Kaʻū News Briefs July 11, 2024

TESTIMONY WILL BE SENT REGARDING PUNALU'U DEVELOPMENT to the Windward Planning Commission, according to the vote taken at the Kaʻū Community Development Plan Action Committee on Thursday. The group voted to write a cover letter asking the Planning Commission to consider whether the proposed Special Management Permit proposed by Black Sand Beach, LLC aligns with policies of the Kaʻū Community Development Plan. Attached to the letter would be testimony from the public and an analysis of the SMA permit proposal by planner Ron Whitmore, who worked for the County to develop the Kaʻū CDP.

A poster from 2015, the County inviting public involvement in creating  the  Kaʻū Community Development Plan, which is now a reference for  policies concerning such developments as the Black Sand Beach, LLC proposal at Punalu'u.

    Action Committee member Leinaala Enos recommended that the Action Committee send the testimony. She said it is the role of the Committee to study the Kaʻū CDP and to help guide compliance. She noted the many years of work by the Kaʻū Community Development Plan Committee and the County of Hawai'i spent to craft the Kaʻū CDP with extensive community involvement and also the abundance of testimony given at recent public hearings and Action Committee meetings, most of it in opposition to the Punalu'u development.
    Elsa Dedman, who is a plaintiff in a contested case opposing the resort, pointed to the Center for Biological Diversity and Hawaiians who have lived at Punalu'u and whose ancestors lived there who are also plaintiffs. They call for the Planning Commission to require an Environmental Impact Statement and a new shoreline setback study before considering the SMA approval. The last shoreline study at Puonalu'u was over 40 years ago.
    Former County Council member Guy Enriques referred to the Kaʻū Community Development Plan and said it is "black and white" that the proposed development is not in line with the policies of the Kaʻū CDP.
    Action Committee member Babette Morrow noted that construction of affordable housing is not in the developer's proposal but is one of the policies recommended when considering development proposals. She noted that she and Action Committee Chair Jason Masters have been studying the CDP policies and also the analysis of planner Whitmore.