Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 35, Number 10, 1 ʻOkakopa 2018 — Kūkaniloko working group presents draft master plan [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Kūkaniloko working group presents draft master plan

By Jonathan Ching The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is nearing the conclusion of a comprehensive eom-munity-based planning process for its property surrounding the Kūkaniloko birthing stones, the birthplace for many ali'i. On Thursday Sept. 6, overwhelming support of OHA's Draft Master Plan eame forth in community testimony, and OHA's Board of Trustees responded by approving and supporting the draft plan for OHA's lands in

Wahiawā. The plan was developed over the past few years with input from thought leaders from around the pae 'āina, community and stakeholder engagement, and was deeply informed by a 10-member community-based working group formulated to help provide valuable input and contribute their expertise to the planning process.

The draft master plan sets the long-range direction that OHA shall pursue to steward OHA's 511-acre property in Wahiawā, whieh surrounds but does not include the Kūkaniloko Birthing Stones. The plan will enable OHA to identify potential strategic and programmatic partnerships to align resources, intentions, and collective impact strategies to implement the plan over time.

The Draft Master Plan provides: 1. An understanding people and plaee: a. Significant information relative to the historic and contemporary use(s) and significance of the property; 2. An understanding of how

what OHA does there ean be meaningful to the plaee and our beneficiaries and community members on O'ahu and across the pae 'āina; a. Recommendations of aligned and appropriate programmatic uses to implement on the property considering its significance/ sacred nature and the needs of our people/community; 3. An understanding of what is needed to support the people, plaee and programmatic recommendations described above; a. Listing of infrastructural improvements and management actions that would support

the proper stewardship of the property and the implementation of the programmatic elements referenced above. OHA will be working on the next steps of the planning process, keep your eyes peeled for updates on these next steps in future issues of Ka Wai Ola. ■

OHA staff, consultants and Kūkaniloko Working Group members mel on o monthly basis over 1 8 months to incorporate community feedback inlo a draft master plan for stewarding 0HA's 51 1 -acre property surrounding the Kūkaniloko Birthing Stones. ■ Photo: Nelson Gospor