LIHU‘E — Gov. Linda Lingle isn’t planning on releasing $750,000 for expansion of the county’s Black Pot Beach Park, Department of Land and Natural Resources Chair Laura Thielen said this week. Lacking both a plan and funds for ongoing maintenance
LIHU‘E — Gov. Linda Lingle isn’t planning on releasing $750,000 for expansion of the county’s Black Pot Beach Park, Department of Land and Natural Resources Chair Laura Thielen said this week.
Lacking both a plan and funds for ongoing maintenance of the expanded park, the Hanalei expansion plan isn’t a current priority for Lingle, said Thielen, also the interim chairperson of the state Board of Land and Natural Resources.
Thielen said Lingle supports the Legacy Lands program funded by a percentage of all funds paid to the state Bureau of Conveyances when properties change hands, but has three other priority projects, two of which have already secured outside funding for ongoing maintenance, and another that will be given state funds once federal funding is secured.
“This area (Black Pot Beach Park) remains a priority,” Thielen said. “Given what’s going on in the economy, she (Lingle) hopes to release funds later. All lands are a priority.”
The clock is ticking loudly on the plan to acquire beachfront property next to Hanalei Pier and Black Pot Beach Park from owner John Hodge, who has permits necessary to build a single-family home on the parcel and has said he will do so by summer’s end if either the Kaua‘i Public Land Trust or County of Kaua‘i does not purchase the property by then, said Jennifer Luck, KPLT executive director.
Hodge’s 32,126-square-foot parcel has been appraised at $4 million, but he is willing to sell for $3.3 million for the purposes of park expansion, Luck said.
KPLT recently announced a petition drive to garner public support for the acquisition and convince Lingle to release the funds.
Luck said 200 signatures were gathered on a recent weekend at the current Black Pot Beach Park, and that enough additional signatures might change Lingle’s mind. “One thousand signatures would get her attention,” Luck said.
“We understand and respect the enormous challenges currently being faced by Governor Lingle,” said KPLT President Bill Chase in a press release. “Economic hardship, high unemployment, low visitor arrivals, and furloughs for state and county employees are serious issues. However, we strongly believe that expanding Black Pot Beach Park will benefit the Kaua‘i community and further strengthen our island’s prosperity.”
The Kaua‘i County Council recently approved a money bill for $1.85 million for expansion of the park, with the money coming from an annual percentage of county real-property-tax revenues set aside for open-space land acquisition.
During discussion of the bill before the council’s Budget and Finance Committee earlier this month, council members recommended sending a letter to Lingle letting her know about the county funds for park expansion.
As the money bill is awaiting Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr.’s signature, the council’s letter to Lingle is awaiting mailing.
The Legacy Lands funding would have put KPLT and the county only $700,000 shy of the $3,300,000 purchase price, the KPLT leaders said.
Without the $750,000 in Legacy Lands Funds the county and KPLT will have to raise $1,450,000 in order to complete the deal and expand the park, a far greater challenge in the current economy, they said.
Thielen said Monday she did not know about the funding, but since the funds are for acquisition and not ongoing maintenance, she urged interested Kauaians to continue fundraising.
“What I would say is go get the money. Definitely keep on trucking,” she said. State officials “welcome them to come back with money for acquisition and maintenance.”
For more information on the petition, visit www.kauaipubliclandtrust.org.
