The community must participate in coastal plan

By Keli Campbell, Karen Eoff, Rebecca Shute - Kohanaiki Ohana

We are on the crest of a wave. We've been paddling for years, and we've reached the critical moment -the choice is ours. We back off, miss the wave, and are left behind. We can go for it, half-heartedly and wipeout due to our lack of commitment. Or we can drop in and relish the situation in which we find ourselves.

Let's drop in.

The Kona community has long advocated for residents to have a role in land use planning, especially those proposals that directly affect our quality of life, cultural practices and the environment.

In 1990, the proposal for a large-scale resort development at Kohanaiki demanded citizens to fight for our coastline; to protect those activities and access rights that are enjoyed by our community; to protect our natural and cultural resources.

The community has played an integral role in protecting this piece of the island. Kohanaiki remained under constant threat of development. The community stopped these developers through keiki surf contests, beach cleanups, letters to the editor and a realistic approach to the court system and utilizing the knowledge of our rights.

Today, this same community that has shaped the path of development on this land, will help create a landmark plan for a park at Kohanaiki.

Visualize a county park, managed by a stewardship collaborative of a community board, homeowners, and the county, where cultural events happen regularly, surfing remains a focus and caretakers preserve archaeological sites, build a double-hulled canoe, erect a canoe halau to house it, promote traditional gathering rights, and completely restore the opae 'ula ponds.

With the visionary planning brought forth by this collaborative triad, the most ideal picture of a living cultural park may be realized with the community's help.

"My deepest admiration, appreciation and gratitude for Angel (Pilago), Jim (Sogi), Curtis (County Councilman Tyler) and others for putting in so much time and effort; and to the landowners for what they have done to come up with a plan. We are hoping and praying for an agreement that will be a template for the future, a model whenever coastal development is proposed for shoreline areas in the rest of the state," Mayor Harry Kim said regarding the agreement.

However, it's the community's responsibility, once again, to step in and voice support for this innovative park concept.

The developer has committed to help create this park, but it's up to the community to keep the standards high. The shared responsibility in this public-private partnership, guarantees the community a position of power in the future of the park.

"Control our destiny. Preserve the quality of life we deserve. Hana lima ­ many hands working together - it's a step in the right direction as a collaborative effort. This is the essence of community-based planning," County Councilman Curtis Tyler said.

Many community members remain wary of any development at Kohanaiki. But the park and the planning process can give the community a platform to protect and preserve our coastline.

"The fight has always been about the keiki - for them to be able to act in natural ways in a natural environment and to follow in the footsteps of a culture where aina, ohana, and aloha are more than concepts. As long as the community, rather than the developer or government, is the generating force for development and protection of the area, the park will be a success," Janice Palma-Glennie said.

We must create a balanced approach to development, where the community's voice rings strong and has equal effect on decisions. This is a great opportunity to change shoreline development in all of Hawaii. The success of this park will set a benchmark for future shoreline projects, and will encourage communities and developers to look towards a collaborative, innovative approach to progress.

Ultimately, the success of the park depends heavily on community involvement in the planning process. The dedication of the community has put us in a position to make decisions and create a new process in development. Now is the time to walk the walk.

A community meeting regarding the plans for Kohanaiki will be held at Kealakehe High School cafeteria today at 5:30 p.m. Drop in. Let's take a proactive approach and set a precedent for future shoreline developments.

Viewpoint articles represent the views of individuals in our community and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the newspaper.