LIHU‘E — The state Land Use Commission unanimously approved a petition from Grove Farm Company Friday to convert a total of 11,048 acres to Important Agricultural Lands. The petition filed by Grove Farm and their subsidiary, Haupu Land Company, preserves
LIHU‘E — The state Land Use Commission unanimously approved a petition from Grove Farm Company Friday to convert a total of 11,048 acres to Important Agricultural Lands.
The petition filed by Grove Farm and their subsidiary, Haupu Land Company, preserves and protects the farming industry by maintaining lands as “ag lands” forever.
“You can’t rezone lands covered by IAL,” said Mike Tresler, senior vice president for Grove Farm. “They will forever be IAL lands.”
Kaua‘i’s Planning Department countered that the soil was lower quality than they had hoped. The planners are in the process of developing criteria for designating more land as IAL, but according to Kaua‘i County Planning Director Mike Dahilig, that process is still a couple months away from being completed.
Tresler said land designated as IAL needed to meet eight criteria including an abundance of good soil that supports agriculture, unique crops and sufficient water resources, among other things such as long-term planning and transportation considerations.
Recreational activities raised concerns for the county planning office, but are still allowed on lands designated as IAL by the state. However, the land could be developed any further.
Currently, there are a couple of zip-line facilities located on the lands.
The parcels offered include 10,303 acres just mauka of Lihu‘e around Kilauea Crater and 745 acres adjacent to the Waita Reservoir, near Koloa.
This equates to roughly a third of Grove Farm’s total land holdings of 32,996 acres and Haupu Land Company’s holdings of 1,652 acres.
According to Grave Farm, in March 2011, Maha‘ulepu Farm became the fifth entity in the state to seek the IAL designation, which successfully preserved 1,533 acres on Kaua‘i as ag lands.
During Friday’s hearing, the county of Kaua‘i’s Planning Department called into question the quality of soil, but Grove Farm executives noted that farming has long taken place on the lands and that the lands were sustainable for ranching and growing biomass crops such as various grasses and eucalyptus trees.
County planners said they looked at the general plan with the county council and said the lands closer to Lihu‘e were more suitable for growth. Grove Farm will continue leasing those acres as ag lands for the time being.
The LUC praised Kaua‘i County for taking the initiative to be more actively involved in planning and using IALs, then passed Grove Farm’s request unanimously.
• Laurie Cicotello, business writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 257) or business@thegardenisland.com
