Molokai Land Trust Open Space Grant Application
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NOTICE OF A PUBLIC MEETING ON AN OPEN SPACE GRANT APPLICATION BY MOLOKAI LAND TRUST The Department ofParks and Recreation ofthe County ofMaui will be conducting a public meeting at the Kilohana Community Center, 334-A1 Kamehameha V Highway, Kilohana, Molokai, Hawaii on August 10,2009 at 6:00 p.m. to accept comments on a grant application by Molokai Land Trust for $480,000.00 from the County ofMaui's Open Space, Natural Resources, Cultural Resources, and Scenic Views Preservation Fund for the acquisition of 196.4 acres of real property at Tax Map Key No. (2) 5-7-005:021, Molokai, Hawaii. The County ofMaui funds will be used as a match with the State ofHawaii Department ofLand and Natural Resources funding of $767,976.00 from their Legacy Lands Conservation Program to purchase the aforementioned Kawaikapu Ranch property. The County ofMaui will hold a perpetual Conservation Easement On the property. A copy ofthe grant application from Molokai Land Trust can be obtained online by visiting the County ofMaui's website at httpllwww.mauicounty.gov or be going to any ofthe following locations: Molokai Distriet Pennit Offiee Department ofParks and Recreation 90 Ainoa Street Mitchell Pauole Center Kaunakakai, Molokai, HI 96748 Molokai Publie Library 15 Alamalama Street P.O. Box 395 Kaunakakai, Molokai, HI 96748 Any interested person may submit oral or written eomments On the grant application at the publie meeting. Also, written eomments may be submitted by mail to the Grants Coordinator at 700 Hali'a Nakoa Street, Unit 2, Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii, 96793, On or beforc August 10, 2009. Any person requesting accommodations due to disabilities must call the Departmcnt at (808) 270-7949 at least six (6) days before the date ofthe scheduled public meeting. ~~ , TAMARA HOR2W <J:::' Director ofParks and Reereation County ofMaui GRANT PROPOSAL TO: MAUl COUNTY GRANT APPLICATION FOR: KAWAlKAPU RANCH ACOUSITION FUNDS FISCAL YEAR ENDING: 6-30-09 DATE OF APPLICATION: 1-9-08 Revised: 1-14-08 GRANTING AGENCY: COUNTY OF MAUl 200 South High Street, Wailuku, HI 96793 APPLICANT 1. LEGAL NAME OF ORGANIZATION: MOLOKA'I LAND TRUST Contact Name: William "Butch" Haase, Executive Director Phone: (808) 553-5626 2. ADDRESS: MAILING: P.O. BOX 1884, KAUNAKAKAI, HI 96748 OFFICE: 110 ALA MALAMA, SUITE 105, KAUNAKAKAI, HI 96748 3. TAXPAYER TYPE: Corporation (Non-profit Charitable 509(a)(3) 4. TAX ill NUMBER: 20-4915071 5. AMOUNT OF REQUEST OF COUNTY FUNDS: $ 480,000 6. HAS THE APPLICANT APPLIED FOR/RECElVED ANY OTHER FUNDS FROM THE COUNTY OF MAUI THIS FISCAL YEAR? REQUEST SUMMARY: The Moloka'i Land Trust requests a Grant of$ 480,000 (four hundred eighty thousand dollars) from the Maui County FY2008 Open Space, Natural Resources, Cultural Resources and Sceuic Views Preservation funds to be used as a match against Hawaii State Department ofLand and Natural Resources funding (from the Legacy Lands Conservation Program) for the purchase of 196.4 acres of the Kawaikapu Ranch from Greg Gordon. The purchase price for the entire acreage is $1,245,000. Kawaikapu will be pennanently protected and restored as habitat for native plants and animals as well as for subsistence gathering, archaeological preservation and education. The County of M:aui will hold a perpetual Conservation Easement on Kawaikapu. As requested by the DLNR, the County ofM:aui qualifies as a suitable easement holder, and will hold ti,e perluanent conservation eaSe1nent on K.awaikapu assuring permanent protection ofthese lands. PROPERTY DESCRIPTION The 196.4 acres to be purchased by the Moloka'i Land Trust is located in TMK: (2) 5-7 005: 021 on the East end ofMolokai, County of Maui. 1bis parcel is outlined on ti,e attached map (Figure 1). The seller Greg Gordon is subdividing 16 acres from the original 212.69 acre parcel for his family home (subdivision no. 5.672). Establishment of these conservation lands will conserve and protect over 196 acres of pristine watershed, riparian habitat for the recovery of native birds and native vegetation, and important cultural!archaeological sites contained within the valley. In recent years, the DLNR and private consultant have carried out surveys of the stream resources and botany respectively. In addition, this conservation plan eliminates the possibilities of development activities that could damage or eliminate the rich archaeological and cultural resources that exist at the site. The valley floor contains ancient Hawaiian loi, 'auwai, and house sites. Pennanent protection of the site will provide the opportuuity for careful planning and appropriate preservation and!or restoration with the partnership ofinterested cultural and community groups. CONSERVATION PURPOSES The conservation values of Kawaikapu Ranch meet many of the purposes outlined in section 9-19(1) of the Maui County Charter, including: • preservation of historic and culturally impol'tant land areas; • protection ofsignificant habitat and ecosystems, including buffer zones; • preserving watershed; and, • conserving land for the purpose ofreducing erosion, floods and runoff. The history of this area during much of the 20"' century included agricultural use as a cattle operation. llipal1an erosion by grazing and water pollution as a result ofrunoffwill be addressed by the Kawaikapu management plan. Establishment ofa conservation easement will eliminate the possibilities ofdevelopment activities that could damage or eliminate the rich botanical, archaeological and cultural resources that exist at the site. Figure 1. Aerial oftbe Subject Property 196.396-Acres of the Kawaikapu Rancb Property Second Division Tax Map Key Island ofMolokai, County ofMaui, Hawaii 5-7-05, Parcel 21 (portion) .-I.J:RL;\L OF nn: SUBJECTPROPERTY 196.396-Acres of the Kawaika.pu Ranch Property Second DirirlOD Tax ~hp Ke,· Island of l\-loIokai. Co r ofl\laui.,. Hawaii S-7-O-:::, P:m=el n (portion) Figure 2. Kawaikapu TMK (2) 5-7-005:021 Location in relationship to adjacent parcels ~---- --- ........- .~ Figure 3. TMK (2) 5-7-005:021 JUSTIFICATION FOR PRIORITIZATION The property under consideration in this proposal meets a wide variety oftests for justification. In general, it is appropriate for protection under a variety of State and County Plans. These include: • Molokai Community Plan: The Molokai Community Plan desctibes policies and objectives that pertain to the property under consideration. Objectives and policies include: o Regulate land use in a manner which reaffIrms and respects customary and traditional rights ofNative Hawaiians as mandated by Article 12, Section 7, Constitution of the State of Hawaii. o Pursue the establishment of traditional use areas in the context ofState and County land use law while recognizing ahupua'a tenant use rights. • Moloka'i Community Plan - East End Policy Statement (EEPS): The 1984 Moloka'i CAC was the only one in the County to have elaborated and adopted a specific policy statement for an area within their region. This docwnent, referred to as the "East End policy Statement" evolved over a sel-ies ofmeetings held in Kaunakakai and Ualapue. Subsistence objectives that apply to proposed Kawaikapu land use :u:e as follows: o \Where appropriate, use subsistence considerations as a factor in the design, evaluation and pennit processing of discretionary land use proposals. o Wherever possible, protect trails for traditional Hawaiian Access. o \Xlhere desirable, establish or re-establish acceSS for hunting, fishing, religious, la'au and lapa'au gathering uses. o Protect resources from overuse and commercial exploitation. >- An implementing action stated within the EEPS for Subsistence Goals that applies is as follows: o Develop a program to establish or re-establish access to private lands on an appropriate basis and level of access. Environmental objectives that apply are as follows: o Protect and encourage the restoration ofnative habitats through government and private consenration, land management and educational programs. o Restore the environmental integrity ofMoloka'i's land resources through development ofa comprehensive refotestation program utilizing native species. o Protect and manage coastal water quality through best management land treatment practices. o Recognize and preserve traditional access and uses of the environment to address subsistence needs of the residents ofMoloka'i. o Recognize Native Hawaiian Rights to environmental resources. o Preserve the island's scenic vistas and natural features, and maintain ocean view corridors. • Maui County General Plan (1990). The Objectives and Policies under the Environment Section include: o To preserve and protect the county's unique and fragile envirorunental resources o Prese1-ve, enhance and establish traditional and new environmentally sensitive access opportunities for mountain and ocean resources. o To preserve for present and future generations the opportunity to know and experience the :u:ts culture and history of Maui COU11ty o Encourage the recordation and preservation of all cultural and historic resources, to include culturally significant natural resources. • Maui County General Plan (1990). The Objectives and Policies under the Recreation and Open Space Section include: o Foster an increased awareness of the ethnic and cultural heritage ofour people o Encourage the identification, restoration and preservation ofimportant archaeological, historical and cultural sites. In addition, Kawaikapu Stream has been surveyed by the State ofHawai'i Department of Land & Natural Resources. DLNRlDAR examinations ofthe lower reaches ofthis