RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, the recreation residence tracts within the Koke`e and Waimea Canyon State Parks are an important example of historic vernacular architecture; and

WHEREAS, the natural beauty and resources of the Waimea Canyon and Koke`e State Parks, portions of the Puu Ka Pele and NaPali-Kona Forests Reserves, Alakai Wilderness, and the Kuia Natural Area Reserve feature outstanding geological, biological, cultural, scenic, and recreational value; and

WHEREAS, the citizens of the island of Kauai were instrumental in the creation of these parks more than eighty years ago; and

WHEREAS, in subsequent years, a wide cross section of Kauai's citizens established a community consisting of more than one hundred lease holders within the Waimea Canyon and Koke`e State Parks, including several churches and other eleemosynary institutions; and

WHEREAS, the Koke`e community serves as a model of responsible stewardship for all of Hawaii, due to its many volunteer public service projects, including the renovation of major public facilities within the parks; and

WHEREAS, the Koke`e area includes more than one hundred examples of vernacular residential architecture, many of which date from the 1920s and 1930s and contribute to the architectural and historic integrity of the community; and

WHEREAS, an auction in 1986 resulted in the permanent loss of more than ten percent of the inventory of these historic structures, including the most historic home in the entire area, dating from the 1870's; and

WHEREAS, the Constitution of the State of Hawaii recognizes the value of conserving and developing the historic property within the State for the public good; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature has declared that the historic and cultural heritage of the State is among the State's most important assets and that it is the public policy of this State to provide leadership in preserving, restoring, and maintaining historic and cultural property, to ensure the administration of such historic and cultural property in a spirit of stewardship and trusteeship for future generations; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) administers the State Historic Preservation program; and

WHEREAS, section 171-36.2, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), authorizes DLNR to lease public lands in the State for use in historic preservation and restoration projects; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2003, the Senate concurring, that DLNR is requested to consider the adoption of administrative rules to preserve intact the leasehold recreation residence tracts within the Koke`e and Waimea Canyon State Parks; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) is requested to consider:

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DLNR is requested to report to the Legislature, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2004, on:

and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of BLNR.

Report Title:

Koke`e and Waimea Canyon State Parks; Historic Preservation