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| This illustration is posted on Pualu'u Village facebook along with Eva Liu's response to a political cartoon, showing a construction crane holding up a turtle on Black Sand Beach. |
EVA LIU, PRINCIPAL OF BLACK SAND BEACH, LLC, responded to a political cartoon published in May in Hawai‘i Tribune
Herald. It showed a construction crane with her company's name on it holding up a turtle on Black Sand Beach.
She
wrote: “Responsible journalism is a phrase
that most of us want to believe in. Unfortunately, Gary Hoff's cartoon last Sunday
was both irresponsible and beneath the
quality of journalism at the Hawai‘i Tribune Herald. The cartoon was blatantly
wrong and quite simply unfair. The Trib
needs to do better.
“Our partners at Black Sand Beach,
LLC are committed to community, culture and conservation. We are committed
to do what’s pono. Punalu‘u Village was
originally developed by C. Brewer in the
1970’s, and the entire complex is zoned
around a resort concept. That said, we
are not building a resort. We are focused
on creating a community centered around
health and wellness that will serve residents and visitors
alike.
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| Punalu'u Black Sand Beach photo from Punalu'u Village facebook. |
“We spent the last three years listening to the community and downsized the
project from the previous owners’ plan
of building 2,900 units to a much smaller
concept of 225 units located about ¼ mile
from the shoreline. We’ve already spent
over a million dollars to upgrade the area’s infrastructure including the water and
wastewater systems that serves the existing
condominiums, golf estates and the public
beach park facilities.
“We recognize that some in the community don’t want anything to happen in
Punalu‘u Village. Leave it as it is. We don’t
think that it’s pono. Past decades of neglect
and 'leaving things as is' have proven
otherwise.
“We’re trying to do the right thing.
“We’ve committed to move all commercial activities off the shoreline, protect Native Hawaiian gathering and fishing rights, restore Kawaihuokauila Pond,
work to limit or eliminate tour buses at the
beach, establish a Shoreline Conservation
Management Area, and to create a community-led and community-driven foundation
to manage an steward the conservation
area and wahi pana (sacred sites). “Unfortunately, Hoff’s cartoon contributes to the spread of misinformation by
inaccurately suggesting that we’re displacing the honu and harming the environment
when in fact, we’re actively
protecting the honu.”
After the May public
hearing on the Punalu‘u
project, Black Sand Beach,
LLC posted on its facebook
page Punalu‘u Community:
“After a day of testimony,
we have entered into a contested case process. We will
continue working closely
with the community to address concerns and ensure a
sustainable, respectful development process. Mahalo
to all!”
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. Support this news service with advertising at kaunews.com. 7,500 copies in the mail and on stands.
THE PUNALU'U CONTESTED CASE, regarding a Special Management Area Permit proposal for Black Sand Beach, LLC’s proposed development. is set for July. The parties, Black Sand Beach, LLC, County of Hawai‘i, and the intervenors, the Center for Biological Diversity and a community group, ‘Iewe Hanau o Ka ‘Āina, have agreed to a mediator for the settlement conference. County rules require this mandatory 
settlement conference between the parties before any contested case can proceed. The conference could be short or take some time.
If a settlement between the parties on the Punalu‘u issue can’t be reached during the conference in July, then a contested case will go forth. Should the contested case proceed, it could be a lengthy process. A hearings officer who operates as a judge, must be chosen, briefing deadlines set, and the quasi-judicial trial held. At the end, the hearings officer makes a final determination, which will be sent to the Windward Planning Commission, which can choose whether to accept the recommendation. Windward Planning Commission would also have for its consideration, the two days of testimony and written comments from the public.
If a settlement between the parties on the Punalu‘u issue can’t be reached during the conference in July, then a contested case will go forth. Should the contested case proceed, it could be a lengthy process. A hearings officer who operates as a judge, must be chosen, briefing deadlines set, and the quasi-judicial trial held. At the end, the hearings officer makes a final determination, which will be sent to the Windward Planning Commission, which can choose whether to accept the recommendation. Windward Planning Commission would also have for its consideration, the two days of testimony and written comments from the public.
The Windward Planning Commission voted to accept the Contested Case interventions at the
May 6 public hearing.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. Support this news service with advertising at kaunews.com. 7,500 copies in the mail and on stands.
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| Malama Kai Foundation's Reef Talk on Friday, May 30 will be live streamed on YouTube channel@malamakai. This is a free event, but donations are always welcome. Contact Kater Hiney, Malama Kai Foundation, Reef Talks Coordinator, for more information at kateralisha@gmail.com, |
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