DLNR Seeks Input on the DEIS for Kealakekua Bay Park

Kealakekua Bay. PC: DLNR

Kealakekua Bay is one of the most culturally and historically significant places in Hawai‘i, and a park planning process is moving forward to balance the preservation of the cultural values and historical sites with the recreational use of the state historical park, especially the very popular Kealakekua Bay.

The plan addresses the priority issues of parking and access to the bay in the Nāpō‘opo‘o section of the park, as well as toilet facilities, and the protection and interpretation of archaeological sites in the Ka‘awaloa Section.

Kealakekua Bay. PC: DLNR

Interested community members are invited to discuss the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park on Hawai‘i island at a meeting on Saturday, April 14, 2018, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. the the Konawaena Elementary School cafeteria.

The DEIS has been published and is available on the Office of Environmental Quality Control website.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of State Parks in partnership with Belt Collins Hawaii (BCH) is hosting the meeting as part of the park planning process.

Kealakekua Bay. PC: DLNR

This meeting is an opportunity for the public to get information and ask questions about the Master Plan Update and the Environmental Impact Statement.

“As we update our master planning for Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park, we’ve made a concerted effort to integrate planning for the bay and ocean recreation with the land-based park and the concerns of the local community” said Curt Cottrell, DLNR State Parks administrator.

“We know how popular this bay is with both residents and visitors, and are seeking input on management and development that will balance recreational use with the historical and cultural values of this very special place,” Cottrell said.

Kealakekua Bay. PC: DLNR

Comments on the DEIS will be accepted until April 23, 2018. Comments can be submitted by email or regular mail to:

John Kirkpatrick
Belt Collins Hawaii LLC
2153 N. King Street, Suite 200
Honolulu, HI 96819

or [email protected].

Special assistance: If accommodation of special needs is required (e.g., large print, taped materials, sign language interpretation),  contact Kirkpatrick by April 9, 2018.

Konawaena Elementary School is located at 81-901 Onouli Road in Kealakekua.

Kealakekua Bay. PC: DLNR

Background

The master plan update for Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park was initiated in 2008 but planning took on additional aspects of park management and ocean recreation after the bay was included in the park in 2012. Two public meetings were held in January and August 2016 to solicit input from the community on the preparation of the master plan.

The park was established in 1967 with additional land acquired for the park in the early 1980s. Today, the park encompasses 221 acres of land area around the bay and 315 acres of the bay for a total of 536 acres. The park consists of 4 sections—Nāpō‘opo‘o section at the southern end of the bay, Pali Kapu o Keōua or the central pali, the Ka‘awaloa section at the northern end of the bay, and the bay.

Park development is currently limited to the picnic pavilion with restrooms, an outdoor shower, and limited parking at Nāpō‘opo‘o. The master plan includes basic visitor facilities—parking and restrooms. It includes an interpretive center and trails that can help visitors learn about history and cultural resources. It limits access to Ka‘awaloa and to the spinner dolphin rest area, sites where visitors could affect both resources and the overall ambiance of the park. It addresses safety issues for swimmers in Ka‘awaloa cove. The proposed parking arrangements and use of Nāpō‘opo‘o landing are intended to reduce impacts of visitation on the community while encouraging safe use of watercraft by local residents and visitors alike.

Kealakekua Bay is one of the most significant cultural and historical places in Hawai‘i. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. As one of the seven chiefly centers of Kona in the 1700s, Kealakekua was a favored place for the ali‘i (chiefs) to reside for part of the year. The Kona field system on the slopes above the bay was an extensive agricultural system growing dry land kalo and ‘uala (sweet potato), and the sheltered bay provided a wealth of marine resources and good canoe landings. The ali‘i compound was centered at Ka‘awaloa while the kahuna (priests) occupied the religious complex at Nāpō‘opo‘o. It was during the Makahiki season in January 1779 that Captain James Cook arrived at Kealakekua. Cook’s party spent almost a month recording the settlement at Kealakekua in journals and drawings. Kalani‘ōpu‘u returned to Ka‘awaloa from Maui upon news of Cook’s arrival. Kamehameha was a young chief residing at Nāpō‘opo‘o. Cook’s death at Ka‘awaloa on February 14, 1779 is marked by the Cook Monument, a white obelisk located along the shoreline at Ka‘awaloa.

Ka‘awaloa is a culturally sensitive area with an important archaeological complex that reflects continuous occupation from the early Hawaiian period to 1940. In Nāpō‘opo‘o, Hikiau heiau is a monumental reminder of Hawaiian tradition. The Nāpō‘opo‘o portion of the park has been more extensively changed by historic land use, recreation and park development, vehicle access to the bay and the surrounding residential community than Ka‘awaloa.

Designated a marine life conservation district (MLCD) in 1969, the bay is recognized for its diversity of marine life. Snorkeling and diving at Ka‘awaloa cove has increased in recent years due to the exceptional abundance of coral and fish in the shallow waters in this portion of the bay. Kealakekua Bay is also significant for the pod of nai‘a (spinner dolphins) that sometimes come into the bay to rest during the day.