LIHU‘E — There is a chance that the county Black Pot Park on Hanalei Bay near the pier could grow even beyond the county’s wildest expectations. Not only did Hanalei property owner Michael Sheehan on Wednesday offer up a 16,476-square-foot
LIHU‘E — There is a chance that the county Black Pot Park on Hanalei Bay near the pier could grow even beyond the county’s wildest expectations.
Not only did Hanalei property owner Michael Sheehan on Wednesday offer up a 16,476-square-foot parcel adjacent to the park for just over $2.1 million, he also said much more of his family’s land could be available in an owner-financed, long-term, bargain-basement deal that would in turn provide him property-tax breaks.
The additional land is along the Hanalei River, and while Sheehan doesn’t own all of the property he’s offered, he does own a lot of it, and has discretion over how the rest of the land is utilized, he said in an interview.
The total package, including a 32,162-square-foot parcel near Hanalei Pier, could create a huge, L-shaped county park, mostly bordered by Hanalei River, if all the pieces fall into place.
The revelation by Sheehan came during the Kaua‘i County Council Budget and Finance Committee deliberation over an ordinance proposing to appropriate $1.85 million from the county Public Access Fund for expansion of the park.
In action in Council Chambers at the Historic County Building, committee members unanimously approved Bill 2305. It will appear before the full council for final approval next week.
Time is of the essence to secure the county funding, said Jennifer Luck, executive director of the Kaua‘i Public Land Trust.
The county funds are derived from a county law setting aside 0.5 percent of all real-property-tax revenues into a Public Access, Open Space, Natural Resources Preservation Fund. The fund, created by voters, was established in 2003 and now has around $2.2 million.
The 32,162-square-foot parcel near the pier, owned by John Hodge, would be the first parcel acquired using the county funds.
And although the $1.85 million isn’t enough to buy the parcel, it would help Luck show other potential donors that the acquisition has county funding and county backing, she said.
It may also sway Gov. Linda Lingle to consider releasing $750,000 in state funds authorized through the legacy lands acquisition law and fund, funded by contributions through a percentage of state conveyance taxes paid when properties change ownership.
Luck said Lingle sent KPLT a letter last week of the governor’s intent not to release those funds. The county and KPLT also applied for $700,000 through a federal grant program and are awaiting word on that, she said.
“I’m an eternal optimist,” said Luck, adding she thinks the acquisition of the Hodge parcel will happen, given the availability of county funds and a “generous land owner” willing to sell his parcel well below the current appraised level.
“We have to make it happen,” she said.
Bill Gillette, principal broker of Kaua‘i Tropical Properties, listing agent for the for-sale Hodge property, said Hodge bought the property in 2005 for $4 million, has it listed for $4.495 million, and offered it to KPLT for $3.3 million.
“It’s still very much an urgent situation,” Luck told members of the committee. For expansion of the beach park, “it’s a great piece” with a “flexible owner,” she said.
If Lingle won’t release the state funds, which would have to be encumbered by June 30, “plan B” is to approach private donors, Luck said.
The county approval of the $1.85 million would help her in her search for “contingency funding,” which Luck said she would like to have wrapped up within two months.
Councilman Jay Furfaro said the county Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Fund Commission has acquisition of the Hodge parcel at the top of its list.
Councilman Tim Bynum said the 2009-2010 county capital improvement project budget contains a $1 million line item for public access and open space acquisition, though he is hesitant to use that for any purpose other than replenishing the open-space fund.
“It’s money that’s available to the county,” Bynum said in an interview.
In the committee meeting, Bynum suggested amending the proposed ordinance to $850,000 and using the $1 million in the CIP budget to total $1.85 million, but Furfaro said that would take some time with public-hearing and multiple-reading requirements at the council and committee levels.
Councilman Dickie Chang said the county should look at acquiring both the Hodge and Sheehan properties for park expansion, and both Bynum and Council Chair Kaipo Asing agreed that a letter should be sent to Lingle encouraging her to release the $750,000 in state funds.
• Paul C. Curtis, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or pcurtis@kauaipubco.com
