NORTH KOHALA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN ADVISORY GROUP
DATE: Tuesday, March 4th, 2025, 4:30 pm
PLACE: Kohala Judiciary Building (near the Police Station)
AGENDA
CALL TO ORDER – Please put all cell phones on silent mode.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
PUBLIC COMMENTs ON AGENDA ITEMS: Members of the public are welcome and ARE invited to speak to any items on the agenda. Public comments and input are welcome at designated periods at the beginning and end of each meeting. People may, however, speak during AG discussions, if the situation warrants. Please raise a hand to be recognized. Comments should be limited to three (3) minutes in length per agenda item, subject to the discretion of the chair. Recommendations for agenda additions for the next meeting should be made during the input session at the meeting end.
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING.
AG Letter sent in support of SB522.
SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
Affordable Housing
Project Updates – The NK-CDP encourages protecting ag. land while promoting dense housing near town centers. Here are updates on some of the projects that have the potential to meet those goals:
The Kohala Community Land Trust (KCLT) – had a successful and informative first Annual Membership Meeting on January 28, 2025, and now has over 125 active members. In-kind donations to the land trust non-profit can provide tax breaks to donors. More information can be found at www.kohalacommunitylandtrust.org. The trust has been added to a bill introduced by the State House of Representatives that would help with financing to buy properties. Our Group can support this and other initiatives with data collection and reporting.
HICDC – Phase III of Hawi Self-Help still needs zoning changes at the state level as it is larger than 15 acres.
Hawi Nani – Continues to seek mayoral approval for 40 water meters. Their application as a 201(H) project allows for infrastructural exemptions on the county level. This project still requires a State Land Use classification change, as well as county rezoning (County Code Chapter 25), then subdivision approval (County Code Chapter 23), and there will be the opportunity for public input at each step.
Our Vacant Home Inventory lists homes that are vacant and/or in need of repair. Our Group can advise homeowners at risk of losing their residences, and we intend to help put more rental housing on the market. Please contact us if you would like to add a home to the list.
Agricultural Lots and Housing – Two bills could provide funds to the state’s Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC) to purchase agricultural parcels to grow food in North Kohala. Bill SB522 relates to the Halaula Agricultural Parcel and Senate Bill 761 concerns a parcel next to Kynnersley. Farmer business plans will be necessary for leasing ag. lots and we can help with resources for that including GoFarm, The Kohala Center, and Hawai’i Farm Credit.
New Items –
Bills in the state legislature can be monitored and you can subscribe to your committees of interest at capitol.hawaii.gov.
The County of Hawaiʻi Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD) is seeking community input on Hawaiʻi Island’s housing needs for the Affordable Housing Production Program. To reach as many residents as possible, OHCD has created an online survey that can be accessed at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SNWW5MM. All survey responses are anonymous. Also, two public meetings will be held in March: Public Meeting # 1 (Virtual Only) on Wednesday, March 12 at 10 a.m. and Public Meeting #2 (In person: 1990 Kinoʻole St., Suite 104, Hilo.) on Thursday, March 13 at 5 p.m.
Next meeting March 12th, 9 am at Pomaika’i Cafe.
Agriculture
SB522. 3 different senate bills were submitted this session for ADC to purchase parcels of land in Kohala. Only SB522 received a fist hearing, it was unanimously approved but has not received a hearing in the second committee (Ways And Means). Unlikely SB522 will be heard by WAM before the bill crossover date, however it may resurface in conference committee.
Interest in educating the community more on the how the legislature and testimony works
Federal cuts have been impacting the state and lawmakers decision making on the budget.
Nathan Trump was confirmed to the Board of the Agribusiness Development Corporation.
2025 Kohala Reunion Kohala ‘Aina Momona. July 4th-6th. Wanting displays to emphasize farmers and farming, with the past, present, and future theme. Deadline for booth/ display registration is on April 11th, contact Boyd Bond if interested.
Planting Contest. Pick up seeds (eggplant, onion) on March 8th at 10am at Kamehameha Park Ohana Day. Rules will be given at pick-up. Also Lei making contest.
Report back and close out from 2023 & 2024 processes. Team is preparing a close-out document that synthesizes the data from the 2023 Kohala Ag Visioning Event and 2024 Ag Working Groups. Will share this information when it is ready.
Capacity of the Team to organize, facilitate, notetake, and manage communications for the Agriculture working group is shifting. No longer participating in the VISTA program, due to uncertainties in federal funding.
COH Food Systems team is embarking on a 5-year Agriculture and Food Systems Plan and a County Food Security plan. This will involve meetings around the island in each district, such as food access focus groups, and regional Food Summits. Funds/Resources will be available for regional food summits, including one in Kohala. Kohala’s work in planning will feed into the County Plan and is a head-start in terms of identifying regional priorities. Need more community leadership to step up. Could the community rotate leadership each meeting like some other groups do?
Next meeting, March 27th, 5-6:30 pm, Kohala Resilience Hub Barn.
Community Access (see maps on last page for locations)
Pololu Lookout. See Growth Management.
Upolu Airport East. Councilman Hustice will introduce a resolution for the County to go into negotiations with the landowner for a PONC purchase. This group should testify when it goes to County Coucnil.
Honoipu (Coast Guard road). Mayor Almeda enthusiastic. Council member Hustace has prodded him regarding action. Possible glitch in that Fed deadline for County response was Jan 31 but that was during a storm and emergency. High-speed internet cable is coming in here. It will go through DHHL up to the road and could tie into this project.
Kukuipahu. Clarence Perez would like to work on this section of trail. Toni gave him contact info for Kat Luga at Parker Ranch. Toniʻs son has drone footage of coastline in this area.
Mahukona. Hired Kaʻāina Ishimine as second steward, more capacity for education programs. The second community planning meeting for the County Park was held Jan 18th with about 35 people, including speakers and chief planner for County Parks and Rec. Third meeting will be early March. Report is expected in April
Kohala Coastal Trails Connectivity Group. RTCA has prepared a map of how it would possibly go through all the way to Kawaihae. Three potential lookouts identified: Lapakahi, Kaiholena, Kohala Ranch. DOT is in the planning process for Kawaihae harbor, good timing to have trail planning included. Next meeting Monday February 24 by Zoom.
Kohala Shoreline. Greg Mooers is retired but is helping review the public access plan. He reached out with this group’s three questions:
Is the proposed trail encroaching on the protected areas of cultural & burial sites?
Answer: SHPD approved encroachment of trail easement through preservation easement areas
Is one of the sites impacted by the trail mislabeled? Is it an agricultural terrace or a burial?
Answer: Toni was correct, and they will fix this and double check others for final plan
Our group had requested a site visit. TBD
Kohala Kai. Attorneys for NPS and the landowner are still in negotiations for the conservation easement. If successful, it could be a model for others. Depending on whether they can resolve issues, the Kohala Shoreline model of a preservation easement might be a preferred outcome. Note that this conservation easement is a good-faith effort based on an oral promise to the County, not a written requirement. But protracted negotiations have negatively affected owner’s ability to sell over a 12-year period.
Rails to Trails. The latest draft hard copies will be available in February.
New Items/Announcements
PONC District 9 seat is vacant. There are four vacancies, making difficult to have quorum for upcoming decision meetings. Would be great if we could find a North Kohala person, but the District does include Waimea and Waikoloa.
Several bills are before the state legislature that would restore full funding for the Legacy Land Conservation Program. Testimony in support should be submitted as these are matching funds for many of our preservation projects.
Next meeting, March 5th, 4:30pm Senior Center.
Kohala Culture & History Advisory Group (KCHAG)
Vicar Jennifer Masada joined us for a discussion around burial sites on the St. Augustine’s church property. Records at the church had gone missing, and our members were able to clarify what questions they had. Vicar Jennifer promised to pursue all available resources through parishioners and diocese records on Ōʻahu to find answers and get back to us.
Susie Davis did a short presentation highlighting her online research into post-contact cemeteries and individual burial sites in Kohala, which currently number 36. Research continues and input is welcome!
The old pavilion at Mahukona has been torn down and monies requested to begin planning what comes next. Jeff Coakley dropped off a map with a vision of an improved park. KCHAG supports the efforts of Malama Mahukona and their next meeting will be March 10th at the Judiciary Building, from 5:00 – 7:00 PM.
Lapakahi State Park has some issues with a portion of the park to their south that involves lineal descendants of families in that area, and also students of the traditional healer Papa ʻAwai who had been active at the site until his recent passing. Principals were identified as a necessary starting point for any meaningful future discussions.
2025 Kohala Reunion. KCHAG will have a display at the gym, parts of which will be live and interactive, and some of which will overlap with the Kohala Oral History Project.
Site visit next week with representatives of the proposed Kohala Shoreline, LLC set up by Toni Withington. Several KCHAG members are attending in part to represent lineal descendants who are not able to attend. Toni sent ARCH survey of sites beforehand so we can be prepared. We discussed how to best approach situations like these as they arise.
Next meeting April 7th 10am Walker Hall.
Growth Management
General Plan review on the 21st and then 24th if more time needed. Kinuko reported that there are “few who support it.” 90% of folks who testify want to “throw it out” for multiple reasons.
Hawinani subdivision: Application was withdrawn from the Planning Board agenda in late Fall. They still have not applied to OHCD, issues with water remain.
Recently cleared lot in Hawi. Joan Channon asked Toni about what is happening on the cleared lot of Sunny’s Place. Toni to look up the TMK to see if there are any plans submitted and report back next month. Concern was express about the driveway location to the parking because of congestion on Hawi Road.
Kohala Shoreline: Tentative approval for six lots with 16 conditions including a public access plan. SHPD gave approval before archeological boundaries were determined which bought some time due to a need for review. Water source is Kohala Ranch.
Pololu Rim subdivision and Mule Station. Subdivision has not moved forward. Re: Lookout: two issues: congestion at mule station and DLNR to put porta-potties there. Group is still working with the owner and no EA can be done until agreement is reached. Pololu overlook is experiencing an average of 500+ visitors daily.
Old Coast Guard Road. See Community Access. The end of road and the parking lot, which are part of a private 17-acre parcel, will be donated if COH takes on the road. This parcel remains on the market.
Next meeting is March 12th, 5pm, Senior Center.
Health and Wellness/WRK
Guest speaker was Stephen Hoffman, a certified Rolfing practitioner who requested suggestions from the group on strategies for informing the community about his services and the benefits of Rolfing.
Nic Los Banos, Ed.D of the Hawaii island Alzheimer’s Association will be discussing Alzheimer’s and Dementia on Tuesday, March 25th from 4.30 to 5.30pm at the Kohala Intergenerational center in Kamehameha park.
Ohana fun day is scheduled for March 8th in Kamehameha park. There will be more than 30 vendors with information on health and wellness, food sustainability and emergency preparedness.
Uttara Neli Lozej, Fountain of Life Fitness corrective exercise specialist, will be presenting at the March 21st 4pm Health and Wellness subcommittee meeting. She is providing free classes in Hawi twice weekly Feb 5th to March 27th for preventing bone loss & pain reduction.
Next Meeting March 26th, 4:00pm at Kohala Resource Center.
Parks, Roads, Erosion Control and View-planes (PREV)
No meeting in February
Next meeting is March 19th, 5 pm. Senior Center and will concentrate on high school traffic. People interested in high school or elementary school drop-off or pick-up congestion are welcome to this meeting.
Utilities
MicroGrid Update. Jennifer Zelko-Shleuter from HECO reported that the Hawaii State Energy Office is the principal applicant on a grant for a microgrid with battery back-up meant to fund the microgrid RFP. This grant application is intended to cost-share with a bid-winning contractor and reduce the impact of the project on ratepayers. The grant application is due February 28. The grant will pay for 80% of the project with HECO contributing 10% to the cost and Hawaii State contributing 10%.
This grant still has the battery back-up located at the Hawi substation. It is a 5-megawatt battery that will provide 30 megawatt hours of power, or about 6 hours of overnight usage by the community. Discussion centered on the possibility of charging the battery from the windfarm during an extended outage? There already exists a line from the windfarm to the substation that feeds electricity into the grid from the windfarm. This line could be utilized to keep the battery charged. Keeping the battery at the wind farm is an alternative.
Beers Road Water Line Replacement – Toni Withington reported that a consultant will be hired to scope out the replacement line. The consultant will separate this line from other projects involved in the Environmental Assessment. We may have a further update in March.
Cesspool Conversion Master Plan Update. Barbara reported that the County’s Wastewater Division of the Department of Environmental Management Integrated Waste Management Plan has two main components – the Cesspool Conversion Plan and the Facilities Plan (sewer systems). The Cesspool Conversion Plan should be released by June 2025 and the Facilities component by September 2025 and the completed IWMP by the end of 2025. Any plan involving sewer systems promises to be very expensive.
Waste Management – Sustainable Kohala and a representative of the County’s Division of Solid Waste will attend the March meeting to discuss recycling and other waste issues.
Next meeting is March 19th, 3:30 pm. Senior Center.
NEW BUSINESS:
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
PUBLIC INPUT AND AGENDA SUGGESTIONS FOR THE NEXT MEETING
The Next Advisory Group Meeting will be Held on Tuesday April 1st, 4:30pm, Judiciary Building.
Adjournment
NOTICE: The purpose of the public hearings is to afford all interested persons a reasonable opportunity to be heard on the above items. They may also bring up another item for consideration by the AG. A person wishing to submit written testimony may email winterj@whitman.edu.
John Winter, Chair NORTH KOHALA CDP ADVISORY GROUP
