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Home My WebLink AboutComm No 0021.112 - Testimony - CA-7 - PONC fund and Maintenance fundThe North Koha a coastline has always been a place for fishing, gathering and recreation. But economic pressure is changing that. The story of Kohala's |ocaK community effort to protect its access to the ocean spans almost 50 years and engulfs many generations of people. What started in the 1970s as protests against the zoning of large resort developments has evolved into the purchase and conversion of hundreds of acres of private land to open space held for the benefit of the people. Miles of coastai trails have been opened officially for access across private land. And as a consequence, the stewardship of the coast and its many historical and cultural treasures has become a legal as well as a continuing volunteer activity. The 29 -mile coast was populated seven hundred years ago, but archaeologists are just beginning to understand the treasure trove of knowledge about early Hawaiian life on the undeveloped leeward coast and the northern coast, which was the homeland of Kamehameha the Great, Through the efforts of five Kohala community organizations in partnership with the County, State and Federal governments, two Hawaii land trusts and generous land owners, 390 acres of coastal land have been dedicated to open space in perpetuity during the last seven years. In addition to the donations of land ovvmers, the partners raised a total of $20.9 million to make the transfers happen. 11h1,1111n n, 1,1,11111111111 � m The County's 2% Open Space Fund and the States Legacy Land Preservation Program accounted for much of the funding. The Trust for Public Lands and Hawaiian |shamds Land Trust, as well as federal grants, added to that. Private donors pitched in. But it was the cooperative work of the Kohala groups that kept focus on the goals, stated cleariy in the North Kohala Community Development Plan, which was, and continues to be, the driving force. What's truly remarkable is that the accomplishments were achieved with all volunteer labor and little publicity. The five groups are Ma|amaNaWahiPana 0Kohala, led by Fred Cachola; Ka MakaniOKohala Ohana—��led by Kanoa Withington; Ma|amaKohala Kahakai,led byGail Byrne Baber; Maikal KamakaniOKohala, led by Stephanie Naihe Laxton, and the Kohala Historic and Cultural Preservation Group, led by the late Mike Isaacs. Together they have annually nominated Kohala lands to the County's Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Commission (PONC) priority list since 2006. The current 2017 list of nine properties around the island has six coastal projects in North Kohala. Also together they formed the non-profit corporation Kohala Lihikai, which has since its inception in 2012 stewarded many acres of land, with the vision of turning the entire coast into a recreational and educational resource for future generationsfresidemtsamdvisitors ' Comm. ~�No. 21.112 01111111111O8 �� 1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111I 1 11111n111111111�� 11111 |^^ ,11 1 :111111 1!,:1111111111111111111111111 , If 11111111ff if 1111111 11111 11111_1111f1111111 11 lifqf 1111I 111111111 111t1 I I II III III 11111 11111111 III �11111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111 1111 11 111111111 11111111 111111111111111111111111111111111 1111 MUM 111111111111111111 11111111 11,1.1111111 11 11111111111111111111111111111 ff 1111111'1'1'1.'1.'11'11'11'1111ff 1 1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,11'11'11,ff 1ff f 11 11 11 11 11 111 11111111111111111111111,11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111 11111111 I III 11 1111111111111111111111111111 111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111fiffiffiff 1�U�� m11111m1111111/��|� X�'Hum iffiffil Hropmjj!jj „,11111111 1111111111111111111111111i111,1, 11 1111111111111111111 111111 11111111111111111111111111111 ImilmImmmm-mmm� I 1111111111NU1UN��NU�� I wfffffffl '11111 0 1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 1111111111111111 11 111111111111 11 11111111 11111 1 1111111 11 11111111 1 11111 1 11 if 11 fff ill 11111 ill ill ill ill ill 11111111111 III 111111 11,11,11,111 ill ill 11111111 111111111111111111 III 111111111 11111 1111j Hlmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Honolpu - Once a part of the Coast Guard Loran Station, this land includes part Old Coast Guard Road and the parking ot at the bottom. The Hawailan Island Land Trust lists it as an Iconic Land for preservation. Talks are underway with the 1111111 11?111111i111 owner. ft was recently nomnated to the County priority Iist. Puakea the State rail isad' Kukuipahu - Because of outstanding historic sites and recreational use, this land is singled out by the North Kohala Community Development Plan (NKCDP) for preservation.|thasbeenonthe[oun1yOpenSpacePrinritvListfor purchase eight times since 2007. • „ 11,11111 11111111 '11111111111.1i, 1111111' M �apakahi-Though the land was once listed onthe County Priority List, the 17 acres were purchased in 2011 with State Legacy Land Preservation Funds (LLPF) and a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) grant with the help of The Trust for Public Lands. It is now part of Lapakahi State Historical Park. K8mhukona-Th( which has also b4 -nunnberthnee[ held with repres' after foreclosure recreation area ""'" Pam"o-Hnnnetnapnpu|arsur site and many historic sitesthe 1[L6`acreparcel was the focus of several tegal battles to prevent construction of Iarge vacation homes. It was finaily purchased in 2010 with matching funds from the County Open Space Fund and the State LLPF. The County holds title. poppy (111 1,909614 x11, 010 Kaiholena Central - The next two parcels, totating 77 acres, were purcbased in 2013 with two thirds af the price coming from the State LLPF and the rest from the County Open Space Fund, The County holds title to the and, �~ II it I »0 t poet „ - �N| ��r� ��m/��°,1��@�� itte ; tlfi U1,111111, t tit It' amaloloa - This 35-z Space Priority List for once slated for resort with the owners about imannommemoffilow Kaiholena North - In the 1 980s the land di' resort and golf course. In 2000 it was subdivi named for public purchase in the NKCDP an Space Priority List for many years. The first t purchased outright by the County Open Sp and historically highly significant. ��. KaKhmUemaSouth - The last 35-arreparcel waF primarily from the State LLPF. The rest was rai' Association, alocally controlled non-profit tha. Historic Trail and the Kohala groups. Several pril� Hawaiian Istand Land Trust (HILT), which hold$ land as well. Kaupalaoa - Preservation efforts on this 64 -acre parcet only started in2U16, when the owner listed the land for sale. The Kohala groups, along with HILT have opened discussions with the owner and nominated it to the County priority list, Keawoenmi-Thispc part of the resnrtca County's Open Spac pre -Western contac �� •°1',11 0111111m 111111111 '0111)J t1101)01111111111111,1 III 11 I 11111111111111111111111111111111111110 rirri lij )))))))))))))1p:11/1111111,111! 111011111111111101111loolll 11111111111111111111111111111111111 1111 —••• rillirrrrrrrrurrrrIr1111111i ,,,,011((( '"'"" , ' 0,,,,,,„;0--IYIY1111110111110 bon.. .0, 101.00fiiiii)0000,00,1 ""'""""""1011111121O.)))))00,,,mume, 1101 41 rail - The State was by granted a trail corridor by along the cliff top by and Board as a result of action broughtKohala residents. The oinistered the 1,1 1111111111111111111111111111 11111111111-111-11,... mom Nal Ala Helle trail program' ,P 11111111 I 'ill 1111111 060iiiiij)1* I n 11101 1..)„pPit NKCDP also calls for public purchase of the 435 acres, en on the County Open Space Priority List for nine years riority for the past 2 years. Preliminary talks have been ntatives of the owner, Mahukona LLC, which took over oroceedings in 2012.1 is Kohala's primary ocean id home to hundreds of historic sites. ••:•111.11:11!•11111k1..:,N0111111,),0-0•1• ; „ ..i.04111..,11111111:•„11 141,1 11,111,1111,1„111, •••"., " „„rri, 1 '1'1'1'1'1'1'1'1'1'1'1 1111111111111111111111 lo parcel has appeared on the County Open le years. Surrounded by State land, it was evelopment. Kohala groups have been talking iublic purchase. MOM IMMININIIMORMIIMIMMININSMIIMINIMINIMERNEBRE1111444, ion of Kaiholena was rezoned for led into six parcels. All parcels were listed annually on the County Open lee lots totaling 151 acres were 4, Fund in 2010. The land is culturally 1011111111111111111111111111111111111111111""111 1111 0,,,I,,,,,,m01.111110111110111 ••••111•11-- .••••••••••-• 1111.1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 111101111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 „,,I'"„00N00111111010111. • • ,1 ll -• 1111111 1111111111111111111111111111 •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••111111111111 1111,11'111„11 Immmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmi 111111111 Private 111 11111 111111,11 11,1,1,1) 1,1,1,1, 111111 1111111111111111 „„.IUII 111 ..„:„,•,„. 11111111111, 1,111 III( 11 „, 1114'4 11111111110 11 111111111111111 11111111111y „1 1,1 1111111111111111• 11:,.„. IIIIIIIIIIIIII: '.1.1.1.1p 011111 "1"1"1"1111 1.1.11.111111 Or111111 11«1 11 11111111111111 iIIIIIIIIIIIII1111111111111 1111111111111111010. State, County or Federal New Purchases Pending Projects Kamehameha Schools 11111 111111 1111 11 1111J111111111 iiii.'11111111111111111111111 mmmIl 11111111111111111111iiii, Ill111111111111111111111111,11,11111, 11(1 1111111;111„„ii„.. • I" II I I ." H1m1H1 1'11'11'11.11.111.11.11.11.11.11.11.11.1f 1111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111011....111111„. 1,11!„11,.!1111111 m11:1.1 1..111,111 *mIOloa 11,1111 1111 1 1111111111.1•'11111111 I 111111111 1 111111111114mm 111111111 1111111 111111111 11111111111 IH11111111111111111111 1111111110 1111111111 1 11111111 1 111111N1 111111111 111111111111,1 1111111m111 11111 1111111 -i111(1( «," mmmmmnill mil, 111111 111111111i111 11111 111 poill11111111m11111111111IU 1001 r111001Ivo )urchased in 2015 with funds id by the Ala Kahakai Trail Norks with the Ala Kahakai National vate donors were joined by the conservation easement on the 11.11111111111111111 1111111111111111111111 11 " 1,....,1:::"..,":„...,•':,,,,11,".'....,,,,...,,,',"...'",,,,,..:10,111:::,,',,,,,. Iiiiii1111,111111111111111111111111,1,1,1 $4010101101111:411 0114t1111111.1„111'111111111.11111111111111111111111111111,1„;,•!..,,,!1•111111111111 1 i'l 111111111111111110 ' . ...,.. .. •• •••• ""' •••••••„„,",,,, '11111111111111111111111 ' 11 '........":".•'..",......",:',1'"1",,,,,":""dl,:',,1,"'.•;.,..',14;":01, ,...41111111111,11,11,11,11,111,,,,,,,,)",:o0 tIu 11111 1111111111111111 '11'1 1111111 . • 010. pJ1)111.1,,,"" Kr P., • k. ular fishing and former camping site was once to be ,ered at Kaiholena. It has been listed every year on the Priority List since 2010. It is known to have several historic sites and old fishing villages. :,16,4•• o r p Ill 1111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111 rii )'111111 | � ' ' Kauhola Point Preserving „1„,„|.m T ..,"," _ - • PRESERVED �� WI ) 0 Kamehameha In North KohaU� � HmUe|mm Purchase Pending Hapu'u PRESERVED Purchase Pending Kapanala Purchase Underway Niuli'i PRESERVED I Map crebyjohn Winter and Toni Withington 201 8 W ,01 Kauhola Point - The 28 acres of land at Lighthouse, were acquired in 2012 with money from the State Legacy Land ConseryUnnFundand|ooa|fundraisingbvKHa|kaiKannakaniUKoha|a.1heonn'profitthat holds title for the people of Kohala. The Trust for Public Lands helped arrange the purchase, which included a hefty discount by the land owners. Halelua - This mile -long stretch of coast, whose 50 acres includes much of Halawa Gulch and the remnants ofU'hau Heiau has been listed high on the County Priority List since 2012, and has been approved by the County CounciL Negotiations are expected to start soon. Hapu'u - The County of Hawaii purchased the first 22 acres using Open Space funding in March 2018. This is a very popular fishing site and home of Hale 0 Ke'i|i Heiau. Two other parcels on the cliffs, totaling 42.5 acres, are also County Council approved and awaiting the beginning of negotiations. Kapanaia - Work has begun to find funding for 93.5 acres that includes Kapanaia Bay, Kapalama Heiau and most of Walachia Gulch. With County Council approval, the County is seeking matching State Legacy Land funding this year. N|UuU|'h - The critical habitat between Keokea Park and Neue Bay was listed high on the County's Open Space Priority List for five years. In 2016 the owners donated the 48 acres of land to The Kohala Center, a Waimea -based non-profit dedicated to land stewardship, conservation of native species and educational