A MEETING ON THE FUTURE OF PUNALU'U was held in Nāʻālehu Wednesday evening. A second will be held in Nāʻālehu on Friday and a third in Pahala on Saturday. A team from Black Sand Beach, LLC and its principal Eva Liu, presented the big picture of tentative plans for the 320 acres below Highway 11,
saying that they are all open for suggestions from the community.
Project Manager and architect Norman Quon and planning consultant Daryn Arai said the plan is to keep the lands in their existing zoning which means conservation along the coast and commercial, resort, and residential multifamily inland. Nine holes of the 18-holf golf course would turn into an active and passive park area.
A public meeting on the future of Punalu'u, held Wednesday evening in a building being constructed for a coffee roastry in Nāʻālehu. Photo by Julia Neal |
Above Tutu's House could be a Punalu'u Park with horse paddocks, walkways, bike runs, and open space. There could be a children's playground, day care center, cultural games, bike paths, and a rope challenge course. "A wonderful resource in an abandoned golf course," was the way Quon described it, suggesting that some treehouses be added. "A mini- zip line to create a little action," was also imagined, along with kite flying, miniature golf and electric bikes.
The park, with its "great view of Makanau," was described as a way to draw people away from the already crowded beach, while creating jobs and a place for local people and visitors. "Visitors and residents can use a large component of Punalu'u for economic and recreational opportunities."
The team said many people have called for rebuilding the old Punalu'u restaurant next to the pond on the Black Sand Beach but the county, state and federal regulatory environment would require a lot of effort. The restaurant would have to be at 17 feet in elevation, by raising it 12 feet. An art center dedicated to Herb Kane could be near the old restaurant area. The remains of the old restaurant could be repurposed. A lu'au grounds could be possible. See more on the plans including ideas for the old golf course clubhouse area, the tennis center a set of new condominiums, cabins, camping spots, wellness center and more in tomorrow's Kaʻū News Briefs. Also read community comments from the meeting and a talk from the owner, Eva Liu and opinions about the proposal in the context of the Kaʻū Community Development Plan,
Holly Shikada will be the next Hawai'i Attorney General, with Senate Confirmation |
Shikada has worked for 30 years at the state Department of the Attorney General, with18 years as supervising deputy attorney general for the Education Division. She led a unit that focused on ensuring compliance with the class-action Felix Consent Degreee. She served in the Family Law Division.
The governor said, “Holly’s experience and expertise allow her to step into this important role without missing a beat, whether it’s representing the state in court cases, leading investigations, providing advice on legal matters, or carrying out other functions as the state’s chief legal and law enforcement officer.”
Shikada earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from University of Hawaii and her law degree from William S. Richardson School of Law at U.H.
HAWAIIAN HOMES COMMISSION, the nine-person executive board that governs the Department of Hawaiian Homes Lands, has approved and announced its 2022 meeting calendar. A statement from the commission says,
"The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands carries out Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole's vision of rehabilitating native Hawaiians by returning them to the land. Established by U.S. Congress in 1921, with the passage of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, the Hawaiian homesteading program run by DHHL includes management of over 200,000 acres of land statewide with the specific purpose of developing and delivering homesteading.
The meetings will be held around the state in compliance with Act 220 and comply with any existing COVID-19 guidelines at the time of the meeting. A livestream broadcast of HHC meetings is viewable via the DHHL. See the website, dhhl.hawaii.gov/live. Past meetings are also accessible through archived links at the bottom of the same page.
Passed by the 2021 legislature and signed into law by Governor David Ige on July 6, 2021, Act 220 provides state agencies the flexibility to utilize interactive conference technology for the public to view meetings online as well as provide remote oral testimony so board members and other participants can hear the testimony whether through the internet, a telephone, or other means.
"While the Commission looks forward to getting back out to neighbor islands to meet with beneficiaries in person, having the flexibility to add this level of technology is a real service to our community," said HHC Chairman William J. Ailā, Jr. "Beneficiaries can see our meeting live online or watch them at their
convenience and should they need to testify, they can do so conveniently from their phone or computer."
HHC Meetings are generally held on the third Monday and Tuesday of each month, except for January and February when the meetings are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday due to a Monday holiday.
They begin at 9:30 a.m.:
Jan. 18 (Tue) - HHC Meeting, Kapolei – (No Community Meeting); Jan. 19 (Wed) - HHC
Meeting, Kapolei.
Feb. 22 (Tue) - HHC Meeting, Kapolei, Community Meeting - Kapolei; Feb. 23 (Wed) - HHC Meeting, Kapolei, Oʻahu
March 21 - HHC Meeting, Community Meeting – Waimānalo; March 22 - HHC Meeting, Kapolei, Oʻahu
April 18- HHC Meeting, Community Meeting – Molokaʻi; April 19 - HHC Meeting, Lanikeha, Molokaʻi
May 16 - HHC Meeting, Community Meeting –Kailua-Kona; May 17- HHC Meeting, Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi
June 20 - HHC Meeting, Kapolei – (No Community Meeting); June 21 - HHC Meeting, Kapolei, Oʻahu;
July 18 - HHC Meeting, Community Meeting – PapakōleaJuly 19 - HHC Meeting, Kapolei, Hawaiʻi
Aug. 15 - HHC Meeting, Community Meeting – Kauaʻi; Aug. 16 - HHC Meeting, Līhue, Kauaʻi
Sept. 19 - HHC Meeting, Community Meeting – West Maui; Sept. 20 - HHC Meeting, Lahaina, Maui
Oct. 17 - HHC Meeting, Community Meeting – Hilo; Oct. 18 - HHC Meeting, Hilo, Hawaiʻi
Nov. 21 - HHC Meeting, Central/Upcountry; Nov. 22 - HHC Meeting, Wailuku, Maui.
Dec. 19 - HHC Meeting, Community Meeting – Nānākuli/Waiʻanae; Dec, 20, 2022 - HHC Meeting, Kapolei, Oʻahu
HHC meeting agenda, packets with submittal information, and other relevant HHC meeting information can be found on the DHHL website, dhhl.hawaii.gov/hhc
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