Lahaina News: Coalition hopes to acquire vacant lot at Honolua Bay shoreline
http://www.lahainanews.com/page/content.detail/id/507988/Coalition-hopes-to-acquire-vacant-lot-at-Honolua-Bay-shoreline.html?nav=19
March 29, 2012, Lahaina News
Hawaiians consider it a treasured cultural resource. To some, it’s a world-class, big wave surf spot; to others, it’s a Marine Life Conservation District. Environmentalists are trying to protect it; land trusts want to manage it; community groups want to save it; and the children of West Maui don’t want to lose it. There are kuleana lands within it, and “McMansions” have been built around it. Everyone agrees it has an intrinsic value, but price tags have been put on it. The hills south of the rugged shoreline have been bulldozed, landscaped and tamed; and, with urban growth extending north, some call it the last stand. One activist worried, “If we don’t stop development here, what’s next?” In 2007, in response to the threat of the development of 40 homes and a golf course at the Upper West Side haven, the powerful Save Honolua Coalition (SHC) was formed. Its vision was, and still is, to revitalize the health of the Honolua Ahupua’a through community-based management utilizing Hawaiian values and practices. With strong leadership and international support, SHC’s mission is to create a bridge between the needs of the aina, people and the landowner. A 9,471-square-foot vacant lot near the shoreline of the bay was recently put on the auction block; and, conservation buyers Wayne and Elle Cochran outbid Maui Land & Pineapple Company with a $30,000 offer.? The Cochrans call Honolua their home. Wayne is on the SHC board, and Elle is a member of the Maui County Council. In an interview with the Lahaina News, Elle explained their position. “You purchase land for another entity or organization. That is what the Trust for Public Land has done for Paukukalo for the county.? “What Wayno and I have done is on a smaller scale but basically for the same principal. Someone fronts the money to hold it, knowing all along that another entity or organization will take it over,” she said. Ultimately, she added, “I want the Save Honolua Coalition to take care of it, to manage it, to malama it.? They have a plan,” she said. “The goal is for that end of the island to be preserved and protected,” the first president of the coalition continued, “and I think they are that entity to accomplish that. This little parcel will just be a stepping stone in order to accomplish both goals.?I think it is definitely a benefit, and that’s what I’d like to see happen.” Elle cautioned, “The auction is not finalized. We don’t own the land until the judge brings down the gavel to close the deal.?Until then, everything is up in the air. I have no idea what’s going to happen. It’s quite scary.” The confirmation hearing on the auction has been extended to mid-September. At that time, Cochran explained, “the bidding process is reopened. They will ask three times.?If nobody says anything, we, the Cochrans, close the deal. If someone steps in and bids (at least 5 percent higher than $30,000), the bidding starts all over again.” Tamara Paltin is the current president of the grassroots nonprofit SHC. To her, the “It is a real small parcel, but the location to do positive things for Honolua Bay as far as management and things like that is immeasurable,” she said. She has put her pen to the task of drafting a management plan and is lobbying the county for support with the circulation to elected officials, and a request to “provide some of the funds set aside for the acquisition of land at Honolua from the open space fund …” “The Save Honolua Coalition has raised some money in the form of donation/pledges/loans in case a bidding war resumes, and we do have a management plan,” she wrote. The objectives of the management plan are simple and straightforward: 1) To continue to provide port-a-potty service; 2) Reinstate a Makai Watch education station; 3) Provide education and support for the use of newly installed “day-use mooring buoys” within the Honolua Marine Life Conservation District; and, 4) Provide networking and community service opportunities for interested youth and the public. Beyond that, the coalition has a loftier purpose - to bring all stakeholders under one umbrella. “What I see happening here is the community, our elected officials and the company (Maui Land and Pineapple Company) all coming together to make sure that a small but important piece of Honolua is kept in open space.?It is a meaningful step towards the higher goal which is to preserve, and hopefully heal, what is left of the Honolua Ahupua’a,” SHC Secretary John Carty concluded. |
Letters Recently Written by Students at Sacred Hearts School
During the last several years of our work, the youth have been so inspiring. Their love for the area and their clear vision of what is right is our compass. Here are some recent letters from them.
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Recently, I have seen many “Save Honolua” bumper stickers. This has inspired me to raise awareness about how important it is to preserve the sacred aina we call Honolua Bay. It is one of the last open spaces left on Maui. Travelers from all over the globe come to the island of Maui to see the majestic and cultural land space, not to see land that has been developed.
I realize that my becoming more aware of what is in my “backyard”, that I can inform others who are not aware. I can share my knowledge of how to protect our sacred land. I can inform them about how to take care of the land, of what is happening with development so that they can know how to help. I am determined to make a change and will not stop until I do. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Natalie Kent
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I only moved to this beautiful island of Maui last year. I have learned that Honolua Bay is one of the few remaining sacred undeveloped parts on the West side of Maui. It is imperative to do whatever needs to be done to keep this gorgeous land to be enjoyed by the community so that people will see the true Maui, not a developed Maui.
Sincerely,
Katie Slear
7th grader
Sacred Hearts School
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I am writing this letter because I want Honolua Bay to be kept as the surf spot and beach that it is now. I have lived on this island all my life – 12 years. I have always walked on the beach of Honolua Bay. I will do whatever I have to do to save Honolua Bay. I will stay on the beach and protest development if I have to. I have found my courage to save Honolua Bay.
Sincerely,
Giovanna Johnson
7th grader
Sacred Hearts School
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I recently became aware that Maui Land and Pine was considering developing on the sacred ahupua’a of Honolua Bay. I’m extremely thankful that the decision was made to not develop Lipoa Point in 2007. I am now motivated to do what I can to preserve this beautiful Bay, to keep it sacred, and make our ancestors proud of us. It is up to us to keep this sacred ahupua’a thriving by doing anything and everything including informing others so as not to harm its safety and beauty.
Sincerely,
KP
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What would you feel if someone took what you love most? Would you feel betrayed, enraged or depressed if this happened? One word that can describe how I would feel is outraged. About five years ago, we almost lost this wonderful place to development. Luckily, many in the community didn’t want this aina to be destroyed, so they protested and they prevailed. I wish to do this too, to make a change in the community, to open the eyes of people and to create a better home for our future. I wonder, “Why demolish a land worth a lifetime?” I want to help save our land.
Sincerely,
Meiling Westberg
7th grader
Sacred Hearts School
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Five years ago in 2007, Maui Land and Pine spoke of developing an area near Honolua Bay. When the word got out, the Maui County Council held a meeting and many community members including students from the West side of Maui spoke. They helped preserve Honolua Bay.
Now, today, I am writing this letter to continue to help preserve the Bay by spreading the word. Honolua Bay is one of the last undeveloped areas on Maui! I hope to raise awareness that doing something for profit doesn’t help the whole community.
Thank you for reading this.
Sincerely,
Zoe Hirschson
7th grader Sacred Hearts School
Viewpoint: Group would like to see land protected
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, for The Maui News
It is unfortunate that the quiet title process of forcing families to sell their ancestral lands continues in Hawaii in this day and age, however that is the result of legal action taken by Maui Land & Pineapple Co. over the last five years to quiet the title of a very small parcel of land located within the Honolua Marine Life Conservation District. While this is a sad situation, the Save Honolua Coalition hopes that it can be turned into an opportunity to further malama Honolua. Our vision for this property is our mission for our nonprofit: Maintain open space, public access and revitalize the health of the Honolua ahupua’a through community-based management utilizing Hawaiian practices and values. We would like to facilitate a makai watch program being reinstated in this area and continue to fund port-a-potties, possibly at this location as part of a much needed management plan for this sensitive area. It is disappointing that ML&P President and Chief Operating Officer Ryan Churchill declined to comment on The Maui News’ Jan. 29 article regarding the public auction of this property. Time and time again the community has come out en masse to support the protection of Honolua Bay from private development, and I’m sure we would all like to know ML&P’s plans for the future at Honolua. Will it restart a bidding war at the confirmation hearing? If it were to acquire the land, what are its plans? As a publicly traded corporation beholden to their stockholders, ML&P and all of its employees are responsible for making a profit, so we wonder how outbidding our community will accomplish this. If the company has plans for conservation and management, wouldn’t it be cheaper for stockholders to allow a nonprofit to shoulder the burden? If ML&P or any other entity has plans for private or commercial development at Honolua, be assured that the community will rise up once again to protect Honolua. Ultimately the Save Honolua Coalition would like the community to have ownership of this land through a conservation land trust. We are actively seeking to raise the necessary funds on our website, www.savehonolua.org. If you have a love for Honolua and believe in our mission and what we are doing, please donate. Every little bit helps. If you would like more information, contact us at kokua@savehonolua.org. If ML&P or another entity ends up with control of the property at the confirmation hearing, we will continue to work on our mission and hope to work together with the landowners on a management plan to address the many threats faced by the Honolua Marine Life Conservation District. * Tamara Paltin is the president of the Save Honolua Coalition. She lives in Napili. |
Cochran Hopes Auction Bid Will Save Honolua From Development
http://mauinow.com/2012/01/29/cochran-hopes-auction-bid-will-save-honolua-from-development/
By Wendy Osher
A small parcel of kuleana land at Honolua Bay was put up for auction this week after Maui Land and Pineapple Company filed a quiet title lawsuit, claiming part ownership.
In a public auction on Wednesday, Council Member Elle Cochran and her husband Wayne entered a winning bid of $30,000 in an attempt to preserve the land and protect it from potential development.
Cochran, who was an original founder of the Save Honolua Coalition, said she would like to see it as a SHC parcel. The two are in discussions to come up with a management plan and a plan for the organization to pay back whatever funds are expended at the auction.
“Hopefully that non-profit would manage and take care,” said Cochran. “We definitely want to preserve it,” said Cochran, who expressed support for keeping the parcel in open space and conservation. She said she would not be opposed to having a hale built to teach what the ahupua’a or ocean is about.
Honolua parcel, courtesy photo.
Meantime, the Save Honolua Coalition is coming up with a management plan that involves the makai watch, watershed, and ahupua’a management. SHC director, John Carty who was on hand for the auction said, “The 9,000 square-foot piece of land is a symbolic and powerful beginning point for the community. The coalition will raise money and work with the Cochran’s to form the smallest land trust in Hawaii while vowing to make it the largest land trust by saving what is left of the Honolua ahupua’a.”
He said, “The Cohcran’s are hard working people who were forced to spend a lot of money for an important piece. They have always been at the forefront of saving Honolulua and today they really put their money where their mouth is.”
The Save Hoonolua Coalition has established a fund with any donations at this time going toward the purchase of the Honolua parcel. The group has already started raising funds for pledges towards the purchase and ask anyone who would like to contribute to do so by emailing kokua@savehonolua.org.
Honolua parcel, courtesy photo.
The 0.217 acre lot of vacant land is located near Honolua Bay with access easement to and from the Honoapiilani Highway. The assessed value of the property was last listed at $3,800, and the market value was $377,500.
Maui Land and Pineapple Company is among a list other parties who claim part ownership of the parcel. The land manager and company CFO of ML&P were among those in attendance at Wednesday’s auction. A request for comment on Friday was not returned in time for publication, however those familiar with the case say the company may have had their own plans for conservation as well, but we were unable to confirm those assertions.
The parcel became the center of another lawsuit several years ago when members of one family claiming part ownership were challenged in court for charging visitors a fee to cross the property. The case ended when it was determined that the parcel was not a public access point.
Cochran said she hopes to look into the laws to protect kuleana lands from forced sales in the future. “It’s not right because once they (ML&P) got their foot in the door, they got the process underway. The final outcome was forcing the sale. Lineal descendants could not afford to pay for their ancestral home, or protect the property from auction regardless of how big or small their share,” said Cochran.
“This is an example of how important Honolua is to the community and a reminder to potential commercial interests of how the community will always rise up to defend Honolua from development,” said Carty.
