HomeMy WebLinkAboutComm. No. 2018-24 NK Access Group Reports for 7-11 8-1 9-5Comm. No. 2018-24
North Kohala Community Access Group
July 11, 2018 (Old State Judiciary Building 4:30pm)
Participants: Joe Carvalho, Jack Hoyt, Rick Gmirkin, Toni Withington, Carter Collins, Beth Robinson, Margo
McFednos, Bob & Elaine Losey, Jane Pinckney, Cheryl Lupenui, Pete Cameron
❖ Pololu Lookout
o Na Ala Hele Advisor Board discussed the situation at Pololu at their meeting in Hilo on June 20.
They are encouraging DLNR to be transparent in their consolidation/resubdivision negotiations with
Surety Kohala.
❖ Niulii
o Cheryl Lupenui from the Kohala Center gave updates on their parcel. First, they have been in
conversation with neighbors about keeping the site secure while giving access to those who should
have it. Second, they discontinued using the goats to keep grass in check but will now need to mow
as they want to better map features of the property. Third, they are looking at the possibility of
relocating some hale from the old Kona Village Resort as suitable structures for having activities on
the site.
o The July 7 work party for clearing the emergency by pass road (Pratt Road) from Nuilii till Halawa
went well.
❖ Hapu'u — Kapanaia
o The forms for nominating the 93 -acres Kapanaia land to the State Legacy Land Preservation
Commission are expected to be filed July 25th. Additional letters of support would be welcome.
o Prior to planning the blessing for Hapu'u the County wants the road cleared. An abandoned car is
parked on the side of the road along with the road being heavily overgrown to nearly being
impassable even with 4 wheel vehicles.
•'• Halelua
• o Finally received a response from Planning Department re the Grant of Public Access Easement
(GOE) on this land and others on the agenda. They are going to take a broader view of all six we
submitted. They have hired a new planner, Kamuela Plunkett, to focus on this.
•'• Pahoa Beach
• o One of the GOES the County PD will be reviewing.
❖ Upolu Airport East
o Another GOE the County PD will be reviewing
❖ Upolu Airport Restoration
o The Power, View Plane and Soil Erosion committee looking at erosion control projects, what works
and what doesn't.
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•'• Honoipu
• e The new owner sent a letter to NPS as they have filed for an SMA to renovate the structures.
Planning Department has given the owner an exemption from environmental review, but is calling for
a public access plan. The plan is due in three months from June and NKCAG should be part of
drawing up the plan. Rick Gmirkin shared that there is a historic cobblestone road they are seeing
from Hoea Rd all the way to Honoipu and the question will be is this a road of record that should be
preserved? Na Ala Hele is now interested.
•'• Pali Akamoa
• o Na Ala Hele still trying to get funding to hire abstractor to do the title search.
•'• Kukuipahu
• o NSTR.
❖ Lamalaloa - South of Lapakahi
o NSTR.
❖ Kaiholena/Pao`o
o A resolution to approve application for maintenance funding is in front of County Council.
•'• Kaupalaoa
• o NSTR
❖ Kohala Shoreline LLC.
o Reportedly gearing up again
❖ Kohala Kai
o NSTR.
❖ Kohala Waterfront
o A new shoreline certification is being done on the parcel next to the one under construction.
❖ Rails to Trails
o Meredith Speicher of RTCA reported on her progress. She is here to do more research and field work
as the alignment on the ground does not always match maps. The other question is where to locate a
pedestrian path where the railroad alignment would have been a bridge over a gulch.
o Highlight is that she has established the railroad had government services (e.g. postal) and was called
a "road" in documents so may qualify under Highways Act as having been a public road before
serving sugar company. Na Ala Hele to make determination and now seem open to consider.
o Timing is to have first draft to us by late -August, review and revise by October. Want input on
priorities. Then community outreach would begin.
o Application will be made this month to extend the RTCA assistance grant for another year.
❖ New Items
o Kynnersley Old Road extension
• State quitclaimed to County, not adjacent landowners
• County will consult with this group per CDP recommendations for a mauka-makai trail.
o AC Strategies Matrix
• The AC will be reviewing strategies and goals of the NKCDP at its next meeting. Toni
brought a matrix for those present to indicate priorities among the CDP access items.
❖ Next meeting
o August 1, 2018 starting 4:30pm, in the old State Judiciary Building.
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North Kohala Community Access Group
August 1, 2018 (Old State Judiciary Building 4:30pm)
Participants: Toni Withington, Carter Collins, Teri Takata, Beth Robinson, Jack Hoyt, Pete Cameron,
Jim Mann, Leslie Cole -Brooks, Chauncey Wong Yuen, Polly Zanger
❖ Pololu Lookout
o Big article in North Hawaii News with Shontell/Surety as sole source of info. Parks,
Water, Roads Group to contact writer for more balanced article. DLNR report due in late
August.
❖ Niulii
o NSTR
❖ Hapu'u — Kapanaia
o Bobo Medeiros has equipment to take care of road work remaining to be done on Hapu'u
Bay access road; Tractor Todd did what he could with mowing.
o HI County is applying for matching funds to State Legacy Land Commission, which meets
December to decide allocation of State open space funding.
•'• Halelua
• o NSTR
•'• Pahoa Beach
o LeAna Gloor of Planning Department has said she will attend our Sept. meeting to update
our appeal to finalize our Grant of Public Access concerns.
❖ Upolu Airport East
o NSTR (see Pahoa Beach)
❖ Upolu Airport Restoration
o Chauncey Wong Yuen, Hawaii Island superintendent of the State Airports Division,
reported restoration/erosion control looks great. The kids' signs stopped illicit activity.
Toni added there are two new senior projects pending at Upolu. Chauncey introduced Jim
Mann, who proposes to build a hangar/maintenance facility for the airport, Pololu side of
the parking lot. Upolu is more affordable than Kona and it is badly needed for repair
facilities for small aircraft owners. Jim hopes to apprentice someone local as aircraft
mechanic. There will be no change in access. His application is expected to be reviewed by
the State DLNR Land Board. No date has been set.
•'• Honoipu
• a Planning exempted the new owner from the SMA process as only a renovation not new
construction, but added conditions, one of which has to do with public access. Letter date
is June 20, comment period 90 days. Toni agreed to draft letter from the Group expressing
our desire to work collaboratively on siting.
•'• Pali Akamoa
• o NSTR
•'• Kukuipahu
• o NSTR.
•'• Mahukona
o Word out in community of new ownership. Lehua Ah Sam has invited the purchaser to
next meeting of this Group.
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❖ Lamalaloa -
o NSTR.
❖ Kaiholena/Pao`o
o A resolution to approve application for maintenance funding is in front of County Council.
Councilman Tim Richards requests supporters at a possible August 21 committee meeting.
•'• Kaupalaoa
♦ o NSTR
❖ Kohala Shoreline LLC.
o NSTR
❖ Kohala Kai
o NSTR.
❖ Kohala Waterfront
o NSTR
•'• Rails to Trails
♦ o Meredith will have first draft to us by late -August, and may be at our September meeting.
❖ Kynnersley Old Road Extension
o LeAna Gloor of Planning will be at September meeting
❖ AC Strategies Matrix
o Good discussion at AC meeting. Access was ranked 92 priority behind Affordable
Housing.
❖ Next meeting
o September 5, 2018 starting 4:30pm, in the old State Judiciary Building.
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North Kohala Community Access Group
September 5, 2018 (Old State Judiciary Building 4:30pm)
Participants: Jack Hoyt, Toni Withington, Carter Collins, David Tarnas, Teri Takata, Beth Robinson, Joe
Carvalho, Ted Matsuda.
❖ Pololu Lookout
o DLNR had a meeting with Bill Shontell of Surety Kohala, some Nuili'i residents, & a
North Hawaii News reporter.
• The floor of Pololu Valley may be available to the state.
• There are several lots.
• The community want transparency with the state & Surety Kohala.
o Surety Kohala has withdrawn their re -subdivision application.
o Jeff Coakley with the Parks, Water, Roads Group of the CDP action committee will be
facilitating a meeting on September 24th at Keokea Beach Park to get community input on
Pololu and surrounding areas.
• This is preliminary information gathering to take to meeting with local &
government officials in the future.
o Pololu Valley area is on the agenda of the Na Ala Hele advisory board next meeting.
❖ Niulii
o NSTR
❖ Hapu'u — Kapanaia
o PONC should ask the county roads department to clear the road to Hapu'u prior to the
planned celebration for Hale O' Ka'ili heiau.
o Will be needing high school students to restore a red hala grove.
• The first project is to propagate seedlings.
•'• Halelua
o The finance committee will meet on October 2nd to discuss the GOE for this area.
• Video conference will be available for public comments.
•'• Pahoa Beach
• o NSTR.
❖ Upolu Airport East
o NSTR.
❖ Upolu Airport Restoration
o The state airports division will have a follow-up project on the soil erosion with students.
o Kohala Lihikai will have an art project to make new sign with Kohala Middle School
students.
•'• Honoipu
• a We will get an update from Rick of the Ala Kahakai NPS.
•'• Pali Akamoa
• o NSTR
•'• Kukuipahu
• o NSTR.
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❖ Lamalaloa - South of Lapakahi
o NSTR.
❖ Kaiholena/Pao`o
o Malama Kohala Kahakai has received a maintenance grant from PONC for Kaiholena and
Pao' o.
•'• Kaupalaoa
• o NSTR.
❖ Kohala Shoreline LLC.
o NSTR.
❖ Kohala Kai
o NSTR.
❖ Kohala Waterfront
o A lot owner has requested shoreline certification to get a setback to build a house.
• Rick of Ala Kahakai NPS is willing to participate in the shoreline survey.
❖ Rails to Trails
o Meredith Speicher will send us a report for review before our next meeting.
• She will be attending our October Yd meeting.
o There is talk about making senior project for students to use drones to video Pratt road and
other trails.
❖ Kynnersley Old Road extension
o NSTR.
❖ New Items
o NSTR.
❖ Next meeting
o October 3, 2018 starting 4:30pm, in the old State Judiciary Building.
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