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| The condominium association will ask again for contested case approval regarding development at on the Punalu'u property owned by Black Sand Beach, LLC. Photo from Trip Advisor |
THE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION at SeaMountain at Punalu'u will go before the Windward Planning Commission this Thursday, Aug. 1 in its second attempt to be become a party in a contested case regarding the Special Management Area permit proposal for development by Black Sand Beach, LLC.
The Colony One Association of Apartment Owners contends that infrastructure at Punalu'u for fire suppression, sewage and potable water should be repaired before consideration of issuing the SMA permit. The Association states that there are long-standing promises made to the Public Utilities Commission to make repairs.
Black Sand Beach, LLC says that going forward with its project is necessary in order to fund the repairs and upgrades. Additional condos, cottages, retail entities, eateries and a wellness center are proposed. Fees from the existing 100 units of housing and condos that relay on the infrastructure could not support the repairs and upgrades for the sprawling system that was built to accommodate thousands of units on a resort property, according to the developers.
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| Black Sand Beach, LLC says it plans to keep development 1,000 feet from the shoreline to protect the natural resources at Punalu'u. Photo from project website at punaluublacksandbeach.com |
Should the Planning Commission approve the condo association contested case, a settlement conference between the parties would be held. If a settlement isn't reached, a contested case would 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 as it decides whether to approve the SMA permit.
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GRANTS TO PRESERVE SPECIAL PROPERTIES are available from the state Legacy Land Conservation Program.
On Aug 20 and 28, the Park will conduct flight operations between 6 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. for ungulate survey in the Kahuku Unit between 4,000- and 6,000-ft. elevation.
The Park announced that USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory may conduct additional flight operations over Kīlauea and Mauna Loa to assess volcanic activity and maintain instrumentation.
The announcement says, "The Park regrets any noise impact to residents and park visitors. Dates and times are subject to change based on aircraft availability and weather. Management of the park requires the use of aircraft to monitor and research volcanic activity, conduct search-and-rescue missions and law enforcement operations, support management of natural and cultural resources, and to maintain backcountry facilities."
In Kaʻū, Legacy funds and money from the county, other government agencies and private donors have purchased large swaths of Kaʻū Coast lands and some mauka lands. Trust for Public Land and Hawai'i Land Trust are two of the organizations that have been involved in helping to fund land preservation.
Lands conserved with the state Legacy Land funding in Kaʻū are: Kaunāmano in 2020, Waikapuna in 2018, Kahuku Coastal Property in 2012, Kāwā II in 2008, Kāwā I in 2007 and Kipuka Kanohia for Cave Conservancy in Ocean View in 2007.
Applications for 2025 Legacy Land funds are due Oct. 11. Grants totaling about $6.7 million are
expected to be available statewide through a competitive process that includes consultation with state agencies and legislators, investigations and recommendations from Department of Land & Natural Resources' Legacy Land Conservation Commission. Approvals are required from the Board of Land & Natural Resources and the Governor.
expected to be available statewide through a competitive process that includes consultation with state agencies and legislators, investigations and recommendations from Department of Land & Natural Resources' Legacy Land Conservation Commission. Approvals are required from the Board of Land & Natural Resources and the Governor.
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| Attributes for land to be considered for Legacy Land funding. Image from state Legacy Land Program. |
The aim of the Hawaiʻi Department of Land & Natural Resources program is "to preserve and protect land through acquisition that has natural, environmental, recreational, scenic, cultural, agricultural production, or historic value. This includes park and trail systems that provide access to such land.”
State agencies, counties and nonprofit land conservation organizations are eligible to apply.
See the Legacy Land website at https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/ecosystems/llcp/.
The Legacy Land website says that "Despite the regulation of land use and development in Hawai‘i, lands that hold important resource values are often unprotected, inaccessible, and threatened with damage and destruction. The Legacy Land Conservation Program provides grants to community organizations and government agencies that strive to purchase and protect land that shelters exceptional, unique, threatened, and endangered resources.
"The State of Hawai‘i dedicates a portion of its annual revenue from real estate conveyance taxes to the Land Conservation Fund. Each year the State Legislature provides the Legacy Land Conservation Program with some of the money held in the Fund. The Legacy Land Conservation Program distributes this money through a competitive grants process for purchasing land and conservation easements."
State agencies, counties and nonprofit land conservation organizations are eligible to apply.
See the Legacy Land website at https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/ecosystems/llcp/.
The Legacy Land website says that "Despite the regulation of land use and development in Hawai‘i, lands that hold important resource values are often unprotected, inaccessible, and threatened with damage and destruction. The Legacy Land Conservation Program provides grants to community organizations and government agencies that strive to purchase and protect land that shelters exceptional, unique, threatened, and endangered resources.
"The State of Hawai‘i dedicates a portion of its annual revenue from real estate conveyance taxes to the Land Conservation Fund. Each year the State Legislature provides the Legacy Land Conservation Program with some of the money held in the Fund. The Legacy Land Conservation Program distributes this money through a competitive grants process for purchasing land and conservation easements."
The program office can be contacted via email: legacyland@hawaii.gov, or telephone at 808-586-0921.
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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| Maunaiki in the Kaʻū Desert. NPS Photo |
INVASIVE TREE CONTROL AND MAPPING IN THE KAʻŪ DESERT between sea level and 4,000 feet will be conducted with flight operations on Aug. 7 fom 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. by Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. On Aug. 7 and 9, the Park will conduct ungulate survey in the Kahuku Unit between 4,000- and 6,000-ft. elevation and for ʻuaʻu (Hawaiian petrel) monitoring on Mauna Loa, between 4,000- and 9,000-ft. elevation.
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| Goats in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. NPS photo |
The Park announced that USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory may conduct additional flight operations over Kīlauea and Mauna Loa to assess volcanic activity and maintain instrumentation.
The announcement says, "The Park regrets any noise impact to residents and park visitors. Dates and times are subject to change based on aircraft availability and weather. Management of the park requires the use of aircraft to monitor and research volcanic activity, conduct search-and-rescue missions and law enforcement operations, support management of natural and cultural resources, and to maintain backcountry facilities."
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.
HAWAI'I IS TENTH WORST STATE FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, according to a WalletHub study released Tuesday. It came in the bottom five for resources and economic support of early childhood education. WalletHub reports that Arkansas is the state with the best early education system, and one contributing factor is that parents do not have co-payment fees for child care. Arkansas spends over $13,000 per child enrolled in preschool each year and requires schools to be audited to make sure that they properly meet regulations. In addition, Arkansas has the fourth-highest share of
three-year-olds enrolled in pre-K, pre-K special education or Head Start programs." See full report and rankings of all the states at
https://wallethub.com/edu/states-with-the-best-and-worst-early-education-systems/62668.
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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| The Reunion features the screening of a PBS film Ka'u Sugar, A Town Remembers on the history of the sugar plantation and the closing of the mill in 1996. It will also feature a film on history of the local coffee industry.
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