Video courtesy Hawaii County, edited by Big Island Video News

WAIPIO VALLEY – The non-profit Pohaha I Ka Lani has been awarded a $83,500 grant to protect, preserve, and restore the Waipi`o Valley Lookout property. The Hawaii County Council Finance Committee approved the grant during its August 18 meeting in Kealakehe. It is the first Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Maintenance Stewardship Grant to be awarded for a property acquired with the “2 percent” fund. In 2006, voters passed an initiative to set aside 2 percent of Hawaii County real property taxes each year to purchase important lands before they are lost to development. A commission meets throughout the year to prioritize the possible acquisitions before the Hawaii County Council votes to authorize negotiations.

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HILO – Pohaha I Ka Lani PONC Stewardship Preview

RESOLUTION 252-15

A RESOLUTION TO AWARD A PUBLIC ACCESS, OPEN SPACE, AND NATURAL RESOURCES PRESERVATION MAINTENANCE STEWARDSHIP GRANT TO POHAHA I KA LANI.

WHEREAS, Section 10- 16 of the Hawaii County Charter (2014) provides for a Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Maintenance Fund; and

WHEREAS, Section 10- 16, subsection ( a) provides in part that the purpose of this fund is ” to preserve the land, promote public safety, and maintain a healthy stewardship”; and

WHEREAS, Section 10- 16, subsection (h) provides for a stewardship grant program, which allows 501( c)( 3) nonprofit corporations to apply for funding for grant-in-aid projects that will be utilized for public safety maintenance and preservation of lands acquired using Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resource Preservation Funds; and

WHEREAS, Communication No. 344, as issued by the Director ofthe Department of Parks and Recreation, submitted for the Council’ s consideration five applicants for stewardship grants for various properties that have been acquired by the County using Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation funds; and

WHEREAS, Pohaha I Ka Lani submitted an application to provide land stewardship and cultural education for the Waipi`o Valley Lookout property (TMK: 4- 8- 004: 006); and

WHEREAS, the Council finds that awarding a stewardship grant to Pohaha I Ka Lani to allow it to reduce invasive species, propagate native plants, educate users about the area’ s history and culture, and create a ” Hawaiian Preservation Buffer and Learning Zone” will provide the benefits as described in Section 10- 16 and further will benefit the community at large by demonstrating that maintenance fund monies can be utilized to ” preserve the land, promote public safety, and maintain a healthy stewardship” of those properties that have been acquired using Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation funding; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII that, pursuant to Section 10- 16 of the Hawaii County Charter (2014), the Council hereby approves a grant in the amount of $83, 500 to be awarded to Pohaha I Ka Lani for the purpose of protecting, preserving, and restoring the Waipi`o Valley Lookout property (TMK: 4- 8- 004: 006).

(SOURCE: Hawaii County Council)