KAPA‘A — Guests of the Wailua-Kapa‘a Neighborhood Association meeting Saturday at the Kapa‘a Library, expressed a desire for the future of the Coco Palms property be protected “responsibly and in perpetuity.” Jennifer Luck, Kaua‘i Island Director for the Hawaiian Islands
KAPA‘A — Guests of the Wailua-Kapa‘a Neighborhood Association meeting Saturday at the Kapa‘a Library, expressed a desire for the future of the Coco Palms property be protected “responsibly and in perpetuity.”
Jennifer Luck, Kaua‘i Island Director for the Hawaiian Islands Land Trust, said this is the time to act, now that demolition and re-development permits to the dilapidated property expired in Jan. 25.
The Kaua‘i Planning Commission is to hold a hearing Thursday on the revocation of the permits held by Coco Palms Ventures LLC. The company is trying to sell the property even though a new developer would need new permits for commercial use.
“The private sector has had 20 years to develop the property and make something happen there,” Luck said. “It is unrealistic to think they can make money there as a private venture, but with a public project all the funding is covered and it is potentially a very viable option for this property and solution.”
State Senate Vice President Ronald Kouchi introduced a $276,000 grant-in-aid request to the state Legislature in January.
On March 25, the Kaua‘i County Council unanimously passed a resolution supporting HILT’s efforts and the grant in aid.
If approved, the money would kick start a planning process to ultimately purchase the property — for somewhere between $15 million and $20 million — for the public benefit. The process would involve the community’s vision for the site.
Luck said the public can also help by submitting a letter in support of the grant-in-aid. HILT will make presentations and take feedback from community groups, she said.
Several of the approximately 50 community members at Saturday’s meeting shared HILT’s perspective that the moral and public interest is to identify the historical and cultural values that has some of the oldest links to Hawaiian royal and spiritual heritage.
Ideas tossed around included development that allows for public access, area employment, Hawaiian gardens and markets, music and heritage, and a cultural or educational facility including a halau with a parkland.
“All of those issues need to be explored during this planning process and that is why we need to be heavily funded to address the number of complex issues that need to be explored,” she said.
Luck said the land trust was created to identify and protect important sites. They have worked with landowners and government to create permanent easements on 17,530 acres of land, and purchased about 500 acres to ensure perpetual land protection including 155 acres of the Kilauea coast preserve and river, along with Rock Quarry Beach in Kilauea. They also worked in Hanalei to protect areas of the Blackpot Beach Park.
The importance of the Coco Palms site dates back hundreds of years, from the river mouth heiau to the Wailua royal dwellings, she said. The site that was once the home of Queen Deborah Kapule, was sold to Ernest Lindemann in 1892.
“Coco Palms is an important and sacred site to the community, and we were asked to play a role in its acquisition and protection for perpetuity,” she said.
The hotel grounds area is about 12.93 acres. The 17-acre coconut grove acreage is owned by the state and the project would seek a long-term lease, she said. There are additional 18 acres, zoned conservation district, beyond the grove, .
The fundraising plan would come after the cost assessment of the land value, acquisition and demolition of the current site, Luck said. The information would be used to attract the total funding for the long-range effort.
The grant-in-aid process could take up to 18 months, starting August. This allows time for community input for a plan to present to funding organizations, she said.
“This is going to be an immense undertaking and we are going to try and acquire this property for the public benefit,” she said. “The due diligence will begin with a Phase 1 environmental assessment and a detailed site assessment of the existing structures.”
One guest asked if the owners could donate their interests in the property as a tax credit. Luck said HILT would present that idea to Coco Palms Ventures as a way of reclaiming losses when it might be difficult to sell to another developer without the permits.
The ideal combination might be for owners to donate a portion and to accept cash for other parts of the property, such as the old Sea Shell Restaurant north of Wailua Beach.
“That could be re-developed and sold separately,” Luck said. “The pressure is on them to get it done sooner than later.”
HILT also encourages a revenue-generating component to help sustain the long-term property management for the proposed public site. It could be a restaurant, an auditorium or anything the community finds appropriate.
There was concern expressed about climate change and how possible rising water would affect any project on the site. There was also discussion about future roads and bridges in the area.
One member said that people in the Kanaka Maoli community would see any contract or title transfer on this property as illegal. Luck said that the Land Trust would continue to work to protect the land until such time as the laws change and the burden of land management changes.
“Until then we want to see this property protected and acquired for public benefit and for all use,” she said.
Another guest called for the redevelopment of the Coco Palms site to include the legacy of the hotel, along with an “ethnic center” that celebrates the history and contributions of all the immigrant cultures on Kaua‘i.
