Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 1, 1 January 1988 — Take Care of the Aina [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Take Care of the Aina

By Moanikeala Akaka Trustee, Hawai'i

It is appallingly irresponsible and undemocratic how the Hawaii County Planning Commission turned deaf ears to the concerns of the many who testified for hours on end at three hearings held in Kona and Hilo relating to preserving and keeping Makalawena, near Kona, in its present conservation

zoning. While the Commission rubber stamps the proposed developers, the question remains — who on the loeal level is to protect the public's interest and eoneem about that aina? The answer, as shown at the Commission hearing, is no one. There is already too mueh development — 14,000 resort hotel and condo units approved in that area. Some had had approval since the 60's. This, too, is a mistake, as good planning should reevaluate zoning every five years or so for appropriateness, making sure to keep in halanee the "carrying capacity", archaeological-environmental-population factors, and infrastructure of the area.

We, the people of Hawaii Island, have most probably already lost Hapuna Beach to another impending hotel and resort development. Hapuna, as all should know, is our only open white sand beach on this entire island. Thus far, county officials and their appointees don't seem to care about those who have voted for them; there is this attitude of "the people be damned". Yet, it is the people (taxpayers) who will be payingfor the millions and mil!ions of dollars in infrastructure that go along with these developments, while we living here lose more of our precious aina and irreplacable natural treasury.

Kemember when Knnee Khulip was here last summer and warned us about protecting what is fragile and unique about these islands? Makalawena is such a treasure. It is a natural wilderness area with its rare anehalline ponds, endangered birds, opae ula, and most rare white sandy beaches. Though developer Bishop Estate staff say the pond "will be preserved as biological resources", the onslaught of 1,200 hotel rooms and almost 14,000 residential units will of course affect these areas negatively.

The old carrot stick of jobs for people of Hawaii Island is revealed as a sham, for developers now speak of importing workers. Bishop Estate now has two hotel-zoned parcels in Keauhou. Why disturb pristine Makalawena? The Hawaii Tribune — Herald of November 20 points out ". . ,the State's dissatisfaction with work that the county has done to date. It also reflects a laek of confidence in the future work of county planners and business leaders." How true! The proposed development at Makalawena — Awake'e is a prime example.

Harold Matsumoto, acting director of State Planning, has every right to be concerned about the proposed "urban sprawl" that Lono Lyman, county planner, and the Mayor's Planning Department and certain eouneil members are obviously encouraging. Matsumoto and his staff are to be congratulated for being open to the environmentalists and the democratic process. Aloha 'aina should be the guiding philosophy for land use, not only in West Hawaii, but throughout these islands as wave after wave of Japanese and other investors are encouraged to engulf our shores. As Matsumoto states, "We must diversify."

We should be encouraging farmers. Fertile Kohala could be the breadbasket of this State, yet because of poor planning, speculation and greed, prime agricultural land is being turned into rich gentleman farmer estates, while second generation farmers cannot afford the 'aina from whieh they would feed us. We are blessed with fertile islands. It is suicide that 80 to 90 percent of our food is brought in from elsewhere. We need public officials with a vision to first take care of those living here.

The Hawaii Tribune-Herald headlines of Thursday, December 3, state: "Council Questions State Meddling." Council member Schutte is highlighted saying, "what the State is doing. . .makes the planning process within this county a total farce." That is the point, Mr. Schutte. Tht planning process within this county thus far has been a total farce and there is cause for Matsumoto as well as ourselves to be concerned. As he states in the Hawaii Tribune — Herald, November 20, "no one (inthe county) has expressed a philosophical base for planning of rapidly developing West Hawaii."