Ka‘ū News Briefs, Friday, Dec. 10, 2021

Ninety-eight year old Tutu Jeanette Howard, lower right, is a native speaker who lives in Punalu'u. She listens to public comments on plans for the property near her home, which include building a market, restaurant and activity center around her house. Photo by Izaskun Levy

Council Chair Maile David said she encourages  the interaction between the landowners and  community on the future of Punalu'u.

A SECOND NIGHT OF PUBLIC INTERACTION ON PUNALU'U, WITH LANDOWNER EVA LIU AND HER PLANNERS, drew new and repeat people to the discussion, following a presentation of a preliminary plan to build new condominiums, restaurants, retail, a park and other facilities. The venue for the Friday meeting was the future roastery building behind Punalu'u Bake Shop in Na`alehu. The venue for the third meeting on Saturday, Dec. 11, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., will be Pāhala Community Center.
    Hawai'i County Council Chair Maile David attended the Friday session and said she encouraged Liu to interact with the people of Kaʻū. "I told her, 'If you plan to do anything for the community, reach out to the community.'" As the council member who represents Kaʻū, David said she is in discussion with Liu on the possibility of the county purchasing the shorefront land "or portions of it" through the Public Open Space & Natural Resources Commission program that uses two percent of county property taxes to buy special places. David said that Punalu'u is already on the list for PONC properties. For the process to begin, it would need a willing seller.

     The council member also noted that the meeting was full of emotion, with many points of view, and encouraged the community to continue to give input and understand that the planning process will take 
some time.
    Several speakers blamed the sugar plantation, which built the original Punalu'u resort, which is now partially abandoned, for bulldozing old house sites and natural areas. They also said that earlier proposals to bring back the resort, like one fronted by marine conservationist Jacque Cousteau's son, did not engage with the public as much as Liu and her Black Sand Beach, LLC and said the older plan called for many 
more units of visitor accommodations and housing for the resort. Other speakers said they are worried about resort development at Punalu'u. A woman said she is confused about the plan, which calls for creating activities away from the beach in order to keep it from becoming even more crowded. She said more facilities could draw more people to Punalu'u.

Ash Kanahele said he opposes the development plan.

   Ash Kanahele, a firefighter, said he was raised on O'ahu and Kona but lives here with his family. He said the latest developers said they expect "a lot of kickback" (opposition), "but you want to do it anyway." He said the developers said they don't want to impact the land- so plan to build some accommodations on stilts - "but you are going to do it anyway." Concerning the presentation to the community, he pointed to "every other group that has done this around the state." He said, "If you want the heart of the people, you don't want it." He also cautioned, "Look what happened on the mountain," referring to Mauna Kea protests concerning the planned Thirty Meter Telescope. "We don't want to sit back and let you run through our community," said Kanahele. "I am definitely against this."
    Trini Marques, who said she worked at the old Punalu'u restaurant, recalled the community going there and said she welcomes anyone who would help clean up the abandoned place. She stated that she has always wanted to preserve the road mauka of the old restaurant site for the fishermen and encouraged the current developers to respect Hawaiian knowledge about the place. "Once you touch it, you damage it, can not take it back." She also said," We are survivors" and, "We are warriors." She said she supports Liu's efforts to engage with the community.
    Another speaker said he appreciates the simplicity and the economy of modest incomes that exists in the area. "What you are advocating is the antithesis of what makes Kaʻū Kaʻū."
    A couple of speakers referred to investing in Kaʻū lands as money laundering. One person said that all of the places around the state were paradises until "money laundering" led to buying up the properties. "Can we save one piece of the Big Island?"

Trini Marques recalled times when local people frequented and worked at the restaurant at Punalu'u. She said she welcomes anyone to come in and clean up the abandoned resort areas. Photos by Izaskun Levy