaborate with the County Department of Parks and Recreation to develop
and manage skate parks in Nāʻālehu and Ocean View.
Need: Despite repeated requests and initiatives as well as skate park development in many other
communities in Hawai‘i County, Ka‘ū does not have a skate park.
Potential Community Lead: skateboarders
Potential Community Partners: organizers of the Nāʻālehu ball park improvements, landowners, O Ka‘ū
Kakou, Ocean View Community Association, Queen Liliʻuokalani Children’s Trust, other community
organizations
Potential Allies: County of Hawai‘i (Planning, Parks and Recreation)
Immediate Next Steps:
Clarify park site characteristics: size, terrain, accessibility, etc.
Discuss with the Department of Parks and Recreation the requirements for and options related to
park collaborative management agreements
Ask other groups that have collaborated with the County for “lessons learned”
Work with landowners and “allies” to identify potential sites
Develop and implement a fundraising campaign
Organizational Considerations: The County uses three tools to collaborate with community groups in the
management of parks: Friends of the Park Agreements, County Cooperative Agreements, and leases
(see Appendix V4A).
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see page 32 of Appendix V4A.
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 59
4.8 Coordinate Regional Economic Development
Community Action 21: Coordinate regional, cross-sectoral economic development strategies.
Need: As Ka‘ū continues to grapple with recovery from the phase out of plantation-era economics, it is
becoming increasingly clear that long-term systems of transformation and recovery are required to build
a more resilient and sustainable economy. Ideally, these systems would support and link each sector of
opportunity – agriculture, renewable energy, ecosystem services, health and wellness, education and
research, visitor, and retail. These systems should also coordinate complementary economic
development strategies – enhancing regional identity, building local industry clusters, connecting to
anchor institutions, advancing innovation, building business and workforce capacity, democratizing
ownership, and diversifying investment. These systems could also combine the necessary facilities and
infrastructure with a network of comprehensive services that bring technical, financial, and educational
support to ensure that new and existing enterprises have the greatest chance for lasting success (see ”:
Develop a high-tech, high-touch regional education, enterprise development, and research network.”
below).
This “third wave” economic development approach focuses on strengthening the foundations of
economic opportunity and creating fertile ground for home-grown economic development. A critical
aspect to this approach is the need for regional coordination and on-going linkages across economic
sectors. This “network” approach builds the social connections that provide access to critical supports –
linking people, businesses, and institutions to each other and the wider regional economic networks and
opportunities.
Potential Community Lead: Action Committee
Potential Community Partners: Ka‘ū Chamber of Commerce, Ka‘ū MainStreet, Ocean View Community
Development Corporation, local businesses, community partners across sectors
Potential Allies:
Procurement: Hawai’i Procurement Technical Assistance Center (HI-PTAC), Small Business
Administration HUBZone
Thriving Rural Organizations and Communities: Wai‘anae Community Re-Development Corporation,
Appalachian Center for Economic Networks (ACEnet), Central Appalachian Network, Hardwick,
Granville Island, and others
Other: HACBED, HI Impact, Air National Guard, community-wealth.org, Evergreen Community
Cooperatives
Immediate Next Steps:
Develop Ka‘ū’s “Regional Flavor” – build on the distinctive qualities, assets, and identity of Ka‘ū to
generate viable economic ventures and opportunities that take care of the land and its people
o Celebrate Ka‘ū’s unique assets – natural, historical, cultural, agricultural, recreational, etc.
o Help prioritize and support implementation of CDP strategies to protect and enhance
natural and cultural resources and community infrastructure
o Sponsor efforts to build pride, identity, and sense of community in the region. FOCUSED INITIATIVES
60 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Facilitate the development of local industry clusters – build on the competitive advantages of like-
minded businesses that benefit from co-location and partnerships to achieve economies of scale
o Focus initially on high potential sectors (agriculture, renewable energy, health and wellness,
research and education, and the visitor industry)
o Facilitate collaborations that fuel innovation
o Develop relationships between regional producers and retail enterprises
o Facilitate supply chain improvements, with a focus on aggregation, processing, and
distribution systems
o Develop strategic, synergistic linkages between sectors.
Coordinate connections to anchor institutions – enhance regional clusters by connecting businesses
and producers to anchor institutions with significant real estate and other investments in the
community, such as Ka‘ū Hospital and Rural Health Clinic, Ka‘ū High & Pāhala Elementary and
Nā‘ālehu Elementary, Kamehameha Schools, The Olson Trust, the National Park Service, and other
institutions
o Identify the existing and potential role for each anchor – provider of products or services,
purchaser, employer, workforce developer, incubator, cluster anchor, infrastructure builder,
investor, developer, etc.
o Explore market opportunities with anchor institutions, including their demand for products
and services and the current and future capacity of local businesses and producers to
consistently meet that demand
o Address procurement, processing, and other barriers
o Establish formal partnerships.
Advance innovations in products and services – to continually innovate to develop products and
services unique to the character and needs of Ka‘ū. In addition to other cross-sectoral strategies,
this can involve:
o “Brokering” innovation by finding inventors, transformers, and financiers and connecting
them in partnerships that can produce economic and community benefits to improve the
broader climate for innovation
o Identify and catalyze niche markets and other high-potential regional economic
opportunities
o Connecting innovators
o Product or service development
o Business incubation.
Promote regional assets and unique, place-based products and services (see “: Coordinate regional
strategies to increase “buying local.” below).
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 61
o Support and coordinate efforts to differentiate Ka‘ū’s products with creative product design
and superior marketing
o Coordinate websites and mobile applications featuring regional assets and distinctive
features of the local economy
o Build long-term relationships with nearby urban markets and residents.
Organizational Considerations: Carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of organizational
structures established in other communities, including regional economic development nonprofits like
the Wai‘anae Community Re-Development Corporation, the Appalachian Center for Economic Networks
(ACEnet), the Central Appalachian Network, and multi-stakeholder, multi-sector cooperatives. Specific
considerations should include complementarities with existing organizations and networks,
organizational and ownership structure, and long-term financial viability.
Other Resources:
Business development funding: USDA Rural Business Opportunity Grants (RBOG), USDA Rural
Business Enterprise Grants (RBEG), USDA Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator, Administration for
Native Americans Social and Economic Development Strategies (SEDS)
The Laura Jane Musser Fund supports collaborative and participatory efforts among citizens in rural
communities that will help to strengthen their towns and regions in a number of civic areas
including, but not limited to, economic development, business preservation, arts and humanities,
public space improvements, and education.
The Christensen Fund provides financial and logistical support for indigenous-led and community-
based organizations focusing on biocultural diversity, resilience, foodways, and creative
practitioners.
Community-wealth.org resources related to anchor institutions.
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 106-142, 151-165, and
174-184 of Appendix V4C.
FOCUSED INITIATIVES
62 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Community Action 22: Develop a high-tech, high-touch regional education, enterprise development,
and research network.5
Need: Significant natural and cultural assets along with robust economic opportunities in a range of
sectors provide the need – and opportunity – for an educational and research network in Ka‘ū. Such a
network would provide two significant outcomes: first, it would support workforce training, business
innovation, and entrepreneurial development in high-potential sectors, and second, it would expand
Ka‘ū’s creative, education, and research sector, establishing the region as a hub for learning and
innovation.
An education, enterprise development, and research network could be established that has both “hard”
and “soft” components. That is, it should be composed of both facility nodes (e.g., classrooms,
workshops, computer labs, hands-on project sites, etc.) and learning nodes (e.g., credit courses,
certification training, mentors, projects internships, apprenticeships, informal learning, technical
assistance providers, etc.).
Potential Community Lead: Action Committee
Potential Community Partners:
Education: Ka‘ū High School, Pāhala Elementary, Nā‘ālehu Elementary, charter schools,
Kamehameha Schools, Science Camps of America
Agriculture: Farm Bureau, Farmers’ Union, producers (farmers, ranchers, fishermen), land owners
and managers, Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Cooperative, The Olson Trust
Renewable Energy: Tawhiri Power, The Olson Trust
Ecosystem Services: Three Mountain Alliance, Ho‘omalu Ka‘ū, Ka ‘Ohana O Honu‘apo, Hawai‘i
Volcanoes National Park, The Nature Conservancy, Kamehameha Schools
Health and Wellness: Ka‘ū Hospital & Rural Health Clinic, Ka‘ū Rural Health Community Association,
Queen Liliʻuokalani Children’s Center
Potential Allies:
Business and entrepreneurial development: Hawai‘i Small Business Development Center, Laulima
Center for Rural Cooperative Business Development, SCORE, Hawai‘i Investment Ready, Pacific
Business Center Program, Center for Rural Entrepreneurship
Workforce development: Kupu, GoFarm Hawai‘i, ‘Imi Pono no ka ‘Āina Summer Enrichment
Program, Solar Training Institute, The Kohala Center Beginning Farmer Training Program, LEI (Lead,
Expose, Inspire)
Business Financing: CU Hawai‘i Federal Credit Union, Bank of Hawai‘i, Feed the Hunger Foundation,
Akamai Capital, Kuleana Makes Cents, Natural Capital Investment, OHA Mālama Loans, USDA Rural
Development, Farm Service Agency
5 Credit is due to Judith and Dick Ball of Nāʻālehu who, early in the CDP planning process, shared their vision for a
Ka‘ū Communications College, which was the initial inspiration for this strategy.
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 63
County of Hawai‘i: Research and Development, Planning, Cultural Resource Commission, Parks and
Recreation
State of Hawai‘i: Department of Education, Department of Agriculture, Department of Land and
Natural Resources (DOFAW, SHPD), Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, Office of Hawaiian
Affairs, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations
University of Hawai‘i: Hilo (Pacific Internship Programs for Exploring Science (PIPES), Keaholoa STEM
Program), Hawai‘i Community College, North Hawai‘i Education and Research Center, Mānoa, Maui
College, UH Food Innovation Center, Agribusiness Incubator Program, Sea Grant, Hawai‘i Island
Hawksbill Turtle Recovery Project
Federal: National Park Service (HVNP - Youth Ranger Internship Program, Ala Kahakai), NOAA, USDA
(Natural Resource Conservation Service, Rural Development), Economic Development
Administration, National Renewable Energy Lab
Private: The Nature Conservancy, KUA: Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo, Sustainable Economies Law Center
Immediate Next Steps:
Inventory the education, workforce and enterprise development, and research resources already
available in Ka‘ū and by sector (see Appendices V4B and C)
Identify other resources available by sector, including websites, guides, enterprise development
toolkits, and resources designed to facilitate innovation
Identify the specific entrepreneurial and workforce needs of high-potential sectors in Ka‘ū (e.g.,
agriculture, renewable energy, ecosystem services, health and wellness, and visitor)
Inventory specific education and research opportunities in Ka‘ū, with a focus on sectors with high
economic potential and implementation of CDP strategies
Determine interest among stakeholders (starting with potential partners and allies listed above) in a
collaborative process to establish an education and research network
Develop specific plans for providing comprehensive education, internship, workforce development,
certification, entrepreneurial development, and research “pipelines” to support high-potential
sectors
o Training and technical assistance programs have to be technically sound while remaining
learner-friendly. This means complex research and comprehensive information should be
accessible and focused on practical application.
o Peer learning approaches have been found to effectively enhance information sharing,
workshop, and training efforts.
o “Hands on” training at demonstration sites should be used whenever possible.
o Participation and graduation could be incentivized, such as receiving additional agriculture
land (e.g., Moloka‘i and The Kohala Center programs)
o Cohorts could be cultivated into sources of peer support, training, and information sharing. FOCUSED INITIATIVES
64 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Coordinate support systems to build entrepreneurial and business capacity with the range of
existing private and public agencies and programs, with a focus on:
o Accessing available incentives and programs, including the Enterprise Zone and government
procurement
o Crafting business plans with sustainable financing and investment strategies, including
opportunities for community investment and ownership when appropriate (see Appendix
V4C)
o Developing business and ownership structures best suited to business plans and retaining
local control (see Appendix V4C)
o Building leadership skills
o Specialized, tailored technical assistance and mentoring
o Supporting networks: A network is not a cooperative in the legal organizational sense but
rather an effective means to foster cooperation within sector or clusters, typically around a
market opportunity that each enterprise alone cannot meet. It brings businesses together
to discuss products and markets, plan production, share tips and techniques, and develop
collegiality over competition.
o Cooperative approaches to equipment sharing, material and input purchases, marketing,
and coordinated sales to provide more stable supply to markets.
Consider the strengths, weaknesses, and lessons learned of similar approaches applied elsewhere,
including:
o North Hawai‘i Education and Research Center
o Community college satellites elsewhere in Hawai‘i (e.g., Waianae)
o Innovative education and training programs (e.g., MAʻO’s “school to farm” program in
Wai‘anae)
o Food Innovation Centers that integrate programs, services, and activities to:
Link farmers, entrepreneurs, and product development services
Link and partner with higher education and other private institutions to affect
production enhancement, sustainable methods, and other research
Support product and process development, including packaging and shelf life
studies, consumer testing
Help producers develop viable business plans and financing strategies.
o The Agricultural Business Accelerator in Waimea, funded by the Economic Development
Administration
o Service learning
o Live, work, learn models where students’ work contributes to keeping costs low
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 65
o Distance learning and MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses)
o Foreign exchange/study and other immersion programs.
Consider a range of funding and investment options, with a focus on long-term, sustainable
strategies that keep opportunities affordable for local families.
Develop and implement a robust strategic and business plan.
Outreach, information sharing, and recruitment efforts should be grounded in an understanding of
markets and the types of work needed to meet the demand and realize community benefits.
Organizational Considerations: Assess whether existing organizations (e.g., University of Hawai‘i,
Department of Education, The Kohala Center, etc.) are well-positioned to lead or “house” this initiative.
Other Resources: The Alaska Native-Serving and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Education
Competitive Grants Program (ANNH) promotes and strengthens the ability of Alaska Native Serving
Institutions and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions to carry out education, applied research, and
related community development programs. The 2014 program prioritized projects that enhance
educational equity for under-represented students; strengthen institutional educational capacities;
prepare students for careers related to the food, agricultural, and natural resource systems of the
United States; and maximize the development and use of resources to improve food, agricultural and
human sciences teaching programs.
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 116-119 of Appendix
V4B and pages 57-62 and 142-74 of Appendix V4C.
FOCUSED INITIATIVES
66 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Community Action 23: Coordinate regional strategies to increase “buying local.”
Need: In Hawai‘i County, 89% of businesses are microenterprises (20 or fewer employees), and in rural
Hawai‘i, more than one in four workers are employed by micro-enterprises. In other words, small,
locally-owned businesses drive much of the local economy.
Over 125 jobs could be created in Ka‘ū if “leakage” in the various retail subsectors could be addressed
through investments in new establishments within Ka‘ū. Ocean View, in particular, has high potential
for retail jobs – by 2030, if population growth trends continue, there is potential for over 800 retail jobs
in Ocean View.
A “plug the leaks” strategy identifies sectors where money currently flows out of the community and
entrepreneurial opportunities exist to redirect that flow as reinvestment in the local economy. When
businesses and employees spend business revenue within a region, they generate the multiplier effect
that boosts a local economy. A recent study found that spending at independent retailers generates 3.7
times more direct local economic benefit than spending at chains, and spending at local restaurants
generates 2.15 the benefit. Studies have also demonstrated that, compared to large chain stores, local
businesses create more jobs, pay higher wages, support a greater variety of other local businesses,
generate more tax revenue, cost less in public facilities and services, and make more charitable and
other investments in the community.
“Buy local” campaigns are typically organized and supported by coalitions of independent businesses,
non-profits, and concerned citizens. A regional “buy local” campaign that complements but is
differentiated from broader campaigns can help to raise the awareness, willingness, and capacity of
residents to buy locally produced services and goods. The Independent Business Survey conducted by
the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) consistently demonstrates that businesses located in
communities with active “buy local” and/or “local first” campaigns experience markedly stronger
revenue growth compared to those in areas without such initiatives.
Potential Community Lead: Action Committee
Potential Community Partners: Ka‘ū Chamber of Commerce, Ka‘ū MainStreet, Ocean View Community
Development Corporation, local businesses, community partners across sectors
Potential Allies: Hawai‘i Alliance for a Local Economy (HALE), County of Hawai‘i Department of Research
and Development, State DBEDT, American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA), Business Alliance of
Local Living Economies (BALLE), Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR), sharedmall.com
Immediate Next Steps:
Test project feasibility
o Learn about related local initiatives, like HALE and the Hawai‘i chapter of BALLE
o Review “how to” guides and other start-up resources published AMIBA, BALLE, and ISLR.
Clarify project goals, possibly including:
o Support local entrepreneurs through group purchasing, joint marketing, and other business
support services
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 67
o Increase demand for locally owned, made, and grown businesses, goods, and services
through public education campaigns
o Build business support networks that share lessons learned and how to better serve their
community
o Collaborate to diversify financing opportunities (e.g., crowdfunding, direct public offerings,
and other local investment mechanisms)
o Political advocacy.
Develop and implement strategic and business plans.
Organizational Considerations:
Consider integration with structures created to coordinate regional, cross-sectoral economic
development strategies (see above).
The American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA) is authorized by the IRS to grant 501c6 status
(tax-exempt business league) to AMIBA affiliates within the U.S., saving time and money for local
groups.
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 11-16, 20-30, 70-75,
101-107, 130-131, and 166-173 of Appendix V4C. FOCUSED INITIATIVES
68 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 69
4.9 Advance High-potential Economic Sectors
Community Action 24: Strengthen the local agriculture value chain.
Need: Ka‘ū has a diverse, robust agricultural sector. Much of it is cash crops (macadamia, coffee,
forestry), but the landscape is dominated by pasture for beef, and vegetable, fruit, and flower farms are
also growing. Yet there is even greater potential, including thousands of acres of unused agricultural
land, abundant water sources (largely unavailable until redeveloped), and strong demand for local food,
with $19 million spent annually on food in Ka‘ū alone.
Barriers to tapping this potential include the “cheap food-expensive land” dynamic in Hawai‘i, limited
land tenure for most producers, challenging environmental conditions (pests, vog, drought), limited
water access, high input costs (energy, fuel, amendments, feed), labor availability, limitations on
business capacity, and incomplete supply chain infrastructure.
These impediments can be remedied, in part, through coordinated collective efforts. For example,
communities across the country are addressing the national phenomenon of supply-side imbalances in
local food systems by re-engineering their food supply chains at three basic levels:
Nodes – food-related businesses
Food hubs – a business or organization that manages aggregation, distribution, and marketing of
locally produced food products to meet wholesale, retail, and institutional demand
Food innovation districts – a regional network that connects food nodes and hubs to bring all the
parts of the local food system together.
By addressing supply, market, and processing/aggregation/distribution (PAD) opportunities and
challenges through the cooperative strategies, the supply chain is built into a “value chain” that links
supply with markets efficiently in ways that promote:
Equity and fair pay – for farmers and workers in the supply chain
Community capacity – improving the community’s ability to meet its own food needs and to build a
more self-reliant economy through locally owned infrastructure and assets
Health and food access – for all, especially for those with limited means.
Potential Community Lead: Farm Bureau, Farmers’ Union
Potential Community Partners: producers (farmers, ranchers, fishermen), land owners and managers,
Ka‘ū Agricultural Water Cooperative District, Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Cooperative, The Olson Trust,
Kamehameha Schools, farmers’ markets
Potential Allies: State Department of Agriculture, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, USDA (Natural
Resource Conservation Service, Rural Development), Hawai‘i County Department of Research and
Development, University of Hawai‘i, Agribusiness Incubator Program (AIP), The Kohala Center – Laulima
Center, Hawai‘i Small Business Development Center, The New World Foundation’s Local Economies
Project
Immediate Next Steps: FOCUSED INITIATIVES
70 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Test the feasibility of different mechanisms for improving producer tenure, including public
agricultural parks, agricultural land trusts, and cooperatives.
o For agricultural parks, request that the Board of Agriculture appoint a task force to explore
feasibility, identify potential sites, and consider possibilities for joint ventures with private
entities and/ or the County.
o For agricultural land trusts, study successes in other communities, consider model
organizational and legal structures, and explore financing from Farm Credit Services of
Hawai‘i, the USDA, the Farm Service Agency, the Small Business Administration, or other
lenders that focus on funding small-scale agriculture.
Test the feasibility of “closed-loop” input supply strategies, including local energy production (see “:
Develop local, renewable, distributed energy networks.” below) and business opportunities for
producing agricultural inputs.
Identify market niches in Ka‘ū, on Hawai‘i Island, statewide, nationally, and internationally.
Identify value chain gaps, opportunities, and barriers to determine opportunities for food nodes and
the need for processing, aggregation, and distribution (PAD) infrastructure.
Build “supply side” capacity with workforce and enterprise development (see “: Develop a high-tech,
high-touch regional education, enterprise development, and research network.” above). Building a
reliable supply that meets market demands is among the most challenging aspects of strengthening
the value chain. Strong commitments from buyers are unlikely without this critical component.
Developing a system for attracting, building the capacity of, and providing on-going support to
farmers, ranchers, fishermen, and other producers is essential to addressing this issue.
Prioritize the development of local food nodes and community food enterprises.
Prioritize the development of centralized and/or mobile, value-added PAD facilities that are linked
and coordinated with existing processing facilities.
o Consider the desirability and feasibility of establishing a local food hub to provide
operational, producer, and/or community services.
o Assess the Agricultural Business Accelerator in Waimea, funded by the Economic
Development Administration.
o Assess the Hawai‘i Island Mobile Slaughter Unit being proposed.
Connect food nodes in a Ka‘ū food innovation district that builds relationships, facilities, and
systems to more effectively manage the processing, aggregation, distribution, and marketing of local
food products.
Connect Ka‘ū producers to consumers and stronger, more stable urban markets by enhancing and
expanding farmers markets, community supported agriculture/fisheries, and other mechanisms that
more effectively deliver affordable, healthy foods to residents and visitors.
Connect Ka‘ū producers to anchor institutions such as the Department of Education, hospitals and
clinics in the region, the National Park Service, and hotels by:
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 71
o Conducting an assessment of the produce needs of anchor institutions and identifying what
demand can be met by Ka‘ū farm production
o Addressing farm to school and hospital issues such as procurement, infrastructure,
processing, and food safety questions.
Market agricultural products in coordination with regional efforts to differentiate Ka‘ū products and
services.
Other Resources:
The national Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network (NMPAN) has researched options for small-
scale, local meat processing models, innovations, and lessons learned from successful processors
around the country.
Existing agriculture promotion programs: Buy Local, It Matters; Hawai‘i Seals of Quality
Grants
o The federal Local Foods, Local Places program provides direct technical support to
communities to help them develop and implement action plans promoting local food and
downtown revitalization. Special consideration will be given to communities that are in the
early stages of developing or restoring local food enterprises and creating economically
vibrant communities.
o The USDA Local Food Promotion Program offers grants to support the development and
expansion of local and regional food business enterprises to increase domestic consumption
of, and access to, locally and regionally produced agricultural products, and to develop new
market opportunities for farm and ranch operations serving local markets.
o The USDA also offers Value-Added Producer Grants (VAPG) to help agricultural producers
enter into value-added activities related to the processing and/or marketing of bio-based
value-added products.
o The Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture offers grants to enhance the competitiveness of
specialty crops and provides direct loans after farmers have been declined through
commercial banks, loan participation programs, and loan guarantee programs.
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 20-30, 112-119, 135,
138-142, 144-147, and 174 of Appendix V4C. FOCUSED INITIATIVES
72 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Community Action 25: Develop local, renewable, distributed energy networks.
Need: The cost of electricity and fuel in Ka‘ū is very high. At the same time, there is great potential for
solar, wind, hydro, and biofuel energy production in the district. Moreover, because many renewable
energy jobs are in construction, Ka‘ū’s relatively large workforce of tradesmen is well-positioned to
provide renewable energy to local communities.
Local, distributed energy systems facilitate local production, distribution, and consumption of energy.
Such systems increase household access to renewable energy, lower energy costs, increase energy
reliability and independence, create more jobs per dollar invested than conventional energy
technologies, and circulate local dollars within the community. Examples of local, renewable,
distributed energy systems include:
Group Buying Programs – where groups of homeowners, schools, municipal buildings, or other
groups purchase or lease clean energy systems together
Community Ownership – where the community finances, owns, and/or operates a system
Community Funding – privately owned systems that are partially financed by selling shares or bonds
to community members
Community Energy Garden – where individuals own a piece of a larger, privately developed system
and their share of the production is credited on their electricity bill.
Potential Community Lead: Action Committee
Potential Community Partners: individuals, farmers, ranchers, and private businesses interested in
investing and sharing ownership in community-based clean energy systems, The Olson Trust,
Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, Kamehameha Schools, Ka‘ū Hospital & Rural Health Clinic,
Department of Education, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park
Potential Allies: HELCO, County of Hawai‘i (Research and Development, Energy Commission), State of
Hawai‘i (Hawai‘i Clean Energy Initiative, Public Utilities Commission, Office of Hawaiian Affairs),
Department of Energy, USDA Rural Development, Kupu, The Kohala Center, Solar Training Institute,
Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC), National Renewable Energy Lab, Community Power
Network, American Wind Energy Association, Innovations Development Group
Immediate Next Steps:
Test the feasibility of pilot projects to determine the viability, efficacy, and community benefits of
distributed renewable energy systems.
o Consider a range of settings (e.g., industry clusters, anchor institutions, and/or particular
enterprises like agricultural producers)
o Explore examples such as North Kohala’s Power Cube project that services farmers with a
distributed, off-grid water pumping system powered by wind and solar as well as projects
that are part of the Community Power Network
o Consider modular, adaptable systems (e.g., farm-scale biofuel) that can scale-up or scale-
down to meet local demand.
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 73
o Take maximum advantage of (and consider the pros and cons of) Hawai‘i Energy Tax Credits,
the Green Energy Market Securitization (GEMS) program, “feed-in-tariffs,” and the growing
range of financing options, including finance-to-own, lease, and power purchase
agreements.
o Consider by-product markets from various technologies (e.g., agriculture inputs from
biofuels, irrigation from micro-hydro).
Pilot and demonstrate the most feasible distributed renewable energy systems.
Build workforce and entrepreneurial capacity to develop additional systems (see “: Develop a high-
tech, high-touch regional education, enterprise development, and research network.” above).
Other Resources:
The National Renewable Energy Lab published a Community Solar Guide for those who want to
develop community solar projects.
The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service provides a comprehensive list of resources
for farm energy alternatives, including biodiesel, wind energy, solar energy, hydro power, and
anaerobic digesters. It also includes resources for energy coops, local ownership, and funding
opportunities.
Funding sources:
o Ka‘ū’s system of irrigation tunnels is uniquely suited for additional development of
hydropower systems. The US Department of Agriculture is also a potential funding source
for these types of ventures.
o USDA High Energy Cost Grant Program grants may be used for the acquisition, construction,
installation, repair, replacement, or improvement of energy generation, transmission, or
distribution facilities in communities with extremely high energy costs. On-grid and off-grid
renewable energy projects, energy efficiency, and energy conservation projects are eligible.
o The USDA Renewable Energy for America Program provides grants to agricultural producers
and rural small businesses to purchase and install renewable energy systems or make
energy efficiency improvements.
o Mosaic connects small investors with high quality solar projects.
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 31-41, 120-122, 147, and
151-174 of Appendix V4C.
FOCUSED INITIATIVES
74 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Community Action 26: Pilot a program to secure community payments for ecosystem services (PES).
Need: Ecosystem services can assist in preserving the values and rural character of Ka‘ū while directly
providing economic benefits to the community. There are existing efforts and growing interest among
public and private landowners to maintain local ecosystem services. Moreover, tools for measuring
ecosystems services are available, and distinct markets for payments for those services are coalescing
quickly for climate stabilization, hydrological regulation, and biological diversity.
This provides a foundation for an ambitious effort that involves local community organizations,
businesses, landowners, and farmers seeking compensation for their efforts to preserve, restore, and
manage natural resources. Payments received for ecosystem services would complement growth in
agriculture, renewable energy, and community tourism while attracting valuable research and
educational opportunities. If viable, Ka‘ū could become a laboratory for developing models,
frameworks, and processes to establish ecosystem services as a viable economic option for rural
communities.
Potential Community Lead: Action Committee
Potential Community Partners: land stewards (managers, farmers, ranchers, hunters, fishermen), large
landowners, Ka‘ū Soil & Water Conservation District, The Olson Trust, Kamehameha Schools, Ka ‘Ohana
O Honu‘apo, Hoʻomalu Ka‘ū
Potential Allies: County of Hawai‘i (Planning, Research and Development, PONC, Game Management
Advisory Commision), State of Hawai‘i (DLNR, Agriculture, DOE, Health), USDA (NRCS, Office of
Environmental Markets), USFWS, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Three Mountain Alliance, The Nature
Conservancy, Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund, land trusts, KUA: Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo, Hawai‘i Grazing Lands
Conservation Initiative, The National Ecosystem Services Partnership (NESP), Ecosystem Commons, The
Natural Capital Project, Earth Economics, Forest Trends Ecosystem Marketplace, Ecoagriculture Partners
Immediate Next Steps:
Summarize lessons learned from PES projects in other communities, including the Hawaiian Legacy
Hardwoods (HLH) Reforestation Program, the North Shore Oʻahu Natural Capital Project, other
Natural Capital Project programs, the Ohio River Basin Trading Project, The Willamette Partnership,
the Asia Regional Biodiversity Conservation Program, Bosques Pico Bonito, and the Scolel Te
Program.
Identify existing and potential PES opportunities in Ka‘ū, including expanded use of government land
stewardship payment programs; compensation for resource preservation, restoration, and
management efforts; payments received for the protection of recreational assets, such as access for
hiking, fishing, hunting, or birding; voluntary user fees; local residents generating income as guides;
and a local carbon credits system funded through ecotourism.
Test the feasibility of each opportunity and develop business plans for those with the highest
potential, including community benefits and workforce and business development needs (see
”Develop a high-tech, high-touch regional education, enterprise development, and research
network” above).
Pilot the project with the strongest business plan. FOCUSED INITIATIVES
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 75
Other Resources: Ecosystem Valuation Toolkit, Marine Conservation Agreements Toolkit
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 41-51, 122, and 147-149
of Appendix V4C.
76 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Community Action 27: Establish a comprehensive network of health and wellness services.
Need: A range of facilities and organizations compose the health and wellness sector in Ka‘ū, which
already employs a significant number of those working in the region. There are also many traditional
and non-traditional health and wellness practitioners that can collaborate with mainstream practitioners
to build this sector. The sector is poised to continue its rapid grow as health care reform is implemented
and Hawai‘i’s population continues to age, which creates employment and entrepreneurial
opportunities in Ka‘ū.
Potential Community Lead: Action Committee
Potential Community Partners: Community Collaborative, Ka‘ū Rural Health Community Association,
Ka‘ū Hospital & Rural Health Clinic, Bay Clinic, Ocean View Family Health Clinic, traditional and non-
traditional health and wellness practitioners, Queen Liliʻuokalani Children’s Center, Lokahi Treatment
Center, Leslie’s Home Care, Care Home Nā‘ālehu/Pāhala, Services for Seniors, Ever Care
Potential Allies: Rural Outreach Services Initiative (ROSI), Resources Match, Paradise Home Care Coop,
Hawai‘i County Office on Aging, Hawai‘i County Economic Opportunity Council, Coordinated Services for
the Elderly, Hawai‘i County Nutrition Program for Elderly, Hawai‘i County Office on Aging,
Patient/Physician Coop
Immediate Next Steps:
Develop a network to better coordinate a comprehensive approach to health and wellness services,
increasing information exchange, collaboration, coordination, and interaction among health and
wellness providers. Examples of this include the Rural Outreach Services Initiative (ROSI), which is
established in Honoka‘a and Kohala and is being developed in Pāhoa. In addition, Resources Match,
an online matching and referral system that is revolutionizing how community based organizations
assess and refer their clients, has already been piloted on Hawai‘i Island and is currently being
expanded.
Clearly identify sector assets and needs, with a focus on gaps in programs and services that exist.
Develop a coordinated and comprehensive system of delivery that has reach and accessibility to the
demographic range of Ka‘ū residents by gradually filling gaps in programs and services.
o Create opportunities to promote and advance native Hawaiian traditional healing practices,
laʻau lapaʻau, and alternative health and wellness practices (i.e., massage, acupuncture,
homeopathy, reiki, reflexology, herbology)
o Identify public/private partners for development of a continuum of elderly support facilities
that are appropriate for Ka‘ū, including facilities that support the care for kūpuna by their
own ‘ohana.
o To expand the system of delivery, facilitate entrepreneurial and enterprise development,
including non-profit social enterprises and cooperatives, and grow the health workforce
pipeline in Ka‘ū (see “: Develop a high-tech, high-touch regional education, enterprise
development, and research network.” above).
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 51-57, 149-150, and
151-173 of Appendix V4C.
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 77
Community Action 28: Develop a regional hoʻokipa network – a place-based approach to community
tourism.
Need: The visitor industry statewide and on Hawai‘i Island continues to grow, driving roughly a third of
the local economy. Ka‘ū is a natural draw to the large number of visitors who prefer more authentic
experiences and engagement with residents and local culture, including experience-seekers, culture-
seekers, adventure-seekers, and those interested in agri-tourism, health and wellness, edutourism, and
eco-tourism. Such visitors spend nearly $100 million per year in and around Hawai‘i Volcanoes National
Park. However, Ka‘ū currently captures very little of the economic gains from the visitor market because
of limited dining, lodging, organized activities, and tours.
This market segment provides an opportunity for Ka‘ū to restructure the visitor industry to one that
nurtures, invests in, and sustains Ka‘ū’s people, culture, and natural resources in ways that provide
repeat visitors with meaningful experiences. While this provides a substantive opportunity to generate
employment and entrepreneurial opportunities, the Ka‘ū community must take an active role in shaping
these opportunities in ways that are consistent with its vision and values.
Community Tourism is a process by which a community is empowered to share its greatness while
preserving its dignity. It is appropriately scaled to achieve a community’s intended social, economic, and
environmental outcomes and driven by a genuine desire of a community to share itself, its history,
traditions, and customs with strangers. In short, community tourism supports economic growth while
strengthening the sense of place and identity.
This “place based” model embraces the Native Hawaiian practice of ho‘okipa (the practice of greeting
and welcoming strangers) and is focused on ‘āina and its interdependent relationship with the people of
that place. This welcoming relationship of reciprocity between place, host, and visitor provides a
framework for creating visitor experiences that preserve and build upon the natural, historical, and
cultural assets that define Ka‘ū.
The starting point for growing this sector is regional identity – the preservation and improvement of the
region’s natural and historical resources, culture, and people (see “: Coordinate regional, cross-sectoral
economic development strategies.” above). They provide the opportunity to nurture community
tourism through the following “sharing clusters:”
Sharing of Place – engaging visitors in celebrating and enhancing Ka‘ū’s unique geography and local
features (e.g., geo-tourism and eco-tourism)
Sharing of Culture – the sharing of Ka‘ū’s unique cultural, historical, and heritage stories (e.g.,
heritage tourism, living history, edu-tourism, and wellness tourism)
Sharing of Work – involving visitors in the day-to-day work and activities of Ka‘ū’s residents (e.g.,
agri-tourism and service tourism).
Potential Community Lead: Action Committee
Potential Community Partners: Ho‘omalu Ka‘ū, Ka ‘Ohana O Honu‘apo, Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Ka‘ū
Chamber of Commerce, Ka‘ū MainStreet, lodging owners and operators, restaurateurs, hunters,
fishermen, farmers and ranchers, Green Sand Tours, The Olson Trust, National Park Service, Ala Kahakai
National Historic Trail, Kamehameha School FOCUSED INITIATIVES
78 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Potential Allies: Hawai‘i County Department of Research & Development, Hawai‘i Tourism Authority,
Hawai‘i Visitor and Convention Bureau, Big Island Visitors Bureau, Hawai‘i Agritourism Association,
Hawai‘i Ecotourism Association, Ka Welina Network, Historic Hawai‘i Foundation, Pacific Worlds, LEI
(Lead, Expose, Inspire), KUA: Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo, Three Mountain Alliance, Hawai‘i Forest & Trail,
Native Guide Hawai‘i, National Geographic Society’s Center for Sustainable Destinations, The
Conservation Fund, National Association of Gateway Communities, National Trust for Historic
Preservation, Association of Living History, Farm, and Agricultural Museums
Immediate Next Steps:
Identify lessons learned from existing collaborative community tourism efforts in order to identify
opportunities and challenges in establishing a coordinated regional network
o Consider consulting with Ha‘ena Waipa, the Kipahulu ‘Ohana, and other place-based
tourism initiatives
o Engage gateway community practitioners, particularly those who have developed National
Geographic Society MapGuides.
Develop strategic partnerships for funding, financing, marketing, and technical support
Build local industry clusters, possibly by sharing of place, sharing of culture, and sharing of work
Develop innovative approaches to sharing components of the visitor experience – adventure, food,
and housing
Facilitate entrepreneurial and enterprise development and grow the ho‘okipa workforce pipeline in
Ka‘ū (see “: Develop a high-tech, high-touch regional education, enterprise development, and
research network.” above)
Develop a user-friendly online “gateway” to Ka‘ū that is accessible on computers and mobile
devices.
Other Resources:
The Hawai‘i County Tourism Program supports cooperative marketing programs, community
festivals and sporting events, visitor arrival and departure experiences as well as new tourism
products through two annual requests for proposals (RFPs). The R&D Supplemental RFP includes
funding support for visitor promotions and marketing along with arrival and departure experiences.
The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority’s County Product Enrichment Program (HTA CPEP) provides support
for community festivals and sporting events as well as new visitor products.
HTA also offers grants and a tool kit to support business planning, marketing, and event planning.
Gateway Community Toolkit
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 62-70, 107-111, 123-
130, 136, 142, 150, and 175 of Appendix V4C.
Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide 79
4.10 Pursue Potential Synergistic Projects
Community Action 29: Develop and implement plans for Punaluʻu.
Need: Punaluʻu features a unique combination of significant resources: ecological (turtle nesting,
wetlands), cultural (historic sites, natural beauty), recreational (shoreline access and trail, beach park,
fishing, boat launch, golf course), and economic (boat launch, vacation rentals). However, not all of
those resources are sufficiently protected or actively managed.
Punaluʻu is in the State Urban district, and it is zoned for residential and resort development (both by
the County and DHHL). However, the existing water and wastewater system infrastructure appears to
be in poor condition and significant maintenance, repairs, and upgrades may be necessary. Moreover,
portions of Punaluʻu designated for development are vulnerable to hazards, including wildfire, floods,
tsunamis, and sea level rise.
There is community consensus about what the future of Punaluʻu should hold. Elements of that shared
vision include:
Keep It Ka‘ū: Punalu‘u should always be true to – and “feel” like – Ka‘ū. The size, uses, layout, and
architecture of any future improvements should reflect and preserve Ka‘ū’s open spaces, views,
Hawaiian heritage, rural lifestyle, and “local” character.
Punalu‘u should also protect and strengthen Ka‘ū’s powerful connection between people and place.
Unrestricted shoreline, beach, and park access should be maintained for boating, swimming, surfing,
hiking/walking, fishing, gathering, camping, cook-outs, and cultural practices.
Take Care: This means taking care of Punalu‘u’s rich natural and cultural resources. The communities
that have flourished in Ka‘ū for generations should be honored through careful stewardship of
ancient and historic cultural sites as well as the natural beauty, water quality, wetlands, ponds,
springs, and native and threatened species and habitats in the area. Interpretative signage should be
installed to educate residents and visitors about Punalu‘u’s special history and natural systems.
This also means taking care of Ka‘ū’s people. Punalu‘u should be a resource for keiki, kupuna,
‘ohana, and community. It is already used as a formal and informal research and education site, and
those uses could be expanded to include training for cultural practices, traditional and modern
trades, recreation, eco-tourism, natural resource management, archaeology, and many other fields.
It should also provide new economic opportunity and options for residents of Ka‘ū – providing
security and stability for thriving families and communities.
Can Do: The people of Ka‘ū must have a stake in both planning and managing Punalu‘u’s future.
They are committed to Ka‘ū and have significant wisdom, passion, talent, and resources to invest.
Through time-tested local protocols, “talk story,” and aloha, they can agree on a balanced path
forward.
Potential Community Lead: Action Committee
Potential Community Partners: kupuna, those with historic kinship with or knowledge of the land, SM
Investments, O Ka‘ū Kakou, Ka‘ū Preservation, Ho‘omalu Ka‘ū, Scenic Byway
Potential Allies: County of Hawai‘i (Planning, Cultural Resource Commission, Parks and Recreation,
PONC), Department of Land and Natural Resources (SHPD, DAR, Nā Ala Hele), Department of Hawaiian FOCUSED INITIATIVES
80 Ka‘ū Community Development Plan: Community-Based, Collaborative Action Guide
Home Lands, Kamehameha Schools, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Queen Liliʻuokalani Children’s Trust, UH
Sea Grant, Hawai‘i Island Hawksbill Turtle Recovery Project, The Nature Conservancy, KUA: Kuaʻāina Ulu
ʻAuamo, Peoples Advocacy for Trails Hawai‘i (PATH), Hawai‘i Ecotourism Association, National Park
Service (HVNP, Ala Kahakai), NOAA, USDA Rural Development, Economic Development Administration
Immediate Next Steps:
Determine interest among stakeholders (starting with potential partners and allies listed above) in a
collaborative process to develop and pursue strategies to achieve the community’s shared vision for
Punaluʻu.
Consider use of an independent third party to facilitate the planning process.
Consider a range of viable alternative future scenarios (see Appendix V4B), including these variables:
o A mix of tools for protecting ecological and cultural resources
o A variety of complementary uses, possibly including open space, wilderness, botanical
gardens, agriculture, aquaculture, resort lodging, more housing, more recreation, dining,
retail, education, training, and research
o The spectrum of feasible scales of improvement
o Required infrastructure improvements
o Appropriate hazard mitigation measures
o Jobs and other economic opportunities
o A range of community benefits, including shoreline access, shared equity/revenue,
affordable housing, “local hire first” policies, local business development, educational and
cultural facilities, and other community services, along with proven methods for ensuring
accountability.
o A range of collaborations, including creative models of ownership and management (see
Appendix V4C).
Use objective criteria to assess the strengths and weaknesses of alternative scenarios and strategies.
Identify preferred scenarios and strategies.
Develop detailed plans.
Implement those plans.
For more information about supporting organizations and resources, see pages 147-184 of Appendix
V4B and many sections of Appendix V4C, including but not limited to pages 62-69 and 151-173.