LaFrance Kapaka-Arboleda was the only public member to speak yesterday on Keapana Horsemanship’s proposal for a horse riding business on state lands near Lihu’e. But her complaint for the state to do a cultural survey for Keapana’s 156-acre site and
LaFrance Kapaka-Arboleda was the only public member to speak yesterday on Keapana Horsemanship’s proposal for a horse riding business on state lands near Lihu’e.
But her complaint for the state to do a cultural survey for Keapana’s 156-acre site and 6,600 other adjoining acres designated by the government for agricultural use prompted the County Planing Commission to continue the hearing until April 9.
The vote came on the strength of arguments by Commission member Sandi Kato-Klutke that the public should have more time to scrutinize the proposal before the commission acts on the proposal.
If permits are approved, the project would strengthen agricultural and farming uses on the island, county officials said.
Keapana’s 156-acre project is part of a larger project by Kalepa Koalition, which consists of 13 state permit holders who want to use a total of 6,800 mauka acres in Lihu’e for agricultural or ranching pursuits.
The land became available after Lihue Plantation shut down its operations in November 2000 and relinquished the lease of the state land.
Before the state gave month-to-month permits to Kalepa Koalition, it should have conducted a survey to identify historical and cultural finds, Arboleda complained
“I am not against her (Keapana co-owner Lara Butler) or the proposal, but any time the state has land to get rid of, either take the responsibility or do it (the cultural study) in-house,” Arboleda said.
But Mike Laureta of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources said there was little danger of Hawaiian sites or artifacts being damaged by work done by the permit holders.
The state permit allows work only in areas that had been used for cane cultivation and produced little or no evidence of cultural finds, Laureta said. In addition, gullies that might contain such finds will be fenced off, he said.
Laureta also said the cultural study could be done during the subdivision of the land. The state also is looking ensure the study is done, Laureta said.
Don Hibbard, administrator with the DLNR’s State Historic Preservation Division, said his office is concerned horse trails could accidentally damage historic sites found in gulches, valleys or ridges.
Pre-European era heiau, Hawaiian house sites and agricultural complexes and ditch systems, tunnel systems, plantation camps and bridges from the late 1800s could be found in pockets of land not used for growing sugar, Hibbard said.
Because no surveys have been done yet, “we aren’t sure how many sites exist or where,” Hibbard wrote in a February letter to the County Planning Director Dee Crowell.
If such sites are found, steps will be taken to protect them, Hibbard said. Nancy McMahon, the state archeologist on Kaua’i, will evaluate situations as they arise, Hibbard said.
But Butler said her roads would be built only on former cane haul roads.
Keapana Horsemanship wants to establish a horseback riding facility, equestrian trail rides, programs and wagon rides on land near the Kalepa Forest Reserve managed by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
Under the proposal, to be implemented over the next six years, Keapana wants to breed and train horses.
The company also wants to conduct up to 12 commercial rides daily. Most of the rides would be for parties of two, although there would be group rides for four to eight guests for each ride.
In succeeding years, carriage and wagon rides, an arena and equine sport fields and youth programs are planned.
Butler said she also wants to construct eight swimming ponds from existing sumps, including one that looks out onto Wailua Falls, a popular visitor destination.
Butler said she has no plans to conduct rides to the falls or on her neighbor’s properties.
On the subject of trespassing, Laureta said he has spoken with Butler and other permit other permit holders and that any violations will be grounds for cancellation of permits and citations by the state law enforcement division.
Butler said she also plans to build a shelter for abandoned large animals, a project the Planning Department has questions about.
But Butler said the shelter is needed to house abandoned horses, calling the situation a “big problem on the island.”
She said she has nine distressed horses on her property that will be going through rehabilitation.
Butler said the month-to-month state permit amounts to a “a big risk,” and that the her potential development cost “is way up there,” but that the project is a lifetime dream.”
Should she lose her permit, Butler said she can recoup some of her costs because she has an agreement with the state to receive $2.50 for every “foot of fence I put up” from the next permit holder.
Should her project be approved, Butler said she would give up a county permit allowing her to operate a 6-acre horse riding project in Keapana Valley.
But she said she would retain state permits allowing commercial horse rides on Powerline Trail, Sleeping Giant and the Wailua arboretum.
The proposed project is good in that it will help with interpreting the history of the area to riders, Hibbard said.
A preliminary evaluation by the county Planning Department said the project can be compatible with the surrounding agricultural area.
