UPDATE – No decision was made on the Punaluʻu Village SMA permit application. The Windward Planning Commission continued the matter to a future meeting, to be announced. The commission will also decide on whether or not to grant standing to petitioners requesting a contested case, which – if granted – will further extend the process.

(BIVN) – The Kaʻū community voiced its opposition to the proposed Punaluʻu Village project on Thursday, turning out in large numbers to the Hawaiʻi County building in Hilo where the Windward Planning Commission met to consider a permit for the development.

Black Sand Beach LLC is applying for a Special Management Area (SMA) Permit to allow for the development of 225 residential and short stay units, a village and wellness center, retail, rehabilitation and golf courses on the former Sea Mountain at Punalu‘u resort area.

Figure from Planning Department document

Before the meeting got underway, residents of Hawaiʻi island’s southern district gathered by the entrance of the County building with signs in opposition to the project.

Inside the council chamber where the meeting was being held, hours of public testimony was heard by commissioners before they considered the SMA permit application.

The meeting was livestreamed by the Hawaiʻi County Planning Department on YouTube.

A library of testimony concerning the project has already been amassed on the County website. Most of the comments are in opposition to the development.

“The district of Kaʻu, specifically Punaluʻu, has its own unique beauty because of the raw magic the space holds,” wrote Haley Rose Hoʻanoili Roback and Hauola Soule Iokepa Roback in opposition to the project. “Years of proposed development plans have always been shut down as an effect of the people’s strong voice and perseverance in standing up preservation of the land.”

Opponents of the Punaluʻu Village project stand by the entrance to the Hawaiʻi County building in Hilo on Thursday, March 7th.

The Roback’s added that the project “would irreversibly change the space of Punaluʻu forever. As a local of this space, I speak for the community of Kaʻu when I say that this development is highly unwelcome. There has been enough developmental destruction in our islands for centuries. When or where does it ever stop? ‘Ua lawa makou i ka pohaku’. We are satisfied with the rock, a saying that holds very true for us. We the people aren’t concerned with the commercialized revenue this proposal ‘offers’, it is the ʻaina itself that feeds our naʻau.”

“I was bom and raised in Kaʻu and currently live in Pahala,” wrote Katherine Okamura. “I oppose any kind of development down at Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach. I live in Kaʻu because I love the ‘count(r)y lifestyle’. Building a resort will only bring more people to our already overcrowded beach. You have an obligation to follow the Ka’u Community Development Plan for the sake of the residents of Kaʻu!”

Not every testimony was against the project, however. Some, like Pahala-resident Demetrius Oliveira, voiced their support.

“I firmly believe that this project holds the potential to rejuvenate Kaʻu, offering invaluable opportunities for its residents and fostering much-needed employment.” Oliveira wrote. “Kaʻu has persistently grappled with economic challenges, characterized by limited job prospects that force many to endure extensive commutes. The envisioned resort development serves as a beacon of hope, promising substantial job creation and economic revitalization. Beyond immediate employment benefits, it pledges to pave a brighter path for younger generations, enabling them to flourish in their hometown. Recognizing the delicate balance between economic advancement and cultural preservation, I am gratified to attest to Eva Liu and her team’s unwavering dedication to both causes. Their genuine reverence for the historical and culturally significant sites of Punaluʻu exemplifies commendable stewardship, a rarity in past land development endeavors.”

As of 4 p.m. Thursday, the Windward Planning Commission meeting was ongoing.