LIHU‘E — A land deal years in the making came to fruition Wednesday when the Kaua‘i County Council unanimously approved a plan that will secure 138 oceanfront acres on the Ninini Coastline near Lihu‘e Airport for public use in perpetuity.
LIHU‘E — A land deal years in the making came to fruition Wednesday when the Kaua‘i County Council unanimously approved a plan that will secure 138 oceanfront acres on the Ninini Coastline near Lihu‘e Airport for public use in perpetuity.
“We get to own 138 acres of beachfront property,” said Council Chair Bill “Kaipo” Asing, who played a key role in the negotiations according to various sources.
Asing described the parcel as a “unique coastal resource” special to him personally after years of fishing and said the “free and clear ownership” — at no financial cost to the county — was “a win-win situation” for the public and the developer that made the land available.
In exchange for the transfer, Kaua‘i Lagoons was granted four land use amendments to expand its development project in Nawiliwili or Kalapaki, depending on who you ask.
Bill No. 2324, if signed by Kaua‘i Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr., will amend the state land use district boundary by reclassifying 14.6 acres to urban zoning, according to a summary presentation made by Asing during deliberations Wednesday.
Bill No. 2325 will amend the General Plan designation by converting 19.1 acres from open zoning to resort zoning, Asing said. Bill No. 2326 will amend zoning conditions by converting 21.6 acres from open zoning to R-2 (residential), and Bill No. 2327 will expand the visitor destination area boundary by 9.2 acres.
All four bills passed unanimously.
“We’re just ecstatic,” said Kevin Showe, manager of Kaua‘i Development LLC, a former partner of Marriott in the Kaua‘i Lagoons venture. He said outside Council Chambers following the vote that the original proposal to turn the 138 acres into a public access area similar to Queen Kapiolani Park on O‘ahu “really hit home” and everyone worked hard to “make the dream a reality.”
“I’m just excited to be a part of it and to be done with it,” Showe said.
He said 22 single-family lot densities were transferred as part of the deal from the land that will become county property to the existing development area. The increase in value of that land due to the transfer and the financial gain to Kaua‘i Development and Kaua‘i Lagoons was not disclosed Wednesday.
Other key players in the multi-year negotiations were former Council Chair Ron Kouchi, a representative of Kaua‘i Lagoons, former County Attorney Mike Belles and former Mayor and Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura.
“I’m very glad that it passed because I think it means some good news for the people of Kaua‘i, especially the people of Lihu‘e, because it means 138 acres of coastal land will be dedicated to the county,” Yukimura said when reached Wednesday afternoon, adding that the land will likely one day host Phase 6 of Ke Ala Hele Makalae multi-use coastal path — between Ahukini and Nawiliwili — and the monetary value of the land will be eligible as a match for more federal dollars for the project.
She said part of the idea was to form a “lei of green” around the island as a buffer between development and the ocean.
“We weren’t able to do that for every part of the coastline, but we were able to do it here,” Yukimura said. “It’s just going to be a wonderful thing into the future for the island. … The history of that land being held as very precious, so now we’ll be able to protect it in perpetuity.”
In casting their votes in support, current council members signaled their appreciation to Asing, Showe, Kouchi and Yukimura and called the property an “unspoiled beauty,” a “sanctuary” and a “big win” for the county.
For more information on Kaua‘i Lagoons, visit www.kauailagoonsgolf.com. For more information on the multi-use coastal path’s route through Lihu‘e, visit www.kauaipath.org.
