Kaua‘i County Planning Committee Chair JoAnn Yukimura prodded Planning Director Ian Costa to include writing regulations in addition to identifying agricultural land uses in his draft scope of work report unveiled to the public yesterday. Costa explained to the planning
Kaua‘i County Planning Committee Chair JoAnn Yukimura prodded Planning Director Ian Costa to include writing regulations in addition to identifying agricultural land uses in his draft scope of work report unveiled to the public yesterday.
Costa explained to the planning committee during its meeting at the Historic County Building in Lihu‘e how his department would use a proposed $500,000 in county funds to map Kaua‘i agricultural lands and identify them as “important” or “not important” to satisfy a state mandate created under Act 183.
If the ultimate goal is to craft a stronger law to protect the future “food, fiber and fuel” security for Garden Island residents, Yukimura said, the department should view the study as an opportunity to “dovetail” with the mayor’s proposed moratorium on agricultural subdivisions.
In addition to providing feedback on Costa’s draft report, planning committee members voiced concerns over the state’s limited funding help for the mandated study.
Planning Committee Vice Chair Jay Furfaro suggested the county invoice the state for some financial help instead of walking away from its portion of $75,000 lawmakers set aside for the islands to conduct their studies.
He also voiced concern over deadlines. Furfaro questioned if there were mapping deadlines if the county chose to not draw on state money for the study.
Costa said Act 183 does not go into effect, in essence, until the Legislature adopts an “incentives package.”
Furfaro requested the director also include a review of water resources in the study, noting the direct connection between agricultural use and water supplies.
In addition to identifying agricultural lands as important or not important, the study would likely also result in classifying some land as no longer agricultural, Costa said.
“What do we do with the lands that are not (agricultural)?” he said.
Costa questioned if the mapping study is about preserving agricultural land or open space — or finding a way to release it into other uses.
“We all want to preserve ag land, but less than five percent of us actually do it,” he said.
Among eight other points, the director’s draft scope of work report calls for creating a technical advisory committee of at least 12 members — representing landowners, stakeholders and farmers — appointed by the mayor and County Council.
The advisory committee would serve as a decision-making body to provide final recommendations for lands to be proposed for all important agricultural land designations, he said.
Planning Committee Member Ron Kouchi questioned the advisory committee, saying it could “hold the process up.”
“I can’t think of a more important task on Kaua‘i,” Planning Committee Ex-Officio Member Tim Bynum said, noting the need to clarify what is agricultural land and how it can be used.
Bynum said the study could be an opportunity to create an “honest process” to buy and sell agricultural land.
Ten years ago, he said, the working class could afford to buy a parcel of agricultural land to live on. Since then, he added, there has been an “incredible run up of prices.”
Bynum said the current process does not fit into the county’s vision for the future with open view planes and a rural character.
Yukimura said the county should leverage Act 183 to develop a good process that includes an improved regulatory system.
She added that there will be “chaos” if such regulation is not put into place before the proposed moratorium on agricultural subdivisions ends.
Marie Mauger, a Moloa‘a Hui Lands farmer who attended the meeting, said in an e-mail Monday that cutting up prime agricultural land for subdivisions is “potentially a great loss to the community.”
Costa said he hopes to have a final draft on the scope of work for the study by next month.
• Nathan Eagle, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or neagle@kauaipubco.com.
