HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-08-27 PL-USE-2026-000046 & PL-SPP-2026-000136 Ke Kula 'O Nawahiokalani'opu'u Iki LPCS Support TestimonyFrom: Kehaulani Aipia
To: Planning WPC Testimony
Cc: Kauanoe Kamana
Subject: Testimony of Support Re: Hilo Benioff Medical Center (Commission Meeting, Sept 3)
Date: Thursday, August 27, 2026 8:24:12 AM
Attachments: Nawahī̄ Testimony.WindwardPlanningCommission.Sept2026.pdf
Aloha,
Attached is testimony of support on behalf of Ke Kula ʻO Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu Iki LPCS in
regards to Agenda Item 3: Hilo Benioff Medical Center.
mahalo nui,
T. Kēhaulani ʻAipia-Peters Governing Board Chair
Ke Kula ʻO Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu Iki LPCS
Ke Kula ʻO Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu
“No ʻAneʻi Ko Kākou Ola”
25 August 2026
Mr. Louis Daniele III, Chair and
Members of the Windward Planning Commission
101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3
Hilo, HI 96720
Aloha Chair Daniele and Members of the Windward Planning Commission:
Testimony in Support of Use Permit Application No. PL-USE-2026-000046 and
Special Permit Application No. PL-SPP-2026-000136 relating to the development of the
the proposed Keaʻau Benioff Health Center
Applicant: Hilo Benioff Medical Center
TMKs 1-6-0003:007 (por) and 127 (por); Keaʻau, Puna, Hawaiʻi
I am writing on behalf of Ke Kula ʻO Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu Iki LPCS and to express our strong support of
Hilo Benioff Medical Center’s construction and operation of a health center in our Keaʻau community. As a
supportive neighbor in this community, we believe that this center will address the critical health needs of
Keaʻau and its surrounding areas.
Access to quality, convenient, and comprehensive healthcare services is an important part of a healthy
and thriving community. The proposed health center would provide valuable healthcare resources for
residents and families while helping address the growing need for accessible medical services in our
community.
In addition to providing healthcare services, the health center can provide valuable educational
opportunities for our students through career exploration, internships, mentorships, guest speakers, and
health and wellness learning. As a Hawaiian Language Medium School, Nāwahī and its students bring
forth a unique perspective relative to language and Hawaiian cultural ways of caring for one another and
for our community. A partnership between the center and our school could connect classroom learning to
real-world healthcare experiences. We welcome the opportunity to work collaboratively to develop
programs and experiences that benefit our students, families, and the broader community.
For these reasons, we respectfully offer our strong support for the construction and operation of the
proposed health center and encourage the Planning Commission to approve the project.
Thank you for your consideration of this important community project.
Sincerely,
T. Kēhaulani ʻAipia-Peters
Governing Board Chair
Ke Kula ʻO Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu Iki LPCS
16-120 ʻŌpūkahaʻia Street • Keaʻau, HI 96749 • Kelepona: (808)982-4260 • Kelepaʻi: (808)966-7821