Kako'o along with the Kohala Historic Preservation Group has petitioned our County Councilman, Leningrad Elarionoff in June, 2001, to impose a moratorium on all further development off the Kohala Coast from Kawaihae to Pololu Valley & Beyond.

On June 8, 2001, Ka Makani 0 Kohala Ohana, Inc. requested that I explore the possibility of imposing a moratorium on development makai of Akoni Pule Highway from Kawaihae to Pololu Valley. Mark Grandoni, acting president of Ka Makani 0 Kohala Ohana, Inc. stated that his group represented 300 families based in North Kohala. I understood the request and also know that hasty decisions sometimes bring about results that cause more problems than solutions. In an effort to avoid unexpected results, I asked the County of Hawai'i Legislative Auditors office to research the request, the possible results and the best way to accomplish the intended outcome.
As your council representative, I agree with the findings of the report that was submitted and feel that it may not be in the best interest of the people of Kohala and the island of Hawai'i to proceed with the moratorium at this time. Other means less radical and more inclusive will better serve the communities interest.          < BR> The General Plan that is being worked on at this time is the preferred process by which to set policy affecting development in Kohala. There have been public hearings held in Kohala and numerous Kohala residents have had input already. The General Plan revision process has not being [sic] finalized and there is still time for input. Enclosed please find the County of Hawai'i Planning Department general plan review schedule.
After completing their hearings on the general plan, the Planning Department will make their recommendation and submit the general plan to the Council. I have spoken to the County Council Planning Committee Chair, Bobby Jean Leithead-Todd who has agreed to have a public hearing in Kohala. This may be the last chance to make input and I will make every effort to inform you of the date that the planning committee schedules a public hearing in Kohala.
Please share this information with others. Should there be any questions or comments, please feel free to contact my office in Hilo, 961-8265, and if I am not there, I will return your call.
Enclosed you will find the moratorium request, the legislative auditors report, and the planning department's announcement on the general plan comprehensive review.

Sincerely,

Leningrad Elarionoff

Council Member, District 9

Leningrad Elarionoff
County Council Member
Kohala District 9
25 Aupuni St.
Hilo, HI 96720

Dear Councilman Elarionoff,

Kamakani O Kohala Ohana (Kako'o) is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization
with an active membership of 300 families based in North Kohala.

We are writing you to follow up with our previous fax/letter urging the county council to implement and put into effect a moratorium to stop any and all subdividing and/or building development along the North Kohala Coastline, makai of Akoni Pule Highway from Kawaihae to Pololu Valley.

Your efforts recently in supporting S.C.R. No. 146, S.D. 1 (URGING THE RETENTION AND PRESERVATION OF OPEN SPACE AND VIEW PLANES, HISTORIC SITES, AND TRADITIONAL ACCESS ALONG THE COASTLINE OF THE NORTH KOHALA DISTRICT, HAWAII) are to be commended.

However, S.C.R. No. 146, S.D. 1 is a document without the force of law and as this letter is being written there are 11 subdivisions pending at the Office Of Planning that involve the North Kohala Coastline and are in direct conflict with S.C.R. No. 146, S.D. 1.

Parker Ranch Trust & Richard Smart Trust have applied for 3 subdivisions between Puakea Ranch & Kapa'a State Park on lands makai of Akoni Pule Highway. An Area of well known important and well preserved archaeological sites dating back to pre-contact times, most notably Kukuipahu Habitation Complex & Ha'ena Village.

Chalon International has applied for a subdivision on makai lands between Upolu Point and the old Coast Guard Loran station at Honoipu. This subdivision will encroach upon Mookini Heiau and the birthplace of King Kamehameha, two of the most important historical sites in all Hawaii Nei.

According to Planning Director Mr. Chris Yuen, there is nothing he can do to stop these subdivisions, even with S.C.R. No. 146, S.D. 1.

In a recent workshop concerning the revised Hawaii County General Plan as being presented by the current Kim administration, it was noted that implementation of the general plan would be accomplished through the mandating of community development plans by districts and the Planning Department would guide the development of these community development
plans. The development plans would include regulatory actions to control what can and cannot be done in the communities.

Until the County of Hawaii and the North Kohala Community groups meet to develop such a comprehensive community plan, it is imperative that a temporary moratorium on all subdividing and/or building developments along the North Kohala Coastline, makai of Akoni Pule Highway from Kawaihae to Pololu Valley be enacted.

Nowhere else on the Big Island is there a comparable continuous undeveloped stretch of coast land containing so large a diversity of sacred sites.

We need you, Mr. Elarionoff, our county council representative, without delay, to expedite a temporary moratorium. The fate of Hawaii's only open, easily accessible, scenic and historic coastline is in your hands.

If this is not done soon, an OPEN SPACE Kohala Coastline as well as significant historical sites will be lost forever.

Enclosed, FYI, is a summary of the history in North Kohala for protection
of it's shoreline area as open space.

Thank you for your review and consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

Mark Grandoni
Acting President

_______________________________________________________ ______________________
               

July 5, 2001

MEMO TO:   Councilmember Leningrad Elarionoff / Hawaii County Council
FROM:          Charmaine T. Doran, Legislative Assistant  Through Connie Kiriu, Legislative  Auditor / Office Of The Legislative   Auditor
RE:                Communications Requesting A Building Moratorium In Kohala

Thank you very much for the opportunity to comment and review the above communications. Per your request, the following information is provided.
These communications are from residents of the 9th Council District and call for the preservation of the Kohala coastline via a building and subdivision moratorium and then the adoption of a community development plan for the area. Both letters also list various reference materials in support of this action including SCR 146, SD1 passed by our State Legislature during its 2001 session.
According to the documents submitted, 'Kohala Community Groups' and 'Ka Makani 0 Kohala Ohana' are requesting a moratorium on subdivisions and building development makai of Akoni Pule Highway from Kawaihae to PoIolu Valley. The purpose is to allow collaboration between government and the community and residents of Kohala to develop and implement a plan to (1) protect the open nature of the Kohala Coast, (2) preserve its valuable historic sites, and (3) provide greater awareness and appreciation of the history and cultural significance of the area for residents and visitors. The groups refer to documents dating back to 1988.
Applying a blanket moratorium to such an expansive area is excessive and punitive. The 14+- mile stretch of land covered by the moratorium is massive. There are large tracts of vacant, undeveloped land interspersed with older plantation towns and newer agricultural subdivisions.
It includes State lands, Department of Hawaiian Homes Lands, county fadlities (Mahukona, Kapaa and Kamehameha Parks), schools, churches, nonprofit sites, residential homes, and half the towns of Hawi, Kapaau, and Halaula. The majority or this area is zoned Agncultural-20 acres with pockets of A-5a and A-10a zoning. The towns contain parcels of industrial, commercial and residential zoned lands.
A moratorium so large in scope may affect people and projects the coundl had never intended. It would disrupt plans for renovating a carport, building an ohana home, improving schools, reroofing a care home, repairing a restaurant's kitchen or constructing a nonprofit educational and cultural center.
Furthermore, numerous state and county laws, rules and layers of plans have already been adopted to address the issues of openness, historic sites and cultural awareness. Without further specificity, we are unable to determine the impact of their concerns and whether another "plan" would be the solution.
We recommend the writers work with community groups, landowners, and state and county agencies to clarify the greater community's objectives and outcomes. Clarity should help focus solutions and implementation by all parties. Hopefully, this approach will make use of a framework already in place to promote community directives and, at the same time, help to ensure that some degree of community consonance is maintained in the process.

July 19, 2001

Leningrad Elarionoff
County Council Member
Kohala District 9
25 Aupuni St.
Hilo, HI 96720

Dear Councilman Elarionoff,

Kamakani O Kohala Ohana (Kako'o) is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization
with an active membership of 300 families based in North Kohala.

We are writing you to follow up on your letter addressed to Mike Issacs (July 11, 2002), concerning the moratorium on development in the North Kohala area.

We agree with you that the general plan at this time is the preferred process by which to set policy affecting development in North Kohala and have urged the Planning Department to include in the general plan, redesignation of areas within 1500-1800 feet of the shoreline from the district border of South & North Kohala near Kawaihae to Pololu Valley & beyond to conservation or open.

In your letter you mentioned that you have spoken with Bobby Jean-Leithead Todd, County Council Planning Committee Chair, who has agreed to have a public hearing in Kohala.

We would like to be informed of the date of this meeting. It is our understanding, that the August 3, 2001 meeting in Kona may be the last of the public hearings on input into the general plan. If this is true then time is of the essence for scheduling a meeting here in Kohala.

We look forward to hearing from you ASAP.

Thank you for your review and consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

Mark Grandoni
Acting President, Kako'o

cc:Bobby Jean-Leithead Todd
Chris Yuen
Mike Issacs

July 19, 2001

Norman Hayashi, County Planner
Planning Department
County Of Hawaii
25 Aupuni St.
Hilo, HI 96720

Dear Mr. Hayashi,

Kamakani O Kohala Ohana (Kako'o) is a 501 (c)(3), non-profit organization with an active membership of 300 families based in North Kohala. We are writing on behalf of our group in response to the Planning Commission meeting held in Kona on July 6, 2001, concerning coastline conservation and the redesignation of a number of shoreline areas in the draft general plan to conservation or open.

As part of the group of representatives from North Kohala urging conservation redesignation to be expanded in the general plan to include the entire North Kohala coastline, we submit the following history of community plans and resolutions that supports our reasoning.

--- In 1988 Kohala residents collected almost 7,000 signatures on a
petition calling on the State and County to stop all development until
studies of the coastline can be completed. Over 50 percent of the signators
are from North and South Kohala.

--- Senate Concurrent Resolution 179 passed both houses of the State
Legislature in 1988 calling for governments to work together to ensure
public view and open space along the coast and to discourage development
makai of Akoni Pule Highway.

--- The Hawaii State Democratic Party and the Hawaii County Democratic
Party both adopted resolutions at their conventions in May 1990 calling for
the State and County "to develop and implement a plan to protect the open
nature of the coast, preserve its valuable historic sites and promote
nonexclusive enjoyment of it by residents and visitors alike."

--- The Hawaii County Council Planning Committee passed a resolution in
June 1989 calling for protection of the coastline from development and
calling for a survey of the coast. The resolution was passed unanimously by
five members of the Committee.

--- Interest in the preservation of the coastline has been expressed by
Governor John Waihee; Mayor Lorraine Inouye; at least five County
Councilmen, and all of the district's State legislators. -

---The West Hawaii Regional Plan (State of Hawaii, Nov. 1989) says the
State and County have already over-committed West Hawaii in resort and
resort-residential development. It recommends development be allowed only
in four "cluster" destinations in South Kohala and North Kona.

The resort development scenario suggested by the plan shows no resort or
resort-residential development in North Kohala. The plan further says
"Scenic heritage areas and open space are important to our quality of life
and the quality of the visitor experience. Planning for these elements, and
the extent to which they are preserved or
enhanced, will greatly influence the visual character, land use
[p]pattern, and identity of the region." Highest on its list of "important
scenic heritage resources" are the cliffs and valleys of the Kohala
Mountain and the panoramic coastal Views from the Kohala Mountain.

--- Decisions -- Action 90's (Jan. 1990) Phase II Report issued for Hawaii
County states as its first recommendation[no 's'] for development: "1. It
is STRONGLY recommended that the State and County quickly and clearly
establish areas in the County that are never to be developed." As examples
of where development should be discouraged it cites additional resort
development in North Kona and Kohala.

--- In its report to the Kohala Citizen Participation Committee the
Subcommittee on Historical Sites states "Most of the historic sites in
Kohala exist within a quarter of a mile of the ocean. Most Kohala residents
wish this land to be left open and free of development."

-- The Subcommittee on Natural Resources and Environmental Quality reported
to the Kohala Citizen Participation Committee that the residents of Kohala
want to maintain "the natural and open space character and existing view
planes" of the coastline, to retain "continuous lateral access along the
coastline" as well as traditional mauka-makai access, and to save the water
quality and marine life. They asked to prohibit development in the Special
Management Area, development meaning no rezoning towards higher use or
greater density and no subdivision of existing parcels.

--- Participants at the North Kohala Coastline Conference representing
government, community and land owners came up with a list of seven master
strategies for preserving the historic, scenic and recreational resources
of the coast. The conference, held in December 1990, was sponsored by the
Kohala Community Association and the U.H. Sea Grant Program.

--- In October, 2000, community members collected well over six hundred
signatures and submitted them as part of the community response to the
Update of the Hawaii County Comprehensive Plan, urging the preservation
and protection of the region from Kawaihae to Pololu Valley.

---In April, 2001, the State Legislature recognized once again the
importance of preserving this area by passing [S.C.R. NO. 146 S.D. 1],
urging the retention and preservation of open space and view planes,
historic sites, and traditional access along the coastline of the North
Kohala District and again called for collaboration to discourage
subdivision and building development.

--- In April , 2001, testimony from the chairperson of The State Board Of
Land and Natural Resources before the state senate committee of water,
land, energy and environment, ,recognizing the significance of S.C.R. NO.
143, S.D. 1, pledged it's support to coordinate with the County Of Hawaii
and the residents of Kohala.

We believe the general plan is the preferred process by which to set policy affecting development in North Kohala and urge the Planning Department to include in the general plan, redesignation of areas within 1500-1800 feet of the shoreline from the district border of South & North Kohala near Kawaihae to Pololu Valley & Beyond to conservation or open.

Thank you for your review and consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

Mark Grandoni
Acting President, Kako'o

cc: Harry Kim
Chris Yuen
Leningrad Elarianoff
Curtis Tyler
Dominic Yagong
James Arakaki
Bobbie Jean Leithead-Todd
Nancy Pisicchio
Julie Jacobsen
Gary Safarik
Aaron Chung

From every direction support is growing to protect the open view planes, historic sites, recreational uses and tradtional accees trails of the North Kohala Coastline.

A free and open coastline is one of the most valuable resources of the North Kohala District. Except for inaccessible wilderness cliff coasts there is no stretch of coast in the State of Hawaii with unobstructed continuous views of mountain and shoreline.

The value of the open coast is obvious while the reasons to prevent any development beyond park facilities are compelling and well known only to those who have studied and spent many years using the shoreline.

Recently, Senate Concurrent Resolution 146 passed both houses of the StateLeqislature (URGIN G THE RETENTION AND PRESERVATION OF OPEN SPACEAND VIEW PLANES, HISTORIC SITES, AND TRADITIONAL ACCESS ALONGTHE COASTLINE OF THE NORTH KOHALA DISTRICT, HAWAII).

The history and support of an open coastline and leading up to S.C.R. NO. 146 S.D. 1 are:

-- In 1988 Kohala residents collected almost 7,000 signatures on a petition calling on the State and County to stop all development until studies of the coastline can be completed. Over 50 percent of the signators are from North and South Kohala.

-- Senate Concurrent Resolution 179 passed both houses of the State Legislature in 1988 calling for govemments to work together to ensure public view and open space along the coast and to discourage development makai of Akoni Pule Highway.

-- The Hawaii State Democratic Party and the Hawaii County Democratic Party both adopted resolutions at their conventions in May 1990 calling for the State and County "to develop and implement a plan to protect the open nature of the coast, preserve its valuable historic sites and promote nonexclusive enjoyment of it by residents and visitors alike."

-- The Hawaii County Council Planning Committee passed a resolution in June 1989 calling for protection of the coastline from development and calling for a survey of the coast. The resolution was passed unanimously by five members of the Committee.

-- Interest in the preservation of the coastline has been expressed by Governor John Waihee; Mayor Lorraine lnouye; at least five County Councilmen, and all of the district's State legislators. -

---The West Hawaii Regional Plan (State of Hawaii, Nov. 1 989) says the State and County have already over-committed West Hawaii in resort and resort-residential development. It recommends development be allowed only in four "cluster" destinations in South Kohala and North Kona. The resort development scenario suggested by the plan shows no resort or resort-residential development in North Kohala. The plan further says "Scenic heritage areas and open space are important to our quality of life and the quality of the visitor experience. Planning for these elements, and the extent to which they are preserved or enhanced, will greatly influence the visual character, land use pattem, and identity of the region." Highest on its list of "important scenic heritage resources" are the cliffs and valleys of the Kohala Mountain and the panoramic coastal Views from the Kohala Mountain.

-- Decisions - Action 90's (Jan.1990) Phase II Report issued for Hawaii County states as its first recommendation[no 's'] for development: "1. It is STRONGLY recommended that the State and County quickly and clearly establish areas in the County that are never to be developed." As examples of where development should be discouraged it cites additional resort development in North Kona and Kohala.

-- In its report to the Kohala Citizen Participation Committee the Subcommittee on Historical Sites states "Most of the historic sites in Kohala exist within a quarter of a mile of the ocean. Most Kohala residents wish this land to be left open and free of development."

-- The Subcommittee on Natural Resources and Environmental Quality reported to the Kohala Citizen Participation Committee that the residents of Kohala want to maintain 'the natural and open space character and existing view planes" of the coastline, to retain "continuous lateral access along the coastline" as well as traditional mauka-makai access, and to save the water quality and marine life. They asked to prohibit development in the Special Management Area. Development meaninq no rezoning towards higher use or greater density and no subdivision of existing parcels.

-- Participants at the North Kohala Coastline Conference representing government, community and land owners came up with a list of seven master strategies for preserving the historic, scenic and recreational resources of the coast. The conference, held in December 1990, was sponsored by the Kohala Community Association and the U.H. Sea Grant Program.

-- In October, 2000, community members collected well over six hundred signatures and submitted them as part of the community response to the Update of the Hawaii County Comprehensive Plan, urging the preservation and protection of the region from Kawaihae to Pololu Valley.

---In April, 2001,the State Legislature recognized once again the importance of preserving this area by passing [S.C.R. NO.146 S.D. 1], urging the retention and preservation of open space and view planes, historic siles, and traditional access along the coastline of the North Kohala District and again called for collaboration to discourage subdivision and building development.

-- In April 2001, testimony from the chairperson of The State Board Of Land and Natural Resources before the state senate committee of water, land, energy and ervironment, recognizing the significance of S.C.R. NO.146, S.D. 1, pledged its support to coordinate with the County Of Hawaii and the residents of Kohala.

Despite all these actions, development in the area continues and the region faces increasing pressure for more subdivision and other building developments.