Koke'e letter

July 24, 2006

DLNR-Division of State Parks

Attn: Lauren Tanaka

P O Box 621

Honolulu, Hawaii 96809

Re: ��Koke`e and Waimea Canyon State Parks Master Plan

To Whom It May Concern:

The following comments address concerns with the proposed Koke`e and Waimea Canyon State Parks Master Plan and EIS. ��The stated purpose and goals of the State Parks Division and the Koke`e and Waimea Canyon Master Plan include properly managing and protecting Hawai`i's natural and cultural heritage, preserving the unique historic character of Koke'e and Waimea Canyon, protecting and preserving the unique natural environments of the parks, ensuring the continued existence of Hawai`i's unique flora and fauna for the benefit of Hawai`i's future generations, protecting, preserving and managing archeological resources, historic sites and traditional cultural places to ensure the continuity of the traditional cultural values and practices that are unique to these parks, protecting scenic resources, ��promoting heightened appreciation of the parks' natural and cultural resources, and preserving, managing and interpreting the “legacy of the recreation residences,” however the only goal that seems to be guiding the plan is revenue enhancement to the State.

These parks form a very special, very pristine part of the island of Kaua`i. ��They are a bit remote, which enhances the possibility of remaining special and pristine. ��Those who are able to hike into the forests and along the trails, those who can gather and weave, those who can hunt and fish, are tremendously fortunate. ��We hope that many generations will have that opportunity. ��The only “fix” or “enhancement” that may be needed or appropriate to the mountain would be to make all existing viewpoints ADA accessible and to clean up and maintain the existing improvements. ��Otherwise, our precious Koke`e is perfect just as it is. �ݬݬ�

If the proposed plan is carried out, the mountain will evolve into a touristed, over-used, and irretrievably spoiled place that once was a place that provided our community a sacred and beloved natural resource. ��It will become a place that local families will no longer find a refuge.

�Ģ I am opposed to the new park entry booth (and the ancillary building and parking area) to be built in the middle of the road at mile 6.8 at the entrance to Waimea Canyon State Park. ��According to the EIS, this “is an essential component of the Master Plan” (2.5.3A) as it will permit the State to charge an entry fee for park visitors. ��The only reason for this feature is to collect money. ��The stated reasons of handing out brochures and establishing “park identity” are clearly specious. ��The cost of building the structure and the offensiveness of such a gate to our community, beyond the fact that there is no good reason for this for park enhancement, are additional reasons to stop this before it happens.

�Ģ I am opposed to the 40-60 room hotel and greatly expanded parking in the meadow area at Koke`e (2.5.3N). ��There is no need for such a hotel. ��There are cabins available and in order to maintain the park's quiet and low-key ambiance, there cannot be such intensive redevelopment. ��It is just this low-key ambiance that keeps Koke`e a special place for all of us. ��The parking area is to be enlarged to include not less than 2 stalls per hotel room (120 stalls) plus 1 additional stall per 75 sq ft of other commercial (retail, restaurant, shops, etc) (e.g., 100 stalls for 7500 sf of commercial space), plus additional parking for the campground and “development of bus parking.” ��The only reason for this greatly enlarged parking area is to accommodate guests at the new hotel and those coming in on the buses that can now travel all the way up to the Kalalau lookout. ��The hotel is unnecessary and permitting full-size buses up the mountain is unnecessary, therefore all of this parking is unnecessary.

�Ģ I am opposed to adding a concession area and information center to the Waimea Canyon Lookout with new parking lot and bus staging area. ��Again, these “improvements” are to permit more busloads of tourists to be unloaded and reloaded onto their buses while getting more dollars from them at the site. ��All that is needed is to make the lookout ADA accessible and to maintain any interpretive information.

�Ģ I am opposed to paving over the meadow at 13.5 mile marker (the meadow with the gray gate on the canyon side, where nene and goats come each morning and evening, a very special place) with a 40-car parking lot and viewing platform. ��This proposal is offensive to any- and everyone who is familiar with the mountain. ��This meadow is a place of sanctuary for nene geese and has become sacred in the sense that ashes of many loved ones have been scattered there. Again, don't try to fix something that isn't broken. ��Once we pave paradise and put up a parking lot, there is no turning back.

�Ģ ��I am opposed to widening the road to the Kalalau lookout to “safely accommodate full-size buses.” (2.5.2B) ��The road from the meadow to the Kalalau lookout is narrow and winds through a special part of Koke`e forest. ��The lookout is more often than not engulfed in fog. ��Those who would like to go up to the lookout may do so now by way of car. ��Having full-size buses encouraged to park at the lodge and travel up to the top of the road simply destroys much of Koke`e's specialness. ��

�Ģ I am opposed to auctioning the recreational cabins to the highest bidder world-wide in early September 2006. ��I am not a leaseholder and never have been, but it is my opinion that permitting a no-holds barred auction of the cabins to the highest bidders is probably the most short-sighted approach possible. ��The wealthiest bidders are not likely to be Kaua`i residents. ��Who will m��lama i ka `��ina? ��Who will have access? There are many options that can be considered, including the proposal to negotiate directly with the leaseholders of cabins of historic value and have an auction in 3 phases: first, to permanent Kaua`i residents, next to residents of the State of Hawai`i, and third, to those outside of the State. ��Other proposals that encourage applications of those interested in sharing a cabin are also reasonable. ��Direct negotiations with the existing leaseholders is also a far superior plan to the proposed auction. ��Again, the only reason to move forward with this plan is to reap the most monetarily to the State. ��

I have attended two “community outreach” meetings convened ostensibly to receive input from the community, area businesses, park user groups and government agencies. ��My experience is that they have neither listened to nor heard any of Kauai`'s public testimony so far. ��

I urge you to suspend plans to move forward with the auction and the master plan.

Sincerely,

NANCY J. BUDD

NJB/up

xc: �ݬ�Governor Linda Lingle

OEQC

R.M. Towill Corporation

Senator Daniel Inouye, 722 Hart Building, Washington, D.C. 20510-1102

Senator Daniel Akaka, 141 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510

Congressman Ed Case, 5104 Prince Kuhio Fed. Bldg., Honolulu, HI 96850

Senator Gary Hooser