Nā Ala HeleHawai‘i Island Advisory Council Minutes
Approved: August 21, 2019
Revised: August 21, 2019
MEETING DATE: June 20th 2019
PLACE: Waimea DOFAW Office
Voting Members Present:

Riley Smith, Deborah Chang, Michael Varney, David
B Rietow, Christopher Seymour, “Maha” Kanealii Jr.,
Jeff Yamauchi

Voting Members Absent Excused:

Kawehi Ryder, Terrence Noda

Voting Members Absent Unexcused:(none)

Invited Guest:

Toni Withington of the North Kohala Community
Access Group and Kohala Lihikai

Public:Mary Metcalf with Pu֥‘u Wa‘awa‘a Advisory Council,Lele Kimble from Kona

Ex-Officio:

Jackson Bauer, Aric Arakaki of Ala Kahakai National
Historic Trails filling in for Rick Gmirkin.

I.

Call to order at 6:02PM by Riley SmithII.

REVIEW and APPROVAL OF MINUTES April 24, 2019. Motion to approve by Chris andseconded by Mike. All were in favor.

III.

PUBLIC TESTIMONY (Three minutes maximum).
A. Presentation by Toni Withington from the North Hawaii Community Access Group andKohala Lihikai: “North Kohala Rail-Trail & Trail Connectivity Plan”. Toni passed around adraft report. Jackson will obtain a digital copy and email it to the council. They want toturn the old North Kohala Rail easement into a walking trail. A full description written
by Toni and published in The Kohala Mountain News March 22, 2019 on page 4 can befound at http://www.kohalamountainnews.com/assets/2019-03.pdf .

Division of Forestry and Wildlife • Department of Land and Natural Resources • 1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 224 • Honolulu, Hawai‘I 96813

a. Question by Aric: Is the railroad plan part of the CDP plan? Toni said yes.
b. Question by Mike, in section 3, Puakea to Honoipu, is the yellow dotted line apossible alternative path for the trail? Toni said yes and that there will be
sections of the original easement that may not be desirable so alternativeroutes will be looked at.
c. Question by Mike, do the land owners show an easement in their deed? Toni
said some of them do.
d. Question by Deborah, is there a deadline for public comment? Toni said no.
They hope to have the final draft by end of 2019.
e. Question by Jackson, is this draft available online? Toni said no but a hard copy
is available at the Kohala Library.
f. Question by Riley, can you send Jackson a PDF copy for him to distribute to thecouncil members. Toni said yes.
IV.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS/COMMITTEE REPORTS
A. Nā Ala Hele Program Update (Nā Ala Hele staff) by Jacksona. Program Trails Updatei.

Kaulana Manu. The project is a little behind schedule due to county
inspections taking longer than anticipated. Ground work iscomplete. Construction of structures is next. Debbie reminded
Jackson that she would like to have a final review of the project rulesby the council at the next meeting.

ii. Ala Kahakai Puakea. No Update.
iii. Upper Waiākea ATV & Dirt Bike Riding Area. The ATV Park is looking
really good. Chris asked how progress is going on getting the trail
maps on the web site. Jackson said he’s still waiting for Terrence toget him the GPS data.
iv. Kahauale’a Trail and NAR opening. In the last meeting it wasreported that the trail would reopen in May. This has changed.
Instead of reopening the trail NAR is going to let the closure mandate
lapse in mid-July effectively opening the trail. Riley asked if the trail
was on the tracking tool. Debbie said no.
v. Other program trails update. Waimanu Valley. We did day trips on
May 13th, 16th, and 19th. General maintenance was performed. Allother trails are looking good.

b. Historic Trails updatei.

Hōkūli’a trails. No Update.

ii. Kaupalaoa. Riley asked if the county has been alerted of possible
violation of permit. Jackson said that both he and Rick separately
filed official notices but the county has not gotten back to us. Debbie
commented that this is #15 on the tracking tool.
iii. Waikoloa trails. Met with developer of Lava Lava Beach Club, Rickand Aric with AKNHT, Consultant Sidney Fuke, and Bethany Morrison
with County Planning. The developer wants to make some changes
and this was a pre-consultation meeting. They are listening to ourconcerns. They said they will transfer the title of the trails claimedby the state to the state.

a. Question by Debbie, what is the width of the buffers?
Jackson will get her that information.
b. Question by Riley, how do you document a meeting withthe developer? Jackson said everyone took notes andemail recaps were sent by both Jackson and Bethany. Noformal meeting minutes.
iv. Keauhou trail. No update. Riley asked who is the current contactwith KSBE? Jackson said Perry Kealoha.
v. Pāhoehoe and ‘Ala’ē OGR. Recent satellite imagery suggested there
had been some excavation and damage to the trail. A site visit withRick, Kamuela Plunkett with county, Maija Jackson with county, andSean Naleimaile with SHPD confirmed this. One section of the trail
was covered with soil and another section was blocked by a fenceline. The SHPD violations are being followed up. Debbie commented
the SMA Permit Application for the subdivision was going to go tothe Leeward Planning Commission. Jackson had no update on that.

a.

Access update
vi. Maulua access to Laupāhoehoe NAR. Last meeting reported
overgrowth and downed power lines. County Planning contacted theowner. Recent site visit found much improvement.
vii. Wailele Road access to Hilo Forest Reserve (Honomū Section). Noupdate.

a.

Administrative Tasks. No update.

b.

Other NAH programsi.

Trail Assessment project. We have completed all thereasonable access trails. The other trails are much too long forthe trail recorder to process.

ii.

Historic trail map digitization project. This continues to movealong nicely.

B. Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail Update (Ala Kahakai National Historic Trailstaff) by Aric Arakaki filling in for Rick Gmirkin.
a. The MOU between Ala Kahakai NHT, SHPD, and the county has been
approved by the Attorney General. It now goes back to the county for
their signature and then it will be fully executed.
b. We are meeting with both Federal and State departments oftransportation. During the widening of Queen Kaahumanu Hwy,
subsequent to the MOA, 5 additional sections of the Mamalahoa Trail
were breached. We are to negotiate mediation needed for therestoration of the trail. Mike asked if this is a monetary settlement being
pursued. Aric was not sure but that they are proposing options for trail
restoration.
C. Information/Update: Tracking Tool (Deborah Chang).
a. #49 Black Sand Beach. David reported that the beach access sign has still
not been replaced. Debbie pointed out that it is a violation of Mauna
Lani’s SMA permit (to not have a directional sign enabling the public tofind one of their required shoreline public accesses). Mike said he would
send a letter or email to the planning department director as a resident
and cc Jackson with NAH. Riley forwarded contact information to Mike.
b. #2 Bluffs at Mauna Kea. David said he walked the trail in April and thelandscape lighting and irrigation were still along the trail. Riley suggested
Debbie ask Rick to send Jackson an update that he can distribute.
c. #6 Hōkūli’a Trails. No update since the last meeting.
d. #7 Humu’ula Trail. Debbie asked if this was a program trail. Jackson said
yes. Jackson wanted to make it clear that the program trail starts justabove the dairy and ends at Keanakolu just off Mānā Road. Debbie willadd where the trail starts and ends on tracking tool.
e. #17 Keauhou. This will be updated at our next meeting. Riley asked
Debbie to add that Perry Kealoha is the KSBE point of contact.
f. #18 Kohala Kai. No update.
g. #24 Pikohene to Kapalaoa Trail. This will be marked as resolved.

h. #25 Pololū. Jackson reported that he met on June 13th with Bill Shontellof Surety Kohala, and Jay M. Hatayama, David Smith, Michael Millay, andIrene Sprecher all of whom are with DLNR. We reviewed the current
status of the land consolidation and subdivision plan for the parking lotand bathrooms. The latest plan is that the state will get the valley floor
and 5 acres just before the lookout on the Mauka side of the highway.
Surety will get the land along the valley rim above the lookout. Also, we
did get the CIP request approved for planning cost.
i. #26 Puakea Bay. Jackson will be meeting with the HOA and owners in thefuture.
j. #27 Puakō to Waimea trail. No update.
k. #32 Trail between Mau’umae to MKB. Riley pointed out that you can’t
do any grading within a floodway. It was agreed to move this to inactive.
V.

NEW BUSINESS
A. Council member concerns.
a. Maha asked about the 1200 gallons of herbicide used at the ATV Park.
Jackson said that was mixed and was applied over 40 acres.
b. Debbie asked if the Humu`ula trail that is partially on UH leased lands
atop of Mauna Kea can be closed by the UH. Jackson said the trail does
not cross UH leased lands. This section is not a program trail.
c. Debbie asked if we could review the existing NAHA guidelines at the next
meeting. Of concern is our advice on trail buffers and needing to updatethat information. Riley asked Jackson to email the word document to allmembers and that they add comments using track changes. Jackson
asked for members to send him photos of what are good and badexamples.
d. Jackson asked if we could set up subcommittees within the advisory
council to tackle certain projects. This would help him out. Riley
suggested that we add this to the agenda of the next meeting. Davidsuggested that we put together a template together for emails byindividual members.
B. Set next meeting agenda. August 21st at 6:00PM in Hilo DOFAW Office.
C. Next Meeting Agenda. Jackson and Riley to work on that.

VI.

ADJOURMENT. Riley called for a motion to adjourn. Maha motioned to adjourn andDebbie seconded that motion. Meeting was adjourned at 7:42PM.

ADA
BIISC
CIP
DHHL
DLNR
DOFAW
DOT
GPS
HDOT
KCRA
KRDC
KSBE
NAH
NAHA
NARS
OGR
PONC
ROHVA
SHPD

Americans with Disability Act.
Big Island Invasive Species Committee
Capital Improvement Program
Department of Hawai’ian Home Lands
Department of Land and Natural Resources
Department of Forestry and Wildlife
Department of Transportation
Global Positioning Satellite
Hawaii Department of Transportation
Kohala Coast Resort Association
Keauhou Resort Development Corp
Kamehameha School Bishop Estate
Na Ala HeleNa Ala Hele Advisory (committee)
Natural Area Reserve System
Old Government Road
Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources
Preservation Commission
Recreational Off Highway Vehicle Association.
State of Hawai’i Historic Preservation Division
Na Ala Hele
Hawai’i Island Advisory CouncilI.

Public Testimony:a.

b.
c.
d.
e.

f.

II.

Those providing testimony at our meetings are guests of our Council. They are not Council members.
They are invited to provide testimony. However, they do not have the right to question us,participate in our meeting, nor dialogue as we discuss our agenda.
Shall be limited to 3 minutes, for each person.
Written copies of testimony should be provided and included in the Minutes of meeting.
Oral testimony must be provided in person.
Testimony for a person that is not present can be turned into the Secretary for inclusion within theMinutes. It cannot be read at the meetings, as we will not have the opportunity to question theauthor. Electronic submittal of testimony will be allowed if provided to DOFAW 12 calendar days
prior to meeting date. Otherwise, hard copies may be distributed at meeting.
If testimony is being provided on behalf of an organization, it is required that the Board of Directorsof the organization or a majority of the members of the organization must have voted in favor of thetestimony. If this has not occurred, then it must be considered as solely the opinion of the person
providing the testimony.

Agendized presentations to the Council:a.
b.

r5/22/13

Time allowed for presentations is 10 minutes.
It is likely that the Council will ask questions after the presentation is made. This Q&A period may
continue for 10 – 15 minutes, at the discretion of the Chair of the Council.