Report Title:

Honomalino Park

WHEREAS, the Senate of the 1971 State Legislature adopted Senate Resolution No. 267, "Requesting the Department of Land and Natural Resources to Authorize the Feasibility Study Relating to the Creation of a State Natural Recreational and Historic Park in the Areas of Kapua or Kauna, Honomalino, Okoe and Manuka in South Kona and Ka'u, Island of Hawaii"; and

WHEREAS, Senate Resolution No. 267 requested the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to report back to the Senate thirty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 1972; and

WHEREAS, the DLNR Division of State Parks submitted a request to the Board of Land and Natural Resources on December 10, 1971, for approval to create a Honomalino state natural recreational and historic park in this area, and the Division of State Parks cited diverse archaeological findings unearthed during a survey of the area, and stated that many other field trips and studies of the area had been made by the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Bishop Museum, Consolidated Clubs of Kona, Mayor and County Council of Hawaii, Hawaii County Planning Department, and Kona Hawaiian Civic Club; and

WHEREAS, the Division of State Parks cited its desire to create a "primitive type" park which would not require capital improvements but which would provide for controlled access to the park and for the excavation and preservation of some archaeological sites; and

WHEREAS, the area of the proposed state park is state conservation land with the exception of a portion owned by a private entity; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Land and Natural Resources, during its board meeting of December 10, 1971, voted unanimously for adoption of the concept of a primitive-type park in the general location shown on the map attached to the Division of State Parks submittal; and

WHEREAS, no further action has been taken since 1971; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-First Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2001, that DLNR (through the divisions of State Historic Preservation, Aquatic Resources, and State Parks, and the Na Ala Hele program) is requested to work with Pa'a Pono Milolii, a community grassroots organization composed of descendants and current residents of the subject area, and any other interested parties, to renew the plan to create a state park and nature reserve with minimum improvements but preserving the significant archeological sites in the area; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DLNR invite the private Trust for Public Land to investigate the possibility of obtaining a donation or purchase of either fee interest, conservation easement or similar instrument for portions of the private Kapua lands desirable for inclusion into the proposed park; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DLNR submit a report to the Senate on its progress in developing the Honomalino state park and nature reserve thirty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2002; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Senate President, Mayor of Hawaii County, the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, administrators of the State Historic Preservation Division, State Parks Division, Na Ala Hele program, and Aquatic Resources Division, Pa'a Pono Milolii, and the Trust for Public Land.