PUBLIC MEETINGS IN KAʻŪ FOR THE NEW PUNALU'U DEVELOPMENT PLAN are not scheduled before the upcoming public hearing before the Windward Planning Commission takes place on Thursday, March 7. Representatives of Black Sand Beach, LLC said they have been hosting meetings with small groups of people from the community and noted that numerous public meeting were held through the years of the development of the plan.
The public hearing concerning the request from Black Sand Beach, LLC for an SMA permit to start development begins at 9 a.m. at County Council Chambers in Hilo. The hearing is to take public input on wheter the permit should be given to allow development within the Special Management Area, which is dedicated to protect resources along the shoreline and on land next to the ocean. All of the land below Highway 11 in the planning area for the project is within the SMA.
The proposal includes commercial activity mauka of the old Punalu'u Black Sand Beach pond, some 225 residential and short stay units up higher on the property, a wellness center with water features in the old tennis court area, rebuilding the old Aspen Center with accommodations around it, rebuilding the golf clubhouse and repairing the golf course. Accommodations would be set back from the shore.
Conservation land totaling 147 acres along the coast would go into some managed preservation entity, with no plans to make an oceanfront golf green and fairway which are allowed in conservation zoned land and were included in plans by earlier developer proposals.
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| Ka'imi Kaupiko with the Miloli'i Opihi team in 2022 Photo by Yolanda Kuahuia |
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| Sophomore Caleb Crook pitches and Ian Beck catches for the first Trojan JV baseball team in many years. Photo by Elizabeth Crook |
Manager and Head Coach Josh Crook praised the JV program, which combined players from Kaʻū High School and Kanu o ka ʻĀina Charter School: "Having a JV team after many years of not having one is a necessary step in building a baseball program here in our community." Trojans drew a team of just 12 players. He said it was a "Small but good group of young men. They were respectful and a pleasure to coach." The JV team was able to secure just four games and practiced every day for January.
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| Sophomore Riley Koch after his hit. Photo by Elizabeth Crook |
Third game was on the road against Waiakea High School. Trojans suffered another loss, "but again it was not wasted. Skills were increasing. There were things we could have done better and some major disappointments but on the positive side they corrected some things they struggled with in the past games."
Fourth game was at home against Hawai'i Preparatory Academy. "After a four-day rest, our pitchers were ready, and the team showed up to win. Sophomore Caleb Crook of Kanu o ka ʻĀina pitched five and a third innings and Sophomore Riley Koch of the Trojans closed the game despite having to fight through an ankle injury. Defensively, Freshman Ian Beck of Ka'u High School caught an exceptional game. The Coach said, "Ian has got the right personality for a catcher, he's pretty tough and fearless."
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| Freshman Eli Crook after his hit. Photo by Elizabeth Crook |
The Head Coach said that the coaching staff "would love to see more community involvement at our home games and support baseball and softball here. Thanks to all who encouraged and helped to make this possible."
Trojans Varsity Baseball season will start with two home games. First game is on Saturday, Feb 24 at 1 p.m. against HPA. Second game is on Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 3 p.m. against Waiakea High School.
Varsity Schedule:
Feb. 24 @ Kaʻū High School 1p.m.
Feb. 28 @ Kaʻū High School 3p.m.
March. 2 @ Keaau High School 3p.m.
March 9 @ Kaʻū High School 3p.m.
March 26 @ King Kamehameha p.m.
April 3 @Kealakehe High School 1p.m.
April 10 @ Kaʻū High School 1p.m.
April 13 @ Kaʻū High School 3p.m.
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