Comm. No. 2019-02 PWR Group Report 12.18 & 1.19

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*This report was produced by the Parks, Water, & Roads Community Group Parks, Water & Roads Group Comm. No. 2019-02 Report to the NKCDP Action Committee on our December and January 16th, 2019 Meetings First we would like to address our report submitted at the November AC meeting. In it we presented our progress on the Pololu issue and asked for AC support in the form of a letter from the AC to our political representatives and to the various heads of the departments involved. Regrettably the report and draft letter came in too late to be on the agenda. Please recall that the AC voted to place the issue on the agenda anyway, but the Sunshine Law precluded any discussion or action. Because the 2019 legislative session begins before the January AC meeting, the PWR Group considered it necessary to get the report and cover letter out to the intended recipients in time to support a CIP for the project at the state level. We therefore sent it out ourselves. This month we are therefore asking the AC send a letter to Senator Inouye, Representative Tarnas and Councilman Richards expressing AC support and asking for the recipient's support of the DLNR CIP. For your convenience we are submitting a draft letter for your consideration (attached). December Meeting. We held our December meeting via email exchanges. The only issue was from Andi, who reported her telephone conversation with John Richards on the Agricultural Water issue. In it John said that he anticipates that within the first 2 months of 2019 a draft of the report would be available and put out for comments. He said there were four components to look into: source, transmission, storage and user. Andi said that if he thinks that the draft will be done and sent out for comments that perhaps we could have a meeting to present the report to the community sometime in March. January Meeting. Attendance: Toni Withington, John Winter, Carter Collins, Jeff Coakley, Sarah Pule Fujii (minutes by John) Pololu: Jackson Bauer has replaced the retired Clem Chang as head of Na Ala Hele (under DLNR/DOFAW). Jackson says that they have submitted a $500,000 CIP proposal, approved by the Governor in the State 2019 budget, to undertake a feasibility study and plans for creating an offsite parking area and restrooms. Also included would be engineering for the "hardening" of the pedestrian trail to the valley floor. We also ask the AC to urge the Planning Department to closely monitor Surety's application for consolidation and re -subdivision, which they will process. Surety Kohala has promised to be transparent about the subdivision process. Of particular importance is the location of the up -to -5 -acre parcel where the parking lot shall be located. Surety would favor the gulch adjacent to Sproat property, but this gulch may prove very expensive to develop. It would be a grave mistake if land were acquired that proved unusable. We discussed the photos taken by Sarah at Pololu last week. There were 8 vans (from Forrest & Trails, Roberts and Zipline) that parked on the narrow verge of the highway and disgorged hikers for the trail down to Pololu valley and beach. This violates the mandate of Na Ala Hele which limits the number tour permits for the trail. Photos are at the end of this report. Sarah also recommended putting No Parking signs on the narrow portions of the highway and at the final bend at the end of the State-controlled highway. DOT. John reported his conversation with Don Smith, head of Big Island DOT. Don wants to come up to Kohala for another meeting with the public to discuss highway issues. We decided to sponsor that meeting and agreed on either Jan. 31 (Th) at 5:30 in the Judiciary Building (if available). Among the issues we'd like to discuss are: • Plans and timing of highway repaving from Kapaau to Pololu. • Plans and timing if Aamakau gulch work (unstable slope).