The Hawai‘i County Windward Planning Commission heard about 5 hours of additional public testimony, a majority of which was again in opposit
Excerpt from this story from Kaua'i Now:
The developer of a controversial proposed Ka‘ū residential and commercial community on the Big Island will have to wait to find out if it will be approved for a special management area use permit to move forward with project — or if it will be considered at all — following a special meeting Monday of the Hawai‘i County Windward Planning Commission in Hilo.
Commissioners granted standing for petitions in a contested case hearing filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and ‘Iewe Hanau o Ka ‘Āina. Both organizations object to the special use permit sought by Black Sand Beach LLC to develop Punalu‘u Village on 147 acres around Punalu‘u Black Sand Beach Park, about 6 miles southwest of Pāhala.
The proposed development, which could cost up to $350 million, has run up against a wall of opposition from Ka‘ū community members, residents from elsewhere throughout Hawai‘i and even people from the mainland who say it not only threatens the environment, it would desecrate cultural sites.
There also are concerns about the cost of living increasing because of the development, outside influence in the community, destruction of the pristine Punalu‘u coastline, threat of wildfire because of the state of the former resort buildings, larger numbers of people in the area and loss of a way of life along with historical and generational knowledge, among others.
The Center for Biological Diversity has a legally protected interest in the survival and recovery of endangered and threatened species and their habitats.
Members, some of whom are descendants of Native Hawaiians who inhabited the Hawaiian Islands prior to 1778, have a vested interest in the species, habitat and natural and cultural environment at Punalu‘u, which would be impacted by the proposed development.
The spike in how many people are in Punalu‘u and water quality issues also will impact the animal and plant life there. ‘Iewe Hanau o Ka ‘Āina, which also has members descended from Native Hawaiians who inhabited the islands before 1778, is concerned about the endangered and threatened species of the area.
That includes the threatened nēnē (Hawaiian goose) that hang out on the golf course, endangered green sea turtles and critically endangered hawksbill turtles that nest at Punalu‘u.
